Control Rosacea Flare-ups
Discover the most common triggers that cause your Rosacea flare-ups. Avoid these triggers and improve the appearance of your skin.
Living with a skin condition like Rosacea can be difficult. It seems you never know what is going to cause the next flare up and before you know it, your skin is an embarrassment and you feel out of control.
You can regain control and improve the appearance of your skin by learning what the most common triggers of Rosacea are. By avoiding these triggers, you can greatly reduce your flare-ups.
Common Rosacea Triggers
The most common triggers are exposure to the sun, emotional stress, hot weather, wind, and heavy exercise. Unfortunately, there are many more that fall into these categories.
Foods - Liver, yogurt, sour cream, cheese, chocolate, vanilla, soy sauce, yeast extract, vinegar, eggplant, avocados, spinach, lima beans, navy beans, peas, citrus fruits, tomatoes, bananas, red plums, raisins or figs, spicy foods, foods high in histamine.
Weather - Sun, strong winds, cold, humidity
Drugs - Topical steroids, vasodilators
Temperature Related - Saunas, hot baths
Drinks - Alcohol, hot drinks
Medical Conditions - Menopause, chronic coughing
Emotional - Stress
Physical Exercise - Exercise, lifting jobs
Skin Care Products - Cosmetics with alcohol or acetone
While this list can seem overwhelming at first, it doesn't have to be. To discover which of these triggers set off your latest flare up, use the process of elimination.
Keep a journal or log to record your daily activities. Any time you have a Rosacea flare up; record it in the journal along with your activities. Continue doing this for at least three weeks.
Soon, you will begin to notice a pattern to the flare-ups. You may find you are extremely sensitive to one trigger, but not to another. Likewise, something you originally thought was the cause of the flare-ups, isn't such an issue. Study your journal and see what products, foods, or activities you need to avoid.
By doing this, you are regaining control over your life. You'll soon know which triggers to avoid instead of feeling like you're a prisoner unable to do anything for fear of another flare up. You may have been avoiding some things that aren't a problem to you at all and unknowingly exposing yourself to your worst trigger.
Keeping a journal like this takes time and determination, but the knowledge and freedom that you will gain will be worth it. Of course, knowing what causes your Rosacea flare-ups and the freedom it gives you is great, but seeing the improvement in your skin is the best reward.