how I got my rosacea under control

it flares up out of nowhere... those tiny red and bumps haunting my highlighted cheekbones. i’ve been a victim of rosacea for years now and my search for the cure is constant. however, i've made some serious strides in reducing the redness by avoiding common triggers and implementing the right products & treatments into my routine

while i've tried topical prescriptions, they only provided temporary relief. once the cream wore off, it was back with vengeance. however, if you find your rosacea to be unmanageable, oral antibiotics might be your best option to clear as much as possible and then work on maintaining

rosacea is a chronic skin condition and requires lifestyle & skincare changes to prevent future flare-ups

how i got my rosacea under control w/o prescriptions...

avoiding common triggers

lifestyle plays a huge role in maintaining a flush-free face. the main culprits being...

overheating: rosacea loves to make its debut when you're overheated. try placing a frozen water bottle on your neck during workouts or an ice cold washcloth to control the flush. i love using my ice roller at home

stress & anxiety: for rosacea sufferers, when you're under stress, it's evident on your skin. i fully rely on meditation & yoga to help relax the mind

alcohol & hot beverages: can seriously aggravate rosacea, so choose your liquids wisely. red wine is an instant flare-up for me personally. i absolutely love coffee, but a hot cup every morning was just not giving my skin a chance. i switched to iced matcha in the mornings. my go-to drink is from LaLa Land kind cafe (Dallas, TX) called the solar power (matcha, ginger, lemon, and honey)

harsh products: rosacea suffers tend to have extra sensitive skin. if you start noticing increased irritation after use of a product, eliminate it. some tips: exfoliate 1-2x a week (not 3-4x) and stick to chemical exfoliants only, nothing abrasive like harsh beads or scrubs. avoid prescription retin-A and try an over-the-coutner retinol. i like a retinol diluted in serum form like Dr. Dennis Gross brightening retinol serum or the wrinkle peel from Hana Isul. for me: no clay masks, pumpkin or berry enzyme

sun exposure: i never leave the house without my tinted SPF on. i've been using SkinCeuticals physical fusion UV for years and still do. Recently i have also been using Hydropeptide's, which is a little more coverage. and if i'm going for a walk or by the pool, i'm always in a hat

skincare & treatments

photofacials: i've had numerous photofacial treatments and have seen a dramatic improvement in the broken blood vessels that cause redness in rosacea. however, the treatment must be repeated to maintain the results. we recommend an initial series of 3, followed by a maintenance treatment every few months on an as-needed basis. you can read more about my photofacial experience herelactic acid: when it comes to exfoliating, not everyone with rosacea can tolerate AHA’s (alpha hydroxy acids). for some, it may increase your redness depending on your skin's sensitivity. for me, lactic acid has helped reduce breakouts and is more gentle than glycolic (also an AHA). i'm currently using the hydropeptide pre-treamtment toner & Dr. Dennis Gross peel pads 2x/wk (i usually avoid my cheeks) and if my skin is feeling extra sensitive, i always back off. listen to your skinkorean peel: i am not a fan of a professional-strength chemical peels for people with rocasea/sensitive skin. it's just too intense. however, the korean peel we started offering at HOP is lifechanging. we offer it as an add-on to your facial and the results are instant. what makes it so effective is it's transdermal delivery system, meaning it's able to penetrate the skin on a cellular level, not just topically. while most products just sit on the surface with only a fraction reaching deeper layers, transdermal delivery is able to penetrate deep within the dermis to repair the target cells where they are most neededhanna isul recovery healing ointment: trust me, if you take away one thing from this post, it's that you need this moisturizer. it's designed to reduce redness associated with rosacea & hypersensitive skin. if you're a client at HOP, you may be familiar with the facial add-on "korean peel" (mentioned above). this product is from the same medical-grade Korean skincare line. we have personally tested every product and this was one we both agreed made the biggest difference in reducing redness. i use it in evenings only and my Dr. Dennis Gross C + Collagen Cream for daytimeroutine facials + LED light therapy: when we designed the monthly facial club, it was in consideration for how important consistency is when it comes to facials. think of it as a checkup for your skin. each facial is completely customized with specific protocols in place for rosacea, which involves a lot of cooling for the skin, LED light therapy and lympthaic drainage to reduce inflammation in the skinsupplements: big fan. i take quite a few pills and powders on a daily basis but the ones i feel have contributed the most in clearing my skin are daily cleanse and Pre+Probiotic x HUM nutrition. i always say the daily cleanse is like a green drink for your skin. it's hard to get all the nutrients we need in daily diet, so i rely heavily on supplements. some others I swear by: zinc, collagen, Vitamin C and D3[show_shopthepost_widget id="3982135"]facetune laser: to my surprise, this light skin resurfacing treatment reduced the majority of my redness. during my training, the laser rep mentioned he had seen a major redness reduction in rosacea patients. i was initially hesitant but down to try anything that would help, so i had it done right then and there. i had the most insane glow my skin has ever seen and a clean slate one week post-treatment, which lasts for a good month of the best skin of your life. the rosacea did make a return, but it's much more mild and manageable

products you should avoid

• tretinoin and retin-A
• benzoyl peroxide
• witch hazel
• alcohol
• essential oils: anything that is peppermint or eucalyptus especially
• fragrance: i'm a firm believer in the worse your product smells, the better it most likely is. do not be fooled by marketing ploys like smell. light a candle for that.
• harsh/stripping cleansers: use a mild, hydrating one