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Acne Rosacea

posted on 5 April 2010 | posted in In Depth Articles

Rosacea involves facial flushing, at first intermittently, but later possibly permanently. The nose, cheeks, forehead and chin are generally the areas affected. The skin may be bumpy and pimply, and the skin can be tender and sensitive to the touch (inflamed). There is usually an oversecretion of sebum, and the sebaceous glands can enlarge, occasionally grotesquely.

  • Avoid vasodilating foods such as alcohol, caffeine, spicy & hot foods. Food allergens can also cause facial flushing and must be identified and avoided. A low fat wholfood diet is usually recommended.

  • Avoid extremes of temperature, especially heat, and sunbathing. Also avoid stressful situations as musch as possible since adrenaline overdilates blood vessels.

  • Supplementation with Betaine hydrocloride taken with food to increase digestion sometimes results in marked improvement. Anti-Stress measures may help normalize stomach acid production. Older texts recommend apple cider vinegar, 1-3 teaspoons in a glass of water with meals.

    Interestingly, Surgeon - Captain Cleave, in his provocative book "The saccharine Disease", expresses the view that rosacea is caused by acid reflux, which causes reflex facial flushing. It may be that hypochlorhydria causes delayed stomach emptying (through inefficient digestion), which increases the opportunity for reflux to occur.

  • Rosacea sufferers have also been shown to have decreased secretion of pancreatic lipase and may benefit from supplementation with pancreatin.

  • Poor digestion, particularly as a result of hypochlorhydria, leads to overgrowth of putrefactive bacteria in the upper small intestine (because acid suppresses bacterial growth) as well as the large intestine (because partially digested food feeds putrefactive bacteria in the large intestine). It is postulated that unidentified toxins generated by intestinal bacteria are absorbed, survive passage through the liver (particularly if the liver is sluggish), and cause skin reactions such as rosacea. Hypochlorhydria frequently causes constipation, which further encourages the absorption of bowel toxins. A whole body cleansing programme such as Healthy Starter Pack and giving the liver a supply of Timed Release Milk Thistle is therefore appropriate. Other suitable cleansing and detoxifying herbal combinations have been seen to be helpful. Milk thistle has been used for years as a provider of glutathione that helps a healthy liver. Intestinal antibacterial herbs include peppermint and goldenseal. Many sufferers find probiotics helpful, and lactobacillus acidophilus has been shown to enhance the anti-rosacea effect of betaine hydrochloride. Indeed, it may be that the major underlying cause of rosacea is a deranged bowel flora, and the significance of hypochlorhydria is simply that it is a cause of such an imbalance.

  • A high potency B Complex is recommended to help normalize sebum production. A microscopic mite that normally lives on human skin (Demodex folliculorum) is found in higher amounts than normal on the skin of rosacea sufferers. A deficiency of vitamin B2 is believed to encourage this mite. Taking a B Complex will supplement vitamin B2.

  • Herbalist Thomas Bartram states that the key herb to help rosacea is barberry bark.
    Barberry is an anti-infective, hepatic, cholagogic, bitter herb, so could help at several levels.

  • Aloe Vera Gel may help soothe and heal an angry skin. Aloe also contains vitamin B2 which may deter demodex folliculorum that lives on the skin.

  • Skin nutrients such as Evening Primrose Oil Vitamins A,C,E, Zinc and cysteine (for sulphur) and selenium should be supplemented. Lecithin may aid the absorption of essential fatty acids.
    may be applied topically. Creams containing glycolic acid and epidermal growth factor are claimed to help. Creams containing Vitamin K (eg Derma-K) are claimed to help with spider veins (telangectasia)

  • Although not listed as a factor in the literature, we have found that dealing with healthy candida levels can help. Learn more about Candida .
    This may be through reducing food allergies and or improving the bowel flora (Anticandida herbs also tend to be antibacterial)

  • Some authors implicate free radicals, and it would be prudent to consider taking antioxidants.

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