Many adults who suffer from adult acne have rosacea to blame for it. This is a skin disease causing redness, pimples and red lines on your nose, chin, cheeks and forehead. Rosacea often also causes rash-like symptoms on these same areas. Some people experience break-outs from it, and therefore is often referred to as “adult acne”. The condition can also cause burning and irritation in the eyes or around the eyelids.
Rosacea can be controlled and treated with medication, but when it is left untreated it just gets worse. Basically, the root cause of Rosacea is not yet known. There are some theories though; some argue that it is caused by irritated blood vessels under the skin. A creepier theory is based on tiny mites that normally live on our skin: people who have Rosacea tend to have more of these mites on their skin than people who don’t. It is hard to say though whether their presence indicates a cause or a symptom of the problem.
The adult acne resulting from rosacea is linked to flare-ups heating up the skin, which let’s bacteria grow freely. These flare-ups can be triggered by a variety of factors, including exercise, hot weather, stress, spicy foods, alcohol or even a hot bath. During flare-ups the blood vessels in the face expand, which is the cause for redness.
There are some home remedies you can use to reduce symptoms:
– Use soaps, cosmetics and lotions formulated especially for sensitive skin. Make sure your skin care products do not contain alcohol, are not abrasive and are noncomedogenic, so they will not clog your pores. Don’t use scrub on your face, and avoid rubbing it with your fingers as well. When you have a flareup you can mask the redness in your skin by using a base with a bit of green in it.
– Using sunscreen will protect your face from sun exposure, which may also trigger flare-ups. It may be challenging though to find a product appropriate for rosacea patients.
– Some people with Rosacea have eye irritations, so to protect your eyes you can use artificial tears and apply warm compresses several times a day.
– Keep a diary, or take a note in your day planner when you feel a flare-up come up and the potential triggers responsible for it. It will allow you to identify factors that make it worse, and adjust your lifestyle accordingly. When you identify these triggers, you can start avoiding them.