Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder for which no cure exists today. Rosacea patients have to keep their skin condition under control by the daily application of topical skin treatments. However, rosacea symptoms fluctuate on a daily basis due to so-called trigger factors. Rosacea skin can be improved significantly by paying close attention to these rosacea triggers. Here are three factors that can have a major impact on the appearance of rosacea skin.

Stress
Stress can have a major (negative) impact on our skin. Stress is often unavoidable and most people have a fair amount of stress in their lives. However, if stress is not kept under control and is allowed to rise continuously, our health will suffer due to the physiological changes in our body brought on by stress. Studies in mice have shown that in response to prolonged stress, the increased levels of stress hormones (glucocorticoids) in the blood were able to cause a deterioration of the protective barrier function of the skin. The skin’s function is to regulate our water retention, temperature and to protect us from external microorganisms. When the barrier function of the skin gets compromised, skin conditions such as rosacea, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and eczema can develop. When stress levels are elevated continuously, a further deterioration of the skin can result.

Ocular Rosacea
It is estimated that 60% of all rosacea patients suffer from some degree of ocular rosacea. Ocular rosacea symptoms include red or bloodshot eyes, the sensation of a foreign object in the eyes and burning/itchy eyes. These symptoms do not always present themselves clearly to everyone and ocular rosacea is therefore frequently under-diagnosed. However, if ocular rosacea is not detected soon enough and is allowed to develop, patient’s vision may be negatively affected. People with rosacea who regularly wear contact lenses pose a higher risk for the negative effects of ocular rosacea than rosacea patients who don’t wear contacts. The reduced oxygen availability caused by contact lenses could speed up the development of ocular rosacea.

Food
There are many different types of food that can trigger a rosacea flare-up. Foods that have the highest potential of aggravating rosacea symptoms are aged foods such as cheeses and wine. Aged foods contain large amounts of histamine, which can increase inflammatory reactions in the body. Certain foods, such as bananas and strawberries stimulate the body to produce more histamine, so these foods have an indirect effect on rosacea. In addition, certain food ingredients boost the body’s production of nitric oxide (NO), which dilates blood vessels. Foods that increase NO are foods that are high in the amino acid arginine (such as chocolate, soy and nuts) and foods preserved with nitrates (sausage and cured meats). Every person with rosacea needs to have a good understanding of their diet in order to figure out what food ingredients are contributing to their rosacea flare-ups.

Keeping an eye on rosacea triggers in your diet and environment can make a big difference in the appearance of your skin. Knowing what these rosacea trigger factors are in combination with the right rosacea treatment, will help in managing rosacea symptoms for years to come.

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 11th, 2010 at 9:36 am and is filed under Kids Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.