7 Natural And Definitive Ways To Deal With Rosacea

Rosacea is a common and yet misunderstood condition, often taken less seriously than it should as it has a huge impact on people’s quality of life. In this post, I will show a few alternatives to deal with rosacea in a natural and definitive way.

Follow

Table of Contents

Rosacea is a chronic facial skin condition that primarily affects fair-skinned women between the ages of 30-60.

Symptoms may include areas of redness on the face, and small spider-like collections of blood vessels on the nose or cheeks.

In addition, there are small bumpy areas that may be red or filled with pus and a trend in an area across the cheeks and nose that may be red at times or red frequently. 

Rosacea can also affect men, and when it does, they tend to have more serious outbreaks.

The eyes are also affected in approximately 50% of patients; their eyes are often watery and red.

The causes of rosacea are unknown, but it is known that there are certain “triggers” that can be avoided, which include:

Don’t have time? Pin this post for later!

Solar exposition: if you are affected by this, you can use a hypoallergenic sunscreen to protect the affected areas.

Some people may be affected by avoiding heat, especially in hot areas can be very helpful.

Stress: it can be a trigger for some people. Trying deep breathing, meditation, or other relaxation techniques, like tai chi or yoga to reduce stress can be effective.

Spicy foods, alcohol, and hot drinks: all of these can trigger a rosacea reaction including coffee and tea.

Keeping a food journal can help you discover food and drink triggers.

A food journal simply lists all the foods you’ve had during the day and any reactions you may have had to those foods.

It’s important to list anything out of the ordinary, such as a headache, upset stomach, sudden bowel movement, itching, or an actual flare-up of rosacea.

Skincare products: some skin products, even hypoallergenic ones, can trigger a reaction: glycerin or vegetable-based soaps seem to cause the least problems of them all

Conventional Treatment For Rosacea

There are not many medical treatments that have been proven to be effective – rosacea can be extremely frustrating for both patient and doctor.

People affected by rosacea can feel self-conscious, lonely, and shameful, develop shyness and restraint in social areas and generally suffer a drop in their quality of life.

Some of the conventional treatments for rosacea are laser therapy and various medications, such as topical metronidazole, sulfacetamide/sulphur, and antibiotics.

Oral tetracyclines (an antibiotic) are also used. Artificial tears are often used for dry eye symptoms.

You probably know by now what I’m about to say: all of those treatments have harmful side effects and one would benefit more from a natural alternative.

Dietary Advice For Rosacea

Some foods seem to help people with rosacea.

Some of these foods are whole grains, seeds, nuts, and many fresh vegetables and fruits.

Dark-coloured fruits like cherries, blackberries, and blueberries contain a class of substances called proanthocyanidins that “squeeze” or constrict blood vessels, helping to reduce facial redness. 

In traditional Chinese medicine, tofu is used for its cooling qualities.

Seaweed is often used for skin health.

Another factor to consider is whether your stomach is producing enough acid to properly digest food: some patients have found that their rosacea improves when taking digestive betaine/hydrochloric acid (HCL).

Herbs And Supplements For Rosacea

Indian chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum indicum) – Indian chrysanthemum is derived from the mother daisy flower (golden chamomile).

This herb contains phenylpropanoic acid, flavonoids, and saponins that have been found to stabilise and strengthen blood vessel walls.

In a recent study, Chrysanthemum indicum in a topical cream showed significant improvements in skin redness.

Chibixiao – Chibixiao is a formulation derived from the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and contains Loquat leaves, Mulberry bark, Skullcap root, Rhizome imperata, Red Peony root, Safflower, Red Sage root, Chuanxiong, Dahurian angelica, Motherwort and Chinese Trumpet Vine flower.

A study found that the cure rate for those who used Chibixiao was 87.5% and the recurrence rate was 6.5%.

The control group, treated with spironolactone alone, showed only a 45% cure rate with a 41.2% recurrence rate.

Azelaic acid – used in the conventional treatment of rosacea, is a naturally occurring acid found in whole grains and animal products.

Azelaic acid has been shown to tone and normalise skin cell growth and works as an antibiotic as well.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved it as a topical preparation to treat acne, and it has also been shown to be useful in the treatment of rosacea. 

In a trial of a cream containing 20% ​​azelaic acid, patients with the pustule form of rosacea experienced a 73% decrease in inflammation and a 48% reduction in redness scores. There were only mild adverse reactions. 

Glycyrrhiza glabra (liquorice) – has been used traditionally to treat rosacea and is generally considered safe.

A 10-20% glycyrrhiza cream has been used, most often with other herbs such as Echinacea, Pau d’arco, turmeric, Rose hips, Aloe, Burdock, Tea tree oil, and Chamomile.

Tea tree oil can be used on its own in a cream where it is usually used at 5-20%.

Vitamins that are often recommended include beta-carotene and vitamin A, vitamins E and C, and the minerals zinc and selenium.

Probiotics and digestive enzymes have sometimes been recommended (along with betaine-HCl) to aid in proper digestion and absorption of food.

It has long been believed in naturopathic medicine that much of our health depends on a healthy gastrointestinal system, and this is where probiotics, digestive enzymes, and proper acid levels can help.

RELATED:

PREBIOTICS AND PROBIOTICS: THE GUT HEALTH GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS

Final Thoughts

When it comes to our health, as well as our self-esteem, there’s always room for improvement and much we can do.

A good wholefoods diet is always at the base of everything and it’s not different in regards to rosacea: watch what you put in your body and how it reacts, and you will be amazed about the results you will get as soon as you cut out what’s bad for you.

Did you like it? Pin this post for later!

FAQs

Have I missed something? Let me know on Twitter!