Experts do not know why certain people develop rosacea. There are a lot of theories, yet none of these have been proven to be the reason why this condition develops in some people, but not in others. Part of the problem is that two people can have very similar health, very similar allergies and very similar skin types, and yet one will exhibit symptoms of rosacea, whereas the other one will not.
What experts do know is that there are certain triggers that may lead to rosacea flare-ups. For this reason, the medical community focuses a lot of its energy on helping rosacea sufferers identify triggers and lifestyle factors that lead to flare-ups and help them to avoid these things.
This being said, triggers for flare-ups are very personal and very individual. What triggers a flare-up in one person might not trigger one in another individual. There are some common trigger factors that affect large swatches of people. The National Rosacea Society compiled a list of some of these triggers with the goal of helping patients avoid flare-ups as much as possible.
Of course, since flare-ups are individual, it is impossible for them to compile a complete list of everything that could cause flare-ups. If you are battling with rosacea, you are encouraged to take the time to write down your flare-ups. With time, you will learn what your own triggers are, and with the help of our team, you will know what steps to take to avoid them.
A lot of the common triggers revolve around a few things. They are food, temperature, weather, medication, beverages, emotional states, physical exertion, skin care products and medical conditions. For example, when it comes to food, many rosacea sufferers will experience an outbreak after eating:
- Yogurt
- Chocolate
- Soy sauce
- Spinach
- Avocados
- Spicy food
- Foods high in histamine
Weather conditions that might trigger an outbreak include overexposure to the sun, strong winds that might chafe your skin, extremely cold temperatures and high humidity. In the same vein, many people with this condition experience a breakout if they are in very hot areas, such as a sauna, a hot bath or some other warm environment.
For many, drinking alcohol, especially drinking red wine, may trigger an outbreak. The same is true for vodka, bourbon and gin. It is very common for rosacea sufferers to have a breakout if they are drinking something hot, such as coffee, hot tea or hot chocolate.
When people are under stress, their immune system does not work as well as it should. This is part of the reason why when a rosacea sufferer feels anxiety, they have breakouts. Unfortunately, this can create a vicious cycle.
Although there is no cure for rosacea, there are different treatments that you can use to minimize the severity of it. During a consultation at McGuiness Dermatology, you can learn more about your treatment options. We have locations in Anna, Dallas, Flower Mound, Murphy, Plano, Prosper and Richardson. Contact us today to schedule an appointment to learn more!