This note offers general guidance on a medical topic and is not a substitute for care from your doctor, dermatologist or specialist team. Please follow their advice first, and talk to them before changing your routine or booking a treatment. Read our full disclaimer.
Rosacea, a common skin condition, can present a significant challenge to navigate, manifesting as warmth, persistent flushing, heightened sensitivity, and even scaling. Often, individuals may be unaware they have the condition, compounded by its often vague understanding and inherent diagnostic complexity. While rosacea can induce both physical discomfort and emotional distress, a considered skincare routine and gentle in-studio care, alongside advice from your doctor or dermatologist, can help your skin feel calmer and more comfortable.
What Is Rosacea?
Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterised by persistent redness and visible blood vessels, primarily affecting the face and décolletage. In its mildest form, it may present as a subtle flushing sensation accompanied by warmth and sensitivity. As it progresses, rosacea can manifest as visible capillaries, small bumps, or pustule-like breakouts on the cheeks or nose, alongside dryness and flaking. At its most acute end of the spectrum lies 'Rhinophyma,' a rare manifestation where the skin becomes thickened and pronounced, typically on the nose. It is important to note that individuals may experience some, but not all, of these symptoms concurrently, and each person’s journey with rosacea is unique.
Understanding Its Causes
Unlike transient sensitivity-based redness, rosacea is characterised by persistent inflammation, enlarged capillaries, prominent blood vessels, papules, and pustules, and in severe cases, textural irregularities and swelling, predominantly across the central face. While more commonly observed in fair-skinned women between 30 and 50 years old, it can affect individuals of any age or gender. The triggers are vast and varied, ranging from dietary factors to subtle climatic shifts, hormonal fluctuations (such as menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause), and psychological stress. To date, there is no singular known cause, although prevailing schools of thought suggest both hereditary and immunological factors play a significant role.
How Is Rosacea Managed?
Rosacea is diagnosed and treated by a doctor or dermatologist. Alongside their care, a considered approach to skincare can help you avoid triggers and keep your skin comfortable.
Professional Guidance: The first and most important step is to see your doctor or a dermatologist for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. Your dermal therapist can then tailor your skincare and in-studio care around it.
Trigger Identification: Keeping a journal of potential triggers is highly recommended. These can be remarkably varied, encompassing factors such as hot baths, strenuous exercise, sun exposure, and specific dietary elements like chili, dairy, citrus, or alcohol. Recognising that each individual's experience with rosacea is unique underscores the importance of personalised trigger identification.
Considered Home Regimen: One of the most helpful ways to keep skin comfortable is a thoughtfully curated home care regimen. Prioritise fragrance-free formulations and, above all, maintain simplicity: cleanse, hydrate, and exfoliate as needed. Ingredients that consistently yield positive responses include peptides, hyaluronic acid, anti-inflammatory B vitamins, and zinc. Botanical extracts such as calendula, chamomile, aloe, and green tea extract are also beneficial for their soothing properties. Incorporating a high-quality Vitamin C-based serum gradually and steadily can strengthen the complexion and provide essential antioxidant protection; magnesium ascorbyl phosphate is a particularly gentle and stable form. Furthermore, avoid harsh scrubbing. Instead, opt for gentle exfoliating lotions containing glycolic, lactic, citric, malic, or salicylic acids, which delicately dissolve the topmost layer of skin and promote healthy cell turnover.
Sun Protection: Incorporating a broad-spectrum sunscreen is paramount in any skincare routine, but this holds particularly true for individuals with rosacea. Sun exposure is a significant trigger for flares. Applying a generous, teaspoon-sized amount as the final step in the morning regimen and reapplying as needed throughout the day is essential. Always select a formula with an SPF50, with physical, zinc-based formulas often better tolerated by those with rosacea.
Professional Treatments: In the studio, regular LED Light Therapy can help calm the look of redness, support hydration and stimulate collagen and elastin, with no downtime; it can be done in-studio or with an at-home mask. For visible broken capillaries and flushing, IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) is a well-established option, offered at selected studios. Please tell us about your diagnosis, and any treatment from your doctor, when you book.
