Rosacea - Exploring Natural Remedies

What Is Rosacea?

Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that primarily affects the face. It presents as flushing, persistent redness, and thickening of the skin with an enlargement (phymas), papules, pustules, and dilated blood vessels (telangiectasia) over the cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead. More than half of the patients may experience eye features like dryness, redness, tearing, foreign-body sensation, and photophobia, and sometimes it may compromise the eye's vision. It may also be associated with systemic diseases like neurologic diseases, inflammatory bowel diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Rosacea is prevalent among fair-skinned women and may affect people of any age. As it is present in the visible portion of the face, it may hurt the quality of a person’s life and well-being.

What Are the Causes and Risk Factors of Rosacea?

The cause of Rosacea is unknown, but some etiological factors that may cause Rosacea, are hereditary, immune reactions, microorganisms, environmental factors, and dysregulation of the neurovascular system.

• Hereditary Factors: Rosacea may occur because of the patient’s family history or genetics.

• Immune Reactions: The immune system's general function is to protect the body against infections and inflammation. But in some cases, the immune system may overreact and induce too much inflammation, which may cause redness and dilation of the blood vessels.

• Microorganisms: Though intestinal bacteria Helicobacter pylori and Rosacea are not proven. But some studies have suggested that Helicobacter pylori has been associated with Rosacea and causes redness over the face by producing a protein that can dilate the blood vessels. Demodex mites are found near or on the skin’s hair follicles. If many mites are found, that may cause Rosacea, but there is no clear reason.

• Environmental Factors: Rosacea can be caused by environmental factors like sun exposure and extreme heat or cold.

• Dysregulation of the Neurovascular System: Exposure to triggering factors like overexposure to sunlight, too spicy and hot foods, and alcohol may cause dysregulation of the neurovascular system that causes dilation of the blood vessels, leading to erythema and flushing.

Many risk factors are associated with Rosacea, including age, fair-skinned women, blue eyes, blonde hair, ethnic background, too much sun exposure, Acne history, family history, smoking, and cosmetics.

What Are the Types of Rosacea?

Rosacea can be clinically sub-divided into four types:

1. Erythematotelangiectatic Rosacea.

2. Papulopustular Rosacea.

3. Phymatous Rosacea.

4. Ocular Rosacea.

Erythematotelangiectatic Rosacea: It is characterized by flushing and persistent redness over the central face with or without dilated blood vessels. It mostly occurs with subtype 2 papulopustular Rosacea before or simultaneously. Patients with these signs may be very sensitive.

Papulopustular Rosacea: It often occurs with subtype 1 and has papules or pustules which may resemble acne, but there is no blackhead or whitehead, facial redness over the central face, dilated blood vessels, and elevated red scaly patches called plaques

Phymatous Rosacea: It is characterized by marked thickening of the skin with enlargement and mostly affects the nose, chin, forehead, ears, and eyelids.

Ocular Rosacea: It presents as a foreign body sensation, dryness, irritation, blurry vision, conjunctival telangiectasias, eyelid crusting, corneal ulcers, and scars. Blindness is rare with Rosacea.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Rosacea?

There are numerous signs and symptoms of rosacea, including

• Flushing and redness over the central face.

• Visible dilatation of the blood vessels.

• Sensitive and oily skin.

• Dryness and burning sensations in the skin.

• Papules or pustules, which are acne-like.

• Skin plaques (raised patches of skin).

• Irregular surface nodularity.

• Large pores.

• Foreign body sensation in the eyes.

• Dry eyes.

• Burning sensation in the eyes.

• Blurry vision.

• Watery eyes.

How to Diagnose Rosacea?

The National Rosacea Society Expert Committee gave some latest diagnostic guidelines for Rosacea, including:

• Persistent central erythema over the face that may increase periodically.

• Phymatous appearance.

The presence of any two of the following major criteria is considered diagnostic:

• Flushing.

• Papules and pustules.

• Dilated blood vessels (telangiectasias).

• Ocular signs include eyelid margin telangiectasia, interpalpebral conjunctival injection, spade-shaped corneal infiltration, scleritis, and sclerokeratitis.

What Are the Natural Remedies for Rosacea?

Natural remedies can help treat Rosacea, including

1. Eliminate the Triggering Factors: The triggering factors may be found in the diet, so the diet has to be modified by taking more anti-inflammatory foods and avoiding allergic-causing foods that can help to improve skin diseases.

Foods to avoid include

• Allergic-causing food.

• Caffeine and alcohol.

• Sugary and processed foods.

• Dairy products.

• Spicy foods.

Foods that must be included in the diet are:

• Apple cider vinegar has high anti-inflammatory properties that may help in treating Rosacea.

• Coconut oil hydrates the skin and reduces inflammation.

• Turmeric helps reduce inflammation due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

• Ginger contains Gingerol, an active compound that may help reduce inflammation.

• Aloe vera gel helps to manage the symptoms of Rosacea.

• Raw honey helps cure various skin diseases.

• Oatmeal helps to control inflammation and itchiness caused by Rosacea due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-itch properties.

• Organic fruits and vegetables.

• Healthy fat-containing foods like olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds (flax and chia seeds).

• High protein diets like fish, meat, eggs, and legumes.

2. Herbal Remedies: Herbs with anti-inflammatory properties are:

• Lavender helps reduce inflammation and shrink dilated blood vessels. Lavender oils are also used topically to soothe inflamed skin.

• Licorice has anti-inflammatory properties; its root reduces redness, as it contains coumarins, flavonoids, plant sterols, and glycyrrhizin.

• Green tea has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities that may help lessen the immune response and improve Rosacea symptoms. Its polyphenol component helps prevent papules and pustules in Rosacea.

• Bitterwood (Simarouba amara) reduces telangiectasia, flushing, erythema, papules, and pustules in Rosacea.

3. Skin Protection: Protect skin from UV light exposure by wearing sunscreen.

4. Avoid Irritants: Treat gently with non-fragrance or skin irritant-free products.

5. Reduce Stress: Meditation or yoga may assist in alleviating the stress caused by Rosacea symptoms. Stress itself may trigger the symptoms of Rosacea.

6. Massage the Face: Gently massage the face using fingers to reduce inflammation.

7. Warm Compression: Warm compression may help soothe the eyes.

Conclusion

Rosacea is an inflammatory skin disease that can be controlled to some extent with natural remedies. It is recommended to eat foods with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties to help reduce symptoms, to wear sunscreen to protect the skin from sunlight whenever going out, and to avoid the triggering factors that aggravate the symptoms. If symptoms persist or get worse, consult the doctor immediately.