Rosacea Patient Tips

My desire is to help Rosacea patients live like normal again.  I want to inform their family members on how to live their lives just like everyone else.  They should not have to hide away because of their condition.  I've provided information on what Rosacea is, Rosacea treatments, doctor visits, and tips for family members of Rosacea patients.  Now, I want to give Rosacea patients some tips from other Rosacea patients that they have found helpful living with their condition.

One tip that works for a Rosacea patient is using green tea ice cubes.  This patient says that rubbing an ice cube of green tea on their face helps clear up redness.  Other patients suggest sleeping with a fan on them or carrying a portable fan wherever they go.  For food related triggers, patients suggest avoiding wheat, reducing sugar, and drinking beer as it acts as an anti-inflammatory.  Some other suggestions to try on the face are coconut oil, salt water, and lemon juice.  Patients suggest using estrogen therapy as their estrogen dropped due to menopause and caused their Rosacea to flare up (National Rosacea Society, 2015).  Three tips from the American Academy of Dermatology suggests patients see a dermatologist, learn what triggers one's Rosacea, and follow a Rosacea skin-care plan. I've provided a video below of the do's and don'ts for Rosacea patients (AAD, 2015).

 
I hope all of these tips help Rosacea patients feel like they can live like normal again.  Rosacea should not take control over the patient, the patient should take control over their Rosacea.

References:

American Academy of Dermatology.  (2015). Rosacea: Tips for Managing.  Retrieved from https://www.aad.org/dermatology-a-to-z/diseases-and-treatments/q---t/rosacea/tips.

National Rosacea Society.  (2015).  It Works for Me: Patient Tips.  Retrieved from http://rosacea.org/patients/itworksforme.

Recommendations for Family Members of Patients

Previously, we discussed what Rosacea is, what the treatments are for it, and what to do at the doctor's appointment for a Rosacea patient.  Now, we'll discuss the recommendations for family members of patients suffering from Rosacea.

If you are a family member of a patient suffering from Rosacea, know all the factors that cause Rosacea to flare up (MayoClinicStaff, 2013).  You can use my previous post as a reference for different factors that can irritate the skin of Rosacea patients.  After knowing these factors, be mindful of places to invite your family member suffering from Rosacea.  If inviting the patient to go swimming, know that sun exposure can irritate their skin so try to find a pool with a lot of shade or opt for an inside swimming pool.  When giving gifts, don't buy products for the patient that can irritate their skin.  These products have fragrances in them or are not labeled "sensitive skin" (National Rosacea Society, 2015). Stress can also irritate the patient's skin, so help your loved one by eliminating any and all stress that they may have.  Also, patients suffering from Rosacea can be embarrassed about their skin, so compliment them and encourage them to get out more.  Let them know that patients should not have to hide because of their skin.  They need to enjoy life.  If one has difficulty trying to make the symptoms of Rosacea go away, one can try covering up the face (Suszynkie, 2010).  I've provided a video below of a great make-up routine for people who have a lot to cover up on the face.

(Video taken from https://youtu.be/ex33wtqnNz8)

Rosacea can be troublesome for many patients. However, with a great support system, patients can overcome the emotional stress that comes along with the disease.  Family members are vital in the treatment process for Rosacea patients. 

References: 

Mayo clinic staff.  (2013, Aug 17).  Lifestyle and Home Remedies. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rosacea/basics/lifestyle-home-remedies/con-20014478. 

National Rosacea Society.  (2015).  Factors That May Trigger Rosacea Flare-ups.  Retrieved from http://www.rosacea.org/patients/materials/triggers.php.  

Suszynkie, Marie.  (2010, Feb 25).  Don't Let Rosacea Damage Your Self-Esteem.  Retrieved from http://www.everydayhealth.com/rosacea/rosacea-and-emotional-health.aspx.

Doctor Visit for Rosacea Patient

In my last post we talked about the different types of treatments for Rosacea.  I mentioned that Rosacea does not have a cure but treatments are available to help keep the effects of Rosacea under control.  For this post, we will talk about what to tell one's doctor when going in for treatment.  But first, let's talk about when one should go see a doctor for Rosacea treatment.

Here are all the signs and symptoms of Rosacea:

• Mild or severe redness on the nose, cheeks, forehead, or chin
• The redness in face persists over time and becomes even more red
• Small blood vessels on the face
• Pimples or bumps on the face that may resemble acne
• Eyes that are watery
• Irritation in the eyes
• Burning or stinging eyes

If any or these signs and symptoms appear, one is encouraged to see a dermatologist. The faster the patient gets in for treatment, the better Rosacea can be kept under control and show less symptoms (National Rosacea Society, 2015). 

Before going to the doctor, one should keep track of the signs and symptoms of Rosacea that they are experiencing.  For patients that experience flushing, keep track of when and how the flushing occurs. Keep track of any eye problems one may have.  Eye problems can consist of watery or bloodshot eyes, irritation, burning, or stinging in the eyes.  Things that one should also mention to one's doctor would be long amounts of exposure to the sun and any facial pains such as stinging, burning, tightening, or swelling.  Also, one should tell their doctor the impact that these symptoms have had on their life.   

When one goes in for their appointment, their doctor is going to want to know the start of the symptoms and how long the patient has been experiencing the symptoms.  He or she will want to know if the symptoms are occasional or continuous, any improvement, and what may seem to worsen the symptoms.  All of these things are good to keep track of before making the appointment to see a doctor.

All in all, if one experiences the signs and symptoms of Rosacea, even if they are not too serious, one should go in to see a doctor.  It does not hurt to be sent home having no issues.  It does hurt, however, to have issues and allow them to persist or worsen over time without treatment.  One should be mindful of the effects it has on one's body and share these things with one's doctor (Mayo clinic staff, 2013).

Here is a great video that breaks down Rosacea and the harms of not seeing a doctor for treatment:

Dr. Dorris on Rosacea 

(Video taken from https://youtu.be/OciJeNX1dkM)

References:

Mayo clinic staff.  (2013, Aug 17).  Preparing for Your Appointment.  Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rosacea/basics/preparing-for-your-appointment/con-20014478.

National Rosacea Society.  (2015).  When to See a Doctor.  Retrieved from http://www.rosacea.org/patients/whentoseeadoctor.

Treatments of Rosacea

As mentioned in my previous post, Rosacea can be lessened by not involving oneself with any type of activities that cause blood flow to the face. Again, Rosacea cannot be cured.  However, there are multiple things one can do to lessen the outbreak of Rosacea. Since Rosacea presents itself in four different subtypes, the treatment must be tailored to each individual type.  A physician would be the one to instruct the patient on what treatment would work best for them.  I have provided a brief summary of treatments below for each type of Rosacea.

Subtype 1 Rosacea can be treated with laser or intense pulsed light therapy.

Subtype 2 Rosacea can be treated with oral medication or topical rosacea therapy.

Treatment with topical therapy (Image found here: http://www.rosacea.org/patients/treatmentphotos.php)

Subtype 3 Rosacea can be treated with medications or in severe cases, surgery.  Surgeries that may be used to treat this type of Rosacea are, according to the National Rosacea Society, "cryosurgery, radiofrequency ablation, electrosurgery tangential, excision combined with scissor sculpturing and skin grafting" (National Rosacea Society, 2015). A surgical laser can be used followed by dermabrasion.

 Treatment with pulsed-dye laser (Image found here: http://www.rosacea.org/patients/treatmentphotos.php)

Subtype 4 Rosacea can be treated with oral antibiotics, artificial tears, and cleansing the eyelashes with a wet washcloth lathered with baby shampoo.  The cleansing must be done daily.  In severe cases ophthalmic treatments may have to be prescribed.

Before asking your physician what treatment would work best for your type of Rosacea, please keep in mind that the results of treatment vary for each individual.  In the meantime, I have provided day to day self-management tips that one can do to help keep Rosacea under control.

As I mentioned earlier, stay away from anything that might trigger your type of rosacea.  In a survey conducted with 1,066 rosacea patients they determined that their rosacea was triggered most commonly by:
Sunlight - 81%
Emotional stress - 79%
Hot weather - 75%
Wind - 57%
The rest of the results can be found here.

Rosacea can also be managed well by maintaining proper skin care.  This means using skin treatments that don't trigger skin irritation.  The best way to do this is to look for products that are labeled "sensitive skin."  Since fragrances can cause irritation, use fragrance-free products.  Before using any product on one's face, use on a small patch of skin to test whether the product causes irritation.  Lastly, using the least amount of product on one's face can help reduce skin irritation.

More next time on what to present to one's healthcare provider when one goes in for Rosacea treatment (National Rosacea Society, 2015).

References:

National Rosacea Society.  (2015). Management Options for Rosacea Patients. Retrieved from http://www.rosacea.org/patients/managementoptions/index.php.

National Rosacea Society.  (2015).  Medical Therapy for Rosacea.  Retrieved from http://www.rosacea.org/patients/managementoptions/medicaltherapy.php.

National Rosacea Society.  (2015).  Rosacea Treatment Photos.  Retrieved from http://www.rosacea.org/patients/treatmentphotos.php.

National Rosacea Society.  (2015).  Skin Care & Cosmetics.  Retrieved from http://www.rosacea.org/patients/skincare/index.php.

Introduction to Rosacea

Many people are unaware of the condition known as Rosacea.  Approximately 16 million people are affected by this disease but only a few actually know that they have it (National Rosacea Society, 2015).  Rosacea causes people to feel insecure and sometimes prevents them from being social. Unfortunately, the cause of this disease is unknown and it has no cure (Mayo clinic staff, 2013). However, treatments are available for those suffering from Rosacea to help keep it under control. You may now be asking, what is Rosacea?

Rosacea is better known as adult acne.  Rosacea may present itself as four different subtypes. Subtype 1 is erythematotelangiectatic rosacea, subtype 2 is papulopustular rosacea, subtype 3 is phymatous rosacea, and subtype 4 is ocular rosacea.  These symptoms are prominently seen on the face but can also occur on the scalp, ears, neck, or even the chest (AAD, 2015).  It is hard to describe Rosacea just through words so I have provided pictures of the condition below.

(Image found here: http://www.rosacea.org/patients/allaboutrosacea.php)

Here is what you may expect from the different subtypes of Rosacea:

Subtype 1: Spider veins; swollen or sensitive skin; dry, rough, or scaling skin; flushing and redness in the face

Subtype 2: Sensitive, burning, or stinging skin; breakouts similar to acne (may come and go); spider veins; plaques (raised skin)

Subtype 3: Bumpy or thickened skin; broken blood vessels that are visible; oily skin; large pores

Subtype 4: Watery or bloodshot eyes; eyes feel like they have sand in them; dry, burning, stinging, or itchy eyes; blurry vision; sensitivity to light; broken blood vessels or cyst on eyelid (AAD, 2015)

Example of spider veins: 

(Image found here: http://www.mavesmedical.com/spider-vein-removal/)

Example of plaques:

(Image found here: http://www.clinicaladvisor.com/dermatologic-look-alikes/facial-plaques-in-aging-men/article/151550/)

Rosacea can affect anyone.  However, it is more common in people over 30, especially women who have fair skin.  Although the cause of Rosacea is unknown, there are certain things one can avoid to prevent the trigger of blood flow to the face (National Rosacea Society, 2015).  These things include but are not limited to, strenuous exercise, sunlight, alcohol, and hot foods, beverages, baths, or saunas (Mayo clinic staff, 2013).

More next time on the treatments of Rosacea.  

References:

American Academy of Dermatology.  (2015).  Rosacea: Signs and Symptoms.  Retrieved from https://www.aad.org/dermatology-a-to-z/diseases-and-treatments/q---t/rosacea.

Maves Medical Associates.  (2015).  Spider Vein Removal.  Retrieved from http://www.mavesmedical.com/spider-vein-removal/.

Mayo clinic staff.  (2013, Aug 17). Causes.  Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rosacea/basics/causes/con-20014478.

National Rosacea Society. (2015).  All About Rosacea.  Retrieved from http://www.rosacea.org/patients/allaboutrosacea.php.

National Rosacea Society. (2015).  If You Have Rosacea, You're Not Alone.  Retrieved from http://www.rosacea.org/patients/index.php.

Scheinfeld, Noah S.  (2009, Oct 5).  Facial Plaques in Aging Men.  Retrieved from http://www.clinicaladvisor.com/dermatologic-look-alikes/facial-plaques-in-aging-men/article/151550/.