Beat the Blush with About Faces
Rosy cheeks are super cute when you’re a kid but a little less fun as an adult. Carlie Wacker explores the latest and greatest treatment for rosacea.
Flushed or blush looking cheeks are a sign of rosacea – a skin inflammation that affects mainly middle-aged women (yay – something else to worry about!).
In chatting with my friends and colleagues we identified it was common and triggered by some of our favourite daily activities like having a cheeky vino or morning coffee(s).
Rosacea sufferers experience redness on the cheeks and face but extreme cases present as pimples and pustules similar to acne which can make the skin feel quite uncomfortable.
As part of my mission to make everyone feel comfortable in their skin, I set about finding out how rosacea can be treated and managed with the advice of some of our best local skin experts.
Laser Skin Specialist Angie Lamb from About Faces Noosa treats many clients with rosacea from her salon in Noosa Waters.
“The right skin care can make a noticeable difference,” says Angie “I use and recommend Ultraceuticals as it has a complete range of Rosacea-friendly skin care.”
Here are her top tips to reduce rosacea flare ups:
1. Cleanse your face twice a day — very gently. According to Angie, clients who have rosacea often don’t wash rosacea-prone skin enough. Understandable if your skin already feels irritated.
- Choose a mild, rosacea friendly cleanser (not soap).
- Apply the cleanser gently with your fingertips, using a circular motion.
- Single cleanse in the morning and always double cleanse in the evening.
- Rinse off the cleanser with lukewarm water, using only your fingertips. You want to thoroughly remove the cleanser. If some of the cleanser stays on your skin, it can cause irritation.
- Pat your face gently with a clean, cotton towel.
2. Moisturise every day whether rosacea makes your skin dry or oily. Moisturising helps hydrate your skin by trapping water in your skin. This can reduce irritation and make your skin feel far more comfortable. Applying a rosacea friendly moisturiser like Ultraceuticals Calming Cream can also improve results.
3. Protect your skin from the sun year-round as sun exposure is the most frequent cause of a rosacea flare-up. Angie recommends wearing Ultraceuticals SPF 50+.
4. Test new skincare products and makeup before applying them to your face.
Along with a skincare routine Angie uses laser therapy to treat the condition.
“The CUTERA XLV+ excels in treating red discolorations and visible veins on the face and diffuses redness from rosacea and broken capillaries,” she says.
“Laser Genesis is super gentle with zero downtime and LED light devices such as Omnilux can improve rosacea. Most clients undertake a series of eight to ten sessions,” she adds.
Over at the Noosa Marina Jo O’Hang of Nu You Natural Day Spa is treating her clients with the Intraceuticals Rejuvenate range and LED and Oxygen therapy.
“When our Trio Moisturising System is used twice daily with the Gentle Cleanser, most people will see visible results within the first week,” she shares. “Gentle Cleanser helps remove impurities and brings the skin back to its natural balance; Daily Serum is the first step to improve the skin’s appearance of texture, radiance and vitality; and Hydration Gel is the second step to continuously replenish hydration to the skin. Finally, applying the Moisture Binding Cream will protect and defend against environmental stress.”
Jo encourages the daily home skincare routine alongside a treatment duo of LED and Oxygen therapy fortnightly for a minimum of six treatments.
“LED (light emitting diode) therapy is used to treat skin thickening, reduce redness and ease discomfort, which are three of the most common symptoms of Rosacea,” she says. “Followed by Oxygen therapy which delivers oxygen to your skin cells, increases cell turnover, boosts collagen production, anti-inflammatory benefits, fine line smoothing and skin tightening; which is awesome for rosacea because it reduces the amount of visible redness and provides a beautiful cooling effect during treatment.” Jo says. “It’s the perfect combo, with great natural results.”
For a quick fix while you are waiting on results from the skin experts, I asked makeup artist Lara Argent of Pony Beauty Bar Noosa what she recommends and uses on her clients.
“The Stila Correct Kitten skin tone correcting and brightening primer is the perfect base to build from when applying makeup,” Lara shares “Of course, always test products before purchasing.”
We are so lucky to have the most experienced and caring skin expertise in Noosa who can help beat that blush but in the most extreme cases you should consult your GP who may recommend topical applications like metronidazole, antibiotics or oral acne drugs.
BEAT THE BLUSH
- Avoid alcohol, caffeine and spicy foods
- Stay cool and protected from the sun
- Stress less
- Use gentle alcohol-free skincare products
