It’s one thing to look a little flushed after a great gym sesh, but it’s another to feel red 24/7. If that resonates, you might be suffering from a chronic, inflammatory skin condition known as Rosacea. This affliction is actually more common than you might think-- 1 in 20 people suffer from it. Rosacea can affect pretty much anyone at any age with any skin mood, but those at the highest risk are women with fair skin or who blush easily.
Though this condition is often mistaken for acne or a skin allergy, you might actually be dealing with the big bad R. Since there is no clinical test for Rosacea, a derm will usually diagnose it just by looking at your skin and asking you about the following symptoms:
When the blood vessels close to the surface of our skin dilate, persistent facial redness can occur. This is the most common sign of Rosacea-- it basically looks like a sunburn that won’t go away. Woof!
Red bumps that may seem similar to acne but don’t come to a head, and might burn or sting.
If your eyes are irritated, watery, and bloodshot, you might suffer from a type of Rosacea known as “Ocular Rosacea.”
Your derm might also look for visible blood vessels, and ask you if you’ve been experiencing flushing, burning, swelling or dryness. Any of this sound familiar? If the answer is yes, it’s time to get your booty to the dermatologist to confirm.
Let’s face it--no pun intended-- Rosacea isn’t the end of the world. But it might kill your self-esteem, which honestly can sometimes feels like the same thing. Let’s take a step back from the science for a hot sec and talk about some of the emotional impact that Rosacea can have on a person. According to surveys conducted by the National Rosacea Society (NRS), nearly 90% of rosacea patients said that this condition had lowered their confidence and self-esteem, and 41% reported it had caused them to avoid public contact or cancel social engagements. Here at Mirra we want you to be as well-informed as possible about this condition so that if you are living with it, you feel more prepared to deal with it. Remember that you’re not alone-- 14 million Americans are living with Rosacea!
While there’s no real cure for Rosacea, there are some great medications and basic lifestyle changes that you can make to get your situation under control. If you’re going to go down the medication route, you’re looking at tretinoin and azelaic acid to reduce redness and inflammation (although tretinoin can often make inflammation worse).
If your Rosacea is super severe, you might actually be a candidate for Accutane (Isotretinoin). Usually used for the treatment of acne, Isotretinoin is a powerful drug that inhibits the production of oil by the sebaceous glands. It can also be used for severe cases of inflammatory rosacea if other treatments have not worked.
If your blood vessels are very visible, IPL (intense pulsed light) might be a good option for you to shrink those suckers down. You might have some bruising and swelling after the treatment temporarily.
In addition to using topical or oral medications, there are simple, daily things that you can do to help get your Rosacea under control like wearing sunscreen (which you should be doing anyway). It’s also best to avoid rubbing your face or using skin products that have irritants (like fragrance!) as well. In addition, there are certain triggers that can aggravate your Rosacea symptoms by increasing blood flow to the surface of your skin. If you can, try to limit caffeine, spicy foods and dairy products in your diet. And while it may not be the easiest thing to control, to the extent that you can manage stress in your life, it will probably help with your rosacea. The best stress reducers we can recommend are the classic three: sleep, exercise and a healthy diet. Keep in mind that sometimes exercise that is too rigorous can be a trigger for Rosacea, so you might need to stick to low-intensity workouts-- like going for a swim or walk.
Rosacea impacts the lives of so many people, and yet is still pretty misunderstood. While getting your medication routine going will address the problem over time, we understand that you might want some quick and dirty coverage before your Hinge date or your dream job interview. It’s super important that you apply your makeup to a clean and moisturized face, especially if you suffer from Rosacea. We totally get being obsessed with products, but you don’t want to overload your face with too many different ingredients. Ideal makeup base? A sheer, green-tinted primer to counter the redness.
