Rosacea And Summer: Tips And Recommendations
The ultimate summer cheat sheet for fellow rosacea vampires
Rosacea and summer is a truly terrible combination for me. I’m not great in the sun anyway, due to being the colour of an anaemic ghost, but the sweaty, clammy heat on top of that? No, thank you. But after 20 years of having rosacea, I’ve gathered some incredible tips that will help you manage the warmer months without losing your mind or damaging your skin.
As with everything I share here, a gentle reminder that rosacea is annoyingly individual and what works for some might not work for you. It really is a case of educating yourself as much as possible and then moving upwards from there. I’ve shared some generic rosacea and summer tips below to try to help the most amount of people as possible, but they might not all apply to you. So, as always, take what you need and leave what you don’t.
SEEK SHADE
Let’s start with the most obvious ‘rosacea and summer’ advice: try to stay out of the sun, especially during the hottest hours of the day (11-3). I know there are some situations that are unavoidable, but wherever possible try not to be in the sun during these hours.
Personally I’m rarely outdoors at all during that time if I can help it because, even in the shade, the heat is too much for me and my rosacea. But you know your skin best, so just listen to what it is telling you.
COVER UP
Whenever outside, I recommend wearing a wide-brimmed hat (caps are okay at a push, but they do leave the sides of your face and neck exposed which isn’t ideal), sunglasses, and try to find some comfortable, loose-fitting items of clothing in a lightweight fabric.
In the UK we’re laughably unprepared for warm weather, so we just don’t have the education about how to stay cool. The moment the sun arrives, you see people in as little clothing as possible, thinking that will keep them cool. But look at the way people dress in countries more used to hot weather: long sleeves, full coverage, and light, breathable fabrics.
I favour floaty, thin maxi dresses (as they cover my legs and also create their own breeze as I scamper between shadows, like a summery vampire) and usually carry a lightweight shirt around with me to cover my shoulders and arms.
THIS HAT from Solbari is my current summer saviour: UPF50+, protecting you from UVA and UVB rays, it has a wide brim so it covers your neck, chest, and face, it’s lightweight, and has wire in the brim so it can be shaped to best shade your face. They also do some UPF clothing if you’d like to really beef up your protection.
You could also consider a UPF parasol. Yes you get some strange looks, but I just weigh up which bothers me more: the looks and comments I get when my rosacea is flaring, or the looks and comments people give me when I’m walking around with a pretty parasol!
COOL DOWN
Do whatever you can to cool down and stay cool. In the UK, homes don’t have AC as standard, so we have to get creative. Here are some of my favourite tips:
SHOWER: It may be tempting to have a cold shower but that will constrict your blood vessels so - although you feel cool in the short term - it actually makes you feel warmer in the long term! Apparently it’s best to have a tepid shower, then drip dry in the shower to get that cooling evaporation started.
PULSE POINTS: Put ice or cold water on your pulse points. This is where your veins are closest to the surface of the skin, so this will cool the body quicker. The most accessible ones are on your inner wrists and on your neck. You can run your wrists under water, press a cold drink against your skin, wet a towel/paper towel and press it on the skin, or sucking ice cubes also helps.
FAN: Carry an electric handheld fan with you wherever you go. There are tons available but THIS is the one I have.
COLD BED: If you have a hot water bottle, fill it with iced water and pop it at the bottom of your bed an hour before you get into it. The chilly feeling on your feet is so deliciously cooling.
COLD PILLOW: Alternatively, you could use a gel pillow insert to keep your face cool overnight. THIS ONE is very reasonable and you just pop it in the fridge for a few hours, then put it inside your pillow before bed.
STAY HYDRATED
This should be obvious but remember to drink a lot of water. Rosacea sufferers are more likely to have a compromised skin barrier, which means water evaporates from our skin more easily which, in turn, makes our skin more dehydrated.
Did you know that about a fifth of your water intake comes from the food you eat? If you struggle to drink enough water, you can add to your overall water intake levels by eating high water-content foods, e.g. cucumber, tomatoes, spinach, melon, apples, mushrooms, blueberries. It should go without saying (but just in case!) if any of these food types are triggers for your rosacea, remove them from the list!
CONTROL YOUR ENVIRONMENT
Keep your windows and curtains/blinds closed during the day. This may sound counterintuitive, but you want to keep the inside cooler than outside, you can open the windows when the temperature drops and a breeze starts (just remember to close them again in the morning).
If you have sash or top-opening windows, open the highest and lowest window to mimic some Victorian air-con!
TRIGGERS
Heat and sun exposure are two of the most common rosacea triggers, so in order to minimise the stress on your skin, try to avoid your other triggers as much as you can. Your face is already dealing with irritation so it makes sense to avoid adding even more stress on top of that. If you need help identifying your triggers, THIS POST will help.
The ‘bucket theory’ will help with trigger management as it helps you learn how to balance and adapt to changing triggers and situations. Watch my explanation of the theory below:
Managing your flare ups is really important, as some triggers (like warm weather) are impossible to avoid. THIS POST has some great tips for calming down a rosacea flare up, even if you’re out of the house.
EXPLAIN
Every year, when sunny season rolls around, I feel intense guilt for not ‘making the most of the nice weather’. In the past I’ve felt embarrassed for gravitating towards the shade when all of my friends want to bask in the sun. This is your reminder: you are not awkward. You’re not a diva or a princess. You’re not ruining anyone’s day. You’re looking after yourself and trying to live comfortably with a chronic skin condition. If the people around you can’t accommodate that, it says more about them then it does about you.
Here are some handy tips to help navigate these conversations:
Mention to your friends in advance that you need to sit in the shade, so they can request it when booking tables/keep an eye out for a suitable spot.
Don’t be embarrassed to ask to swap seats as the sun moves around – my friends and family are now very used to seat-hopping as I chase the shade!
You don’t have to apologise or feel guilty, but you can explain your rosacea if you feel comfortable doing so. Sitting in the shade won’t put their health at risk, but sitting in the sun could have a lasting impact on you.
If you don’t want to socialise outside, you don’t have to. In the UK especially, we’re obsessed with summer and feel like we have to squeeze every opportunity out of the (rare) nice weather. But it’s okay to limit your socialising or outside time to the morning/evenings if that makes you more comfortable. Peer pressure is a hell of a drug, but consider this your permission to sack off summer if you want to!
MINDSET
This is a really important thing to bear in mind, but is one that is often overlooked because it’s not a tangible action that has a visible impact in the moment. But when you have a chronic condition like rosacea, it is so important to work on your mindset.
Remind yourself that you have survived every single flare up before today. This may be uncomfortable right now, but it will pass and you are learning from each moment. I’ve been where you are and I can promise you it does get easier.
SUNSCREEN
If you have rosacea you really should be wearing sunscreen year-round, but when the summer months arrive it’s even more important to be on top of your sunscreen routine.
Choose a product with minimum SPF30 to protect against UVB and look for products with at least 4-star UVA protection
Apply two generous fingers length (or a 1/4 teaspoon) for your face and the same amount again for your neck
Areas you may forget: back of your neck if exposed, ears, eyelids, lips, and the top of your head if necessary
Reapply every two hours of exposure, or more often if you’ve been swimming or sweating excessively
There are spray sunscreens designed for reapplication, but remember that you need a lot more than you think you do, probably about 6 passes over each area!
Think about your indirect sun exposure: large windows at work, car journeys, flights… if the sun is reaching you, you need to be wearing sunscreen – don’t think that you’re protected just because you’re not outside
Chemical vs physical: there are lots of myths out there about the different kinds of sunscreens, mostly pushed by ‘green-washing’ brands who scaremonger about the use of chemicals in products. Dr Michelle Wong (Labmuffinbeauty) is my go-to expert for skincare science explained simply: I’d recommend checking out her instagram page for more in-depth explanations like this fantastic post which covers the myths about chemical and physical sunscreens.
Personally I don’t have an issue with chemical sunscreens (in fact I prefer them because they tend to have a thinner, lighter formula and are better for my oily skin) but if you are nervous, or prone to irritation from products, I’d recommend playing it safe and try a physical sunscreen. The best sunscreen is the one you will wear, so go with what works for you.
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