Rosacea – what is it and how to get rid of it
Rosacea is a skin condition marked typically by redness on the cheeks with dry or oozing skin, acne and broken capillaries. It can also occur on the chin, neck, chest, and uncommonly the eyes. Rosacea affects women more than men, and people over the age of 30, but we are seeing younger people with this too. It is generally caused by an autoimmune reaction where the body mistakenly attacks the skin and causes inflammation and dilated skin vessels. The tiny capillaries get inflamed and then break open just under the skin. The face has many blood vessels near the surface and that is why we see it commonly there. But, what if it is not just the face where the small vessels are inflamed; what if the larger blood vessels are affected as well? Maybe Rosacea is just the tip of the iceberg and we need to use this initial irritation as a stimulus to clean up our diet and reverse the whole-body inflammation that this is signaling.
The autoimmune portion of the disease most likely arises from the gut, with triggers such as gluten, egg, dairy or corn. Sugars, however, are the main culprit here as they encourage yeast growth in the gut and the formation of alcohols that dilate the blood vessels. This is why many patients have problems with wine or alcohol, which make the condition worse.
There is some evidence that skin mites or the bacteria that feed off of them may cause the inflammation and treatment with topical antibiotics may help. There are thought to be 1 billion different microbes per centimeter on the skin surface, so having the proper balance is key to skin health. The skin serves as a barrier, keeping bad bacteria out and moisture and heat in as needed. We need to ensure a healthy microbial environment on the surface of our skin, just like with do with the gut lining!
Our gut bacteria balance is very important as well and vitamin deficiency can predispose our skin to infection and inflammation. The B vitamins are important for healthy skin and gut dysbiosis affects the absorption and creation of B vitamins.
So – what can we do about it? Here are some ideas to consider trying. You are always welcome to see Dr Jay for further help instituting these lifestyle changes!
Achieve a healthy balance of bacteria in your gut
Eliminate any yeast or Candida infections
Take Probiotics
See my blog on this
Multiple strains
Eating raw and fermented foods
Consider taking digestion enzymes
Many patients with Rosacea have SIBO
Check out my blog for follow up on SIBO
Talk to your Navigator about this possibility
Eliminate dietary triggers
Consider dietary allergy testing
Avoid simple carbohydrates
Sugars feed yeast and the unhealthy kind of bacteria
Increase acidity in the gut and body
Focus on low glycemic index foods and high fiber vegetables
Alcohol
is converted to sugar
dilates blood vessels
Caffeine, soy and artificial sweeteners
Eliminate dairy
High glycemic load
Hormone exposure in milk products
Androgens increase acne
Allergic response to casein proteins
Use fat to reduce inflammation
Healthy Omega-3 fatty acids
Fish oil supplement
Fresh, wild salmon, anchovies, sardines
Fatty plants like walnuts, flaxseed, avocado
Alkalinize your diet
Avoid meats, dairy, gluten
Acidic fruits actually decrease body acids
Apple cider vinegar
Limes and lemons
May worsen symptoms for some people due to histamine
Don’t take antacids
They disturb the normal gut balance
May lead to SIBO
Healthy vegetables have Vitamin A
Leafy greens, kelp, spinach and kale
Carrots, sweet potatoes
Winter squash
Stay Hydrated
Helps with circulation
Supplements to consider
Good daily MultiVitamin like Oxylent
Has minerals and vitamins
Anti-oxidants
NO to Vitamin A
Zinc – with copper
Brewer’s yeast for acne
Topical treatments
Azelaic Acid
Antibacterial
Causes breakup of keratin
Tea Tree Oil
Helps with acne mostly
Antibacterial
Get a good night sleep
Allows the body to heal and decreases inflammation
Reduce your stress response!
Emotional stress directly tied to symptoms
Avoid the sun, wind and extremes of temperatures
Consider reducing the number of antibacterial products that you use
These kill off the good and the bad bacteria
Watch what touches your skin
Use natural beauty products
Use natural cleaners around the house and less of them
Natural fiber clothing has a healthier effect on your skin biome
Make sure to give this a few weeks to see improvements. Remember, your rash did not develop overnight, so give your body time to react to the changes. Remember that the improvements that you are seeing are only skin deep, but the real change is happening all throughout your body, reducing inflammation in the larger blood vessels and major organs, your joints and your brain!
Come see Dr Jay for more information and get healthier today!