FACETIME - Let's talk! What to know, what to remember, what to avoid
• We continue to receive inquiries regarding scarring. Noredol Skin Care Gel might do for redness from scarring. If you have had long term scarring from rosacea, we are investigating this application, but so far every indication suggests long term use may improve skin appearance in some users.
• Control your Rosacea - watch what you eat! Though foods are mostly inconsistent triggers and often not thought about by most "rosaceans", they are important factors in keeping rosacea under control. What makes the food control aspect so unpopular is the fact that on the list of triggers is at least one of everybody's favorites. According to a list compiled by Cherie Berkley, (www.webmd.com), from a survey of five hundred participants, the most obvious food triggers were: hot peppers (61%) and Mexican-style foods (52%). Some other foods included: hot sausage (45%), red pepper (53%), black pepper (22%), vinegar (19%), white pepper (14%), garlic (11%). The best way to find personal triggers is to keep a diary of suspicious food products, and design your own "rosacea-safe" diet.
• Cosmetics - A few thoughts. Be very careful when you choose cosmetics for your every day care. Even people without acne can develop it through the use of their cosmetics (the condition has its own name - cosmetic acne). In acne sufferers, the right choice of cosmetics prevents the frustration of worsening their skin condition. Look for cosmetics that do not contain comedogenic (acne-producing) components, such as lanolin and lanolin derivatives, isopropyl myristate and its analogs, laureth-4 and D&C red dyes. It would be wise to check any product applied to your skin, as even some preparations formulated to control acne may contain problem ingredients.
Know the terms spoken by professionals
• What is acne? Acne, the most common skin condition, is a disorder that causes outbreaks of skin lesions commonly called pimples. Acne skin lesions result from the skin's oil glands making too much sebum, the oily substance, which leads to plugged pores. The following colonization of the plugged pores and affected skin surface with the bacteria
P. acnes aggravates acne symptoms. Acne lesions occur mostly on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders.
• What are the different types of acne lesions?
- Comedo (whiteheads or blackheads) or papules. The comedo is a basic acne lesion, which is a plugged pore. Comedos can manifest two ways as a closed comedo when a plugged pore stays under the skin and forms a white bump (whitehead), or as an open comedowhen the plugged pore breaks, and its oily content darkens on contact with air producing blackheads.
- Pustules or pimples. Pustules or pimples are the acne lesions that contain pus and are red at the base.
- Nodules. These are the most serious acne lesions. They form deeper in the skin, are painful, and can cause scarring.
- Cysts. Like nodules, cysts are deep within the skin. They are filled with pus, are very painful, and can lead to scarring.
• What is rosacea? Rosacea is a common chronic skin condition manifesting in early stages as redness in the center parts of the face. This can develop into more severe symptoms like pimples, enlarged blood vessels and ultimately may lead to an enlarged and bumpy nose. Rosacea symptoms start and progress as a result of increased blood flow to the blood vessels just under the skin. Over a period of time the vessels get enlarged to handle the pressure and volume of increased blood volume.
• What rosacea is not: Rosacea is not another form of acne. Blushing that lasts for a few minutes and disappears is not early rosacea.
• What are different stages of rosacea symptoms?
- Stage I. Erythema (redness) is the first noticeable symptom of rosacea. The redness can be like a blush or sunburn that it will not go away: but rather, stays and becomes more pronounced over time. At this stage, teleangiectasia (the enlargement and overgrowth of small blood vessels under the skin) develops and a network of vessels starts to be visible, especially on the nose, checks and glabellas. The sensation of skin stings, burning and itching upon contact with variety of cosmetics and skin medications is common complaint.
- Stage II. Inflammatory papules, pustules and papulopustules form and persist over long periods of time. They form mainly in sebaceous follicles, but also in much smaller and more numerous vellus follicles. As a result, the inflammatory lesions may cover the entire face and may spread to the scalp and neck.
- Stage III. Large inflammatory nodules, furunculoid infiltrations and tissue hyperplasia are characteristic of this most serious stage of rosacea. As a result, the skin appearance and face features (phymas) change dramatically.
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