What's the alternative: rosacea

Feb 18 2008 by Vicky Perks, Western Mail

Rosacea is an inflammatory skin condition of the face and neck that causes redness, which looks like a flush or a blush, writes Vicky Perks.

The flushing occurs when blood flow increases through smaller blood vessels and the vessels expand to accommodate this flow.

In severe cases facial redness can become persistent and pimples and/or spider veins can also develop.

Depending on the severity of your symptoms, treatment tends to include antibiotic creams and tablets, prescription-strength retinol (vitamin A) and laser treatment.

Changes to your lifestyle are just as important though, and can help to keep flare-ups to a minimum.

Be aware of your triggers and avoid them. People with rosacea often find that certain lifestyle or environmental factors trigger their individual symptoms. Hot or spicy foods, alcohol, caffeine, changes in temperature, such as walking into a warm room, exposure to the sun, rain or wind, and stress are all common factors.

If you’re not sure of yours, keeping a diary over a few weeks will help you to identify them.

You should also avoid oil-based make-up, scented soaps, alcohol- based skin cleansers or other facial or hair products that might contain ingredients, such as alcohol and fragrances, which irritate the skin.

Use a chemical-free, non- greasy moisturiser to soothe your skin if sore and always wear a high-strength suncream with an SPF of at least 15.

As far as diet is concerned, avoid your trigger foods and increase your intake of essential fatty acids. These “good fats” offer a wealth of well-documented health and skin benefits largely due to their anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant activity. Food sources include oily fish, nuts, seeds and avocados.

Alternatively you may wish to try an EFA oil. Popular alternatives to cod liver oil include evening primrose oil, pumpkin seed oil and flaxseed oil, but my personal favourite is the Ultimate Beauty Oil from Viridian.

A rich source of essential fatty acids, it contains organic avocado oil, golden flaxseed oil, evening primrose oil, hemp seed oil and pumpkin seed oil and has proven effective in the treatment of rosacea with improvements in flushing, redness and spots after three weeks.

Simply drizzle over food or take straight from the spoon.

There is also an Ultimate Beauty Complex for additional nutrient support. Take two capsules daily.

Vicky Perks is a qualified nutritionist with an MA in Complementary Health Studies and over 14 years’ experience in the health industry. She is director of the Beanfreaks chain of health shops and has opened her own clinic New Life Nutrition. To contact Vicky, call 029 2025 1071, or email vicky@ feeling-better-already.com