Determining your rosacea triggers is absolutely critical in controlling this socially disruptive skin disorder. As a general rule, rosacea is characterized by periods of flare-ups and remissions. It is the goal of any rosacea treatment or therapy plan to keep this skin disorder in remission. Besides maintaining a consistent rosacea medication regimen, individuals affected by rosacea can dramatically improve their chances of keeping this skin condition in remission by identifying and avoiding their rosacea triggers.
Rosacea Triggers – What Are They?
The term rosacea trigger has been given to a number of lifestyle and environmental factors that may cause flare-ups, or result in the aggravation, of this skin disorder. Considering the skin discomfort and social impact associated with every flare-up of your rosacea, the identification of these factors is a critical part of your treatment plan.
Generally speaking, each rosacea sufferer will experience a somewhat unique list of triggers. What evokes a rosacea flare-up for one person may not have any effect on another.
The Most Common Rosacea Triggers
A recent study conducted by the National Rosacea Society has revealed a consistency in the pattern of triggers experienced by sufferers of rosacea. Also, these results are believed to be very representative of the most common rosacea triggers affecting most patients. However, due to the great variation of triggers experienced on an individual basis, a comprehensive list could be almost endless.
The list is as follows and provides the percentage of respondents affected by each particular factor:
Sun Exposure (81%)
Emotional Stress (79%)
Hot Weather (75%)
Wind (57%)
Heavy Exercise (56%)
Alcohol Consumption (52%)
Hot Baths (51%)
Cold Weather (46%)
Spicy Foods (45%)
Humidity (44%)
Indoor Heat (41%)
Certain Skin Care Products (41%)
Heated Beverages (36%)
Certain Cosmetics (27%)
Medications (15%)
Medical Conditions (15%)
Certain Fruits (13%)
Marinated Meats (10%)
Certain Vegetables (9%)
Dairy Products (8%)
Other Factors (24%)
Source: National Rosacea Society
Once again, the above list of rosacea triggers is not all-encompassing. Your individual triggers may be different, but this list does include a majority of the most common lifestyle and environmental factors affecting todays rosacea patients.
Identifying Your Triggers
This list should be used as your starting point to help identify your own personal rosacea trigger factors. The best way to start the process is to maintain a diary of your daily activities and events. It is extremely important that you note any activity that takes place just prior to a rosacea flare-up. Recording these events into your diary will be key to identifying the offending activity.
In some cases, it may only take a few weeks to see a pattern start to emerge. However, others may need a month or two, so dont get discouraged. Your rosacea triggers will present themselves in the form of certain repeated activities or environmental conditions just prior to, or concurrent with, your rosacea flare-ups.
Be vigilant and the pieces of the rosacea trigger puzzle will start to fall together for you. Once you understand your triggers, controlling your rosacea flare-ups will be a much easier process!
