Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that most commonly affects facial skin.

Rosacea causes redness on the cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead. In some cases, redness may appear on the neck, ears, or chest. In worst cases, the redness becomes more intense when you witness facial flushing, irritated skin, acne, and pimples. Small broken blood vessels may also become visible on the skin. It may also produce small pus-filled bumps. Sometimes rosacea is mistaken for acne, natural redness, or other skin problems.

Types Of Rosacea

There are four types of rosacea, though some people experience symptoms of more than one type of rosacea.

1- Vascular Rosacea

Erythematotelangiectatic or vascular rosacea is described by redness on the face. Blood vessels become enlarged and visible beneath the skin.

Signs of vascular rosacea

• Redness or flushing on the face
• Broken blood vessels
• Dry or rough skin
• Burning sensation on the skin

2- Papulopustular Rosacea

Papulopustular rosacea mostly appears on the cheeks, chin, and forehead. This type of rosacea is mostly misidentified with acne.

Signs of papulopustular rosacea

• Whitehead pustules
• Pus-filled blemishes
• Red or swollen bumps
• Acne-like breakouts
• Patches on the skin
• Pimple-like skin eruption

3- Phymatous Rosacea

Phymatous rosacea makes skin bumpy, thick, swollen, and sometimes discoloured. It commonly affects the nose called the bulbous nose. This condition of rosacea is more common in men than in women.

Signs of phymatous rosacea

• Bumpy or swollen skin
• Thick skin, especially on the nose
• Visible scars
• Discoloration

4- Ocular Rosacea

Ocular rosacea affects the eyes, causing them to wet and look like bloodshed.

Signs of ocular rosacea

• Watery eyes
• Dry, itchy eyes
• Cysts on eyes
• Stinging sensation in the eyes
• Limited vision
• Inflammation or redness of eyes

Reasons For Rosacea

Experts are still unable to find out the reasons for rosacea. It may be the combination of several factors or could be an overactive immune system. Rosacea is not contagious, although some specific things may make symptoms worse. A few things include:

• Family history
• Spicy foods
• excess of coffee or other hot drinks
• A gut bacteria called Helicobacter pylori
• Skin mites called Demodex folliculorum live on the skin. Rosacea causes an increase in mites.
• Sun exposure or humidity
• Extreme temperature
• Inflamed blood vessels
• Medicines that dilate blood vessels
• Extreme or vigorous exercises
• Emotions of stress, anxiety, or anger
• Hot baths or saunas
• Certain skincare products

Risk Factors For Rosacea

Some individuals are more likely to develop rosacea if they are:

• Aged between 30 to 60
• Fair-skinned or blond hair people
• women are more likely to develop this condition than men
• Over sensitive skin
• Smoking
• Have Severe acne

Psychological Aspect of Rosacea

Facial appearance plays a significant role in our self-esteem and social interactions with society. Patients with rosacea have an increased risk of developing depression and anxiety and try to avoid social situations. It is not difficult to understand why rosacea patients experience fear of social judgment. The psychological effects of the disease may be severe and deliberating. The skin disease may be associated with embarrassment, low self-esteem, emotional distress, lack of confidence, social isolation, and self-harm. All these elements lead to psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety.

Is there a Cure for Rosacea?

There is no permanent cure for rosacea. Treatment is available to control or reverse the signs and symptoms of rosacea. Several treatments help to manage the redness, bumps, and other symptoms of rosacea.

Treatment with medicines: If you suspect having rosacea, it is better to visit a doctor. Doctors suggest a few medicines and gels applied on the skin that tighten the blood vessels to lessen the redness.

Treatment with Lasers: Some doctors may also recommend laser treatment. Lasers use intense light to get rid of enlarged blood vessels. Laser treatment or scalpel surgery may remove excess skin. A carbon dioxide laser may also shrink thickened tissues. The procedure may also cause slight pain, bruising, swelling, tenderness, or, rarely, infection.

Treatment with diet: Diet plays a very crucial role in controlling the symptoms of rosacea. Studies show that healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids may help to manage some forms of rosacea. Healthy fats help the skin to retain moisture and reduce redness, hyperpigmentation, and lacking.

• Fish high in omega-3 like salmon, sardines, or lake trout
• Nuts and seeds including walnuts, almonds, hemp seeds, flaxseeds, chia seeds
• Peanut butter
• Olive oil, flaxseed oil
• Anti-inflammatory foods like tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, and fruits like strawberries, blueberries, oranges, cherries, avocados, and beets are necessary to keep rosacea symptoms in check.
• Fibre-rich foods are mostly gut-healthy foods that feed the probiotics and prebiotics in the gut. Research has shown that a healthy gut and a diet packed with prebiotic foods may help keep rosacea flares-up at bay. Prebiotic foods include legumes, onion, garlic, and whole grains.
• Plenty of water, fresh fruit juices, coconut water
• Add turmeric to your food
• Vitamin A-rich diets like eggs, milk, fish oil, and more

Certain foods trigger rosacea symptoms. Some common triggers include:

• Liver
• certain cheeses and sour cream
• Spicy foods like chilli pepper, jalapeno, and hot sauce
• Chocolate and vanilla
• Alcohol
• Sugary food or junk food with high levels of saturated fats and trans fats
• Foods hot in temperature
• Foods high in histamine
• Some citrus fruits

Treatment with Acupuncture: The method of acupuncture originated from traditional Chinese medicine, which has been used to treat facial and skin diseases since ancient times. Modern studies have suggested that acupuncture is an alternative therapy for the treatment of skin diseases such as eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea. Acupuncture may be effective for localized facial rosacea through redistributing micro-circulation of blood at the localized affected area.

• Treatment with Cupping therapy: Cupping therapy is another form of alternative therapy in which cups are placed on the skin to create suction to increase blood flow, reduce inflammation and activate lymphatic drainage. The vacuum created on the skin during the process aids in increasing the blood circulation of the affected area. Mild redness and swelling are expected mostly in the process of moving cupping therapy.
• Hijama cupping therapy removes congestion, toxins, and waste from the body. The removal of toxins promotes healing. Cupping draws blood, fresh nutrients, and oxygen to the affected area. When fresh oxygen is delivered to the cells, tissues, and lymphatic system, it produces antibodies. All of these factors work together to heal the skin. Hijama cupping therapy plays a very crucial role in managing inflammation in the body. Inflammation is a key contributor to how rosacea presents itself. Whether it’s redness, flushing, bumps, or pimples, the cause might be inflammation. For that reason, performing Hijama cupping therapy is important to reduce inflammation and keep rosacea in check.
• Sometimes certain skin conditions are linked to the weakness of an individual’s immune system, their lifestyle, or maybe a health condition that affects their body system. Usually, systemic points are very helpful in targeting the treatment of skin diseases. Systemic points are found upon the nape of the neck and on either side of the spine, directly behind the lungs. The whole body can be influenced by placing cups in these locations. These points are often used when the affected skin is spread to most of the body, and the blood needs to be filtered to combat pathogens, toxins, and imbalances that may be causing skin issues.

The technique of Hijama cupping therapy is to drain the bad blood out to treat acne, pimples, rosacea, pigmentation, and plenty of other skin diseases. Cupping therapy should not be performed on the affected area of the skin. It is evident to avoid placing cups on broken, damaged, or inflamed skin. Cups can be applied close to the affected area. The cells and tissues treated by Hijama encompass approximately a ten-centimetre radius around where the cup is applied. In this way, Hijama can benefit skin conditions without applying cups on the actual area that is damaged.

Natural Remedies for Rosacea

Lifestyle changes and a few home remedies may help to control the symptoms of rosacea.

1- Wash your face with a gentle cleanser; try not to use scented soaps.

2- Don’t scrub your face vigorously and roughly.

3- Drink plenty of water to hydrate your skin.

4- Avoid excessive sun exposure.

5- Avoid extreme temperatures, whether it’s hot or cold.

6- Don’t sleep with makeup on your face.

7- Avoid foods and beverages that may trigger rosacea ( already mentioned above).

8- Avoid physical and mental stress.

9- Exercise regularly for good blood circulation.

10- Use steam once a week to open the pores and clean the dirt from the face.

11- Massage your face once in a while for proper blood circulation.

12- Applying aloe vera gel on the face helps to moisturize the skin and keep it hydrated, which promotes healing and discourages redness, rashes, and itchy skin.

13- Chamomile, like aloe vera, is a hydrating skin medication that aids in the treatment of irritated skin. Chamomile essential oil can be applied, and chamomile tea can be used as a skin cleanser.

14- Moisturizers like coconut oil are perfect for all kinds of skin conditions, including rosacea.

15- High-quality raw honey can be very effective for the redness of rosacea.

16- Applying plain homemade yogurt is extremely effective in moisturizing the skin.

17- Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory herb and is recommended to reduce the symptoms of inflamed rosacea. Turmeric paste can also be applied to the skin.

18- Antioxidants in green tea are helpful for inflammation and skin conditions. Cooled green tea bags can be used as a cold compress; taking green tea is also very beneficial for several health concerns.

When rosacea flares up at home, there seem to be numerous natural and home remedies that might be helpful to alleviate the symptoms.

If rosacea interferes with a person’s daily life, they should consult a doctor.