{"id":120033,"date":"2024-04-20T09:00:50","date_gmt":"2024-04-20T08:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stories.qvcuk.com\/?p=120033"},"modified":"2024-04-02T17:26:53","modified_gmt":"2024-04-02T16:26:53","slug":"lisa-barrett-rosacea-menopause","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stories.qvcuk.com\/menopause-your-way\/guest-author\/lisa-barrett-rosacea-menopause\/","title":{"rendered":"Beauty journalist Lisa Barrett on rosacea in menopause"},"content":{"rendered":"

Often when we are entering menopause, it\u2019s not always the most talked about symptoms such as hot flushes and mood swings that first appear. Before I\u2019d even heard much of the menopause, I remember hitting 50-years-old and almost overnight, my typically normal skin had taken on a dry, papery texture from head to toe – along with an intense itching that I wasn\u2019t used to.<\/p>\n

Apart from dry skin being a common side effect of menopause, there are other more challenging skin conditions that you might be experiencing. Among my midlife friends, rosacea is a skin concern that crops up time and again and being that April is Rosacea Awareness Month, I figured it was the perfect time to get the low-down on it – and I knew exactly who to call upon for the most reliable information.<\/p>\n

Perimenopausal herself, Kate Kerr is an award-winning facialist and skin expert<\/a> who has suffered from acne in her teens and rosacea in her 30s, so she understands exactly what it can be like to lack skin confidence as we age. And as she now specialises in treating rosacea, I asked Kate whether she could shine a light on this common skin condition and give us some practical tips and advice on how best to manage it during menopause.<\/p>\n

What is rosacea?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rosacea is a common skin condition characterised by facial flushing, skin hyper-sensitivity, persistent redness, broken capillaries and pimples. In more advanced rosacea, symptoms can extend to tissue distortion and it can even affect the eyes. It predominantly affects the nose, cheeks, forehead, and chin.<\/p>\n

Is rosacea more common in perimenopause and menopause?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kate explains that even though we may think that our rosacea has only developed since peri or menopause, we could have had it way before then but just not severely enough to cause us any concern.\u00a0 She says, \u201cMenopause is the second time in a woman\u2019s life when hormones go awry. Problems might arise not just because our bodies are producing less oestrogen and progesterone, often it\u2019s the imbalance between the hormones that can upset skin the most \u2013 particularly with rosacea.<\/p>\n

Rosacea is an oily skin condition and when you have an imbalance of androgens (sex hormones) combined with hot flushes, the heat in the skin can exacerbate oil production, causing more inflammation, leading to breakouts. Add to this the fact that we have less collagen in menopause which makes the skin thinner and less able to camouflage the redness caused by broken capillaries, they will naturally appear more visible.<\/p>\n

With the capillaries nearer the surface of the skin, they lack protection from the outside elements such as fluctuations of temperature and so are more susceptible to damage. Menopausal skin is also less hydrated which impairs the skin\u2019s protective barrier and can lead to irritation and inflammation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kate reassures me that it\u2019s not all bad news for rosacea sufferers and there are simple lifestyle changes and skincare solutions which can help manage rosacea prone skin.<\/p>\n

Common rosacea triggers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Anything that is consistently making the skin flush means you have a higher chance of capillary damage and the more the capillaries dilate and constrict, the more they will weaken, so try to avoid the following:<\/p>\n

\n
Alcohol has the double whammy of dilating blood vessels and affecting the imbalance of hormones which can wreak havoc on the skin.<\/li>\n
Spicy food often contains the heat-producing compound capsaicin, which makes hot flushes worse.<\/li>\n
Caffeine can increase blood-flow to the skin and make you feel flushed so consider swapping your morning coffee for a healthy herbal tea.<\/li>\n

Steam rooms, saunas, and cold plunge pools promote extremes of temperature which is one of the most common ways to cause a rosacea flare-up.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

\nRosacea and wellbeing<\/strong><\/p>\n
It is understandable that a severe rosacea breakout might make you feel insecure about your looks, so the following feel-good, skin-loving tools are beneficial for a healthy mind and complexion:<\/p>\n
- Mindful habits such as daily meditation, journaling and listening to calming music can help soothe an over-active nervous system which might trigger skin flare-ups.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
  <\/p>\n
  Rosacea myths debunked<\/strong><\/p>\n
  Myth: Rosacea needs to be treated like dry skin.<\/p>\n
  Truth: As Kate explained, rosacea stems from an overactive oily skin rather than dry skin, so getting a handle on it by choosing the right skincare regime will help.<\/p>\n
  Myth: White skins, particularly Celtic are more prone to rosacea.<\/p>\n
  Truth: While it\u2019s true that rosacea can look more dramatic on paler skins, it doesn\u2019t mean black or brown skin doesn\u2019t also suffer, it\u2019s just that it often goes undiagnosed. Kate says that black skins show rosacea with sebaceous hyperplasia (enlarged and clogged, bumpy pores). Lighter brown skin may look quite pretty and have what looks like a light flush across the cheeks, but it is actually capillary damage.<\/p>\n
  Myth: Having rosacea means you have sensitive skin.<\/p>\n
  Truth: Kate says, \u201cPeople with rosacea have skin that has become sensitised – it is not in itself sensitive – and it can still be strengthened and improved back to its former health.\u201d<\/p>\n
  Skincare tips to combat rosacea<\/strong><\/p>\n
  Kate recommends:<\/p>\n