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- What is rosacea?
- Symptoms of rosacea
- Causes of rosacea
- Prevention of rosacea
- Risk factors for rosacea
- Complications of rosacea
- When to see a doctor about rosacea
- Diagnosis of rosacea
- Conventional treatment of rosacea
- Alternative/complementary treatment of rosacea
- Living with rosacea
- Caring for someone with rosacea
There are a number of strategies which are recommended to help deal with rosacea:
- Avoid alcohol - any type of alcohol intake will cause the face to flush and become red, which means it will only exacerbate symptoms. This means you need to avoid drinking any alcohol when you have rosacea, especially when symptoms are at their worst
- Don't smoke or be exposed to smoke - cigarette smoke can exacerbate symptoms of rosacea in some people, so make sure you limit your smoking habit, or better still, give it up, when rosacea symptoms are at their worst. Also, do not be exposed to other people's second hand smoke as it will have the same debilitating effect
- Drink enough water - an adequate intake of water is necessary to keep the face and body well hydrated and prevent dehydration which can cause an increase in sebum and worsening of symptoms
- Limit caffeine - it may also be necessary to limit caffeine intake, because caffeine has a diuretic effect on the body and can exacerbate symptoms in some people. This means coffee, tea, chocolate and energy drinks needs to be strictly limited to avoid worsening of symptoms
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- Limit intake of hot, spicy foods - any type of hot (heat or spice) and spicy foods can make the skin flush and become red, enlarging the blood vessels and cause a worsening of symptoms, so avoid them as much as possible. Eat your food when it is slightly cooled and order the very mild curries, but try to limit your intake
- Relaxation strategies - it is useful to try to find some sort of strategies to help you relax and reduce stress and tension in your life, because stress can aggravate symptoms of rosacea. Some useful relaxation strategies include: meditation, tai chi and yoga
- Supplements - if the rosacea is mild and you are not taking any other medications, ask your doctor about using supplements to help your skin heal. The best ones to use for rosacea are: vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E (for the skin in general), all the B vitamins, especially vitamin B3 (niacin) (for the immune system), zinc (for healing the skin) as well as the omega-3 fatty acids
- Use sun protection - whenever you go outside, always wear a wide brimmed hat, use sunglasses that wrap around your face and wear a natural sunscreen on the face. The best sunscreens to use are those which are organic and have no chemicals that may irritate the skin further
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< 10: alternative treatment 12: caregiving > Last reviewed: 14 October 2007 || Last updated: 5 February 2009
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NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
