Last week I had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Jeanine Downie to discuss rosacea and apparently there was a lot I didn’t know!  Since the sun is one of the biggest causes of rosacea and the heat can also trigger it, I felt now, as we ease our way into summer, would be a good time to share how you can control it.

Rosacea affects about 16 million Americans regardless of their ethnicity and while the sun is one of the main triggers, stress is right up there as well and although it can’t be cured, it can be controlled.

“There are three things people with rosacea need to do to keep it at bay – know their triggers, exercise and start treating it early,”  remarked Dr. Downie.  As soon as you start to notice signs of rosacea (redness, raised red bumps) seek help from your dermatologist.  It gets progressive with age if left untreated.

For many, triggers are the sun, heat, red wine, spicy food, caffeine, certain cosmetics or spa products and hormonal fluctuations.  Of course, triggers vary from person to person, but understanding what affects you is important.  And the three things that are known to reduce stress, which enhances rosacea are exercise, vacation and massages.  Exercising daily will significantly decrease your stress level, but since you heat up during exercise, be sure to drink ice cold water through out your work out.

People with rosacea often start with trying to use products like Mario Badescu Control Cream.  However, if keeping your rosacea under control on your own isn’t working out, you may need a prescription.  Many dermatologists are beginning to prescribe Oracea, the first FDA approved oral medication that helps reduce inflammation.  Patients have been noticing better controlled rosacea in just three weeks.