Understanding how to treat rosacea is of course, the number one question people ask once their symptoms are diagnosed. The answer however, depends on a few things, including what symptoms you are presenting with, what triggers those symptoms and what your preferred philosophy is on health care. Although there is no cure for rosacea, it is most certainly manageable. By “manageable” we mean that with the right approach (for you), you can totally eliminate the symptoms.
We’re going to explore some of these now.
How To Treat Rosacea – Options the Medical Profession Might Suggest
If you’ve been to your doctor or dermatologist and been diagnosed with rosacea, then depending on the particular subcategory that your condition fits into, they may recommend one or more of the following:
Antibiotics – these include doxycycline or minocycline. Your physician will usually give you a prescription with 5 or so repeats. This is because these antibiotics only begin to work after about 3-4 week and generally take 6 weeks to clear up your rosacea. Antibiotics can be an excellent short term solution and studies have shown that about two-thirds of patients experience remission of their symptoms for quite some time after a single course of antibiotics. However, the other third relapse within a few months. The other thing about antibiotics is, that they kill off the “good bacteria” in your gut – and this good bacteria is partly reponsible for ongoing rosacea prevention. So if you’re taking antibiotics, make sure you include some probiotics in your diet as well. Probiotics are present in natural yoghurt but you can also get them in capsules as well.
Creams and Gels – these will usually be in the form of topical antibiotics which you apply to the skin affected area. The most common ingredient in these is metronidazole. It has been found effective, but it will depend on what type of rosacea you have. It works best for Papulopustular Rosacea – the type that’s most often mistaken for acne.
Diathermy – this is a small device that generates heat and is applied to the damaged blood vessels. This treatment is usually prescribed for Erythematotelangiectatic Rosacea – the type where visible blood vessels are close to the skin’s surface and you get that continual “rosy cheeks” look.
Laser Surgery – in the case where large capillaries are visible, laser surgery can remove them. The procedure can be painful though, but worth it.
Other Surgery – if your rosacea type involves lumps on your nose because of skin thickening (Phymatous Rosacea) then a type of surgery known as rhynoplasty can remove these disfigurements.
How to Treat Rosacea Naturally
Not everyone’s into pharmaceutical solutions for their health issues, or even if you are, you might still be interested in some ways to eliminate your rosacea symptoms using totally natural products. The beauty of natural solutions is, that they are not only much cheaper, but side effects and other complications are virtually non existent.
Internal Treatments
The first thing we should mention is, that you should avoid consuming any food or beverages that you know will trigger your rosacea symptoms. There’s not much point treating the skin if what’s going on underneath it is sabotaging your efforts. Everyone has a different rosacea trigger, but patient surveys have been taken and a number of common triggers identified. Top of the list is red wine, followed by other alcoholic drinks to a lesser extent. You should also try to avoid stress if possible. For some people, hot drinks containing caffeine do it. It’s a good idea to keep a diary of foods that you eat, along with your rosacea flare ups. What may do it for you might not be a problem for others.
From a natural practitioner’s perspective, your skin is merely a barometer of your overall wellbeing. Some even call it “the third kidney” since it’s an alternative means that your body uses to purify itself from toxins – via sweating and other secretions. When you exercise, sweat and oil from the sebaceous glands can mix together and if not washed afterwards, create an infection causing cocktail. So it’s always a good idea to wash your face with a mild cleanser following exercise.
You Need to Detox
With the above in mind, keeping your body in balance is essential. Part of knowing how to treat rosacea means that you know how to help your blood stream as pure as possible. So you should drink plenty of water – even when it’s cold. Aim to consume at least 2 litres of clean filtered water each day, preferably in small quantities. Carry a bottle of water with you wherever you go and sip about half a glass worth from it at least once every half hour.
How to Treat Rosacea – Olive Leaf Extract
Olive Leaf Extract (OLE) is a very powerful internal cleanser and antioxidant. Among the causes of rosace, are a buildup of pathogens in your body which weaken your immune system. Olive leaf extract contains a powerful substance called Oleuropein which is what gives it its potency. Make sure that you only buy OLE capsules with a minimum 20-25{950de5e870313faf4c5db3a7d190801ab62f662c92458036dbe5490915c0acf5} of Oleuropein content (it should have it on the bottle). Take double the recommended dose for the first 6 weeks, before eating your food, then you can back off to the recommended dose after that. One of the positive spin offs from taking OLE is that you should notice an increase in your energy levels within about 2 weeks. Keep taking it for at least 4-6 months to allow it to complete its cleansing work. After that, you can reduce to a maintenance dose of just 2 capsules per day.
How to Treat Rosacea with Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) can be used in conjunction with OLE to provide a potent cleansing combination. Make sure you only buy the organic version with the “mother apple” included. Other types may be cheaper but a lot of the goodness has been processed out of them. Not only does organic ACV contain a multitude of vitamins and minerals, but it also serves to recolonize your digestive system with friendly bacteria. A healthy gut is most essential to eliminating rosacea breakouts. So if you’re taking antibiotics (as mentioned above) getting some apple cider vinegar to go along with it, is well worth considering.
Some people can’t handle the taste of apple cider vinegar – after all, it is vinegar! I’ve personally found that the best way to get it down, is to put a “shot glass” full of ACV into a glass, fill it with filtered water, then scull it down as quickly as possible. Do this 3 times a day. It works for me! But if you can’t deal with that, you can mix some honey with it for taste – or if you really need to, buy it in capsule form.
You can also use apple cider vinegar as an external application on the affected areas. Try diluting it with an equal portion of water first, then apply it with cotton wool. Some people report excellent results from using ACV externally, while others say it only irritates the condition. It may depend on what type of rosacea you suffer from, as to how well it works for you.
How to Treat Rosacea with Oils
If you have oily skin, you might be reading this and thinking that oil is part of the original problem so how can it be part of the solution? The fact is, that oil that comes OUT of your skin, is very different to the natural healing oils that you can put ONTO your skin. Different people report different combinations of oils that have worked for them, but the most common are castor oil and coconut oil.
Castor oil has excellent anti microbial and anti-viral properties and it also penetrates deep into the skin more than most other oils. You will often read about it as being an excellent cure for warts. But it’s also a great skin cleanser in general. The only trouble is, when used alone it can irritate your skin due to its acidic properties. I’ve personally found that after using castor oil mixed with baking soda, my skin will be quite red and inflamed looking after a few hours. It will also begin to flake, like I’ve been sunburnt or something. So using castor oil on its own is not a good idea.
So . . . how to treat rosacea using castor oil? Mix it with some coconut oil – about 25{950de5e870313faf4c5db3a7d190801ab62f662c92458036dbe5490915c0acf5} castor and the rest coconut oil should do it. Add some baking soda to the mixture if you don’t need to go out and want to enhance the effects. The castor oil will provide the penetration while the coconut oil will both soothe and cleanse your skin. Coconut oil also has great cleansing properties – and it smells good too!
So I hope the above information has given you a good overall summary of how to treat rosacea effectively and wholistically. First, make sure that it’s rosacea and not acne or some other skin condition that you have – then choose which treatment, or combination of treatments, is best for you. All the best!
Doctor’s Video on How to Treat Rosacea
