Rosebud, copper rose or facial rose - there is really no shortage of nicknames for rosacea. Those affected probably find it less rosy. It is more like one of the older names: "curse of the Celts". You could easily do without the rosy "blossoming", because rosacea is a skin disease that takes place in the middle to face . It's no wonder that patients feel their quality of life is severely restricted by the burden of the disease. Due to its conspicuous symptoms, the skin disease literally gets under the skin. For years, rosacea has been struggling with misconceptions that do not necessarily make life easier for those affected. To dispel these for good, I would like to explain where the condition really comes from and what you can do to feel more comfortable in your own skin.
- What exactly is rosacea?
- Recognize rosacea correctly
- Signs of the disease: How can I tell if I have rosacea?
- A mere formality: stages and severity of rosacea
- Origin and causes of rosacea
- Rosacea myth check
- Provocation factors - What are typical triggers for rosacea?
- Optimally adapted: Tailor-made rosacea treatment plan
- What skincare helps with rosacea? Your new skincare routine
- How do I treat rosacea? Vitamin bombs for everyday life
1 What exactly is rosacea?
Rosacea is an inflammatory, chronic skin disease. It usually appears between the ages of 30 and 60. However, it is not uncommon for younger people to be affected by a preliminary stage. While the disease occurs more frequently in women, it takes a more serious course in men. In the northern countries of Europe, home to the fair-skinned, red-haired Celtic skin type, rosacea is significantly more common than in the south. It begins with a tendency to blush slightly and can develop into a permanent discoloration of the face. The redness is accompanied by small nodules or pustules through to extreme tissue changes.
2. recognize rosacea correctly
Not every red spot to face necessarily means that you suffer from rosacea.
Even in people with healthy skin, red spots to face are a normal and natural reaction of the body to certain stimuli. Sport, sun exposure and certain feelings such as shame, anger or nervousness increase blood pressure. The small blood vessels dilate and the blood flow to face increases. The increased blood flow to the skin is to face clearly visible - reddening occurs. Unfortunately, this blushing cannot be prevented by sheer force of will, as it is subject to our autonomic nervous system, which cannot be tricked by the brain. However, there is a fine line between blushing in embarrassing situations and recurring stress spots. If the blushes become more and more intense or eventually don't go away at all, it eventually becomes a psychological burden. But how can normal blushing be distinguished from pathological rosacea redness?
Rosacea is often confused with other skin diseases. To the layperson, it sometimes looks like acne. It is characterized for acne prone skin by irritated skin that is covered with pimples and blackheads. While rosacea usually only occurs to face , acne can also be noticeable on the neck, throat, buttocks, upper arms and shoulders. Acne has a hormonal background and is favored by a number of factors. These include hyperfunction of the sebaceous glands, keratinization disorders at the sebaceous gland outlet, bacterial colonization and inflammatory reactions. In contrast to rosacea, it occurs most frequently in the teenage years.
Skin lupus is also very similar at first glance - a butterfly-shaped redness over both cheeks and nose. In contrast to rosacea, however, skin lupus occurs in episodes and is intensified by sunlight. It is also an autoimmune disease and can be diagnosed based on certain blood values.
Perioral dermatitis is very similar to rosacea in its appearance. However, it is usually caused by excessive skin care, which disrupts the skin microbiome. In order to correctly classify your redness, you should definitely seek medical advice. In most cases, a clear diagnosis can be made in a dermatology practice based on the typical symptoms. By taking a skin sample, the severity of the rosacea can also be assessed and visually similar skin conditions can be ruled out. I have summarized which symptoms characterize rosacea in the next paragraph.
3. signs of the disease: How can I tell if I have rosacea?
The chronic skin disease has many different faces. Early on, fleeting, seizure-like reddening of the skin around the forehead, nose, chin and cheeks is noticeable.
Persistent facial redness
Persistent redness is very typical of rosacea. As soon as they are permanently visible, they are referred to as persistent facial erythema.
Papules and pustules
A typical symptom of rosacea is inflammatory red papules/nodules and pustules/pus blisters on the skin. They are usually found evenly on both sides of the face and complement the existing facial redness. In some cases, the chest, neck, décolleté and scalp can also be affected.
Skin thickening
Enlargement of connective tissue and sebaceous glands can lead to bulbous thickening of the skin. In the most extreme cases, this leads to a bulbous nose, also known as rhinophyma. Phyma can also occur on the chin, jaw, forehead, ear and eyelid.
4. pure formality: stages and severity of rosacea
The disease progresses over many years in relapses with varying degrees of severity. Clinically, rosacea is divided into four stages, which merge seamlessly into one another. Most patients notice fleeting erythema, visible redness of the skin, as the first symptom.
They are caused by an expansion of the small, superficial blood vessels in the skin. If the vessels do not contract again, a permanent reddening of the face develops over time. This permanent redness, known to experts as telangiectasia, marks the beginning of the first stage of rosacea (rosacea erythematoteleangiectatica). The irritability of the skin increases significantly. Stinging, burning and itching affect patients particularly severely. Inflammatory red papules and pustules characterize the second stage (rosacea papulopustulosa). They usually persist for long periods of time, typically appear symmetrically and spread towards the forehead, chin and cheeks. While the disease often remains at this stage in women, men develop nodules and tissue changes in the course of the third stage (glandular hyperplastic rosacea). Thickening of the connective tissue and enlargement of the sebaceous gland tissue are mainly known in the nose area and are referred to as rhinophyma. Less frequently, however, the chin, jaw, forehead, ear, eyelids or upper lip are also affected.
The stages usually progress one after the other, but some stages can also be skipped or manifest themselves in a mixed form.
A relatively common special form of rosacea is ocular rosacea on the eyes. Due to the close proximity, the inflammation of the skin spreads to the eyes. Dry and burning eyes as well as redness and inflammation of the eyelid margins characterize so-called ophthalmorosacea.
That sounds like quite a horror story. How did nature come up with this? If you want to delve deeper into the subject, you should definitely not skip the next section. I'll give you a little insight into the pathophysiological history of rosacea.
5 Origin and causes of rosacea
Although the clinical features of rosacea have been known for a long time, very little was known about the causes of the disease until a few years ago. It is still not fully understood how rosacea actually develops. However, the understanding of the disease and its development has now been significantly expanded. It is assumed that it is a combination of several factors. Both hereditary factors and external influences have an equal impact on the development and progression of the disease. Based on a twin study, scientists came to the conclusion that heredity contributes 46% to the development of rosacea and that the remaining 54% can be attributed to the environment.
Rosacea as a false reaction of the immune system
The body has many ways of fighting off pathogens. Current research has shown that the inflammatory skin reaction is caused by a misdirected reaction of the immune system.
Special structures that normally identify microorganisms and viruses as foreign substances play a key role here. As soon as this little machinery is set in motion, defense reactions such as inflammation follow. An increased number of these structures has been found in rosacea patients, which leads to increased sensitivity to specific stimuli. A large number of protein particles were also found in those affected. In healthy people, these prevent germs from settling in a wound and causing infections. However, if the particles gain the upper hand, this leads to the formation of new blood vessels and the release of inflammatory substances. If our immune system reacts to harmless substances with inflammation, the blood vessels dilate. As a result, the fine vessels to face transport more blood, which is recognizable as redness to face .
Demodex mites - irritating little animals
The demodex mite - tiny and a normally harmless creature that lives on our skin. Its preferred habitat is the pores and hair follicles of the face. When normally present, the mite supports our sebum production and thus serves to protect the skin from diseases. Studies have shown that rosacea sufferers have an increased colonization of these mites. The skin reacts to this with an immune response. It forms antibodies and thus triggers an inflammatory reaction on the skin surface.
The nervous system as the culprit
In addition to a hypersensitivity to small foreign organisms, an increased reaction to physiological stimuli is also suspected. Special structures of the nervous system react sensitively to stimuli such as heat, alcohol and spicy food. The close connection between the nervous system and the immune system triggers inflammatory reactions that manifest themselves as erythema, edema, burning, stinging and itching.
When the immune system gets out of balance
Trigger factors, such as Demodex mites and UV light, activate signaling pathways that ultimately lead to the activation of immune cells via a circuit. An imbalance of signaling molecules ultimately leads to inflammation and the formation of pustules.
6. myth check rosacea
Many people struggle with prejudices. But these almost always have nothing to do with reality. Unfortunately, many rosacea sufferers are also confronted with various half-knowledge, as many have little or no information about the skin disease. In the next paragraph, you can find out which prejudices persist and whether they actually have a kernel of truth or are just myths.
"Rosacea is rare and only women get it"
With around 10 million people affected in Germany, rosacea is not a rare skin disease. According to the literature, more women are affected, but men in particular often suffer from the so-called bulbous nose. One possible consequence is physical complaints such as breathing problems. As the greatly enlarged nose is often mistakenly associated with increased alcohol consumption by those around them, many sufferers suffer from the additional psychological burden.
"Rosacea is contagious"
Rosacea is not contagious and cannot be transmitted to other people through hugging or touching. Although the exact causes have not yet been researched in detail, infection can be ruled out in any case.
"A red nose means inappropriate alcohol consumption"
"Well, did you look too deeply into your glass?" or "Forgot your sun cream?" are comments that rosacea patients often hear. The mere appearance of a reddened nose gives many outsiders something to comment on. The only thing that helps here is to address them directly and raise your voice against the unjust allegations. It is important not to hide and not to let prejudices determine your life and well-being.
7 Provoking factors - What are typical triggers for rosacea?
Many sufferers not only suffer from the symptoms themselves, but also struggle with the fact that they often occur completely unexpectedly. The actual trigger for the sudden flare-up is often not immediately recognizable, as they are as different and individual as the patients themselves. To protect yourself from such unpleasant surprises Protect, it makes sense to know the personal trigger factors and avoid them accordingly. The difficulty is that every skin reacts differently and there is no universal list. However, alcohol, sunlight, hot spices or even extreme cold and heat are frequently recognized as triggers by many patients. Intense sport or additives in skin care products that stimulate blood circulation can also promote rosacea flare-ups. It is therefore worth avoiding your personal triggers as much as possible. In addition, personal triggers can change over time. What is well tolerated today may trigger a flare-up tomorrow.
It is best to observe your skin daily and keep a rosacea diary. This way, you can easily identify your triggering factors and steer clear of the culprits in the future.
In addition to trigger factors such as alcohol and spicy food, there are also factors that are harder to avoid. Stress and excitement Treat have been proven to have an impact on the clinical picture of rosacea. However, they can also be slowed down by taking targeted breaks. Even small moments for yourself or a walk in the fresh air are enough to counteract inflammation or reddening of the skin.
Does sport make rosacea worse?
That all sounds pretty complex at first and like a lot of prohibitions. But I can reassure you a little. With a little attention and care, you too can shape your life according to your wishes. If you've been avoiding exercise and exertion so far, I'd like to give you a little guide on how you can integrate sporting activities into your everyday life.
Everyone blushes more or less during sport to face. For many rosacea patients, however, extreme physical exertion can also cause a flare-up with persistent facial redness. The reason: the blood vessels are already visibly dilated at rest. The intense blood flow causes the face to glow and turn red. Many sufferers do not exercise for fear of this extreme facial coloration. Some even shy away from going for a walk in warmer temperatures. As half an hour of moderate exercise a day already contributes to a stronger and healthier cardiovascular system, regular exercise is also absolutely sensible for rosacea. Those affected should look for a type of sport that suits them. Anyone who finds that jogging causes a flare-up should try Nordic walking instead. If you get a red head when swimming, you could test whether it is more tolerable without chlorine at the lake or perhaps climb the boulder wall. As a rule of thumb, you can remember this: The sporting exertion should remain as pleasant as possible. It is better to replace heavy exertion with steady, moderate exertion. With suitable clothing, adequate ventilation, mild temperatures and a good fluid intake, nothing stands in the way of you doing sport.
The psychological burden of rosacea
For many sufferers, however, the skin disease is not just an aesthetic challenge. In addition to the typical skin changes, many rosacea patients suffer from invisible symptoms that are often underestimated. The results of the online survey "Beyond the visible" show how high the burden of the disease really is for rosacea sufferers. Over 700 patients and 550 dermatologists from six countries were surveyed. The aim was to better understand the effects and extent of the burden in order to gain new insights for optimal treatment and a better quality of life for patients. According to the study, rosacea is a particular psychological burden and places extreme restrictions on the lives of those affected. Many give up everyday habits and avoid leisure activities. One in three suffers from a loss of self-confidence and one in ten sufferers feels discouraged and depressed due to the symptoms. The mental strain even goes so far that every second patient reports moderate to severe depression. The result: the increased level of stress caused by this restricted lifestyle can make rosacea even worse, increasing stress even further. A vicious circle is created.
But there are also positive aspects: the psychosocial and emotional impact of the disease is significantly reduced if the symptoms are alleviated with the help of consistent therapy. It is therefore important that the doctor and patient talk about the disease in detail. Openness is the key to successful treatment.
8 Optimally customized: Customized rosacea treatment plan
Patients with rosacea cannot be lumped together - there is therefore no standardized treatment approach. If you want to prevent the onset of rosacea from progressing further and further, you should see a dermatologist at an early stage. The sooner you counteract the onset of rosacea, the better! Together we can develop a therapy concept tailored to your individual needs. The treatment of rosacea generally depends on the type, symptoms and severity. However, each treatment strategy should be individually tailored to the patient.
Intensive care is often sufficient at the first signs of rosacea. The main aim here is to prevent and reduce redness. True to the motto: don't shoot sparrows with cannons straight away, a special skin care cream can work wonders Treat. However, if you are already in the first stage, over-the-counter creams or ointments are often no longer sufficient. Instead, anti-inflammatory products come to the fore. With more advanced rosacea, many people can no longer manage with external treatment alone. Temporary internal treatment is then also recommended. Your dermatologist can prescribe a targeted therapy and thus increase the chances of successful treatment. However, it is even more important to adjust your lifestyle. Whatever increases the redness to face should be avoided at all costs and provoking factors should be avoided.
Regardless of the stage - rosacea patients need sun screen with a high SPF. As much as the sun is good for the soul, sunlight has been proven to worsen the clinical picture and should therefore be avoided. Products with physical sun protection are particularly effective. Products should avoid fragrances and chemical UV filters as far as possible.
Only mild cleansing products and gentle care products should be used in the bathroom. Intensive care can work wonders at the first signs of rosacea Treat.
However, you should always talk to your dermatologist - home remedies alone are not suitable medium, but rather a good supplement.
To support your immune system a little, you can try naturopathic medium . Used correctly, they can relieve irritation, redness and itching and make your skin feel pleasant. Mallow, Camomile, Marigold and St. John's wort have an anti-inflammatory effect on rosacea. Teas made from dandelion, nettle leaves or horsetail have a positive effect on the metabolism. Cleansing and strengthening the intestines could improve the condition of the skin.
9 Which skincare helps with rosacea? Your new skincare routine
BE CAREFUL WHEN WASHING
Daily facial cleansing AM and PM should never be neglected. To avoid irritating your skin unnecessarily, you should use mild cleansing products, lukewarm water and gentle patting. Our Cleansing Oil or the Cleansing Gel are perfect for this, as they cleanse your skin gently and thoroughly without any aggressive ingredients, using only a combination of different nourishing oils ingredients.
STIMULATES BLOOD CIRCULATION - NO, THANK YOU.
Products that contain substances that stimulate blood circulation, such as menthol, are particularly unsuitable. You should also avoid products with vitamin A or fruit acids.
LESS IS MORE
It's best to think twice when choosing your skincare products. You should avoid fragrances and irritating ingredients and instead opt for moisturizing and barrier-strengthening substances. Our hyaluronic acid products are perfect for this. The creams Moisturize moisturize the skin with different levels of richness. Thanks to its fast-absorbing, light texture, Concentrate provides the skin with moisture that penetrates into the deep layers of the skin.
Azelaic acid serum
The soothing and anti-inflammatory effect of the Azelaic acid serum soothes rosacea-prone skin and actively combats blemishes. Thanks to its additional antimicrobial and antioxidant effect, it not only protects your skin from irritation and inflammation caused by bacteria and viruses, but also strengthens the skin's protective barrier. Organic blueberry extract has a calming effect and the additional silica contained in field horsetail extract promotes skin renewal and refines the pores.
ROSEHIP SEED OIL
With its high content of carotenoids (provitamin A), the Rosehip Seed Oil antioxidative and stimulates your cell renewal. It is also rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which strengthen your skin Moisturize and its protective skin barrier. The combination of regenerating and protective ingredients makes our Rosehip Seed Oil a wonderful companion, especially for sensitive and irritated skin.
SUN SCREEN - NO MATTER WHAT TIME OF YEAR
Even when the temperatures drop again, the sun can still be very intense. Therefore, even in winter and on cloudy days, you should sun screen and don't expose your skin to UV rays without protection. If you want to save some time in your morning routine, you can mix your sun cream with your day cream on the back of your hand and apply together apply. However, you should reapply the sun cream in between every now and then to keep the protection on your skin throughout the day.
