3 Tips for Avoiding Rosacea Flare-Ups This Summer
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I’ve always had pink cheeks. When I was first getting into makeup as a teen, I remember never wanting to include blush in my routine—why add to the perpetual rosiness I experienced already? I didn’t know it then, but looking back, my constant state of flush was because I had rosacea, a skin condition I wasn’t diagnosed with until my late 20s.
“Rosacea causes redness and flushing on the midface,” Ted Lain, MD, a Texas-based dermatologist previously told Allure. Some people get visible blood vessels and/or papulopustular (acne rosacea). For me, it’s the flushing and blood vessels. Over the years, I’ve been able to tame the inflammation with a prescription topical treatment, like Soolantra, but, of course, I can’t prevent it—it’s chronic.
But even with my prescription, it’s hard to fight against the effects of the summer heat. Hot temperatures, among other triggers like caffeine, steamy showers, spicy food, and stress, can exacerbate the visible effects of rosacea, causing unwanted inflamed flare-ups.
Hot temps can also aggravate other skin conditions, like eczema (another fun one for me!), which causes patches of cracked, scaly skin, leading to uncomfortable, incessant itchiness. “Increased sweating in the summer can definitely make your eczema flare up, particularly if you have it in the creases of your elbows or knees or on your palms,” Erin Gilbert, MD, a dermatologist in New York City, previously told Allure.
To help fight flare-ups (of both conditions) caused by the dog days of summer, here are a few tips I’ve picked up from dermatologists over the years. Because while I wish I could just stay in bed all day with a book and never meet the heat again, I live and work in a very humid climate that requires multiple-minute walks to the train and steamy subway waiting times. So avoiding the seasonal warmth just isn’t in the cards for me. Here are those tips:
1. Opt for indoor activities: Like I said, it’s impossible to ask someone to stay inside… all the time, but keeping cool is one of the easiest ways to avoid any sort of annoying irritation. So buy some movie tickets, hang out at the library, invest in a window AC unit—whatever will keep you inside for a few hours when the temperature is at its highest.
2. Stay dry: Sweat can trigger a quick flare-up, so if you can’t avoid the humidity, plan for it. Add a moisture-wicking, chafe-preventing stick or powder to your routine, like Mega Babe’s Thigh Rescue or old faithful, Gold Bond Body Powder, to sop up excess wetness before discomfort occurs.
3. Skip the scent: This tip is especially useful for me, because over the years, I’ve discovered that when fragrance (of any kind) is mixed with hot heat and sweat, instant itchiness occurs. So I’ve swapped my fruity-scented body washes and lotions for fragrance-free formulas that veer toward the more clinical, boring side of the beauty aisles. And you know? Boring or not, the scent-free substitutes have never led me astray.
As a fellow flare-up friend, I wish you all the luck in avoiding the itchy, inflamed effects of the heat this summer!
Reader Question
I have rosacea, which seems to get exacerbated when summer hits or I’m working outside in the garden. I’ve been looking at the LED Masks and also the Theragun that has LED treatment. Do they work? Are there any other less expensive masks that are just as good? I also notice the fine lines and other benefits, is this just hype or is it really worth it?
— asks Allure Reader Cyndy
Dear Cyndy,
So sorry about your flare-ups! But before you start adding any sort of swanky LED masks to your shopping cart, you can first evaluate your current routine: Are you using sensitive skin-friendly formulas (e.g. fragrance-free and without active ingredients)? Have you seen a dermatologist to go over treatment options for your rosacea?
If the answer is yes to both, your next line of defense, in my opinion, would be a series of in-office laser treatments… in the winter. Because of the heat and seriousness of the summer sun, these types of treatments are best done in the colder months in safer downtime conditions.
Have a burning skin-care question? Send one in.
Editor's Pick
BEST FACIAL MIST: Prequel Universal Skin Solution Dermal Spray
Hydrates skin from head-to-toe in a pinch
Fragrance-free and safe for sensitive skin
Made with hypochlorous acid, an ingredient that calms and soothes inflamed and irritated skin (and new ear piercings)
Quick Tip
Stay hydrated! Along with your trusty water bottle, keep a TSA-friendly face mist in your bag this summer. When the temps get too high, a few spritzes will instantly cool you off and tame inflammation.
Book Club
Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
★★★★☆
A beautiful yet sorrowful tale of young love, loss, and second chances between two childhood friends. I was an emotional wreck reading this book—when I wasn’t crying, I was admittedly nostalgic for the ooey-gooey (and vulnerable) feelings of first love.
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