5 Rosacea Triggers — Plus, How to Combat Redness

When you have a skin condition like rosacea — and about 16 million people in the United States fit this bill — prevention is key. If you haven’t already noticed, rosacea tends to flare under certain circumstances, which makes avoiding those circumstances a great first line of defense.

Here, the team at Z-ROC Dermatology, including Dr. Khongruk Wongkittiroch and Dr. Matthew Zarraga, cover some of the more common rosacea triggers. We also review your treatment options for when your defenses fail and your rosacea flares despite your best efforts.

Managing your rosacea by managing your triggers

Rosacea is an inflammatory skin condition that causes redness in your face, usually on your nose and cheeks. This redness can extend to other areas of your body and become more severe, leading to acne-like pimples and thickened, bumpy skin.

Rosacea is usually a lifelong condition that can get progressively worse. It’s also worth noting that there’s no cure, so your best option is to manage flare-ups by avoiding your unique triggers.

While triggers can vary between people with rosacea, some are more common than others, including:

1. The sun

Sun exposure often triggers rosacea — in a study by the National Rosacea Society, 81% of respondents said the sun was a leading trigger.

Since we live in the Sunshine State, taking measures to minimize exposing your face to the sun is well worth the effort. Hats, sunscreen, and avoiding high sun times are good first steps toward this goal.

2. Stress

There’s no shortage of things that can stress you out these days. For rosacea sufferers, however, stress is even more problematic as it can lead to a flare-up.

If you find that your rosacea tends to appear during high-stress times, it’s a good idea to find ways to minimize your stress (for your rosacea and your overall wellness).

Some great stress management techniques include meditation, deep breathing, walking, and occasionally unplugging from your phone.

3. Alcohol

If you think a nice glass of wine might handle some of your stress, you might want to rethink this approach. Alcohol, in all its forms, is a common trigger for rosacea flare-ups.

4. Overheating

Florida can get hot, but rosacea sufferers should try to keep as cool as possible. Heat is a big trigger for rosacea, so stay inside on high-heat days and avoid hot tubs, baths, and saunas.

5. Spicy foods

You love a little heat in your food in the form of spices, but the result of your culinary preference is often a rosacea flare-up. If this sounds familiar, it might be time to find another way to season your food.

Of course, there are many more potential triggers, and we’re happy to sit down with you to identify the ones that set off your rosacea.

Reducing the rosacea redness

In addition to avoiding your triggers, there are other ways that we can address your rosacea. Our Z-ROC Dermatology team offers several effective treatment options, including: