Is rosacea prevention possible? If you’re one of those people who have it, then you might be skeptical about an affirmative answer here, particularly if your symptoms are recurring and unpredictable. Nevertheless, there are a number of things that can be done to prevent your symptoms from making your life difficult. As an acne rosacea sufferer myself, I’m going to share with you some of the things that I have found work best.
Rosacea comes in four main varieties but the two most common are Erythematotelangiectatic Rosacea, which is that “I’m embarrassed, been out in the sun too long, on the booze too much, someone slapped my face” flushed look, which is sometimes accompanied by visible blood vessels … and Papulopustular Rosacea, which is rosacea’s own version of acne. Both varieties involve inflammation of the skin which is often accompanied by a burning and/or itching sensation, so we’re going to focus on things that you can do, both internally and externally, to prevent or at least minimize, the problem.
Unfortunately, the medical profession hasn’t yet agreed upon exactly what causes rosacea, even though there are some prevailing ideas about it. This makes it difficult to get to the source of the problem and cure it – so given the current progress in research, we can only target the symptoms at this stage.
7 Steps for Effective Rosacea Prevention
1. Change Your Pillowcase Every Day
This might surprise you, but while you’re asleep, you deposit a combination of dead skin cells and facial oil as well as whatever has been making its home in your hair, onto your pillow. Right there you have a breeding ground for potential infection. So if you have rosacea, especially if it’s acne rosacea, changing your pillowcase each day could be one of the most effective rosacea prevention ideas that you practice.
2. Drink Lemon Juice Every Day
Here’s a great little way to help your rosacea symptoms. Squeeze one whole lemon into a tall glass; add some ice and then fill the glass with sparkling (carbonated or mineral) water. This makes it a zestful and tasty way to cleanse your liver and doing this will inevitably have a positive effect on your skin. Not only that, but it will improve your immune system generally and help keep away those colds and flu symptoms that everyone around you seems to be getting.
3. Be Careful What Hair Sprays You Use
Most commercial hairsprays contain harmful chemicals which don’t react well with your skin. When you spray these over your hair, tiny droplets rest on your face and scalp. These penetrate your skin and can cause toxic reactions. I found that when I gave away the commercial brands and made my own hairspray by following a natural homemade recipe, that my rosacea symptoms improved dramatically. This could be a simple rosacea prevention technique that works for you too!
4. Take Care of Your Liver
It is well known that the health of your liver reflects on your skin. Some have even described the skin as “the third kidney” because of its role in eliminating water soluble waste from our bodies. But it is our liver, in combination with the intestines, where non-water soluble items such as fats, are eliminated. If this is not done efficiently, these fats return to the liver by reabsorption into the bloodstream at the end of the small intestines. Eventually, your liver becomes filled with ‘sludge’ in much the same way that your car does if you don’t change the oil. When this happens, your liver ceases to eliminate waste efficiently and the toxic buildup finds its way to your skin. So my fourth rosacea prevention tip is to do some research into cleansing your liver and gallbladder (lemon juice and olive oil is a good combination for this).
5. Chill Out and Reduce Stress
Stress has been identified as a common rosacea trigger. Stress changes the hormonal balance in your body and this in turn affects your skin. Stress doesn’t have to be acute. It can also be chronic and this is the most subtle kind. Sometimes you don’t even know that you’re stressed. You might just feel generally unhappy about your life right now. Maybe you’ve recently lost a friend or lover? Perhaps you’re feeling trapped in your current job? Maybe you’re in an unhappy relationship? Anything like this can be the source of chronic stress, so try to be aware of any connection between these feelings and rosacea outbreaks that you might be experiencing. If you’ve identified a connection, take steps to either eliminate the source, or find ways to feel calm and happy and positive under the circumstances. Effective rosacea prevention includes knowing what your personal stressors are and avoiding them.
6. Cut Down on Alcohol
Alcohol consumption, particularly red wine, has been identified as a major culprit in triggering rosacea symptoms. Again, we come back to the liver, which has to break down the alcohol into substances that are more compatible with us. An over-worked liver can mean unhappy skin. But it’s not just your liver that alcohol affects. One of the reasons we feel good after consuming alcoholic drinks, is because it dilates our blood vessels. While is some ways this is a good thing (e.g. blood flow if you have arterial problems) it is also responsible for that red flushed look that everyone sees after you’ve “had a few”.
I can say from personal experience, that when I’ve been consuming alcohol on a regular (i.e. daily) basis, my rosacea symptoms have become much worse than when I’ve abstained for a few days and then have a drink. A drink or two, a couple of times a week, is much more beneficial than the same quantity on a daily basis. Of course if you’re happy to eliminate alcohol altogether and drink only herbal teas and freshly squeezed citrus juices instead, then you’ll be much better off.
7. Wash Your Face With a Gentle Cleanser
When I first started getting acne type rosacea, I noticed that if I changed from using regular soap to facial cleansers from a pump container, that my symptoms weren’t so bad. Dermatologists recommend these cleansers in preference to soap, because soaps are harsher and don’t preserve your skin’s natural pH balance. Cleansers like Dermaveen and others which are made all natural ingredients and designed to be gentle and nourishing for your skin, can be a great addition to your rosacea prevention arsenal.
Rosacea Prevention and the Hidden Payoff
In some ways, you could consider rosacea as a blessing in disguise. You could even consider yourself fortunate in that your body is sending you messages about your inner health that most other people never receive. This means that you are alerted early to things that, if left unattended, could end up causing you much bigger health problems in the long run.
So if rosacea prevention motivates you to start eating healthy, reducing stress and generally taking care of yourself, then you may want to thank it later. Paying attention to what your body is telling you and taking care of it is not only beneficial to your overall wellbeing but is good for the soul.
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