Holistic Treatment of Rosacea
The actual cause of rosacea remains unknown, and yet approximately 14 million Americans suffer from this chronic skin condition. Rosacea is typically characterized by facial redness and swelling, frequent blushing, visible blood vessels and bumpiness. It can also create a red bulbous nose known as telangiectasia. It can sometimes affect other parts of the head and torso, including the scalp and eyes.
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Avoiding Triggers
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For many people, rosacea flare-ups are caused by various triggers. Each individual can have very different triggers from other individuals with the same condition, but anything that causes a flare up is considered a trigger. Common ones include extreme cold and heat, food allergies, alcohol, exercising, sun exposure and stress. The key is to identify the triggers that cause your flare-ups and do your best to avoid them.
Exercise during the coolest part of the day, drink plenty of water and take frequent breaks to cool down. Also wear loose-fitting cotton exercise clothing.
Wear sunscreen daily and a hat to reduce sun exposure.
Topical Treatments
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Chrysanthellum indicum cream, made from golden chamomile extract, has been shown to strengthen capillaries, resulting in reduced facial redness after 12 weeks of treatment (Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, Sep 2005, http://rosacea-support.org/focus-on-golden-chamomile.html). One such cream called Calming-1 is available from Purified Skincare. It also contains licorice extract.
A form of vitamin B-3 called niamicide has been shown in trials to reduce symptoms of rosacea when applied topically in a cream twice a day (Draelos ZD, Ertel K, Berge C. Niacinamide-containing facial moisturizer improves skin barrier and benefits subjects with rosacea. Cutis. 76.2 (2005): 135-141).
Licorice applied topically has also been studied as a treatment for rosacea and was successful due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Improvement was noted at both four and eight weeks of use (Supplement to Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology, March 2005, Volume 52, Number 3).
Green tea cream was shown in a small study to reduce the appearance of rosacea. Women who applied the cream twice a day for 4 weeks experienced a 70% improvement over women who applied a placebo (63rd Annual Meeting American Academy of Dermatology. Presented Feb. 20, 2005. Tanweer Syed, MD, PhD, associate professor of dermatology, University of San Francisco, Calif.). Look for a cream containing 2% polyphenone.
Azelaic acid cream has antimicrobial properties that reduce redness and pustules. A University of British Columbia study showed it to be as effective as topical metronidazole (an antibiotic commonly prescribed for rosacea in traditional medicine) in reducing pustules and more effective in reducing redness (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10365928). Azelaic acid cream must also be prescribed by a doctor.
Oral Treatments
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B vitamins have been shown to improve rosacea. While further studies are needed, you may want to try taking a vitamin B supplement that contains riboflavin to see if it improves your symptoms.
Apple cider vinegar is another common home remedy for rosacea, as it improves digestive function, which is linked to rosacea flare-ups in some people. Digestive enzymes can be taken for the same reason.
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