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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 go up and down on a daily basis due to so-called trigger factors. Rosacea skin can be enhanced considerably by paying close attention to these rosacea triggers. Here are three factors that can have a major influence on the appearance of rosacea skin.
Food
Many different food types can trigger a rosacea flare-up. Aged foods such as cheeses and wine have the highest potential of making rosacea symptoms worse. 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). Each rosacea patient has to understand their diet well in order to figure out what food ingredients are contributing to their rosacea flare-ups.
Stress
Stress can have a major (negative) influence 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. It has been shown in mice that in response to sustained stress, the increased levels of stress hormones (glucocorticoids) in the blood over time resulted in a decline in the protective (barrier) function of the skin. The skin’s function is to regulate our temperature, water retention 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 chronically, 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. Symptoms of ocular rosacea include burning and itchy eyes, red or bloodshot eyes or the sensation of a foreign object in the eyes. These symptoms are not always obvious for everyone and ocular rosacea is therefore frequently under-diagnosed. However, if ocular rosacea is not caught in the early stages and is allowed to progress, 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.
Keeping track of trigger factors in your diet and environment plays a major role 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.
Related PostTags: Barrier Function, Daily Basis, Flare Ups, Food Ingredients, Food Types, Function Of The Skin, Histamine, Indirect Effect, Inflammatory Reactions, Inflammatory Skin Disorder, Levels Of Stress, Negative Influence, Physiological Changes, Protective Barrier, rosacea, Rosacea Patients, Skin Food, Skin Treatments, Stress Hormones, Temperature Water, Topical Skin
This entry was posted on Friday, October 2nd, 2009 at 9:31 am and is filed under Diseases, Conditions and Treatments. 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.
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