If you’ve noticed a red flush to your cheeks or visible blood vessels across your face, you might be suffering from rosacea {roh-zay-sha}. But what does that mean? And how do you get rid of it?

Rosacea is an extremely common skin disorder that affects over 415 million people worldwide. While not life threatening, it can seriously impair quality of life—not to mention derail self-confidence in a flash. (Or should we say ‘flush’?). 

To help rosacea-afflicted friends, we’ve compiled a short guide to this problem. Here, we break down the basics.

So, what is rosacea?

Rosacea is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition that typically affects the face. Ruddiness, flushed cheeks and a dry, itchy complexion are the trademark symptoms. The redness may come and go, but over time, rosacea can begin to affect your neck, ears, chest and back if left untreated.

While rosacea can affect all skin tones, types and textures, it’s most commonly found in fair-skinned females over the age of 30 (although it’s affecting younger people more and more).

And as it turns out, there are two types of rosacea commonly seen. With the first type, cheeks flush easily and take on a sunburn-red appearance. The second type, usually the more common, has the added effect of acne-like pustules.

What causes rosacea?

The pathophysiology is not completely understood, but disregulation of the immune system, as well as changes in the nervous and the vascular system have been identified.

The the causes of rosacea are unknown, there are certain triggers that we know to avoid. Some of these include sun damage, excess alcohol consumption, stress, smoking, wind exposure and a poor skincare / makeup regime.

Is there a fix?

With some careful lifestyle updates, sufferers are able to better control skin flare ups. Here, our skincare expert shares a few small changes you can make.

1. Embrace clean eating

As we’ve said before, diet has a huge impact on your skin’s health. If possible, avoid dairy, caffeine and foods containing cinnamaldehyde (like tomatoes), as these are known to trigger rosacea flare-ups. Other triggering foods include spicy foods, hot beverages and alcohol.

Replace the above trigger-foods with those that have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body such as probiotic foods and prebiotic foods.

2. Care for your skin

A harsh or heavy skincare regime is a big no-no for rosacea. Keep your rosacea under control with a gentle cleansing routine (using alcohol-free products) and opt for products that help protect your skin’s natural barrier function.

Aleph Serum/Primer is formulated for this exact reason! It contains natural milk thistle, an ingredient rich in Omega-6 fatty acids that helps strengthen your stratum corneum (the skin barrier).

3. Invest in a broad-spectrum sunblock (natural of course!)

To control your flare-ups, experts recommend using a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Over-exposure to the sun (or any extreme temperatures) is one of the worst offenders for rosacea.

4. Light Therapy

It's great to know that there’s now ongoing research on new approaches to using laser or light therapy to treat rosacea. We will be monitoring the results of those studies.

5. Seek a skincare specialist

In the end, the best treatment you can receive is from a skincare specialist. A dermatologist will be able to diagnose rosacea and set a treatment plan and prescribe any medications. The right beauty therapist will be able to work in to supplement that treatment plan.

6. Use products that support skin health

Use only products that support the health of your skin and don't harm it. The range of products from Aleph Beauty are designed to be nourishing and supporting, soothing and non-harming. 

Hopefully, this guide has helped shed some healing light on rosacea.

For makeup that supports skin health:

SHOP ALEPH →

We’re here to help! If you have any questions after reading this article, please contact us.