Manage Lifestyle to Avoid Rosacea & Flushing Triggers

Lifestyle Management

While you treat the visible symptoms of rosacea and flushing it is vitally important to treat the cause. As we have mentioned earlier in this site, it is important to keep a ‘Rosacea/Flushing’ diary to log the possible causes that trigger these out breaks or flare-ups. This will enable you to plan and modify your lifestyle to avoid these causes which will both prevent you developing rosacea or significantly speed up the healing process if you already have it. Lifestyle management will include changing your diet and avoiding or protecting yourself from the environmental factors that trigger this skin disorder.

**It is so vitally important part of any ‘Rosacea or Facial Flushing Treatment is to avoid your own personal triggers. This can only be done by noting them down so you will know which ones to avoid. Any facial redness or rosacea treatments such as Topical Creams or even Laser & IPL will fail if you don’t attempt to avoid most or all of the triggers Below we ha.ve provided a PDF diary which you can download and print out.

YOUR FREE ROSACEA DIARY DOWNLOAD FOR KEEPING TRACK OF YOUR TRIGGERS

Control stress and anxiety

Stressful situations do cause flushing. However, avoiding these situations is not the answer as the condition will only escalate if not properly managed. Learning methods of managing and controlling stress and anxiety will considerably reduce the problem, or even eliminate it completely. You can read more about techniques for Stress and Anxiety Management on this page >>

Avoid or limit stimulants

Vascular dilators including coffee, tea, cigarettes, and excessive sugar from sweets and soft drinks should be avoided or substantially reduced where possible. Research has shown that soft drinks that contain Aspartame or NutraSweet cause flushing and redness in about 30% of rosacea sufferers. Stimulants such as caffeine that is found in tea and coffee excites the nervous system, which results in blood vessel dilatation and redness. In addition, stress and anxiety symptoms are also increased.

Avoid or limit alcohol

It is best to avoid alcohol or reduce consumption.
Avoid hot baths and showers or very cold water

To prevent vascular dilation hot and very cold water should be avoided. Instead water below body temperature of 37 degrees centigrade (97 degrees Fahrenheit) should be used.

Diet revision

Foods and drinks that cause facial redness and vascular dilation, should be avoided. Foods types that cause these allergic flare-ups vary from individual to individual and the exact reasons for these food allergies are still unknown. However, it is thought that foods high in calories and carbohydrates (sugars, breads, pastas), that give high burn and energy rates, dilate blood vessels and cause the red complexion. It has also been suggested that foods high in histidine such as tomatoes and red peppers raise anti-histamine levels in the body. Anti-histamine is produced by an automated process to help fight allergic reactions, but unfortunately this can also cause flushing to those prone to rosacea.

Rosacea sufferers have noted allergic reactions to: vinegars, hot spices, citrus fruits, red plums, raisins, figs, pasta, cheese, and chocolates as being among the worst offenders. Vascular dilators such as hot drinks and hot foods should be allowed to cool before consuming. The list of food allergies varies from individual to individual. However, you can devise and plan your own diet by recording the foods which cause your facial flushing and allergic reactions.

Use sun block

The sun is a major cause of rosacea flare-ups and skin irritation which affects 61% of rosacea sufferers. To protect against this, ensure a sun block with a high SPF factor of 30+ is applied especially to the face and other area before exposure to the sun.

Avoid astringent soaps and cleansing agents

Astringent soaps, and cleansing agents that contain alcohol only dry and irritate the skin by stripping the protective sebum oil coating. To rosacea prone people this skin irritation may lead to a rosacea flare-up/outbreak. Alcohol based cleansing agents also shrink pores which can trap oil causing swelling, and as result lead to acne symptoms or cysts

Only a soothing moisturising cleaning solution that heals and nourishes the skin should be used, such as the skin treaments products for acne and rosacea recommended on this site.

A Step By Step Guide To Control Blushing

Blushing is a frustrating and annoying experience that often has an impact on relationship and career building. It also often leads to a reduced self-confidence, self-esteem and an increased self-consciousness. However, the good news is, that blushing can be effectively controlled, reduced, and even prevented.

This is achieved by using a combination of quality skin strengthening and anti-inflammatory products that target facial redness. Together with powerful techniques that provide you with the tools to remain calm, comfortable and relaxed in any given situation.

Firstly, Understanding Why We Blush

Blushing is a natural automated bodily response to situations that are considered to be of danger. The increased blood flow prepares the person to either fight or flee from the dangerous situation.

For people that blush easily, for example through embarrassment, the mind wrongly imagines an innocent social situation to be threatening or intimidating. Which of course will start the automated fight or flight response. Eventually, this can develop into what is known as a thinking trap, an emotional cycle that needs to be broken.

For example, now close your eyes and imagine vividly that you are walking into a crowded room. You don’t know anyone. Everybody is staring at you, the room has suddenly gone quiet. They are waiting for you to say something. You panic, you don’t know what to say. Your heart is racing you feel your cheeks burning andyou can hear the blood rushing through the ears. You look down, afraid to make eye contact. The room feels hot, you have to get out…

If you started feeling the signs of anxiety of actually being in that situation, you can see the how powerful, the imagination is. By learning the following powerful techniques you will be able to break these negative thinking traps, allowing you to remain calm and relaxed in these situations. Which of course will help to reduce, control or even prevent blushing.

It is a fact that you cannot be embarrassed/anxious and calm and relaxed at the same time.

Secondly, Everyone Blushes

Yes, this is absolutely true. However, in some people it is not visible at all, and in others various degrees of redness are seen.

The reason that blushing is visible in some people, is that their blood capillaries are closer to the skin surface or their capillaries may be damaged or even weakened by, for example, from over exposure to the sun.

However, blushing through physical activity is healthy a response and should be encouraged. This will lead to reduced stress and anxiety as well as a healthy circulation and stronger capillaries.

The Negative Psychological Consequences of Using Redness Cover-Up Creams

You may be already using one of the green tinted creams that aim to cover up redness. These creams are quite effective at reducing the appearance of redness, but ensure you use a quality product that is kind on sensitive cream – you don’t want to make the redness worse.

However, an emotional dependency and total reliance to these creams can develop. As a result will have a profound impact on daily life – maybe you are experiencing some or all of the following.

• You avoid physical activities as you are worried sweat may wash away the cover-up cream.
• You never leave your home without it, and panic when you forget it.
• Emotional stress of concealing your blushing to new acquaintances.
• Constantly paranoid that people can see that you are wearing a green tinted cover-up cream.
• Hate the sun, humidity, rain, swimming, holidays or anything that can remove the cover-up.

We are not suggesting don’t use these as we know they can provide some comfort, especially to those who have a permanent bright red skin. On the other hand, we firmly believe that it is best to accept and tackle the root problems of blushing than trying to conceal it.

Easier said than done, I know But at least you won’t have to suffer the above emotional consequences of having to rely on temporary measures.

A Step by Step Guide To Control And Reduce Blushing Periods

Before we start, I must add that there is no skin care cream or oral supplement that can prevent or control blushing.

However, it is important to use a clinically proven topical cream/lotion that reduces inflammation, soothes, strengthens and nourishes the skins cells and capillary walls. As a result the skin becomes less sensitive to environmental factors that trigger blushing and the redness intensity becomes significantly less. All the information for these clinically proven topical treatments are found here.

If these creams are used in combination with the following techniques, you will have the most powerful tools to control blushing.

Step 1. Acceptance, Announce it – Don’t Try And Hide It

Accept that you blush. Don’t try and conceal it when it happens, that only makes the blushing worse. For example, you could say when it happens, “Dammit, it’s happening again, my annoying red cheeks are flaring up for no reason.”

This way it is out in the open to you and all around, eliminating the stress of trying to look away or conceal it. I know this is easier said than done, but once you have said it, you have made a giant step towards controlling it.

Hypothetically speaking, if there happened to be a stage around and a blusher had the guts to climb upon it and shout out to the audience, “I’m a blusher.” he or she would probably never blush again!

Step 2. Practice This Calming Breathing Technique

This simple method focuses your mind onto your breathing and away from the fixation of your outward appearance and the expectation of blushing. This is not easy at the beginning but, with practice it will become natural and it will help to calm any embarrassing or anxious feelings that usually triggers blushing. Try practicing this breathing exercise in private to master it.

• Breathe in deeply to a silent count of four.
• Hold your breath to a silent count of four.
• Exhale to a silent count of four (expel all the air from lungs).
• Repeat this process until the anxiety subsides.

Steps 3 & 4. The Powerful Techniques of Self-Hypnosis And NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming)

This is a very powerful technique for re-training the mind to be relaxed and comfortable in situations you normally blush in. Self -hypnosis is an effective method of building self-confidence, self-esteem other self-development and improvement needs and every imaginable phobia.

Self-hypnosis is a relaxed state of focused awareness that opens the subconscious mind. Once opened, the negative thoughts can be over written with fresh new positive ones, leading to a better way of thinking. Self-hypnosis is now considered to be an effective clinically proven treatment, that is now endorsed by the medical profession.

VISIT HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR HIGH QUALITY SELF-HYPNOSIS AND NLP AUDIO TRACKS >>

Step 5. Congratulations, Start Enjoying The Situations That Once Caused You To Blush

If you have applied the above techniques you are well on your way to personal contentment or more aptly quoted by the Hypnotherapy company Uncommon Knowledge Ltd.

“Just think when you feel unembarrassed and relaxed your whole life will expand and be enriched.”

Blushing Misconceptions And Available Treatments

It is often wrongly perceived that blushing and a permanent red complexion is one of the same and should be treated as such. In order to clarify this misconception, I have written two articles. The first of which tackles blushing ( flushing – as it is known by its medical term), and how it can be treated and what causes it.

The second article will be about permanent facial redness, what it is, how it is caused, and the treatments available to reduce or even eliminate the annoying red complexion.

Emotional and Psychological Impact of Flushing

As a former veteran flusher and rosacea sufferer, I am fully aware of the psychological effect that creates a lack of self-confidence and self-esteem. As a result these inhibitions can prevent the personality from blossoming in a normal and positive way.

My road was a long and painful one before I eventually found my solution, which was a combination of cognitive therapy, prescribed anti-depressive medication and a topical rosacea treatment that successfully worked.

The cognitive therapy and the prescribed medication could have been avoided, if I had known what I know today. However, sometimes the psychological symptoms are so extreme, as in social phobia, that prescribed medication and therapy are necessary.

Now let me explain about the symptoms, causes and possible treatments.

Flushing – A Natural Response

‘ Fight of Flight’ is a natural automated self-defense mechanism that prepares the body for facing or avoiding an oncoming danger. This process is handled by the sympathetic nervous system. Which dilates the blood vessels to ensure that sufficient blood will reach the parts of the body needed to deal with danger, such as the muscles. This increased blood flow becomes visible in the areas where the blood vessels are closer to the surface of the skin, such as the chest, neck and facial regions.

Flushing Triggers

Hot drinks, hot or spicy foods, hot baths and hot temperatures cause the body’s natural thermostat to dilate blood vessels allowing a greater flow of blood to the surface, which helps aid the cooling process.

Stimulants such as caffeine and alcohol or food and drinks with a high sugar content, are vascular dilators that may cause flushing and perspiration

Healthy Flushing

During strenuous activity, there is an increase in blood flow through the dilated blood vessels which becomes visible. This type of flushing is a totally natural process and a positive sign of good health.

Exercise is an effective method of alleviating stress and anxiety and the importance of this method to help reduce flushing flare-ups, should never be underestimated.

Unhealthy Flushing

People who have an over active sympathetic nervous system experience frequent flushing flare-ups. The reason being that innocent situations such as social occasions are wrongly interpreted as dangerous and the automated defense system is activated and flushing occurs

These constant flushing episodes may eventually lead to a reduction in self-confidence and self-belief, which ultimately can have an impact on relationships, work.and general happiness.

The Two Most Common Questions Asked By People Who Flush Frequently

Question: Does everybody flush?

Answer: Yes

Question: Then if they do, why doesn’t it show in everyone?

Answer: Because, in some people the blood vessels and capillaries are closer to the skin surface which increases the redness visibility.

How can I stop Flushing?

Firstly, you have to acknowledge the fact that some types of flushing cannot be reduced or prevented, notably flushing that prevails after and during exercise. This is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about, ask any sportsman, sportswoman or athlete that either experience facial redness or not.

Secondly, acceptance is the key. You must accept the fact that you flush easily and stop trying to hide it – this is covered shortly

Treat The Root Cause And Avoid The Triggers

The only long term treatment of flushing is by treating the root cause; which is the over active sympathetic nervous system including the psychological problems that may have been caused.

Lifestyle changes to avoid or limit the triggers that cause your flushing must be applied.

Laser Treatment, Topical Treatment and Natural Oral Supplements

Laser cannot be used as treatment because healthy blood vessels that supply the blood to skin cells cannot obviously be removed.

The Natural Oral supplements that help are the ones that contain active ingredients that relieve stress, anxiety or depression. And also the ones that contain ingredients which protect and nourish the skin from the daily hazards such as from the infamous free-radicals that damage cells.

Clinically proven topical creams or lotions aimed at treating rosacea contain natural anti-inflammatory ingredients that help to reduce the immediate flushing symptoms. The main importance of using only reputable topical treatments is that they also contain active ingredients that strengthen skin cell walls. This in the long term, can prevent capillary damage caused by the constant unhealthy flushing periods that may lead to a permanent red complexion or even rosacea.

Acceptance, Mental Relaxation And Re-Training Your Way of Thinking

We have written a step by step guide that illustrates the powerful techniques and methods that automatically keep you calm and relaxed in those situations that normally caused you to become anxious and flush. This anti-blushing program involves the following steps.

1. Blushing Acceptance – A video demonstrating examples of how to accept and announce that you blush, instead of trying to hide it, which only makes blushing worse.

2. Breathing Technique – This method once mastered will automatically focus your attention on your breathing and away from your self-conscious feelings.

3. Stop Blushing NLP Audio Tracks – NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) is an advanced form of self-hypnosis that retrains mind eliminating the blushing thoughts

4.Self-Hypnosis Audio Tracks To prevent Blushing – These tracks train the sub-conscious mind to remain calm, relaxed and self-confident in those situations that you once feared.

The Self-Hypnosis and NLP audio tracks are of the highest quality and have been recorded by leading Certified Hypnotherapists. You can listen to these on our site via our audio player.

VISIT OUR STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO CONTROL BLUSHING HERE >>

Prescribed Medical Treatment And Cognitive Therapy

Sometimes the emotional problems caused by excessive flushing have become so extensive that prescribed medical treatment and therapy maybe required.

Prescribed Medical Treatments

Beta Blockers – Which controls nerve impulses to the heart and are used to treat anxiety, panic attacks, high blood pressure and flushing.

Anti-Depressive Medication – Often known as ‘happy pills’ these anti-depressive drugs such as Sertralin and Remeron are used to treat symptoms of social phobia, which prevents nervous flushing and sweating symptoms in any type of situation.

Cognitive Therapy – This is an excellent therapy that provides the mental tools and strength to deal with the root causes that trigger these episodes of flushing. As a result it gives the person the ability to keep flushing under control and to accept it for what it is and not worry about it.

The Last Resort – Surgery

This is an operation that cuts the nerve located under the armpit which is linked to the sympathetic nervous system responsible for flushing.