DO I HAVE ROSACEA OR COMPROMISED BARRIER? MAYBE I HAVE A LITTLE OF BOTH?

I see these conditions more commonly than you think.  It is complicated but here are a few things to consider when you might have Rosacea. Compromised Barrier, or Both?  Below are a few things that can help you determine if you might be suffering even though you have not been diagnosed medically.   Key things to look for….*As an Esthetician I cannot diagnose this condition but I am aware of the characteristics of the condition, so I am sharing.

Rosacea Signs

  • The surface is dry and flaky, but underneath it seems oily
  • It looks like or starting to look like an orange peel
  • You can feel heat in your face by just touching it
  • This is more common than you think and over the years I find it an interesting observation. My clients with Rosacea are Heat lovers!  I always describe it like how a Moth is drawn to the flame.  Love hot showers, love the sun, love to sit next to a heater...
  • There are bumps that appear out of no where and then they are gone just as fast. – But they happen all the time.

Compromised Barrier

  • The skin feels un-settled and now it seems to react to almost anything!
  • Nothing I do seems to calm it down…It just keeps getting more irritated, sensitive, and red.
  • Almost everything I try stings and even sometimes water?
  • I did not have fine lines yesterday and now they won’t go away OMG and I’m young?

Both

  • Let’s say you have a little bit of the first symptoms and a little bit of the second. Combined this is a difficult combination.  Especially when Rosacea is on the rise and it turns into another level called Acne Rosacea. Unfortunately, we sometimes rely on the self-diagnosing and internet, then we start using and doing things that are detrimental to our skin.  We might consider or think we have regular Acne, start using products so harsh that we become inflamed and irritated beyond anything we imagined.  Just because you turn red or have bumps does not necessarily mean you have Rosacea.  In addition, if you are red with bumps, that does not mean you have Acne either.  It could be that it is an allergic reaction? This is such a complicated situation and only an experienced Esthetician can detect, see, and ask the right questions to help you navigate the noise in the vast complicated internet world.