What is rosacea?

Rosacea is a chronic skin condition of the face. You recognize rosacea by the red skin, especially on the cheeks, nose, chin and forehead. In addition, people with rosacea suffer from flushing (flushes), visible vessels (rosacea) and pimples. Sometimes a thickening of the skin occurs, especially near the nose (rhinophyma). In addition, eye symptoms may occur, such as a burning, prickling sensation, watering eyes and inflammation of eyelids or cornea.

Rosacea is unfortunately not curable, but with proper skin care, lifestyle and treatments, the symptoms are usually quite manageable.

Causes of rosacea

There is no single cause of rosacea. Often a hypersensitive immune system, a fragile skin barrier and (in some patients) the skin mite Demodex play a role. In addition, associations with the gut microbiome and some systemic diseases have been described in there. This does not necessarily mean that the cause comes from within, but it does mean that lifestyle and possible other conditions sometimes play a role in the onset and course of rosacea.

• Age and gender: occurs mostly after age 30 (more often in women).
• Skin type: occurs mainly in light skin types.
• Immune system: hypersensitivity of the immune system.
• Blood flow: dysregulation of the neurovascular system (nerves and blood vessels).
• Genetic predisposition: heredity plays a role.

External factors can aggravate symptoms, including sunlight, heat, cold, stress, certain foods (highly spicy foods), alcohol, cosmetics and some medications.

Recognizing Rosacea

Rosacea today is assessed by phenotypes (visible features) rather than with the outdated Fitzpatrick scale. Our skin therapists and doctors specialize in recognizing skin conditions like this one. You yourself can recognize rosacea by these most common features:

• Persistent redness
• Skin thickening (rhinophyma)
• Papules and pustules
• Visible vessels/couperose
• Edema
• Eye complaints
• Burning and/or stinging sensation

Triggers: what can aggravate rosacea?

• Sun/UV and temperature changes (heat, cold, wind).
• Alcohol, hot drinks, strong spicy foods.
• Stress and strong emotions (flushes).
• Hormonal imbalance.
• Irritating cosmetics: perfume, denaturing alcohol, menthol, essential/citrus oils.
• Certain medications (such as corticosteroids) and overly harsh treatments.
• Pregnancy: rosacea may improve or worsen during pregnancy.

To gain insight into your triggers, we recommend keeping a “trigger diary” for 2 to 4 weeks. In it you record what you eat, what the weather is like, what products you have been using and if and what symptoms you have.

Skin care for rosacea (at home)

With rosacea skin, the key is to soothe the skin. Hot water and products with irritating ingredients are disastrous for this skin type. ‘Gentle, soothing and nourishing’ is the mantra for this skin. We at Ivy clinics are happy to advise you on an appropriate skin care regimen. In any case, stick to these steps:

• Cleanse: with a mild, perfume-free cleanser. Use lukewarm water, do not steam or scrub. The Aromatic Cream Tea Cleanser or the SensiCalm are great cleansers.
• Hydrate: Hydrate with a soothing cream (e.g., niacinamide, panthenol, ceramides) such as emerginC’ s RAW Blend or AlumierMD’s HydraCalm.
• Nourish: Use a serum with active ingredients that help reduce redness and calm the skin, such as the D-Red Daytime Emulsion or the Calm-R.
• Protect: daily mineral SPF 30, with or without complexion. Reapply regularly. EmerginC SPF50 Fair or AlumierMD’s Clear Shield Broad Spectrum SPF30 are suitable products to protect the skin.
• Camouflage: if desired, you can use mineral makeup to camouflage redness and blemishes such as Synergie Minerals‘ mineral makeup.
• If you’re looking for a complete skincare routine, see AlumierMD’s Calming Collection.

Can you prevent rosacea?

Preventing the condition is difficult. However, you can prevent flare-ups as much as possible by:

• To be used daily SPF 30 or higher.
• List triggers and eliminate them step by step (one variable at a time).
• Gentle, perfume-free skin care: avoid exfoliating, menthol, citrus oils and alcohol in products.
• Schedule a consultation with our skin therapist for a personalized treatment plan.

Treatments at Ivy clinics

At Ivy clinics, our skin therapists and physicians work closely together to treat rosacea. Depending on vascular depth and skin type, we choose one or a combination of proven effective treatments.

Light therapy

• Nd:YAG laser for deeper vessels.
• IPL for diffuse erythema and superficial vessels.

Usually 1-3 sessions for visible vessels and diffuse redness require 3-5 treatments at 4-week intervals. Maintenance may be useful for recurrent triggers.

Peelings & facials

Peelings can have a postive effect on skin with rosacea, but only mild peels.
Purpose: strengthen barrier, reduce inflammation, even out texture, reduce post-inflammatory discoloration.

• AlumierMD peels stimulate collagen production and helps restore the skin barrier, increasing skin resilience and reducing sensitivity. The peel also has an anti-inflammatory effect, which can reduce inflammation.
• emerginC facial is a specially designed facial to soothe and support red and sensitive skin.
• Microneedling, by using fine needles to create controlled microchannels in the skin, stimulates the natural production of collagen and elastin. This improves circulation and skin texture, while redness and visible vessels are often less noticeable. The treatment helps restore the skin barrier and makes the skin firmer and more even.

Skinbooster

In rosacea, the skin is often sensitive, red and less resilient. PolyPhil, a skin booster based on polynucleotides, helps restore the skin from within. The treatment stimulates cell renewal and production of collagen and elastin, improves hydration and supports the natural repair of the skin barrier. This can reduce redness and give the skin a healthier and calmer appearance, without adding volume.

Camouflage therapy

Camouflage therapy can be used to make redness and blemishes less visible. This is the use of special concealer products that neutralize redness and improve the appearance of the skin. You can use a tinted mineral SPF and non-irritating mineral makeup.

Free, no-obligation consultation

Do you want to target rosacea? Then book a no-obligation consultation. We’ll look at your phenotype(s), identify triggers and put together a plan, from skin care to treatments.