Jul 1, 2010

What causes my Rosacea?

It’s not fully known what causes the first signs of Rosacea, but it is more common in those with fair, sensitive skin types. It is also more common in those who blush easily. This may often run in families which suggests a genetic link.

Will my diet affect my Rosacea?

For most people, yes it will. A number of types of food and drink may worsen the flushing common with Rosacea. It is therefore important to establish links with those food and drinks you find make your skin worse. It may take some time to find the culprits, so it may be worth trying an exclusion diet for at least three weeks to see the influence avoiding certain foods has.

What types of food and drink might I need to avoid?

A list of some of the more commonly reported ‘trigger’ foods and drinks include: spicy foods (including curries), fermented or pickled food. Drinks including tea, coffee and a large selection of alcohol may contribute to flushing attacks. It is worth noting that the temperature of the food or drink may make your skin worse as rosacea is often sensitive to temperature changes.

Other dietary factors

Digestive Enzymes

Some people with rosacea have indigestion, especially after eating fatty foods. One study found a deficiency of the pancreatic enzyme lipase, an enzyme that helps to digest fat. When the rosacea patients in the study were given pancreatic enzyme supplements with meals, their symptoms of indigestion and rosacea both improved. B Vitamins Inadequate riboflavin, caused by insufficient dietary intake or poor absorption in the digestive tract, may be associated with rosacea. One study found that Demodex folliculorum mites, which are normally found on the skin but more in larger numbers on the skin of rosacea patients, are more likely to affect the skin of animals in riboflavin. An increased number of mites may cause blockage of the pores from inflammation or may allow for the growth of bacteria on the skin.

Azelaic Acid Cream

Azelaic acid cream is derived from wheat, rye and barley. It appears to have antimicrobial action that slows the growth of skin bacteria and appears to be effective at reducing skin redness and papules and pustules associated with rosacea. One study conducted by the University of British Columbia found that azelaic acid 20% cream was as effective as topical metronidazole 0.75% cream in reducing the number of papules and pustules on the skin. Azelaic acid also appeared to be slightly more effective at reducing redness. In addition, overall improvement was rated by physicians as higher with azelaic acid. Both creams, however, showed equal improvement in the symptoms of dryness, burning, telangiectasia and itching. The most common side effect of the azelaic acid cream was stinging on application, but the patients still had a better overall impression of azelaic acid than the metronidazole cream. Besides stinging, side effects of azelaic acid may include lightening of darkened areas of skin, although the skin does not appear to lighten beyond its normal color. Azelaic acid cream is available in the United States by prescription and is not currently available in Canada.

Food Allergy and Intolerance

Naturopathic doctors Michael Murray and and Joseph Pizzorno suggest that a reaction to certain foods may cause the release of chemicals that dilate blood vessels and cause flushing. Migraine, another disorder that occurs more frequently in patients with rosacea, is associated with food intolerance and frequently improves when offending foods are removed from the diet. An inexpensive and effective way of identifying food intolerance is through an elimination and challenge diet, which involves removing allergenic foods from the diet for one to two weeks then systematically introducing them into the diet to isolate the foods that cause reactions.

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