Rosacea is a very individual chronic skin condition and so what triggers a flare up in one person, may not apply to someone else. In general though, the condition usually affects 30+ women and presents as redness in the skin and may also contain bumps and breakouts (acne rosacea) Triggers can include hormone changes, weather changes throughout the year, medication, stress, certain foods/drinks, heat (showers, baths etc) exercise and sunlight. When it comes to rosacea triggers, a dermatologist can help you to identify yours in order to help manage it. For a lot of women though, rosacea worsens or develops as they reach the menopause stage. Menopause causes significant hormone changes in a woman’s body and that change can cause things like hot flushes, even if you’ve never experienced them before, which can trigger rosacea. This can be overwhelming if you’ve never had rosacea and are suddenly experiencing it and that stress and anxiety can contribute. Regardless of the trigger, having a gentle routine in place can help. We can support the skin by keeping it clean, hydrated and protected. Its best to use a gentle cleanser that does not dry out your skin. Oil cleansers are very beneficial for rosacea as you can thoroughly cleanse the skin without leaving it dry, stripped and sore. Once cleansed, apply a gentle moistuiser/hydrator with soothing ingredients to the skin to keep it nourished, balanced and calm. In the daytime SPF is essential. Not only can sunlight be a trigger for rosacea, daily SPF is essential for every skin type. Look for an SPF 50 that supports skin with a tendency for redness, such as the Heliocare A-R emulsion. You can do the same routine in the evening, minus the SPF. When it comes to exfoliation, those with rosacea sometimes avoid it but actually, using a gentle exfoliator is very beneficial and necessary to remove dead skin cells. Physical scrubs and strong exfoliating acids are not the best option for those with rosacea, gentle exfoliators that use enzymes are a better choice. It's so important not to over exfoliate, so 2/3 evenings a week is enough.
When it comes to rosacea its best to avoid products with ingredients like tea tree, witch hazel, menthol and never apply any essential oil directly to the skin which I have seen advised a lot online. Its also best to steer clear of high percentage AHAs/BHAs but products containing lower concentrations of acids like lactic and mandelic, may be suitable for you.
