If you’ve noticed that sometimes your skin tends to redden, feel sensitive and inflamed, especially around the area of your nose, cheeks, chin or forehead, it might be a sign of a skin condition called rosacea. Rosacea is a very common skin condition, which mainly affects different areas of the face, it can also affect the skin around the eyes, which causes the eyes to feel irritated and appear red or watery.
WHAT CAUSES REDNESS IN THE FACE?
The exact “causes” of rosacea have not been determined, with several theories stemming from research.
One theory suggests that rosacea results from a separate condition of the neurovascular system – a system in our bodies that controls and maintains the proper functioning of the veins, nerves and arteries in the body. Other research points to a microscopic skin mite called Demodex, which populates everyone’s skin and may be more abundant/active in skins that exhibit rosacea symptoms.
Yet more research indicates another reason for developing rosacea could be hidden in your genes, suggesting a genetic connection between rosacea and other, more serious general health conditions, such as cardiovascular and intestinal diseases, that trigger higher skin sensitivity and make your blood vessels more dilated.
Researchers have identified several risk factors, If you have fair skin and have a history of rapid flushing, blushing and sudden skin flare-ups it might be an indication of being at a higher risk. For females, the chances of developing rosacea are higher than in males, however, males affected by rosacea tend to present with more severe symptoms.
While there is no definitive cure for rosacea yet, there are a number of solutions that can assist in managing and reversing the signs and associated symptoms.
DOES GUT HEALTH AFFECT ROSACEA? WHAT FOODS TO AVOID IF YOU HAVE ROSACEA?
The short answer is yes, gut health and gastrointestinal disorders have been linked to developing rosacea. Research is increasingly pointing to the microbiome’s connections to your skin’s health and this is important when struggling with rosacea.
I suggest excluding as much processed sugars, refined flours, fizzy drinks, vegetable oils, processed foods, and hydrogenated fats as possible. That’s because these products have high pro-inflammatory properties that are able to disturb your gut’s health and result in increased inflammation, which is indicated to play a significant role in the development of rosacea. Microbial imbalance in the gut (also known as dysbiosis) often is the reason for poor skin quality, inflammation and other general health conditions. Unfortunately, dysbiosis is a more common condition than you might think, and can occur as a result of poor diet practices, disturbed sleep patterns, antibiotic medication or alcohol consumption.
Nevertheless, ensuring your gut’s health will not necessarily get rid of all of the symptoms of the condition, as it is a complex disorder affected by other factors, such as your lifestyle and genes. This is why I strongly suggest you take a 360 degree approach to your skin’s health and combine a healthy diet and lifestyle with appropriate topical treatments for rosacea symptoms. My recommendations will include specific treatments and homecare such as gentle cleansers, targeted serums and moisturisers, that support your skin’s hydration levels and act by rebuilding your skin’s barrier while addressing microbial imbalance and excess inflammation.
For internal gut health in a rosacea skin, I have two specific go-tos – i/o beauty by skin modern, first of its kind of supplement to target skin and gut microbiome health. It contains two patented ingredients with incredible and conclusive clinical research showing broad benefits. A short-chain fatty acid that is produced by beneficial bacteria in the gut, which improves gut health by nourishing the gut lining and supporting the growth of beneficial gut bacteria and a Polyamine with potent anti-aging benefits facilitating a process called Autophagy. This is your body’s way of cleaning out damaged cells to regenerate newer, healthier cells.
WHAT DEFICIENCIES ARE IMPLICATED IN ROSACEA?
As mentioned above, currently, there is no one definite answer to what causes individuals to develop rosacea, however, research shows that it is possible to identify certain deficiencies that are associated with the development of rosacea.
Vitamin B6 is an important compound for enzymatic reactions that are responsible for metabolising lipids, glucose and certain amino acids. It has been shown that Vitamin B6 deficiency is associated with widening of the capillaries, signifying that supplementing Vitamin B6 in your diet to ensure you are getting enough of it may be instrumental in reducing rosacea symptoms. It should be taken with caution, however, as excessive intake of Vitamin B6 can lead to accumulation of the vitamin and result in neurotoxicity, which manifests itself in the numbness of hands and feet.
If you tend to have mainly processed foods in your diet, that might mean that the microelements that produce enzymatic reactions and are essential for the proper functioning of your body could be removed from the foods. Lack of these microelements can result in enzyme activity deficiencies, which leads to inflammation of the organism and could be reflected in the state of your skin.
If you are struggling with the condition you should check if you have enough selenium in your diet, particularly as in NZ- our soils are very selenium deficient and selenium deficiency has been shown to affect blood vessel dilation, which results in the skin appearing red, inflamed or irritated What you can do is eat good quality brazil nuts or opt for selenium supplements, which would reduce some of the rosacea symptoms such as visibly dilated blood vessel.
Another deficiency that might be one of the reasons you are struggling with rosacea is magnesium deficiency. Lack of magnesium has been shown to cause capillaries dilation, which brings on visible symptoms of rosacea and often could be an indication of other health conditions. The magnesium availability in our body reflects the state of our general health and bodily systems functioning, as it plays a major in a number of various processes in our body, such as regulation of muscle and nerve functioning, blood sugar levels as well as being implicated in the formulation of proteins, bone marrow and DNA. In order to ensure that the supply of magnesium in your body is sufficient, it is recommended to increase the intake of such foods like leafy greens, beans and potatoes. Magnesium supplements will also boost reservoir and help avoid further excess dilation of the blood vessels, which is one of the main symptoms in rosacea, as well as allow to support sleep and reduction of stress which will also help symptoms of rosacea. I use and recommend Superdose Magnesium as it is a super bioavailable supplement contains the complete7 forms of Magnesium needed
While there is a number of steps to take in the treatment of rosacea, including lifestyle and diet changes, you can help your body to accumulate the necessary vitamins and microelements by taking supplements. One supplement to try out when struggling with rosacea is Vitamin C, which is a potent antioxidant that has been shown to reduce skin’s inflammation and protect the skin from free radicals, which tend to be produced in excess when the skin is in persisting state of inflammation. Topically, I have various Vitamin C serums to ensure the serum is suitable for specific skin types and safe to use even in presence of mild irritation. One of my favourites for a rosacea skin is Elementals C-Fusion, with oil and water forms of Vit C with added support of gold and glutathione.
THE BEST TIPS FOR CALMING REDNESS IN SKIN
Throughout our life, we might experience red skin at some point or another and this can be managed with inclinic treatment, internal support and topically with products such as one of my faves for rosacea – Circadia Serum 71 containing azelaic, tranexamic acid and mandelic – all powerhouse ingredients with clinical evidence supporting topical use in a rosacea skin, I also recommend niacinamide, specific peptides and antioxidants, which can calm the skin and reduce redness. I will suggest checking your skincare routine to make sure there aren’t any active ingredients in the products of your choice that might trigger flares.
It is also important to always consult with a professional if you’re noticing unfamiliar skin symptoms, as we will be able to help identify possible triggers of the symptoms you’re experiencing and provide you with advice that will help in the management of this condition.
All in all, red skin can often come and go without a specific reason and is not necessarily a warning sign of more serious underlying conditions. However, if you notice that redness in your skin is increasingly persistent, let’s chat and put a skin wellness program in place.
