Is the Weather a Trigger to Your Rosacea?

 Rosacea is a skin condition that makes the skin appear red and inflamed.

It is a relatively misunderstood long-term condition. Certain factors can trigger flare ups and so it’s important to know what triggers your rosacea to try and avoid relapses. It can be controlled to a certain degree by recognising the triggers, but you also might want to consider further treatment.

What’s your rosacea trigger?

The weather

The weather in the UK can be particularly temperamental which is unfortunate for sufferers of Rosacea since most weather conditions trigger flare ups. Both hot and cold weather, humidity, wind and sunshine can worsen the problem.

Food and drink

Rosacea can be triggered by alcohol, spicy and hot (in temperature) foods, hot drinks and alcohol.

Activities

Physical exercise or activities that are strenuous. Staying cool with a fan or in an air conditioned environment may help.

Emotions

A sudden change in emotion such as embarrassment, anger, or laughter can cause redness. Stress and anxiety can also contribute.

Other triggers

Other triggers include: use of irritant skin products, caffeine withdrawal, menopause, and certain use of medications such as topical steroids.

Treatment

Avoiding the above will help to control the symptoms. Topical creams and gels can also reduce redness, and oral antibiotics can help reduce inflammation.

The flushing can be more difficult to treat, but Intense Pulsed Light Therapy may improve the appearance of visible red blood vessels. The heat from the lasers target the visible blood vessels and cause them to shrink so that they are no longer visible.