Rosacea Awareness Month: 7 Natural Remedies to Treat Redness
April is Rosacea awareness month. Seem kind of obscure? Well, it’s estimated that around 415 million people are affected by this skin condition worldwide. That’s more than 11 times the population of Canada!
Rosacea occurs most often in women over 30 with light skin and is characterized by red skin on the face, mainly the cheeks and nose, with visible blood vessels. Tenderness, swelling, and small puss filled bumps may also occur. Many people with rosacea also experience eye problems such as dryness and irritation or tender and swollen eyelids, due to rosacea affecting the eyes as well.
There are plenty of natural ways to combat rosacea flare ups, including avoiding triggers, that I’d like to share with you in the hopes that it can provide a natural solution for this issue experienced by so many.
What causes rosacea?
While the cause is as of yet unknown, there are many environmental factors that are shown to contribute to flare ups. There may also be a hereditary component.
Flare ups are commonly triggered by:
Spicy food
Alcohol
Wind or extreme temperature shifts
Hot drinks
Stress
Cosmetic products
Pharmaceuticals that dilate blood vessels
Treating Rosacea Naturally
The main factor in rosacea flare ups is inflammation. In treating rosacea, focus mainly on reducing causes of inflammation, as well as some topical remedies that may help with symptoms when they occur.
1. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet
An anti-inflammatory diet will help reduce the chances of a flare-up occuring, as well as lay the groundwork for better health overall.
Avoid: sugar, red meat, processed food, dairy, gluten, caffeine, and alcohol.
Add in: anti-inflammatory spices such as turmeric, oregano, cinnamon, rosemary, and ginger.
Eat lots of: Dark, leafy greens, berries, healthy fats, nuts and seeds, fish, and legumes and dark chocolate
2. Reduce Your Stress
Stress plays a major role in contributing to inflammation, which then triggers a flare up. Reduce the stress in your life by prioritizing these stress-busting activities and supplements.
Meditation: Even as little as 5 minutes a day can radically improve your ability to cope with stress. Try one of these apps to help you learn to meditate.
Exercise: Moving your body can actually reduce the levels of cortisol (stress hormone) in your body as well as vamp up your feel-good endorphins.
Self Care: Make your wellbeing a priority. One of the biggest things that contributes to stress is when we don’t take care of our needs. Check-in with your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs and make sure you are carving out space for all of the levels. Learn more about types of self-care here.
Supplements to Support Stress Management: vitamin C, B vitamins, magnesium and adaptogenic herbs such as Rhodiola, Siberian ginseng, and Ashwagandha.
3. Avoid Irritating Skin Care Products
Much like you want to avoid emotional stress, you also want to avoid stressing your skin. Products that contain irritating ingredients are a big factor in skin stress for those with rosacea.
Some Ingredients to Steer Clear of: sodium lauryl sulphate, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, witch hazel, peppermint, eucalyptus, alcohol, and glycolic acid.
4. Apply Topical Remedies
These ingredients are very calming to the skin and can help reduce redness, inflammation, and irritation from a rosacea flare-up.
Lavender and Tea Tree Oil: Lavender and tea tree oil are both anti-inflammatory, and lavender is soothing for the skin. Mix 1-2 drops of essential oil with 1 tbsp of a carrier oil (I recommend coconut oil) and apply to skin.
Oatmeal: Oatmeal is calming to red and irritated skin. Mix ½ cup of oats and ¼ cup of water or milk in a blender and blend into a paste. Apply to skin and let sit for about 20 mins and rinse clean. Make sure not to scrub as this may irritate your skin more and counteract the soothing properties.
Aloe Vera: You’ve probably applied aloe vera gel after a sunburn, but it is just as effective at soothing a rosacea flare-up. Avoid gels that contain alcohol. Some will apply straight from the leaf for the best results.
Green Tea: Green tea is a potent anti-inflammatory. Steep a cup of green tea and let cool. You can then soak a washcloth in the tea and apply it, or apply the tea bags to your skin. Be sure to cool the tea as heat may make the rosacea flare-up worse.
Cucumber: Cooling and soothing, simply slide and apply directly to the skin
Beneficial Oils: Carrot Seed Oil, Rosehip seed oil, Evening Primrose, Sea Buckthorn may all help rosacea. Apply to skin after washing as a serum.