Rosacea is a chronic skin disease affecting the middle third of the face. Symptoms include facial redness, swelling, burning and pustules. Onset occurs most often in fair-skinned adults 30 to 50 years old. The skin affected by this disease needs proper care and cleaning. Moisturizers help diseased skin retain moisture by forming a protective barrier.
Function
Moisturizers do not increase the water content of skin. During application they form an epidermal barrier, coating the skin's surface. The epidermis is the exterior layer of skin, highly susceptible to injury and dehydration. Dry skin, an irritant for rosacea sufferers, occurs when moisture content is less than 10 percent. The ability of skin to retain water content and maintain integrity is crucial to people with this disease.
Ingredients
Determining which moisturizers work best for those diagnosed with rosacea can be daunting. The main ingredients of moisturizers include emollients, occlusives and humectants. Fats and oils are emollients, or softening products. Occlusives--petroleum jelly, silicones and mineral oils--create water-repelling barriers. Humectants attract water from lower skin layers into the outer skin layers, and help exterior skin cells absorb water from the environment. Glycerol and urea are humectants.
Selection
Many skin products cause burning, stinging, itching and inflammation for those with rosacea. Since the disease is associated with ultrasensitive skin, moisturizers can provide a protective barrier to environmental irritants. Choosing the correct product may require several purchases. Select products without alcohol or fragrances. Stay away from detergents, emulsifiers, exfoliators and hydroxy acids. Test each product on an adjacent skin area, such as the neck, prior to full usage.
Sunblock
Daily sun protection is important for any skin type, but those with rosacea should be very attentive to sunblock application. Since rosacea skin requires several prescription skin product applications, moisturizers with sunscreen reduce the number of products you need. Sun exposure is a top trigger of flareups as shown in a National Rosacea Society survey. Therefore, use moisturizers with an SPF of 15 or higher and both UVA and UVB protection.
Compliance
Consistent, gentle skin care can make a difference in managing rosacea. Once symptoms of rosacea are under control, you must continue the treatment process. Moisturizers are just one step in the process of helping repair and maintain skins integrity. Epidermal maintenance minimizes symptoms of this chronic disease, making life less stressful.
