Every Friday I open up a discussion topic and ask you for your recommendations, experiences, questions, or general feelings on a specific topic.
These Threads are a way to share your knowledge and meet other people in the community, so please comment and do feel free to like and reply to other people as well - we’re all here because we are in the Rosacea Club! 🧡
I would say to be prepared for it to be a long journey of discovery, especially when it comes to skincare and what works for you. You might start looking at skincare especially formulated for rosacea, but that is not a guarantee that it will work. It's a lot of trial and error unfortunately, but that's ok. We've all been there 😊
I would say that everybody is different. Keep a diary and figure out your own triggers. Only cut out one thing at a time. Don’t stop doing things just because it’s a trigger for someone else.
I the only food trigger I have is spicy food, but when I was first diagnosed with rosacea I cut out a bunch of foods just because somebody said they were causing my rosacea. They weren’t. I spent months struggling to get proper nutrition because I’d cut out probably 1/2 of my diet - which was very healthy to begin with. Now, almost a year later I’ve added everything back in without any issues.
Yes! This is a huge bugbear for me. There are *common* things that are triggers, but that doesn't mean they will apply to everyone. Identifying triggers is a really laborious and time-consuming process, but it's so important. There are so many things people might be denying themselves because they read a list of rosacea triggers and took it as gospel.
This is good advice, I was told 2 months ago that I have rosacea and feel so overwhelmed about keeping a diary I haven’t started.
Partly because I’m confused what a flare up is, I look more red at certain times of the day and thought this was a flare up and I asked a dr and they told me it wasn’t a a flare up lasts for days… I’m always red, but go more red sometimes than others
I am actually drafting a post as we speak about flare ups vs flushing vs blushing and how we can tell the difference. I would disagree with your doctor that what differentiates a flare up is only the length of time, I think that's a bit of an oversimplification! I will work on getting the post out this week for you x
Also, if you haven't already seen it, I have a post about identifying rosacea triggers. I made the download and info as simple as I can, but unfortunately it's just about time and being methodical and getting to know your body and your skin.
For me personally, I consider a flare up to be when my skin is hot and burning. I’ve never had it last for days. A few hours tops - but I think it’s different for everyone.
I use an app called Notion for my diary. I have a custom spreadsheet set up with categories like what foods I ate, what skin care I used, how my skin felt, what phase of my menstrual cycle I’m on, etc. It’s very easy to go in and fill it out at the end of the day. Then I filter it every so often by which days my skin felt bad and see if there are any similarities between days.
Look at reducing the obvious triggers first: introduce sunscreen, remove hot drinks, food, add wearing big sunglasses outside, and moisturising properly in the winter. These will make some noticeable difference. If you think you may also have ocular rosacea, get referred to an eye specialist asap.
I would say, as hard as it is, try and avoid Sephora (or your country’s equivalent) and beauty influencers (who always are pushing new products) for a time. Read about ingredients, foods and habits to avoid from the National Rosacea Society and start with the most basic products and practices. Create a flair up recovery kit/routine of “safe” stuff (like distilled water, zinc cream, simple moisturizer, zinc spf) and explore new products one at a time as you try and build toward your ideal routine with anti-aging elements, etc. Check out products recommended by cosmetic dermatologists who have rosacea themselves like Sam Ellis, but be wary that everyone’s skin is different.
Definitely agree wtih this. Before I knew my skin and knew more about rosacea, I would blindly trust people in beauty shops, facialists, influencers... anyone could say 'yeah this is fine for sensitive skin' and I would believe them. Unfortunately with rosacea (and any skin condition) you have to become your own expert because so many people offer advice without having a clue what they're talking about it!
This is so important - the difference is like night and day. Finding a doctor who cared enough to ask how my rosacea affected me psychologically was transformative (it shouldn't be rare, but it is!) I wish I'd known what I know now and could go back and ask for a different doctor or at least push back on the rubbish ones!
Take a deep breath and be kind to yourself! Investigate skincare slowly and don't chuck everything at your face. Do some research for GP visits, to get the most out of your appointments. Prioritise relaxation and sleep and most importantly do pick up tips, but don't get too sucked into healing narratives as they do lead to disappointment
Some absolutely brilliant tips, thank you! And, in reply to your second comment, not 'doom and gloom' at all - I think being realistic is so important. It is hard to hear for people who have just been diagnosed, but accepting your rosacea diagnosis is a really key part of healing. We have a chronic skin condition - yes it can be managed and can even go into remission with a lot of work, but it will need to be managed long-term. I think false hope is so destructive.
Hope the last bit isn't too doom and gloom, but rosacea is soooo individual and I get sad when people try everything & get upset that nothing works for them.
I agree with all the comments made so far and should like to add:
1. Lots of people in online forums recommend products with zinc/ zinc oxide and mineral sunscreens. I clung on to this in the early days only to find that the sunscreen caused what appeared like a chemical burn. I assumed my rosacea was getting worse and my GP prescribed steroids. However, a post on this site helped me to realise that the zinc was actually drying out my skin and causing the problem. I now successfully use a physical sunscreen. So my advice is similar to that already posted: blogs can be super helpful but you have to evaluate what works for you personally. There are no wonder products other than those that work for you, which takes time to discover.
2) GPs in the UK tend to have one size fits all approach - antibiotics, steroids etc. This can feel very alarming especially when they use words such as “chronic”. If I had realised this earlier, I would have looked for a good dermatologist. Though, to be honest, I am not sure where to look. Perhaps this could be a topic for a future blog post?
3. On a more positive note, my advice would be not to let fear of flare ups limit your life. Easier said than done, I know, but having spent a year worrying about how my skin would cope with a high altitude trekking holiday in South America (a special trip that my husband and I had been planning for years), to the extent that I nearly cancelled it, I have just returned from a wonderful holiday. With the help of physical sunscreen and hats, my skin coped with severe changes in temperature, intense physical activity, and a range of foods I had been limiting due to fear of triggers, which I had to eat due to lack of alternatives. It was liberating in every sense of the word and broke down some prison walls.
I would say to be prepared for it to be a long journey of discovery, especially when it comes to skincare and what works for you. You might start looking at skincare especially formulated for rosacea, but that is not a guarantee that it will work. It's a lot of trial and error unfortunately, but that's ok. We've all been there 😊
This is a really useful tip - it's a marathon not a sprint, so taking your time to do things properly is worth it in the long run.
I would say; keep a diary; know your ingredients and try only one new thing at a time.
Really good advice! It can be so tempting to try or change lots of things at once but that's only going to complicate things
I was diagnosed with rosacea a few months ago…I also have ocular rosacea…unfortunately I can’t help you…I can only listen to your advice. Thank you.
Thank you for being here, I hope you can learn from me and the other fantastic people in this community!
it will surely be like this…that's why I'm here…I have a lot to learn from you 💪🏻
I would say that everybody is different. Keep a diary and figure out your own triggers. Only cut out one thing at a time. Don’t stop doing things just because it’s a trigger for someone else.
I the only food trigger I have is spicy food, but when I was first diagnosed with rosacea I cut out a bunch of foods just because somebody said they were causing my rosacea. They weren’t. I spent months struggling to get proper nutrition because I’d cut out probably 1/2 of my diet - which was very healthy to begin with. Now, almost a year later I’ve added everything back in without any issues.
Yes! This is a huge bugbear for me. There are *common* things that are triggers, but that doesn't mean they will apply to everyone. Identifying triggers is a really laborious and time-consuming process, but it's so important. There are so many things people might be denying themselves because they read a list of rosacea triggers and took it as gospel.
This is good advice, I was told 2 months ago that I have rosacea and feel so overwhelmed about keeping a diary I haven’t started.
Partly because I’m confused what a flare up is, I look more red at certain times of the day and thought this was a flare up and I asked a dr and they told me it wasn’t a a flare up lasts for days… I’m always red, but go more red sometimes than others
Question for everyone,
What is a flare up/how do I know I’m having one
And how should I simplify identifying my triggers
Thank all x
I am actually drafting a post as we speak about flare ups vs flushing vs blushing and how we can tell the difference. I would disagree with your doctor that what differentiates a flare up is only the length of time, I think that's a bit of an oversimplification! I will work on getting the post out this week for you x
That would be really awesome, thank you ☺️ x
Also, if you haven't already seen it, I have a post about identifying rosacea triggers. I made the download and info as simple as I can, but unfortunately it's just about time and being methodical and getting to know your body and your skin.
Here's the post: https://talontedlex.co.uk/2019/04/04/rosacea-triggers-download/
For me personally, I consider a flare up to be when my skin is hot and burning. I’ve never had it last for days. A few hours tops - but I think it’s different for everyone.
I use an app called Notion for my diary. I have a custom spreadsheet set up with categories like what foods I ate, what skin care I used, how my skin felt, what phase of my menstrual cycle I’m on, etc. It’s very easy to go in and fill it out at the end of the day. Then I filter it every so often by which days my skin felt bad and see if there are any similarities between days.
Thank you 😊
Look at reducing the obvious triggers first: introduce sunscreen, remove hot drinks, food, add wearing big sunglasses outside, and moisturising properly in the winter. These will make some noticeable difference. If you think you may also have ocular rosacea, get referred to an eye specialist asap.
Great tips! Sunscreen is such a huge one in particular
Yes, I have already been to an eye specialist who diagnosed me with ocular rosacea. Thank you so much 😊
I would say, as hard as it is, try and avoid Sephora (or your country’s equivalent) and beauty influencers (who always are pushing new products) for a time. Read about ingredients, foods and habits to avoid from the National Rosacea Society and start with the most basic products and practices. Create a flair up recovery kit/routine of “safe” stuff (like distilled water, zinc cream, simple moisturizer, zinc spf) and explore new products one at a time as you try and build toward your ideal routine with anti-aging elements, etc. Check out products recommended by cosmetic dermatologists who have rosacea themselves like Sam Ellis, but be wary that everyone’s skin is different.
Definitely agree wtih this. Before I knew my skin and knew more about rosacea, I would blindly trust people in beauty shops, facialists, influencers... anyone could say 'yeah this is fine for sensitive skin' and I would believe them. Unfortunately with rosacea (and any skin condition) you have to become your own expert because so many people offer advice without having a clue what they're talking about it!
Find a good dermatologist early on who understands rosacea and LISTENS to you!
This is so important - the difference is like night and day. Finding a doctor who cared enough to ask how my rosacea affected me psychologically was transformative (it shouldn't be rare, but it is!) I wish I'd known what I know now and could go back and ask for a different doctor or at least push back on the rubbish ones!
Take a deep breath and be kind to yourself! Investigate skincare slowly and don't chuck everything at your face. Do some research for GP visits, to get the most out of your appointments. Prioritise relaxation and sleep and most importantly do pick up tips, but don't get too sucked into healing narratives as they do lead to disappointment
Some absolutely brilliant tips, thank you! And, in reply to your second comment, not 'doom and gloom' at all - I think being realistic is so important. It is hard to hear for people who have just been diagnosed, but accepting your rosacea diagnosis is a really key part of healing. We have a chronic skin condition - yes it can be managed and can even go into remission with a lot of work, but it will need to be managed long-term. I think false hope is so destructive.
Hope the last bit isn't too doom and gloom, but rosacea is soooo individual and I get sad when people try everything & get upset that nothing works for them.
I agree with all the comments made so far and should like to add:
1. Lots of people in online forums recommend products with zinc/ zinc oxide and mineral sunscreens. I clung on to this in the early days only to find that the sunscreen caused what appeared like a chemical burn. I assumed my rosacea was getting worse and my GP prescribed steroids. However, a post on this site helped me to realise that the zinc was actually drying out my skin and causing the problem. I now successfully use a physical sunscreen. So my advice is similar to that already posted: blogs can be super helpful but you have to evaluate what works for you personally. There are no wonder products other than those that work for you, which takes time to discover.
2) GPs in the UK tend to have one size fits all approach - antibiotics, steroids etc. This can feel very alarming especially when they use words such as “chronic”. If I had realised this earlier, I would have looked for a good dermatologist. Though, to be honest, I am not sure where to look. Perhaps this could be a topic for a future blog post?
3. On a more positive note, my advice would be not to let fear of flare ups limit your life. Easier said than done, I know, but having spent a year worrying about how my skin would cope with a high altitude trekking holiday in South America (a special trip that my husband and I had been planning for years), to the extent that I nearly cancelled it, I have just returned from a wonderful holiday. With the help of physical sunscreen and hats, my skin coped with severe changes in temperature, intense physical activity, and a range of foods I had been limiting due to fear of triggers, which I had to eat due to lack of alternatives. It was liberating in every sense of the word and broke down some prison walls.