Rosacea - Natural Treatment, Diet and Herbal Remedies

Rosacea is most common in white women from the age of thirty to fifty. Rosacea in men tends to be more severe and is usually accompanied by rhinophyma or an enlarged, chronically red nose. People with fair skin and who flush easily are more prone to develop rosacea. Rarely does it affect other parts of the body and it's not a dangerous condition but can become embarrassing for cosmetic reasons. Also, without the proper care, it could become a disfiguring condition.

There are some very important nutrients that help with the treatment of rosacea. Primrose oil contains linoleic acid and can be applied 3 times a day. Pycnogenol is a powerful antioxidant and helps reduce histamine production. Vitamin B complexes are anti-stress vitamins and have shown to be useful in the treatment of rosacea. Some other nutrients that are beneficial are Kelp for good skin tone, multivitamin and mineral complex for deficiencies and Zinc which enhances immune response and helps repair skin tissue.

Herbal remedies for rosacea can be a natural way to control the condition. A good source of chlorophyll is alfalfa. It helps to detoxify the body and provides many needed vitamins and minerals. Aloe vera has excellent healing properties for the skin and can be applied topically to treat dry skin. For skin tone, try borage seed, dandelion root, dong quai, parsley, sarsaparilla and yellow dock. Burdock and red clover are powerful blood cleansers. To nourish the skin and promote quick healing try calendula, cayenne, fennel seed, ginger, marshmallow root and slippery elm bark. Milk thistle helps the liver cleanse the blood and nettle and rosemary help with the skin tone, nourishment and healing.

Some other recommendations include, of course, the diet. Go heavy on the raw veggies and grains. Avoid saturated fats and all animal products. This list includes alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, cocoa, cheese, dairy products, sugar and spicy foods. Try keeping a food diary to narrow down the possibility of a food allergy. One simple test is to sit down, totally relaxed, and take your pulse rate (adults 60-100 beats per minute). Consume the food under suspect, wait about twenty minutes and take your pulse again. If the rate increases more than 10 beats, eliminate that food from your diet for one month and check yourself again. Always use the purest form of the food you are testing so you won't get other ingredients in the mix. Other things to avoid are extremes of temperature, makeup or cosmetics (or make sure they are all natural, water based products), topical steroid creams and wearing tight clothing.

There is no known cure but, again, it is not a dangerous condition. Prescription creams and oral antibiotics can help keep the inflammation under control. These prescribed drugs can have side effects so be sure to consult your physician if you are experiencing any symptoms. Vascular disorders may be involved in causing rosacea based on clinical studies. Structural abnormalities in the small blood vessels in the facial skin are common in people with rosacea. People that take drugs for dilating the blood vessels exacerbate the condition and people with rosacea tend to have migraine headaches that are linked to vascular malfunction.

More information can be found through The National Rosacea Society.