Rosacea is a skin condition that affects 16 million men and women in America. Rosacea is a chronic condition that causes long-term flushing or redness in the skin, and can also cause inflamed blood vessels. Rosacea is commonly confused with acne, dermatitis or other skin conditions, and if your rosacea is undiagnosed, you may feel as if you are in a constant battle to figure out what your skin condition is and how to treat it. Although there is no cure for rosacea, there are many things you can do to avoid flare ups including environmental/lifestyle changes and calming products that will help soothe the skin and combat redness.
WHAT IS ROSACEA?
Rosacea is a common skin condition that causes blushing or flushing of the face. It can produce visible blood vessels, small pus-filled bumps, red eyes, and thickening of skin on the nose.
HOW LONG DOES ROSACEA LAST?
Symptoms will differ between each person. Normally, flare ups will last for a few weeks or even a few months before going away.
WHO DOES ROSACEA AFFECT?
Unfortunately, anyone can become a victim of rosacea. It is most commonly seen in middle-aged adults, predominantly women. Men can however still get rosacea and if they do, it is known to be more severe for them.
Real BBL patient from SKN BAR Rx
FIND WHAT TRIGGERS YOUR ROSACEA
Everyone’s skin is different. Therefore, what triggers your rosacea might have little to no effect on another person’s skin. It’s vital to keep track of how your skin flares up after eating or drinking certain things. One of the best ways to deal with rosacea is by limiting your intake of things that trigger it. If you notice a food or beverage causes a flare up, take it out of your diet and see if your skin improves.
COMMON TRIGGERS
- Spicy foods: Since spicy food runs hot in flavor, it heats up your skin and therefore can trigger rosacea.
- Hot beverages: The ingredients in beverages such as coffee, tea, and hot chocolate aren’t what cause rosacea. Rather, it is simply the temperature of the beverages that can cause flare ups. Make sure to allow your warm beverages to slightly cool before ingesting, or opt for an iced beverage whenever possible!
- Alcohol: Red wine and liquor are the main culprits when it comes to rosacea flare ups, although, any alcohol can cause a rosacea flare up. This happens because alcohol causes blood vessels to dilate, making you more probable to experience rosacea.
- Sun exposure: Only a few minutes in the sun can cause your rosacea to flare up. We suggest wearing a hat or using a sunshade umbrella and of course, an effective Sun Protectant to protect your skin from harmful UVA/UVB rays.
- Hot showers: You might overheat by taking showers that are too hot, which increases the appearance of redness and can cause rosacea to flare up.
- Stress: Although many triggers are external factors, internal factors play a role in rosacea too. Stress is a trigger because it causes the body to overreact, leading it to have substantial chemical and physical changes that bring rosacea to the surface.
- Extreme climates: Rosacea can appear no matter the weather. It appears in warm environments because heat aggravates the skin to increase blood flow. But it can also appear in cold environments because the cool, dry air will cause red and dry skin. Since our winter and summer climates are so dramatic and harsh in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, it is essential to use the right products that help to protect, soothe and restore your skin.
BEST PRODUCTS FOR ROSACEA
At SKN BAR Rx, we provide effective, results-driven medical grade skincare products to the Greater Milwaukee area that are specifically targeted to treat and heal multiple skin conditions, such as rosacea. To see improvement, use these products in the order below twice a day.
This 5x award-winning product by SkinBetter Science is specifically designed to improve visible skin quality by addressing the appearance of redness, rough skin texture, dullness, pore size and uneven pigmentation. It is clinically proven to dramatically reduce redness within 2 weeks of using the product. So in short, this product is a rosacea lover’s dream!
Pro Tip: Use only ½ a pump of Mystro each application. This way you not only get an even application, but this product can last you 5-6 months if you do so.
This award-winning serum was voted as the best redness-reducing serum in 2024 by New Beauty. Ultraceuticals R.E.D. Corrective Serum is formulated with a powerful complex of calming antioxidants and hydrating ingredients to visibly reduce the effects of environmental aggressors and soothe stressed skin. By reducing redness, those who struggle with eczema or rosacea can enjoy a more even tone and complexion and a healthier skin barrier.
R.E.D. = Restore Moisture, Enrich Lipids, D-stress Skin.
This serum by ZO Skin Health is specifically designed to improve red, sensitized skin, and works to reduce excess surface oil. Exfoliating properties provide ultra-mild exfoliation to encourage cellular turnover and reduce the signs of premature aging, while advanced amino acid complex helps to restore skin to a more radiant appearance.
BEST TREATMENTS FOR ROSACEA
BBL
BBL stands for Broad Band Light. It specifically targets brown and red coloring in the skin. This treatment is great for diffusing overall redness in the skin.
HOW IT WORKS
The BBL treatment consists of 4-6 treatments and is recommended to be done every 4 weeks. The treatment requires no visible tans during the series, especially any spray tans or self-tanners. Having a tan will put you at potential risk of getting a burn. This is why the BBL treatment is best to be scheduled in advance for the fall and winter months. *BBL laser is available at our Pewaukee location.
CLEAR AND BRILLIANT LASER
The Clear & Brilliant laser treatment treats not only redness but rejuvenates the skin by helping minimize the appearance of fine lines, pore size, and pigmentation.
HOW IT WORKS
Similar to BBL, this treatment works best in a series. The Permea handpiece will be used during this treatment, which evens out skin tone, reduces redness and targets pigmentation. After your treatment you will leave feeling like you have a mild sunburn with an overall redness/pink undertone. Your skin will feel extremely tight and dry, some best describe their skin as feeling like sandpaper. A bonus with this treatment too is that there is little to no downtime afterwards!
Unlike BBL, this laser is sun safe, and you can receive this service anytime throughout the summer. Of course, though your freshly treated skin must stay protected from the sun so prepare for lots of SPF and hats following treatment.
YOU'RE NOT ALONE
Rosacea impacts the lives of so many people. Though it is not curable, having a good skin care regimen, paying attention to what you eat and drink, and getting treatments done will all help maintain flare ups and minimize overall redness.
Abby
Licensed Aesthetician, SKN BAR Rx
