Article Objective – Rosacea Skin Care: To discuss the importance of avoiding skin care irritants commonly found in the new wave of facial cleansers.  Many of these irritants are unknown to rosacea sufferers as they are literally impossible to follow with the rash of new products containing exotic ingredients being produced and shelved every month.  We also included several “all-natural” ingredients in our list to avoid to emphasize that just because an ingredient is all-natural, does not mean it is irritant free — they can be strong irritants and cause allergic responses and severe dermatitis.  Lastly, we will highlight the fact that many facial cleansers labelled “safe for sensitive skin” are usually not safe for ultra-sensitive skin and could actually irritate rosacea.

Why Ingredients In Your Facial Cleanser May Have You Seeing Red.

Topical skin care products such as facial cleansers, moisturizers, sunscreens, anti-acne products, anti-aging products and general cosmetics cause facial irritation, redness and flushing in many rosacea sufferers.  Rosacea sufferers should be well-educated on skin care-induced irritation because it is one of the most damaging to rosacea skin and one of the most deceptive.

Skin care-induced irritation and flushing can be quite deceptiave because it does not always appear immediately after using the skin care product, especially facial cleansers — irritation may take hours or days after use of the cleanser, making it hard to identify.  Furthermore, the facial cleanser may only cause mild irritation and flushing (the notorious ‘healthy glow’) and be totally overlooked by the user.

The National Rosacea Society has a thorough list of known rosacea irritants on their home page, but in the last few years, especially 2014, many new ingredients with high irritant potential have been added to cleansers and the average rosacea sufferer may have no idea that these new ingredients may be the source of their rosacea flares.  Let’s take a look at 10 ingredients recently added to facial cleansers and why they have high irritant potential.

10 Skin Care Ingredients That May Irritate Rosacea and Sensitive Skin Types

1. Charcoal PowderCharcoal powder is now being incorporated into many top name facial cleansers such as Biore and Garnier.  It looks to be the most celebrated new ingredient of 2014.  It is mainly being used to clear pores of excess sebum and remove small white heads and black heads.  It’s actions are similar to clays such as Benotite and Kaolin clay, but has the novelty factor.  This ingredient does work.  Within one wash many see clearer pores and better overall skin clarity… and a healthy light red glow.  The problem for rosacea sufferers is that charcoal powder cannot discern between dead skin cells in pores and facial skin so it is a harsh exfoliator on any skin that it’s applied to — hence the irritation and the redness.  If rosacea sufferers want to test this product out try it once or twice a week at the most and steer clear of the Charcoal Powder masks and scrubs.Irritation Factor: 7(on a scale of 1 to 10)
2. Grapefruit ExtractGrapefruit extract has recently been added to many facial cleansers because it is an excellent skin exfoliant and has a pleasant natural fragrance.  This ingredient reduces oil secretion and makes skin very smooth to the touch.  However, the removal of skin cells (exfoliation) brings blood vessels closer to the surface and often results in increase redness and irritant dermatitis.  Cumulative use may result in permanent changes to the outer epidermal barrier and worsen many aspects of rosacea.Irritation Factor: 8
3. Helichrysum Italicum ExtractHelichrysum Italicum Extract is a novel natural antimicrobial agent that is now popular in many anti-acne facial cleansers such as Clearasil, Oxy and Biore.  This ingredient has moderate irritant actions though that are well documented.  To make matters worse, antimicrobial agents don’t help rosacea skin at all and this ingredient is usually added in combination with the ingredient listed below, Cistus Monspeliensis Extract, which greatly increases the overall irritation potential.Irritation Factor: 5
   Irritation Factor with Cistus Monspeliensis Extract: 8
4. Cistus Monspeliensis ExtractCistus Monspeliensis Extract is a novel antibacterial and antifungal that clears skin affected by bacterial and fungal overgrowth.  However, it is a moderate irritant on sensitive rosacea skin.  You will usually see this ingredient and Helichrysum listed somewhere in the middle of the ingredient list as they need to be added at fairly high concentrations to be effective.  Once again, when these two are added together, it is a cocktail that will irritate many rosacea sufferers.  Be cautious when trying out these new products because, once again, rosacea is not a disorder of bacteria or fungi.Irritation Factor: 5
   Irritation Factor with Helichrysum Italicum Extract: 8
5. PhenoxyethanolPhenoxyethanol has become a very popular ingredient because it is able to replace Parabens as a safe preservative at low concentrations.   This is excellent news for rosacea sufferers who are sensitive to many preservatives, especially the Paraben family.  However, skin care companies learned that at high concentrations Phenoxyethanol is an excellent facial cleanser because it dissolves sebum, fat, and dead skin cells in facial pores — within 10 to 20 seconds of application.  The main problem is that this is a strong irritant when used at high concentrations because it is an alcohol (which the National Rosacea Society notes is one of the worst irritants in skin care products).  Please be cautious if Phenoxyethanol is used as anything other than a preservative (ie it will usually be listed as the last ingredient).  This is a sneaky irritant because most facial cleansers using this as a cleansing agent actually state “alcohol free” on the bottle label because it is not a drying alcohol — but make no mistake, it is a harsh alcohol — and it’s right in the name, “Ethanol”.Irritation Factor: 9
6. White Willow (Salix Alba)White Willow or Salix Alba can be found in almost all nature-based facial cleansers used for acne.  This is the natural form of salicylic acid, a known rosacea irritant.  The main problem with Salix Alba is that it is also a strong irritant — just because it’s “all natural” does not mean it’s safe or non-irritating.  It is moderately irritating, especially at the high concentrations that most cleansers incorporate it into their product.  This may be a better option then the beta-hydroxyl acid, salicylic acid, but if you are going to test out an all-natural product with this ingredient, start slowly and use it sparingly the first month to see if your skin reacts to cumulative insults by this ingredient.Irritation Factor: 4
7. Roman Chamomile (Anthemis Nobilis) vs Chamomile Recutita (Matricaia)Topical chamomile is listed as one of the best all-natural anti-irritant and skin calming agents for rosacea in almost any publication you read.  They are half right on their statements and conclusion.  One must find out if they are using Roman Chamomile in the facial cleanser or Chamomile Recutita as the former comes from the ragweed family and often causes allergic skin reactions, especially in rosacea-sensitive skin.If you are looking for the best form of chamomile, you should look for Chamomile Recutita or Matricaia as this form rarely causes irritation or allergic reactions and over a dozen clinical studies demonstrates that it does indeed calm red rosacea skin and acts as an anti-irritant in a high percentage of rosacea sufferers.  Steer clear of the Roman Chamomile, especially if you have allergies.

   Irritation Factor: 6

8. Sweet Orange ExtractSweet orange essential oil is often used in cosmetics as a fragrance, adding a fruity citrus scent to your cleanser. This oil comes from the fruit of the orange tree Citrus sinensis or Citrus aurantium dulcis, with varieties including Valencia, blood and navel oranges. The oil is extracted from the fruit’s peel either through the process of cold pressing or distillation, and the result is oil that smells light and sweet, just like the fresh fruit. Because of its fresh scent, limonene is included in many cosmetics, skin cleansers and other kinds of cleaning products, but it also can cause skin irritation, especially in those with sensitive skin because it acts as a moderate exfoliant like Grapefruit Extract.  Read your product labels carefully because skin care companies are adding this extract to many products because of its alluring natural fragrance and its secondary action as a skin exfoliant.Irritation Potential: 5
9. Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil (Peppermint Leaf Oil)Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil is now used in many facial cleansers because of the wonderful natural fragrance and its ability to cool and calm skin for a short time.  However, this ingredient is a master in disguise because these types of natural cooling agents almost always cause rebound flushing because the “cooling sensory nerves” are connected to the facial blood vessels and constriction causes a rebound redness and burning within several hours after use.  It dumbfounds most rosacea sufferers because the cleanser feels so good upon application.  But this has flown under the radar in 2014 as some of the most well-known irritants such as menthol, eucalyptus oil and camphor are avoided by rosacea sufferers like the plague.  Add this ingredient right into the mix and do not use any facial cleansers with this ingredient.Irritation Potential: 9
10. Spearmint OilJust like Peppermint Leaf Oil, Spearmint Oil is now a favorite addition to many cleansers and has the same side effects.  Please do not use any facial cleansers with Spearmint Oil — it’s not even worth a try as this will cause problems and irritate rosacea skin within a few uses.Irritation Potential: 9

Help Us Help Others – Did it, irritate rosacea, skin care experience.

1. Have you had flare up or persistent redness and now see one or more of the 10 skin care ingredients to avoid if you have rosacea on the label of the skin care products your using?
2. If so, what facial product did you use that irritated your rosacea?
3. Which “irritant ingredients” mentioned above were in the product?

The post 10 Skin Care Ingredients That Irritate Rosacea Skin You Should Avoid appeared first on Rosadyn.

Article Objective: To demonstrate that three key nutrients also in Rosadyn nutraceutical — Eastern White Pine Bark Extract, Opti-Zinc and Sulforaphane — can help your bodies natural defense systems to ward off and possibly reduce the intensity and duration of flu symptoms and the common cold.  We will also discuss the immune-boosting actions and its role in prophylactically warding off flu and cold symptoms year round and especially during the ‘cold and flu season’.

The Common Cold

There are approximately one billion colds suffered in the United States each year.  On average, the common cold lasts 7 to 10 days  and symptoms usually include:

• Runny or stuffy nose.
• Itchy or sore throat.
• Cough.
• Congestion.
• Slight body aches or a mild headache.
• Sneezing.
• Watery eyes.
• Low-grade fever.

Colds can occur at any time of the year, but they are most common in the winter or rainy seasons. Many different viruses can cause the common cold, but rhinoviruses are the most common. Viruses that cause colds can spread from infected people to others through the air and close personal contact. You can also get infected through contact with stool or respiratory secretions from an infected person. This can happen when you shake hands with someone who has a cold, or touch a doorknob that has viruses on it, then touch your eyes, mouth, or nose.

The cold rhinovirus usually enters the human body through the nasal passages, mouth and mucous membranes surrounding the eye.  These three areas are densely populated with protective immune cells programmed to destroy invading viruses such as the rhinovirus, but sometimes the immune system is overwhelmed or not working at full capacity — allowing small water droplets filled with the rhinovirus to enter the body and infect healthy cells.

Regardless of the type of host cell, all viruses follow the same basic steps in what is known as the lytic cycle (see figure above “Virus Pathway”):

1. A virus particle attaches to a host cell.
2. The particle releases its genetic instructions into the host cell.
3. The injected genetic material recruits the host cell’s enzymes.
4. The enzymes make parts for more new virus particles.
5. The new particles assemble the parts into new viruses.
6. The new particles break free from the host cell.

All viruses have some type of protein on the outside coat or envelope that “feels” or “recognizes” the proper host cell(s). This protein attaches the virus to the membrane of the host cell. Some enveloped viruses can dissolve right through the cell membrane of the host because both the virus envelope and the cell membrane are made of lipids.

Those viruses that do not enter the cell must inject their contents (genetic instructions, enzymes) into the host cell. Those viruses that dissolve into a cell simply release their contents once inside the host. In either case, the results are the same.

The Flu

The flu is a viral infection caused by the influenza virus, a respiratory virus. The common cold is also caused by a virus – the rhinovirus.  Colds tend to produce a runny nose, congestion, sore throat, etc. as listed above. The Influenza virus associated with the flu is more pronounced in that it infects the lungs, the joints and can cause pneumonia, respiratory failure and even death. It also tends to infect the intestinal tract more more often the common colde with diarrhea and vomiting.  Flu symptoms often last for a longer length of time than the common cold — three to four weeks vs. 7 to 10 days — and the symptoms are generally more severe and can require prolonged bed rest.

The Influenza virus enters the same way as the common cold and infects healthy host cells as diagrammed above.

The Common Cold

While Rosadyn was developed primarily to help with rosacea symptoms and triggers, several key ingredients in the formula have been shown  in scientific and human clinical studies to help block the entry of the cold virus, reduce the severity of cold symptoms and/or reduce the duration of the common cold.  Eastern White Pine Bark Extract and Opti-Zinc™ are two potent nutraceuticals proven to boost the immune system defenses and reduce the severity and duration of the common cold.

1.  Eastern White Pine Bark Extract (Nutraceutical Equivalent to Pycnogenol Pine Bark Extract) — A clinical study of Pycnogenol Pine Bark Extract found that as a treatment for the common cold, it is more effective than vitamin C or zinc, which are long-standing, popular remedies. Researchers tested Pycnogenol, alone and in combination with the other two nutrients, among a group of more than 190 people. By itself, at a dose of 50 mg twice daily, Pycnogenol shortened the length of a cold from roughly eight to two days and significantly reduced cold symptoms including runny nose, nasal obstruction, sore throat, sneezing, high temperature, cough and general discomfortand complications. [Ref. 1]  The study was published in the Italian journal Otorinolaringologia, which covers otolaryngology, or the medical specialty of head, throat and neck disorders.Scientific studies validate these findings by demonstrating that pharmaceutical-grade pine bark extract significantly increases immune cell number and function in the nose, mouth and throat — effectively destroying cold rhinoviruses before they are able to enter the human body and attach to healthy cells (refer to “Adsorption” in diagram above) and block the injection of rhinovirus DNA into healthy cells by blocking cell receptors that the virus requires to dock onto healthy cells (refer to “entry’ in diagram above). [Refs. 2, 3, 4]  Pine bark extract can be used prophylactically year round to help prevent the common cold and during the ‘cold and flu season’ the dose can be increased immediately upon experiencing the first cold symptom in order to prevent the common cold in its entirety or greatly reduce cold duration and symptoms.
2.  Opti-Zinc— Half-a-dozen clinical studies using oral zinc oxide, zinc citrate and zinc sulfate have clearly demonstrated that zinc significantly reduces the severity and duration of the common cold in most patients when taken at the first sign of the common cold. [Ref. 5]  Scientific studies demonstrate that zinc is a potent immune booster which effectively blocks most rhinoviruses from entering the human body by destroying them with macrophages and other immune cells that engulf the virus [Refs. 3, 5].  While zinc oxide, zinc citrate and zinc sulfate have been shown clinically to reduce the duration and severity of the common cold, all three forms of zinc are synthetic, poorly absorbed (less than 20% on average) and have low bio-activity in the human body.  Thus, we incorporated a next generation zinc formulation that is all natural, is bound to an amino acid that increases absorption and bioavailability significantly because it mimics the natural zinc ion form found in food, and has much stronger immune-boosting actions then the aforementioned zinc salts.
3. Combining Eastern White Pine Bark Extract, Opti-Zinc and Bioflavanoids — Combining pharmaceutical-grade pine bark extract with oral zinc (Opti-Zinc) is significantly more effective at blocking the common cold altogether and reducing the overall severity and duration of the cold virus should it take hold in the nasal mucosa or mouth [Ref. 2, 5].  We have also incorporated a proprietary blend of bioflavanoids (hesperidin and rutin) which reduce cold symptoms by themselves and greatly enhance the bio-activity of both pine bark extract and Opti-Zinc.

The Flu and Sulforaphane

Sulforaphane — Several clinical and scientific studies have demonstrated that Sulforaphane, a natural compound found in broccoli and cruciferous vegetables, may significantly reduce the severity and duration of the Influenza Flu Virus [Refs. 2, 6, 7].

At clinical doses, sulforaphane enters healthy cells in the nose, mouth and mucosal membranes surrounding the eyes and activates an NrF2 pathway that produces anti-inflammatory peptides and blocks the production of inflammatory peptides and the genetic level.  The NrF2 pathway has been shown to greatly reduce the replication and release of the flu virus in affected cells (refer to “Replication”, “Assembly” and “Release” in the diagram above).

This can cut the duration of the flu in half and protect the body from more serious symptoms such as respiratory illnesses and infections.  The first three days are crucial for reducing flu duration and symptom severity so it’s recommended to increase sulforaphane intake immediately upon the first signs of the Flu.  Sulforaphane has been shown to be safe when taken at doses of 800 to 1,200 mgs per day.[Refs. 4, 5]

Comment Section:

If you normally get colds during the winter, have you noticed a reduction in cold severity or duration while on Rosadyn?

While only anecdotal, please give us your feedback on any effect Rosadyn might have during the cold and flu season.

 Health Disclaimer:  Informational article above not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If you have or think that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider. Before adding in or considering alternative supplements and treatments please consult with your medical practitioner first.  We do not claim to “cure” disease, illness or conditions, but to simply provide you with additional information and education nor is any product sold or discussed to be considered to replace your medical treatment, diagnosis, treatment or preventative recommendations.

References

1. Belcaro G. ¹, Luzzi R. ², Cornelli U. ³, Shu H. ¹, Dugall M. ¹, Ippolito E. ⁴, Cesarone M. R. ¹, Corsi M. ¹, Pellegri L. ¹, Ledda A. ¹, Appendino G. ⁵  The common cold winter study: effects of Pycnogenol® on signs, symptoms, complications and costs. )torinolaringologia 2013 September;63(3):151-61

2.  Maimcoma A and Jameel K.  A review on biological, nutraceutical and clinical aspects of French maritime pine bark extract.  J. Ethnopharmacol.  2011 Jan 27;133(2):261-77. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2010.10.041. Epub 2010 Oct 31.

4. Physician Desk Reference Staff and David Rorvik.  PDR for Nutritional Supplements [Hardcover] 2^nd edition, 2008 

5.  Singh N and Das RB.  Zinc for the common cold.  Cochrane Database Syst. Rev.  2013 Jun 18;6:CD001364. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD001364.pub4.

The post How Pine Bark, Zinc and Sulforaphane Can Help To Reduce Cold and Flu Symptoms appeared first on Rosadyn.

Dry Skin Pathology And Its Effect On Rosacea

Under normal conditions skin cells throughout the facial skin utilize high amounts of water to grow, form a strong cellular matrix, maintain a healthy cell membrane, stimulate the production of anti-inflammatory substances and create a healthy, thick, strong protective outer barrier of skin known as the epidermis.  Yes, proper concentrations of water in the skin is that important; this makes sense as facial skin is basically 70% water, 28% proteins and 2% lipids.

The three main inflammatory skin disorders affected by moderate-to-severe dry skin are rosacea, eczema and psoriasis.  “Dry Skin Syndrome” in these disorders can greatly exacerbate the underlying skin disorder, worsen symptom severity and increase the intensity of skin flares.  Chronic inflammation from these skin disorders can disrupt water concentration in the skin and cause cells to dehydrate, malfunction and even result in widespread cell death.  Below is a more extensive list of the clinical findings and side effects that can occur under these conditions:

Side Effects of Severe Dry Skin caused by Inflammatory Skin Disorders:

• Thins the epidermis – the outer barrier of skin responsible for protecting the facial skin can thin dramatically without proper levels of water inside each cell
• Stimulates the release of inflammatory substances that cause inflammation in the epidermis and dermis – feeding the vicious inflammatory cycle of rosacea
• Causes blood vessels to dilate and flush in order to try to bring extra water to the affected areas if dryness – obviously quite bad for rosacea and a strong stimulant for chronic facial redness
• Dry skin cells release inflammatory proteins that cause or exacerbate uncomfortable skin sensations often experienced by rosacea sufferers such as burning, stinging and itching
• Makes rosacea-affected skin ultra-sensitive to skin care products, cosmetics and outdoor extremes
• The dry skin disorder makes rosacea much harder to treat due to the cellular dysfunction caused by excessive water loss — water loss and cellular water content must be normalized to successfully treat rosacea

Regular Moisturizers Largely Ineffective on Dry Rosacea-Sensitive Skin

There are two primary reasons why facial moisturizers are ineffective  treatment for most rosacea sufferers:

1. Facial moisturizers, even those developed for “the most sensitive skin” are often ineffective because rosacea skin is often extremely hyper-reactive to most topical creams, serums and gels. Additionally, ingredients in many moisturizers can actually make your skin drier, interfering with the barrier on your skin that prevents moisture from dissipating; Emulsifiers, binding agents and penetration enhancers that allow oil and water to mix in moisturizers and lotions, leave a residue on the skin that disrupts your skin’s lipid barrier, allowing water to evaporate from the skin faster.  So, rosacea sufferers often get a fast shot of moisture that quickly fades. On top of this, most just reach for more lotion throughout the day — and the more lotion you use — the drier your skin gets — and the cycle just continues.  In fact, dermatologists specializing in this research suggest that a large percentage of rosacea sufferers may have moderate-to-severe dry skin due to the lotions they are testing and not the underlying disorder.
2. Facial moisturizers, even the expensive high-end moisturizers are minimally effective at combatting moderate-to-severe moisture loss experienced in inflammatory skin disorders such as rosacea, eczema and psoriasis where water levels can dip well below half their normal range.  Moisturizers also rarely penetrate deeper than the epidermis, even though the dermal layer below is in dire need of moisture.  These moisturizers were simply not made to treat dry skin on top of inflammatory skin disorders

Next-Generation Water Droplet Humidifiers Very Effective For Deep Moisturization

One of the most effective ways to moisturize dry rosacea skin according to the American Academy of Dermatology is to invest in a high-quality humidifier.

Experts in this field recommend using a high-end humidifier in your bedroom every night to get 6 to 8 hours of continual irritant-free moisturization from the new droplet dispersing humidifiers now available.  These humidifiers not only moisturize and reverse severe dry skin and inflammation in the outer epidermal lining but throughout the night they penetrate into the dermis which can make a significant difference in the duration and severity of rosacea symptoms and triggers – and greatly reduce skin hypersensitivity to harsh outdoor environments.

These next-generation humidifiers not only disperse air droplets (micro-droplets that penetrate the skin easily) throughout the entire room during the night for continuous deep moisturization, but they now have monitors that continually measure the room’s humidity level and temperature to make sure the moisture released from the humidifier is in the perfect range.  Just as important, they now utilize cutting-edge technology that eradicates 99.9% of bacteria, fungi and micro-organisms, ensuring that your facial skin gets pristine water hydration and your bedroom remains in its ideal, unadultered state.

Below are some examples of the new humidifiers and their benefits:

1. Taking its cues from the American Academy of Dermatology clinical studies and presentations on the importance of humidifiers for the treatment of Dry Skin Sydrome, Dyson,  just developed an innovative humidifier to treat severe dry skin associated with inflammatory skin disorders.  In fact, the description of the device, released on October 20, 2014, says it all, “Dyson Launches Humidifier to Combat Eczema and Psoriasis”.   (available  in the fall of 2015)This humidifier treats a large size room for up to 18 hours and has incorporated a patented UV light into the device to kill 99.9% of bacteria and fungi.  Interestingly, this new technology ensures the finest mist and the best skin hydration through the use of a piezoelectric transducer in the base of the machine, vibrating up to 1.7 million times a second, breaking the water down into microscopic particles, which are drawn up through the loop amplifier and projected through the air of the entire room.
   • Hygienic humidification though “ultraviolet cleanse technology” that cand kill up to 99.9% of bacteria in the tank.
   • Even room coverage that disperses evenly throughout a 16m2 room
   • Accurate Climate Control.  The Dyson humidifier measures temperature and humidity and adjusts accordingly to create a comfortable environment that is healthy for you and your room. So there’s no over humidification.
2.  Stadler Form William humidifier ($239.99)are one of the top next-generation humidifiers on the market due to their high-efficiency, germ-free mist dispersal
   • Covers large rooms up to 1,000 square feet
   • Ionic Silver Cube, inhibiting the growth of mold bacteria in tank with capacity of 1.5 gallons.
   • 3 Output Levels including warm and cool mist.
3. Winix FreshHome Air Washers AW107 Humidifier ($329.99)is at the top of its class with its ability to humidify a  room in a moisture perfect range and combine that with Freshome’s patented Air Purifier for a superb two-in-one device
   • 3 speeds with digital control panel, Sleep mode, and Auto mode
   • Low water indicator to let you know its time to refill
   • PlasmaWave Technology eliminates viruses and bacteria
   • Ideal for spaces up to 600 square feet

Hyaluronic Acid – The Second Key To Successful Hydration Therapy For Dry Rosacea Skin Types

Hyaluronic acid (Sodium Haluronate, HA) is a polysaccharide found naturally in the human body. It not only helps cushion and lubricate joints, but is also a major component of skin tissue.

The skin holds almost fifty percent of your body’s hyaluronic acid in the skin.  Hyaluronic Acid Serums not only moisture and strengthen skin, they also help heal skin, comfort skin and have strong anti-irritant and anti-inflammatory actions. These serums are a top choice for all rosacea sufferers.  Hyaluronic Acid Serums also prevent fine lines and wrinkles for those with aesthetics on their mind.    Hyaluronic acid is viscous but absorbs into the skin without any residue, making it a popular ingredient in serums – no more taut skin or irritation from well-meaning treatment serums!

As we age hyaluronic acid levels and skin moisture drop significantly.

Although part of aging this decrease in moisture and hyaluronic acid levels  makes the skin more prone to chronic dryness, inflammation — and if you have an  inflammatory skin disorder–  makes you more prone to advancing into the more severe stages of the skin disorder.  Hyaluronic acid plays a critical role in skin health with its unique ability to quell inflammation, heal individual skin cells, rebuild the epidermis and hold in an amazing amount of moisture (1,000 times its weight!).

Hyaluronic acid is also a “smart nutrient” as it can adjust its moisture absorption rate based on the humidity—relative to the season and the climate.

Hyaluronic acid not only moisturizes and protects the epidermis, but it penetrates into the dermis where dry skin is usually untreatable.  This is very important because a large portion of the water micro-particles from the humidifier bind to hyaluronic acid and are delivered to the epidermis and deeper layers in the dermis for superb moisturization, anti-inflammatory actions, healing actions, and normalization of the cellular membranes which are made up of over 75% water and do not function properly and even die when they dehydrate.

Below are some excellent hyaluronic acid serums suitable for the most sensitive rosacea skin:

1. 100% Pure Hyaluronic Acid (Organic and Vegan) by  Passport to Organics($28.99) -Strongest HA concentration in the industry.
   • Paraben-free, oil-free, no dyes, no fragrances, no alcohol
   • Made in the USA in a USDA registered facility
   • Aloe juice base to moisturize and calm skin

    

    

2.  Hyaluronic Acid Serum – 100% Pure – Vegan – 2oz-Cosmedica Skincare– ($14.95)Cosmedica Hyaluronic Acid Serum is made with 100% pure and stable hyaluronic acid at the highest concentration available on the market today to ensure you get maximum results.  3 simple irritant-free ingredients perfectly suitable for rosacea sufferers.

   Vegan, Paraben-free, oil-free, no dyes, no fragrances or fillers.

    

The post Humidifier With Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizing Treatment For Dry Rosacea Skin appeared first on Rosadyn.

Article Objective: To discuss and review the primary causes of skin aging at the superficial and cellular level and discuss the main outward signs of skin aging.  This article will then detail two beneficial anti-aging ingredients , White Pine Bark and Mediterranean Olive Fruit Extract which is also found in Rosadyn’s blend of of beneficial nutricutical ingredients. We will share a couple of clinical studies in-depth double-blind placebo controlled studies on the effect of these ingredients on skin aging, health, function and appearance . The studies referenced used differing dosages of White Pine Bark and Mediterranean Olive Fruit Extract which also highlighted the difference in dosage of nutrient vs. outcome. Respectively both studies demonstrated that inclusion to daily supplementation may help to slow down and improve the many  signs of aging.

Aging Skin: Normal Skin Aging vs. Skin Aging in Rosacea Sufferers

Skin aging occurs in every human being, especially in the facial region due to genetic and environmental factors.  This article will focus mainly on the general pathways and treatments for skin aging in normal, non-rosacea skin.  Please note that the underlying mechanisms for skin aging are exactly the same in rosacea skin, but, to date, all of the information and research comes from the basic pathophysiology of normal, non-rosacea skin, so that is why we must focus most of this article on normal aging skin.

Aging Skin: Symptoms and Underlying Causes

1. Facial Wrinkles — wrinkles generally occur around the eyes (crows feet), the mouth and chin region, the lower cheeks and “smile” zone and the forehead. Wrinkles are primarily caused by:

• Generalized micro-inflammation (yes, inflammation even occurs in non-rosacea skin all the time)
• Matrix Metalloproteinases – enzymes that damage epidermal and dermal skin
• Collagenase Over-Activity – an enzyme that breaks down collagen, an important skin support structure
• Elastase Over-Activity – an enzyme that breaks down elastin, another important skin support structure
• Free radical damage plays an important role in wrinkle formation

• Growth factors and precursor nutrients necessary for healthy epidermal growth greatly diminish as we get older
• Replication and growth of epidermal cells at the molecular level slow down significantly
• Free radical damage plays a significant role in skin thinning

• The outer plasma membrane of cells become weak and porous over time.  When the outer membrane become physically and functionally dysfunctional, cells cannot retain water and other moisturizing elements important to healthy skin.

• Mottled skin with various forms of superficial discoloration is caused by free radical damage to melanocytes, the cells responsible for skin color
• Blotchy skin is caused by dilated blood vessels near the surface of the skin.  Normal, non-rosacea skin often has very small patches of damaged blood vessels from decades of environmental insults

• Collagenase Over-Activity – an enzyme that breaks down collagen, an important skin support structure.  Severe over-activity can cause skin depressions.
• Elastase Over-Activity – an enzyme that breaks down elastin, another important skin support structure. Severe over-activity can cause skin depressions.

• Damaged, leaky capillaries directly under the eye resulting in excess fluid build up
• Damaged lymphatic vessels that are no longer able to remove the fluid build up
• Free radical damage plays an important role in vascular damage and the overall degree of swelling under the skin

Anti-Aging Effect of White Pine Bark and Mediterranean Olive Fruit Extract on Facial Skin

While Rosadyn was primarily developed to help treat rosacea symptoms and triggers, many of the pharmaceutical-grade nutraceutical ingredients have been shown to have other beneficial effects on the overall health of the human body and clinically-proven actions on many diverse pathological conditions.

This article is the first in a series of articles that will review these “non-rosacea” benefits.

Most rosacea sufferers and non-rosaceans worry about skin aging as they reach their 40’s when the body is more prone to dysfunction and repair processes slow down.  Decades of environmental insults, harmful facial skincare and genetic changes start to become noticeable around this time period in most people.

Clinical Studies Demonstrating the Anti-Aging Actions of Pine Bark Extract and Olive Fruit Extract

Two double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies have been performed recently demonstrating the powerful anti-aging actions of oral Pine Bark and Olive Fruit.  These studies clearly show that select oral nutraceuticals can be as effective, if not more effective than expensive, top-of-the-line topical anti-aging creams, lotions and serums.

Pine Bark Extract – Anti-aging and skin health

1. In a recent double-blind, placebo-controlled study on 73 patients, Dr. Halsey and colleagues demonstrated that Pharmaceutical Grade Pine Bark Extract (95% Proanthodyns – like Rosadyn’s Pine Bark Extract) has potent anti-aging actions (International Journal of Dermatology Science:128-144, 2012).  Dr. Halsey and colleagues used non-invasive Dermatology measurement devices to objectively measure the changes in skin health after four months of daily treatment with 200 milligrams of Pine Bark Extract.  They found that Pharmaceutical-Grade Pine Bark Extract:
   • Reduced superficial crow’s feet wrinkles by an average of 37%.  It did not have an effect on deep, long-standing wrinkles in this area due to extremely thin skin around the eyes.
   • Reduced mild-to-moderate depth wrinkles on the forehead by 19%, and the “smile” zone by 23%.  No effect was noted in the placebo group.
   • Reduced mottled, blotchy skin by an average of 41%.  This effect was quite dramatic and was not apparent in the placebo group.
   • Reduced lumpy-bumpy skin with depressions by 22% in most areas across the face, especially the mid-facial region.
   • Reduced under-eye bags by 58%.  This makes sense as Pine Bark extract is one of the best vascular strengtheners for capillaries and lymphatic vessels.
   • Pine bark extract did not have any effect on skin thinning, or dry, dehydrated skin as measured with Dermatology ultrasound and laser Doppler equipment.
   • These findings confirmed the positive effect that oral Pine Bark Extract can have on the skin’s aging process, not only by halting the progression, but by reducing many of the outward symptoms.
2.  Lead by Dr. Jean Krutmann from the Leibniz Research Institute in Germany studied 20 healthy women aged 55 to 68 years were given 75 mg of Pycnogenol to take daily for 12 weeks to study the benefits of pine bark on skins elasticity, hydration and fatigue improvements. Also evaluated was the expression of the enzyme HAS-1 (involved with tissue health), genes COL1A1 and COL1A2 (genes that provide instructions for making collagen 1 and 2) Skin Pharmacology and Physiology 2012; 25:86-92 resulting in;

• A significant increase in the mRNA expression of hyaluronic acid synthase-1 (HAS-1), an enzyme critically involved in the synthesis of hyaluronic acid
• COL1A1 was elevated by 29% and COL1A2 by 41%, which helps support skin integrity
• A 44% increase in production of hyaluronic acid, a substance that provides continuous moisture (hydration) to the skin, which is responsible for the improvement in skin smoothness .
• A 3% reduction in skin wrinkles and a notable increase in skin smoothness and elasticity

Mediterranean Olive Fruit Extract – 

1. In a recent double-blind, placebo-controlled study on 41 patients, Dr. Lee and colleagues demonstrated that Pharmaceutical Grade Mediterranean Olive Fruit Extract (15% Oleuropean and 10% Verbascosidee – like Rosadyn’s Mediterranean Olive Fruit Extract) has potent anti-aging actions (International Journal of Antioxidants and Free Radicals:83-96, 2013).  Dr. Lee and colleagues used non-invasive Dermatology measurement devices to objectively measure the changes in skin health after three months of daily treatment with 100 milligrams of Olive Fruit Extract.  They found that Pharmaceutical-Grade Olive Fruit Extract:

• Significantly reduced all six skin aging symptoms listed above, while the placebo group reported no significant changes
• Periorbital (under eye) wrinkles were reduced on average by 38%
• Skin thinning was reduced by 51% — a dramatic and proven effect of olive fruit extract and its ability to stimulate epidermal cell division and growth
• Dry-Dehydrated skin was reduced on average by 27%
• Mottled, blotchy skin was reduced by an average of 13%
• Lumpy-Bumpy skin was reduced by an average of 9% – a small improvement but visibly significant and objectively significant
• Under Eye Bags were reduced by 24%
• These findings confirmed the positive effect that oral Olive Fruit Extract can have on the skin’s aging process, not only by halting the progression, but by reducing many of the outward symptoms.

Theoretically, the combination of both ingredients, as found in Rosadyn, should also benefit the texture and quality of your skins appearance!

Please give us your feedback if you’ve noticed any positive anti-aging effects of Rosadyn after 3 to 6 months of treatment.

The post Anti-Aging Benefits of White Pine Bark and Mediterranean Olive Fruit Extract appeared first on Rosadyn.

Article Objective: To highlight foods and drinks with strong active extracts that have a direct impact on rosacea inflammation, blood vessel health, vascular overgrowth and skin health.  These are collectively referred to as ‘rosacea super foods’ because they  have a significant positive impact on rosacea symptoms by acting on the cellular and genetic level of rosacea skin to reduce — and even reverse — inflammatory and genetic abnormalities associated with ocular and facial rosacea.  We will detail ten high impact rosacea foods, their mechanisms of action and how best to serve them for snacks and meals.

Top Ten Rosacea ‘Superfoods’ You Should Consider Adding To Your Rosacea Diet

1.  Mung Beans: The mung bean (Vigna radiata), is a delicious green bean derived from the legume family in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean.  This  bean contains a a powerhouse of nutritious compounds that have potent anti-inflammatory actions.  More specifically, flavanoid compounds in the mung bean have two important actions on inflammatory substances that play key roles in rosacea.  Mung Beans greatly down regulate inflammation, particularly in the skin. The flavonoids found in the seed coat of the Mung Bean regulate an important protein molecule in the body that acts as an inflammatory switch — HMGB1.  HMGB1 activates and releases inflammatory cytokines that have been shown to be one of the most damaging and dangerous proteins involved in rosacea symptoms, rosacea triggers, chronic skin inflammation and rosacea progression.  Mung Beans effectively “turn off” this HMGB1 switch, thereby greatly reducing cytokine release central to ocular and facial rosacea.  Mung Beans also have potent antioxidant actions which help to reduce the overall inflammatory state of rosacea and speed up skin recovery following rosacea flares.Mung Bean Preparation: Mung Bean Salad for snacks or meals containing 1/4 to 1/2 cup cooked and chilled Mung Beans; Mung Bean soup with 1/2 cup beans added to any soup base.
2. Tart Red Cherries:These cherries, particularly grown in the US North West are perhaps the most over-looked rosacea super foods due to its numerous anti-rosacea actions and ability to reverse inflammatory processes at the genetic level.  Scientific and clinical studies have demonstrated that Tart Red Cherries contain very unique bioactive molecules with strong anti-inflammatory actions and impressive blood vessel strengthening abilities.  One of nature’s most potent classes of flavonoids are the anthocyanins. These powerhouse nutrients are responsible for the deep colors in some berries, fruits, and vegetables. Naturally, like other anthocyanin-rich foods, tart cherries deliver substantial antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.  Anthocyanins are very important to rosacea because they help repair, rebuild and strengthen fragile rosacea blood vessels.  The anthocyanin content is so high in red tart cherries that even a half dozen cherries taken once or twice a day as a healthy snack has a pharmacological action on rosacea blood vessels.  But tart cherries are superior because they provide high levels of some novel anthocyanins that are absent from a number of other anthocyanin-rich foods, such as blueberries or bilberries.  Also, the unique composition of tart cherries goes far beyond anthocyanins – these cherries contain molecules that reduce the activity of the “Master Inflammatory Switch in the Skin” – NF-Kappa-Beta.

   Tart Red Cherry Preparation: As a snack, 6 to 10 cherries is an excellent choice; a baked Red Tart Cherry Pie is also an excellent option

3. Pure Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil:Physicians are now recommending that many of their patients take two tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil with each lunch or dinner due to the numerous beneficial actions on countless inflammatory processes, protection and repair of blood vessels, thinning of the blood (which reduces flushing and signs of facial redness), and clinical studies demonstrating the ability of this oil to reduce the signs of most inflammatory skin conditions, especially those such as rosacea.

   Pure Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Preparation: Simply take two tablespoons of the oil with a meal.  You can also dip it into your favorite Italian bread.

4. Bilberry:  Bilberry is any of several primarily Eurasian species of low-growing shrubs bearing edible, nearly black berries. The species most often referred to is Vaccinium myrtillussL., but there are several other closely related species. Bilberries are distinct from blueberries but closely related to them.  Bilberry is excellent for facial and ocular rosacea due to the high anthocyanidin content that repairs weak rosacea blood vessels.  Bilberry also has the unique ability to reduce inflammation deep inside the blood vessel wall through interaction with anti-inflammatory muccopolysaccharides.  Bilberry is probably one of the best rosacea superfoods for ocular rosacea because the active extracts have a strong affinity for the retina of the eye and has long been used in European medicine to treat various eye disorders.

   Bilberry Preparation: As a snack, a handful of bilberries is an excellent choice; these should not be cooked though as heat destroys important active components.

5. Barley Grain:Barley grains are incorporated into many foods and soups.  What most people don’t know is that it is one of the single best anti-stress and anti-anxiety natural food available.  You already know that stress can cause health problems and most rosacea sufferers rate stress as their top trigger. When you experience stress, your body’s natural reaction is to release the hormone cortisol. In small doses, cortisol isn’t harmful to your health. But if you experience chronic stress, elevated cortisol levels can wreak havoc with your rosacea symptoms and triggers.  Phosphatidylserine, a phospholipid located in cell membranes of barley, will help reduce cortisol production in the body and greatly helps many rosacea sufferers control their rosacea triggers and flares.

   Barley Preparation: As a snack, simply cook half a cup of Barley and eat hot or cold; Barley soup is also an effective and tasty way to eat a healthy dose of barley and counteract the effects of stress on your rosacea.

6. Organic Green Tea with EGCG:Green Tea has long been known for its anti-inflammatory actions on rosacea skin as it calms half-a-dozen inflammatory enzymes within minutes of drinking the tea.  Recent research emphasizes the important of EGCG (Epigallocatechin-3-gallate) in your Green Tea… and at doses higher than 50 mgs per cup.  EGCG is a potent inhibitor of VEGF, a protein that causes vascular overgrowth (angiogenesis) in rosacea.  The main problem with ordinary Organic Green Teas is that they only contain small concentrations of EGCG… or unknown concentrations.  At most herb stores you can buy Organic Green Tea with verified amounts of EGCG of 50 mgs or greater.  It is very important to drink Green Tea with verified concentrations of EGCG so that you can enjoy your tea and know that you are reducing the overgrowth of blood vessels that is central to the rosacea process.

   Organic Green Tea with EGCG: Simply brew Green Tea and drink it hot or cold.  Two to three cups per day is optimal so that your daily intake is at least 150 mgs total per 24-hour period.

7. Chia Seeds:  This might be the hottest anti-inflammatory super food of 2014 because these tiny dark seeds are nutrient dense with amazing therapeutic value backed by scientific and clinical studies.  This tiny seed is packed with anti-inflammatory plant based Omega-3 fatty acids . Omega-3 fatty acids help block inflammatory hormones that trigger rosacea flares and stimulate anti-inflammatory hormones that help to keep your rosacea in check — they have long been known (going back to the Aztec days) as being great for your skin and hair. Chia seeds are also rich in antioxidants that help fight rosacea’s defect in the skin’s antioxidant defense system which is key to rosacea remission. More specifically, Chia seeds are rich in flavonols and polyphenolic acids, quercetin, myricetin, kaempferol, and caffeic acids that are powerful antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and promote vascular health.

   Chia Seed Preparation: You can literally add Chia Seeds into any food source and drink.  Try adding them to your shakes, smoothies, salads, and baked goods.

8. Red Grape Seed Extract:Red Grape Seed Extract from the South West are excellent super foods for rosacea sufferers.  They have three primary actions that are key to addressing the heart of the disorder.  These grapes have a myriad of anti-inflammatory actions that help to calm the overzealous immune system often present in rosacea-affected skin.  This is important as this immune response will not dissipate without intervention — such as grape seed extract mobilization. Grape seeds also contain high concentrations (95%) of proanthocyanidins, powerful blood vessel strengtheners that can reverse vascular fragility common to rosacea.  Thirdly, grape seed extract is a potent inhibitor of VEGF, the protein that causes chronic vascular overgrowth and makes it nearly impossible to beat this inflammatory skin condition.  These three factors make grape seed extract a must-have on your rosacea super food list.

   Red Grape Seed Extract Preparation: Eat a handful as a tasty-healthy snack; whip them up into a fresh juice and drink at your leisure.

9. Reishi Mushrooms: Over the past several decades, scientific research has intensified and focused on analyzing the hundreds of unique bio-active compounds found in the medicinal Reishi Mushroom.  Just this year alone, three new compounds were discovered. With each new finding, intriguing medical applications for Reishi have emerged.  In regards to rosacea, the immune system in the facial skin is completely out of balance in every rosacea sufferer.  Every single one!  The inflammation from rosacea signals (erroneously) to skin’s innate immune system that it is under attack.  In response, the body sends countless immune cells to the skin to destroy these cells, but this response only makes the inflammation and damage exponentially worse.  At the same time, the immune system that “calms” down this vicious cycle is turned off.  The Reishi mushroom helps to restore balance to the immune system and send repair enzymes, proteins and peptides to every layer of skin to start the healing process.  This is one of the best things that a treatment (natural or prescription) can do to reverse rosacea symptoms, rosacea triggers and stop rosacea progression.

   Reishi Mushroom Preparation: Reishi Mushrooms can be eaten cold or hot in any type of dish.

10. Pomegranate Fruit Seeds: Phytochemicals from fruits such as the pomegranate (Punica granatumL) are strong antioxidants and anti-inflammatories that are now used routinely in Naturopathic Medicine.    Recently, medical studies have shown that Pomegranates primary active ingredient — Punicalagins — is one of the strongest natural inhibitors of Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF)…. which also happens to be one of the top three most destructive proteins implicated in rosacea.  TNF destroys skin cells, vascular cells, nerve cells and simultaneously releases an onslaught of free radicals that leaves rosacea skin in total disarray.    Punicalagins ​ from Pomegranates are as powerful as many pharmaceutical prescription drugs used to block TNF.  Needless to say, Pomegranate is indeed a super food for rosacea and can make a difference in rosacea flares and severity in a matter of days.  While this may be listed as #10 on this blog article, it may indeed be #1 in overall importance and the top natural super food for rosacea currently available.

    Pomegranate Preparation: You can eat Pomegranates whole as a snack; you can also drink Pomegranate juice with a known percentage of Punicalagins; to release the highest concentrations of Punicalagins, you can simply put the tiny Pomegranates and blend them — then whip them into a delicious smoothie.

The post Top Ten Rosacea ‘Superfoods’ Rosacea Diet appeared first on Rosadyn.

Article Objective: To discuss the prevalence of high blood pressure in the 21st century and its deleterious effect on rosacea symptoms and triggers.    We will also discuss the normal oscillations in blood pressure that occur during a normal day and the effect that stress and anxiety have on blood pressure.  We will also detail ways to monitor chronic high blood pressure and blood pressure spikes to determine if they have a direct effect on your particular rosacea symptoms.

Understanding High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

High blood pressure (HBP) is a serious condition that can lead to coronary heart disease, heart failure, kidney failure, stroke and other problems such as damaged blood vessels throughout the body, internal organs and the skin.  The American Heart Association states that nearly one in three US adults have high blood pressure and most go untreated for years or even decades!

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood. If this pressure rises and stays high over time, it can damage the body in many ways, especially the vascular system.

Blood pressure is measured as systolic (sis-TOL-ik) and diastolic (di-ah-STOL-ik) pressures. You most often will see blood pressure numbers written with the systolic number above or before the diastolic number, such as 120/80 mmHg. The mmHg is millimeters of mercury—the units used to measure blood pressure. “Systolic”, the top number, which is also the higher of the two numbers, measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats (i.e. when the heart muscle contracts to pump blood throughout the body). “Diastolic”, the bottom number, which is also the lower of the two numbers, measures the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats (i.e. when the heart muscle is resting between beats and refilling with blood).

Important Fact. The constant pressure exerted on blood vessels in Borderline High Blood Pressure states and High Blood Pressure states is extremely damaging to small arteries, arterioles and fragile capillaries throughout each organ in the body — to the extent that it can cause permanent dilation, hyper-reactivity and complete breakage (telangiectasia).  Externally, some may notice broken or dilated blood vessels throughout the whites of their eyes, the upper cheek areas and the sides of the nose.  This can occur even if one does not have rosacea and can sometimes mimic rosacea possibly resulting in a false positive medical diagnosis.

High Blood Pressure and Rosacea

High Blood Pressure is one of the most damaging diseases for rosacea sufferers due to the negative effects that the high pressure has on the inner layers of the blood vessel wall (endothelium and basement membrane) and the chronic stretch that this pressure places on vascular smooth muscle which causes vascular hyper-reactivity to rosacea triggers, permanently dilated blood vessels in the skin and breakage of the small arterioles and capillaries in the facial region.  Borderline High Blood Pressure and High Blood Pressure control should be a priority for all rosacea sufferers because it can catapult a simple pre-rosacea case into a moderate-to-severe case.  You must monitor your blood pressure and take active measures to try to get your numbers down to 120/80 — and even lower at 115/75 if possible — as the American Heart Association now recommends.

Adverse Effects of Borderline High Blood Pressure and High Blood Pressure on Facial Rosacea:

1. Broken blood vessels in centro-facial area (telangiectasia)
2. Dilated blood vessels that cause a blotchy appearance
3. Hyper-reactive blood vessels that flush easily to triggers
4. Stimulates new growth of blood vessels caused by the increased vascular pressure (angiogenesis)
5. Leakage of fluid, proteins and inflammatory compounds through damaged capillaries that result in facial swelling
6. Damage to the inner lining of the blood vessel wall so extensive that endothelial cells that help control vascular tone are damaged beyond repair and even ripped off the inner blood vessel wall
7. Chronic stretching of the vascular smooth muscle in the blood vessel wall can cause permanent damage and dysfunction
8. Significant progression of the entire rosacea process

Blood pressure has a daily pattern — depending on the time of day blood pressures can normally change significantly based on diurnal variation of hormone release and nerve activity.  According to the MAYO CLINIC, blood pressure is normally lower at night while you’re sleeping. Your blood pressure starts to rise a few hours before you wake up. Your blood pressure continues to rise during the day, usually peaking in the middle of the afternoon to early evening. Then in the late evening, your blood pressure begins dropping again.

Important Note:  Many rosacea sufferers complain of spontaneous flushing or facial hyper-reactivity during the afternoon. 
While there have been no clinical tests on this phenomenon — and, in fact, usually go completely unrecognized by the medical community at large — it is highly probably that high blood pressures that normally occur during the middle of the afternoon to early evening as described above contribute significantly to rosacea flares and facial hyper-reactivity that seem to occur without any stimulus or provocation.  Measuring your blood pressure with the new digital self measuring systems may help answer many questions about spontaneous flares and natural oscillations in your blood pressure that could increase your propensity to flush.

Please do your homework before purchasing a self-measuring digital monitor for blood pressure as you want to purchase the most accurate one possible that can self calibrate.   www.ConsumerReports.org has an excellent list of independently tested blood pressure monitors.

For those of you with Borderline High Blood Pressure and High Blood Pressure.

You may want to discuss further evaluation with your doctor.  Your doctor can tell you if an abnormal daily blood pressure pattern may need treatment. He or she may recommend a 24-hour blood pressure monitoring test. The device used for this test measures your blood pressure at regular intervals (every 30 minutes) over a 24-hour period and provides a more accurate picture of blood pressure changes over a typical day and night.  This may be quite helpful in determining if blood pressure fluctuations affect your rosacea especially if you journal your flare times as they occur which over time may give you a better 360 overview of contributing factors.

Stress Raises Your BP – It is important to emphasize that blood pressure can increase significantly during times of stress (emotional and physical) and anxiety.  Stress and anxiety are near the top of the National Rosacea Society’s list of “Most Common Rosacea Triggers”.  This rise in blood pressure can last for several hours after the incident and can stimulate severe rosacea flares as well.

Stress reduction helps your rosacea

• Meditation, gentle yoga and thi chi are awesome at helping you though breath and movement to learn how to calm and relax yourself. See article from AMA
• Laugh & Hug it out – A good laugh and a good hug have been shown to be great for you and your health.  See this article on hugging.
• Remove or distance yourself from toxic situations and people… Listen  to your body and your inner voice. Focus your energies on positive situations and people.
• Find a purpose – volunteer or being service to others can actually have a impact on your health and outlook on life.
• Journal – Not only is it good for tracking your rosacea (triggers and progress) writing about your feelings, situations and thoughts is a great way to see the awesome positive things in your world   but also helps you to work out things you may be struggling with.
• Make a vision board – these are goals, wishes and what do I want and desire my world to look and be like… it helps you to focus on positive things and beneficial actionable items .
• Sleep and eat well – Sleep is when your body recharges and repairs its self, eating a well balanced nutritious diet low in sodium and inflammatory foods goes without saying and is a key component to you and your all over health. Fill 3/4’s of the plate with veggies and 1/4 a protein. (meat should be a side dish vs. main focus) and avoid

Rosacea and Blood Pressure

Comment Section:

Do you have High Blood Pressure that seems to effect the state of your rosacea?

If so, have you noticed a reduction in your blood pressure or rosacea symptoms while on Rosadyn?

Thank you for your important feedback and wishing you a rosacea-free future!

Health Disclaimer:  Informational article above not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If you have or think that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider. Before adding in or considering alternative supplements and treatments please consult with your medical practitioner first.  We do not claim to “cure” disease, illness or conditions, but to simply provide you with additional information and education nor is any product sold or discussed to be considered to replace your medical treatment, diagnosis, treatment or preventative recommendations.

The post High Blood Pressure And Its Effect On Rosacea appeared first on Rosadyn.

Article Objective: To highlight vitamins and supplements that are moderate-to-strong triggers for many rosacea sufferers.

In most cases, these supplements may trigger facial redness, facial flushing and rosacea outbreaks without the rosacea sufferer even realizing the source of the rosacea trigger due to the fact that there may be some lag time between taking the oral supplement and the supplement triggering vascular hyper-reactivity in the facial region — this lag time may take as long as 8 to 12 hours — thus making it nearly impossible to identify oral supplements as triggers

This article will detail specific vitamins and supplements that are common rosacea trigger offenders and include recommendations on various ways to take these supplements to reduce adverse reactions, if possible.  Very few rosacea sufferers realize that vitamins and supplements can trigger rosacea, thus making them aware of this fact and naming the most common triggers allows them to know and evaluate supplements that they are taking and remove said for a while to determine if it was a rosacea trigger or adjust intake or dosage.

Vitamins and Supplements: Benefits and Drawbacks

In today’s world most people take multiple doses of supplements throughout the day to keep the body healthy, increase mental alertness, enhance muscle performance during exercise, reduce stress, increase weight loss (i.e. increase metabolic rate and thermogenesis), dilate blood vessels to the heart to help prevent cardiovascular disease, and increase the activity of mitochondria in each cell to stimulate anti-aging actions at the cellular level.  Other specialty supplements help support organ function such as stimulating detoxification within the liver — and even triggering the growth of new healthy cells within the liver, enhancing kidney filtration to increase function and overall health, enhancing the health of the heart by triggering growth of new cardiac myocytes (muscle cells), enhancing lung function and alveolar oxygen uptake, increasing the activity of absorption enzymes throughout the small intestine for better nutrient uptake and enhancing eyesite by improving the function of rods and cones within the retina of the eyes.

Many of these supplement-induced benefits to the human body are, at the same time, deleterious to rosacea-affected skin.  A prime example centers around vitamins and supplements that increase blood flow throughout the body.  Healthy blood flow is key to healthy organs, brain activity, heart health and energy.  Healthy blood flow is needed to deliver key nutrients and oxygen to every cell in the body and remove cellular waste that quickly builds up in and around each cell; however spikes in blood flow to rosacea-affected areas in the facial skin often trigger rosacea flares.  It seems counter intuitive but the fact remain – weak, fragile blood vessels combined with inflamed skin cells and physical damage to collagen and elastin make rosacea skin highly reactive to increased blood flow and many other events that may be good for the rest of the body.

Supplement Actions That Can Adversely Affect Rosacea Skin:

• Increase in Blood Flow — many supplements dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow.  Most increase blood flow throughout the entire body which would affect rosacea skin; however some dilators specifically increase blood flow to certain organs such as the brain, heart, kidney, lungs and the spleen.  Selective increases in blood flow just to organs should not trigger rosacea flares.
• Increase in Thermogenesis — some specialty supplements are designed to increase thermogenesis or internal body heat.  Increases in body heat often lead to flushing of the face and thus are often bad for rosacea skin.
• Increase in Metabolism — many supplements are designed to increase metabolism. Metabolism is a term that is used to describe all chemical reactions involved in maintaining the living state of the cells and the organism.  Obviously it is important to have a healthy metabolism in order to maintain a healthy body.  However, some of these supplements cause large increases in metabolic activity that create surges of energy but are not necessary for normal functioning of the body.  One of the main energy sources released from the mitochondria (cellular energy organelle in each cell) is ATP.  The National Rosacea Society has identified ATP as a strong trigger for rosacea redness and outbreaks when produced in concentrations higher than the norm.
• Stimulate the Release of Dilator Hormones — some supplements stimulate the release of dilator hormones from the small intestine and the adrenal glands.  This usually results in a pronounced flush in the facial region that may last 12 to 24 hours.
• Stimulate Dilator Nerves — a few supplements can pass through the blood brain barrier and directly stimulate dilator nerves located in the anterior hypothalamus (the thermoregulatory center of the brain and one of the main stress centers).  Activation of these nerves causes widespread dilation that mimics the ‘fight-or-flight’ response.
• Stimulate Immune Cell Activity — many supplements are designed to stimulate the immune system to help the body protect itself from colds, viruses and pathogens.  The main problem with most immune cells is that they often exacerbate rosacea inflammation.  Immune cells erroneously think that the facial skin is under attack due to the degree of inflammation and blood flow.  They then enter the facial skin and set up camp.  One of the main jobs of immune cells is to gobble up inflamed cells because they see them as foreign invaders.  More importantly, they release bursts of damaging free radicals that eat through skin cells and blood vessels — making the environment much worse.  Thus stimulating the immune system with supplements often sends even more of these dangerous cells to rosacea-affected areas.

Vitamins That Frequently Cause Rosacea Flares

1.  High Doses of Vitamin A— Vitamin A is known for being a “‘skin beautifier” vitamin.  At the proper dose of 10, 000 to 15,000 iu and taken in the right form (naturally occurring beta carotene) it is indeed an excellent supplement for rosacea sufferers.However, many use standard Vitamin A and use it at very high doses (25,000 to 50,000 iu) which is definitely not good for rosacea as it may stimulate an inflammatory response, delay healing and turn facial skin cells a bright orange-red hue which only exacerbates the outward rosacea symptoms.
2. High Doses of Vitamin E— Vitamin E is also known for being a “”skin beautifier” vitamin.  At doses of 100 to 150 iu in the form of d-alpha tocopherol this is an excellent supplement for rosacea sufferers.  However, many Vitamin E supplements and Multi-Vitamins use 300 to 500 iu of Vitamin E is various forms that are not “skin-healthy”.At these doses, Vitamin E often causes bleeding of the gums, nose and ruptured blood vessels in the facial skin.  Please stick to the proper dose and form when incorporating this vitamin into your health regimen.
3.  High Doses of Vitamin C— Vitamin C is a superb vitamin for rosacea sufferers.  It not only strengthens blood vessels throughout the skin, but it stimulates the production of new collagen and elastin which helps to strengthen thin, fragile rosacea skin.The two variables that one must be cautious of is the use of pure, unbuffered Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and the dose.  If you take more than 250 mgs at a sitting there is a good chance that this high dose of unbuffered Vitamin C can cause gastric upset — which in turn, stimulates the release of multiple dilator and inflammatory hormones from the stomach and intestine — causing facial redness and flushing.Most M.D. Naturopaths and Certified Nutritionists recommend taking only buffered forms of Vitamin C (Chelated Vitamin C or Ester C)  to prevent gastric side effects and in doing so, one can often take much larger doses  — even taking 1,000 mgs several times a day.
4. High Doses of B Vitamins — Referred to as vitamin B complex, the eight B vitamins— B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12 — play an important role in keeping our bodies running like well-oiled machines. These essential nutrients help convert our food into fuel, allowing us to stay energized throughout the day.B vitamins are excellent for rosacea sufferers in general; however, there are a few that you must keep tabs on because they often stimulate the release of dilator hormones and activate dilator nerves throughout the body if taken in large concentrations — and many B vitamins made for stress prevention and high-end multi-vitamins contain 2,000% to 16,500% above the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA).  Niacin is a popular B vitamin used to dilate blood vessels and convert carbohydrates into glucose.Rosacea sufferers should steer clear from pure niacin and use the “no-flush” form of niacin termed niacinamide.  Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine HCL) is also a popular B vitamin that is used to dilate  blood vessels to ensure delivery of other nutrients and supplements.  The proper dose is 10 to 15 mgs although most supplements contain 1,000% or more which can lead to intense rosacea flushing.  It is wise to stick to the RDA dose.  Vitamin B12 is often used for disorders of nerves and hormones.  At doses of 150 to 200 mgs this is an excellent vitamin for rosacea sufferers; however, many supplements contain 1,000 mgs or whopping 16,667% above the RDA which can activate various dilator nerves supplying the face.  Please be cautious when using B Vitamins.  The right form of B Vitamins and proper dose can help rosacea symptoms and flares while the wrong form and high doses can do the exact opposite.

Supplements That Frequently Cause Rosacea Flares

1. Coenzyme Q10 (and the newer Ubiquinol Body-Ready Version)—  CoQ10 is an excellent supplement for heart health.  However, this is a potent dilator that often causes rosacea flushing.  The wisest approach to taking this supplement is to take 50 mgs daily for two to four weeks to let your body acclimate to the supplement (the average starting dose is 100 to 200 mgs).  Don’t rush it and be sure to keep tabs on the number of times you flush or flare to determine if you can take this supplement.
2. Green Tea Extract — this is usually an excellent supplement for rosacea sufferers due to its anti-inflammatory actions and skin-specific incorporation into the dermis.  The main drawback to this supplement is that many rosacea sufferers take 500 mgs to 750 mgs which is well above the recommended dose and can cause tachycardia (high heart rate) and high blood pressure — both worsen rosacea symptoms.  Most naturopaths treating rosacea recommend a steady low dose of 50 to 100 mgs per day with 50% EGCG, the main anti-inflammatory component.
3. Ginko Biloba— Ginkgo biloba has been used medicinally for thousands of years. Today, it is one of the top-selling herbs in the United States.  It is a potent dilator and increases cognitive abilities in the brain due to the delivery of nutrients and oxygen. This is an excellent supplement, however it frequently causes flushing, even at the lowest concentrations.  It is best to find alternative ways to enhance cognition as this is usually too much for rosacea sufferers.
4. Vinpocetine— Vinpocetine is one of the top three supplements currently on the market due to its amazing actions on the brain.  Vinpocetine is a novel dietary supplement derived from the lesser periwinkle plant Vinca minor.  Since it was first synthesized in the late 1960s, vinpocetine has been used to maintain and improve brain health and cognition. It is widely used in Japan and many European countries to treat a number of cerebrovascular diseases.As a dietary supplement, vinpocetine offers potential neuroprotective effects as well. The main action of vinpocetine is to specifically enhance blood flow to the brain.  The main problem is that this great increase in blood flow must travel through the face to get to the brain — needless to say, this is often a big trigger to rosacea sufferers.  It may help some to decrease the dose from 10 mgs to 5 mgs for 4 weeks and keep track of any increase in flushing or breakouts that occurs within one to four hours after taking Vinpocetine.  This is such an effective supplement for the brain that even if 5 mgs does increase rosacea flares, it may be worth decreasing the dose even more to just 2.5 mgs per day and evaluate your rosacea in a month.
5. L-Arginine and L-Citrulline— In today’s health conscious world people who exercise/weight-lift frequently require nutraceutical help to achieve their desired level of fitness.  Two of the hottest exercise enhancers are L-Arginine and L-Citrulline.  Both of these ingredients increase the production of nitric oxide — which is responsible for muscle endurance, muscle growth, muscle recovery and tremendous oxygen and nutrient delivery hours after any aerobic or anaerobic event.  They work.  Their primary mechanism of action works by increasing the production of nitric oxide in the walls of blood vessels and the cells of muscle fibers.  They also directly impact the mitochondria in active cells, helping to produce ATP.  The production of high levels of nitric oxide and ATP (both very strong triggers for rosacea flares as demonstrated in studies by the National Rosacea Society) are not good for most rosacea sufferers, at any dose.  They are just too potent.
6. High Doses of Amino Acids and Protein (Whey or Egg-Based)— People who exercise or weightlift frequently often supplement with various types of protein to increase their endurance and maximize muscle growth.  Many clinical studies support the role of proteins in muscle endurance, strength and growth.  For rosacea sufferers, the primary problem is that protein derived from filtered whey or egg white protein increases the bodies’ metabolic rate and thermogenesis — even when taken without exercising.  This means that they are triggering the release of potent dilators (i.e. increased metabolic rate) and stimulating dilator nerves and hormones in an attempt to decrease internal body heat triggered by significant increases in thermogenesis.  Most avid sports enthusiasts take 50 to 60 mgs or protein at one setting.  This is a very strong rosacea stimulus.Clinicians recommend that rosacea sufferers take no more than 15 to 20 mgs in an eight hour periodin order to reduce the increase in metabolism and thermogenesis while still supplying the muscles with adequate protein.  This protein reduction works for many and still allows for surprising gains in the gym.

 Comment Section: We would like to hear from you.

Have you been having difficulty controlling your rosacea triggers?   Are you taking any of the vitamins and supplements in this article? If so, were you aware that the listed vitamins and supplements could potentially contribute to your flares and triggers?

We hope you found this article on rosacea triggers  potentially activated by vitamins and  supplements informative.

Health Disclaimer:  Informational article above not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If you have or think that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider. Before adding in or considering alternative supplements and treatments please consult with your medical practitioner first.  We do not claim to “cure” disease, illness or conditions, but to simply provide you with additional information and education nor is any product sold or discussed to be considered to replace your medical treatment, diagnosis, treatment or preventative recommendations.

The post Vitamins and Supplements That Are Strong Rosacea Triggers appeared first on Rosadyn.

Article Objective: Rosacea sufferers often complain of large facial pores, oily skin, clogged pores and pin-size white heads and black heads.  This article will discuss the prevalence of enlarged pores, increased sebum production and excess facial oil in rosacea sufferers.  Additionally, we will discuss why rosacea causes enlarged pores and excess facial oil and how to treat them successfully with over the counter skin care products that have incorporated new technology (ingredients) into facial treatments and  laser treatment combined with carbon lotion that can help to reduce the size and appearance of facial pores and help to control acne type brake outs on highly sensitive rosacea skin.

Rosacea Skin Care for Pore Reduction and Excess Oil

1. PolyTrap® Oil Absorber and Pore Reducer(skin care additive)PolyTrap is an exciting new technology that absorbs up to 4 times (400%) its weight in facial oil and sebum without drying the skin.  PolyTrap is like a smart sponge that only targets oxidized oil on the surface of the pore and deep within the pore while ignoring healthy skin cells.  Removal of superficial sebum greatly reduces excess oil and removal of oxidized sebum deep in the pore allows the pore to shrink to a much smaller size.  You can now find PolyTrap in top-line cleansers, facial masks, moisturizers and makeup.

   PolyTrap Treatment:Skin+Pharmacy® makes a superb “Advanced Anti-Aging Therapy Daily Cleanser” with high concentrations of PolyTrap that greatly reduce facial oil and pore size without drying sensitive rosacea skin.  This cleanser also contains rosacea-friendly anti-inflammatories such as Bisabol and Vitamins A, C and E to help protect against damaging free radicals.

   Products: Skin+Pharmacy is avalable at CVS

2. Oleanolic Acid®  And Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid® Oil Absorber and Pore Reducer
   
   Both of these medicinal extracts can be found in many naturally occurring plants and foods such as olive oil, garlic, and American pokeweed.  They are both potent blockers of DHT, a hormone that increases the size of facial pores and stimulates excess oil secretion.  Rosacea flushing and skin inflammation bring high concentrations of DHT to the sebaceous glands of the face, which in turn, triggers chronic increases in the size of pores and oil secretion.    When applied via cleanser, moisturizer or topical gel, oleanolic acid and nordihydroguaiaretic acid are potent inhibitors of DHT — they block the binding of DHT from sebaceous gland receptors and remove DHT from the superficial skin layers.  Over time, this results in significant shrinkage of facial pores and reductions in oil production, white heads and black heads.Oleanolic Acid and Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid Treatment:
   These ingredients can be found in facial cleansers and topical treatments for acne on sensitive skin and is now entering the rosacea market. Products: One of the most popular rosacea treatments that contain both ingredients is made by DermaDoctor (Calm, Cool and Corrected).
3.  AlpaFlor®  Sebum Suppressing Oil And Pore ReducerFleischer’s Willowherb (Epilobium fleischeri) is a persistent rare alpine plant from the Onagraceae family that has been isolated and extracted for the potent active skin-beautifying components found within the buds of this rare plant.

• Sebum Regulatory Effect
  Overproduction of sebum results from the hyperactivity of the skin’s 5α-reductase. The sebum-regulating activity of ALPAFLOR® ALP®SEBUM was examined on cultured human fibroblasts. A dose-dependent inhibition of 5α-reductase activity up to 68% versus control could be shown with ALPAFLOR® ALP®-SEBUM
•  Anti-Inflammatory Effect
  The anti-inflammatory activity of ALPAFLOR® ALP®SEBUM was tested in vitro on cultured human epidermal keratinocytes by measuring its effect on the production and release of the epidermal proinflammatory cytokines Interleukin 8 (IL-8) and Interleukin 1α (IL-1α). ALPAFLOR® ALP®-SEBUM is able to dramatically decrease the production of IL-8 and IL-1α.
• Human Clinical Studies on Sebum Suppression and Pore Reduction
  Twenty-one volunteers with a extremely greasy skin and enlarged centro-facial pores applied either a cream-gel containing 3% ALPAFLOR® ALP®-SEBUM or a placebo on the face, twice daily during 56 days.The seboregulating effect of ALPAFLOR® ALP®SEBUM was evaluated by measuring the reduction of the sebum spot number and of the sebum production by means of a Sebutape®.  A reduction of 24% in spot number and a decrease of 56% in sebum production were shown after 56 days of treatment. The pore size was determined by clinical scoring from a dermatologist: a significant visible reduction of 18% was recorded in the volunteers using ALPAFLOR® ALP®-SEBUM, against 0% in volunteers using the placebo. Additionally about 90% of the volunteers evaluated a general cutaneous state improvement and judged their non-oily.
•  AlpaFlor Treatment
  One can order pure AlpaFlor Oil directly from the manufacturer and apply it sparingly directly to the affected facial skin night and day.  This is a very light oil that is quickly absorbed into the skin that will not leave an “oily look” or feel – in fact, it suppresses oil production so your skin should look much drier and healthier within 20 to 30 minutes after application.  This oil can also be mixed into any of your favorite moisturizers at up to 5% (a compounding pharmacy can do this for a nominal fee).

Pore-Reducing Laser: Tri-Beam Spectra Laser With Carbon Lotion

Many lasers, blue light devices and red light devices have claimed to be effective at reducing pores over the past decade, but none have delivered consistently.  As of 2015, a new laser and new treatment technique utilizing carbon lotion have resulted in excellent treatment and reduction of pores within 3 to 6 treatments.

The Tri-Beam Spectra Laser which is usually used for tattoo removal with the latest technology is now able to treat pores deep into the sebaceous glands and down to the large lobules and physically shrink them with the help of carbon lotion — the target for the laser.  This is probably the most exciting advancement for the treatment of enlarged pores, acne, clogged pores and rosacea lumpy-bumpy skin.  This is extremely new so make sure you get an experienced practitioner and if you have any doubts proceed with spot treatments to test your skin’s response.

Below  is a YouTube Videos that help demonstrate how this treatment works:

Comment Section:

Do you have enlarged pores or excess oil that worsen when your rosacea flares?

If so, have you noticed how hard these two skin conditions are to treat on sensitive rosacea skin?  Has any treatment helped treat these conditions?

Thank you for your important feedback and wishing you a rosacea-free future!

Health Disclaimer:  Informational article above not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If you have or think that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider. Before adding in or considering alternative supplements and treatments please consult with your medical practitioner first.  We do not claim to “cure” disease, illness or conditions, but to simply provide you with additional information and education nor is any product sold or discussed to be considered to replace your medical treatment, diagnosis, treatment or preventative recommendations.

The post Treating Enlarged Pores And Excess Facial Oil Caused By Rosacea appeared first on Rosadyn.

Article Objective: Moderate-to-severe rosacea sufferers are often caught in a treatment quandary. They often complain that not only do they have to treat difficult rosacea-related symptoms such as papules, pustules, redness, inflammation, itching, burning sensations and dry, scaly skin, but they also have to treat acne symptoms (whiteheads, blackheads, clogged pores) and seborrheic dermatitis.   Rosacea, acne and seborrheic dermatitis effect many rosacea sufferers because the increase in blood flow to rosacea skin stimulates the sebaceous glands of the face — and thus trigger acne — and rosacea skin’s immune system is usually depleted due to the chronic inflammation — thus letting seborrheic dermatitis set in and take hold.  As we will discuss in this article, most topical treatments are not designed to treat rosacea and other coexisting skin disorders (i.e. acne and seborrheic dermatitis) because rosacea treatments often aggravate the other inflammatory skin disorders and vice versa.

We will detail our top intensive skin care treatments that address all of these symptoms simultaneously and will highlight the exact symptoms each one targets.  Rosacea is difficult enough to treat but when you have acne and/or seborrheic dermatitis on top of rosacea, many people — including dermatologists — get lost in the sea of treatments and often treat one disorder while making the other disorders worse.   Below are some excellent multi-functional treatment products that have helped countless rosacea sufferers treat rosacea and other coexisting skin disorders.

1. DS Laboratories Trioxil Anti-Acne Gel (14% Bisazulene)

Photo: http://www.dslaboratories.com/trioxil/

This clarifying treatment utilizes bisazulene, a unique compound developed to fight against acne. Bisazulene is clinically proven to reduce and prevent acne lesions without the drying, redness and swelling commonly seen from benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or tretinoin. This lightweight gel incorporates nanosomes to deliver the active ingredients deep within the skin. This allows the product to reach its full potential, resulting in optimized results. In addition, this exceptional formula encourages new cell growth, improves the skin’s tone, and provides anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial benefits, giving you complete skin enhancement.

Trioxil^® (bisazulene gel) 14% is a new powerful anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory compound that is at the same time soothing and calming on the skin – a moisturizer is not needed.

Encapsulated in nanonsomes – tiny microspheres penetrate into the deepest layers of the skin to release the active ingredients over a 12 hour period.
Price Range: $27.99

Treatment Targets:

• Rosacea Papules
• Rosacea Pustules
• Acne
• Reduces scaling from seborrheic dermatitis
• Moisturizing formula
• Reduces redness, inflammation and irritation

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Lecithin, Sodium Shale Oil Sulfonate, Quercetin, PEG-8-Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sebacid Acid, Malic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Sweet Almond Protein, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, SD Alcohol 40B, Polysorbate 20, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Carbomer, Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid, Oleanolic Acid, Azelaic Acid, Bacillus Ferment, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol, Triethanolamine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil. Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Fragrance (Parfum). Titanium Dioxide, Salicylic Acid, Disodium EDTA

.

2. Vivant Skin Care Sulfur and Zinc Purifying Mask

Photo:  http://www.dermstore.com/product_Sulfur+Clay+Mask_43649.htm

Vivant Skin care treatment can be used as a light daily cleanser ( leave on for 3 to 5 minutes) or a deep cleanser (leave on for 30 minutes) depending on the treatment application time.  This is a superb treatment for those with rosacea, acne and seborrheic dermatitis.  Additionally, the colloidal sulfur and zinc heal damaged, thin, inflamed skin that is often present in these inflammatory skin disorders.

Vivant Skincare Sulfur Clay Mask penetrates deep into pores to remove impurities and improve your complexion. 10% sulfur helps to kill acne-causing bacteria to prevent future breakouts. Zinc sulfate calms inflammation and reduces scarring while defending your skin against environmental damage.
Price Range: $31.50

Treatment Targets:

• Rosacea Papules
• Rosacea Pustules
• Acne
• Clogged Pores
• Seborrheic Dermatitis
• Moisturizing formula
• Thickens and heals epidermis
• Reduces redness, inflammation and irritation

Ingredients: 10% Colloidal Sulfur, Zinc and Moisturizing Base (anti-inflammatory)

3. First Aid Ultra Repair Instant Oatmeal Mask

Photo: http://www.dermstore.com/product_Ultra+Repair+Instant+Oatmeal+Mask_47457.htm

This new treatment is a superb option for rosacea sufferers and a top choice for those suffering from multiple hard-to-treat skin disorders.  First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Instant Oatmeal Mask relives and restores dry, distressed skin with nourishing plant-based emollients. Omega-rich shea butter provides hydration and promotes elasticity and colloidal oatmeal calms irritation and soothes redness. Bisabolol reduces inflammation and fortifies your skin’s defenses while sea buckthorn extract and FAB Antioxidant Booster Complex neutralize free radicals.
Price Range $22.00

Treatment Targets:

• Rosacea Papules
• Rosacea Pustules
• Acne
• Clogged Pores
• Seborrheic Dermatitis
• Moisturizing formula
• Thickens and heals epidermis
• Reduces redness, inflammation and irritation

Ingredients: Water/Aqua/Eau, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric/Succinic Triglyceride, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Avena Sativa (Oat) Bran, Colloidal Oatmeal, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate,Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Octyldodecanol, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Decyl Glucoside, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Polysorbate 60, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Vanillin, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum, Dimethicone, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chrysanthemum Parthenium (Feverfew) Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, Bisabolol, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Pentylene Glycol,1,2-Hexanediol, Tetrasodium EDTA.

Comment Section:

Do you have co-existing skin disorders such as acne and seborrheic dermatitis in addition to rosacea?  If so, have you found a successful treatment for all three skin conditions?

Thank you for your important feedback and wishing you a rosacea-free future!

Health Disclaimer:  Informational article above not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If you have or think that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider. Before adding in or considering alternative supplements and treatments please consult with your medical practitioner first.  We do not claim to “cure” disease, illness or conditions, but to simply provide you with additional information and education nor is any product sold or discussed to be considered to replace your medical treatment, diagnosis, treatment or preventative recommendations.

The post Rosacea Skin Care That Helps With Papules, Pustules, Acne And Seborrheic Dermatitis appeared first on Rosadyn.

Article,  Short-Term Sun Exposure Damages Facial Blood Vessels Furthering Rosacea Symptoms and Damages – How Rosadyn Rosacea Support With Rosacea Friendly Sun Protection Can Help You Protect Your Skin:

In this article we warn rosacea sufferers that significant vascular damage can be caused by the sun’s Ultraviolet Rays (UV Rays) more quickly than most think — i.e. with only 20 to 30 minutes of sun exposure.  Not only can UV rays cause significant Idamage to the very superficial vessels of the face, but they can penetrate deep into the mid-dermis and directly damage the structural integrity of much larger feed vessels; in fact, recent studies demonstrate that UV rays reach the subcutaneous fat layer.  We will  also discuss other adverse effects by UV rays such as stimulating uncontrolled overgrowth of blood vessels (angiogenesis) and triggering blood vessels to grow much closer to the surface.  We will discuss various lifestyle actions that may put you at risk for UV-induced vascular damage and review protective gear and lotions that may not be nearly as effective as once thought.  Lastly, we will discuss the strong protective actions that oral Rosadyn, a rosacea treatment oriented nutraceutical has on sun exposure and UV damage.

Rosacea And Surprising Side Effects Of Short-Term Exposure To Sun

Sun exposure is near the top of the list of rosacea triggers and causes for rosacea progression according to the National Rosacea Society (NRS).  The sun’s damaging UV rays can cause many rosacea symptoms and long-term flares but the damage to blood vessels throughout the face is one of the most important with regards to progression — often causing mild rosacea sufferers to progress quickly into the moderate-to-severe stages.

Most rosacea sufferers are well educated and taught to wear sunblock everyday, especially when planning day-long outdoor activities.  However, most rosacea sufferers do not realize that short term exposure to the sun’s UV rays for just 20 to 30 minutes can cause significant, irreversible damage to blood vessels in the face — in turn, exacerbating the entire disease state, the number of rosacea triggers and the duration of triggers.  There are many activities that rosacea sufferers do for 20 to 30 minutes when they don’t wear sunscreen because they don’t realize the danger.  While UV rays are the strongest between 10 AM and 4 PM, Dermatologist emphasize that they can still cause significant skin and vascular damage between 8 AM and 6 PM, especially in light-skinned people and rosacea sufferers.

Some activities that might catch rosacea sufferers off-guard and cause vascular damage and new telangiectasia (broken blood vessels) to form immediately after the respective activities take place, especially if they are not wearing sunscreen:

• A morning walk around the neighborhood
• Walking your dog at various times throughout the day
• Outdoor lunches at work or on balconies which usually last 30 to 60 minutes in the mid-day sun
• Short morning jogs or late afternoon jogs
• Home “Sun Rooms” — up to 70% of the UV rays penetrate normal glass
• Riding in the car — very few rosacea sufferers realize the damage that occurs when riding in the car and do not know that most of the damaging UV rays easily penetrate the front and side windows
• Outdoor Yoga or Meditation exercises in the morning or at lunchtime
• Brief outdoor meetings with friends
• Business meetings done outside
• Yard-work – especially at supposed “safe times” between 8 AM and 10 AM or 4 PM and 6 PM
• A short stroll with your baby or bicycle riding with your children
• Exposure during winter time, especially with snow on the ground which is a strong reflector of UV rays

T0 make matters worse, a significant number of rosacea sufferers with hyper-reactive skin cannot wear any form of topical sunscreen or sunblock:

• Rosacea sufferers who cannot wear any sunscreen due to hyper-sensitive skin are at the greatest risk for vascular damage and rosacea progression
• Rosacea sufferers in this category often resort to hats or reflective gear, but they still receive significant UV exposure from sunbeams reflecting off of pavement, sidewalks and even grass
• The specially designed protective sungear made by companies like Columbia are of great help but they cannot block all the dangerous rays from rosacea-sensitive skin

What happens to rosacea skin in 20 to 30 minutes?:

• Dermatologists have performed studies on this very subject.  They have measured vascular changes, taken biopsies, analyzed skin cell changes, measured chemicals released from skin cells that adversely affect blood vessels and have performed studies with specialized dermatology equipment that mimics the UV rays of the sun so that experiments can be done under controlled conditions in a much safer atmosphere.
• Within 20 to 30 minutes of exposure to the sun’s UV rays, direct UV absorption into the blood vessel wall can cause total collapse of affected blood vessels and cause irreversible damage to the structure of the vessel.  This type of damage often results in “broken blood vessels” or telangiectasia
• Short term sun exposure stimulates new growth and overgrowth of facial blood vessels known as angiogenesis.  This is central to rosacea progression and once grown are permanent fixtures in the facial skin.
• Short term exposure causes many blood vessels to grow much closer to the surface.  Often times it will cause blood vessels to grow into the epidermis which is normally devoid of blood vessels.  This is a serious side effect because these superficial blood vessels are now left nearly unprotected and much more prone to environmental damage.
• Short term sun exposure greatly  increases the number of mast cells around blood vessels.  Mast cells contain dozens of potent dilators – thus, more mast cells usually results in increased facial redness and flushing.
• Short term sun exposure turns on inflammatory enzymes like collagenase and elastase.  These two enzymes break down the skin’s architecture and eat away at blood vessels like “PAC MEN”
• Short term sun exposure stimulates damaging enzymes such as Matrix Metalloproteinases, one of the hottest subjects in rosacea research and treatment.
• Each sun exposure thins the protective epidermis, which in turn, results in more damage to blood vessels over time.

See How The Protective Actions of ROSADYN Help Protect Against  UV-Induced Sun Damage

Rosadyn contains three nutraceutical ingredients that are potent UV protectors that lend significant protection to facial skin and blood vessels: Eastern White Pine Bark, Mediterranean Olive Fruit Extract and Sulforaphane.

Eastern White Pine Bark Extract

Pine bark extract (Pycnogenol) is one of the most studied nutraceutical ingredients known, having been profiled in nearly one dozen clinical studies to evaluate its effectiveness in protecting the skin and blood vessels from physical damage, inflammatory responses, and suppressing the sun burn response to UV exposure.  It is particularly important to skin cells and blood vessels as it binds and protects collagen and elastin, the building blocks of healthy skin.

Pine Bark extract was shown to be one of the most potent UV-protectors studied to date.  In a recent study performed on 32 human subjects with sensitive skin, Pine Bark Pycnogenol extract was shown to inhibit the inflammation caused by UV-exposure and consequently protected roughly 90% of testers from sunburn, while it reduced the minimal erythema dose (the MED or  UV-dose necessary to cause the first reddening of the skin) by 60% after 4 weeks of daily supplementation. Increasing the dosage to 200 mgs per day for another 4 weeks further increased the MED to 85% compared to baseline values.  60% to 85% suppression of UV-induced redness and skin inflammation corresponds to a high Photoprotective rating… especially considering that this is attained from oral treatment and corresponds to an SPF value of 12 to 18.
Study: Oral pine bark improves clinical symptoms in photoaged facial skin

Mediterranean Olive Fruit Extract

Oleuropein extract (15%) derived from Olive Fruit Extract is an excellent UV protector and has a direct impact on facial blood vessels.  This extract has been tested on human skin by irradiating the skin with a machine that transmits UV rays comparable to moderate levels of sun exposure.  Before Olive Fruit treatment significant sunburn reactions and vascular damage were noted and cellular damage was significant based upon histological examination; however, in follow up studies, after three days of oral treatment with Oleuropein there was no significant sunburn reaction and the blood vessels and tissue were left intact without damage.  Olive Fruit Extract appears to act in the dermo-epidermal junction and quench UV rays, free radicals and oxidative stress before they reach underlying blood vessels and cells in the dermis, thus resulting in potent protection of unwanted UV effects.
Study: Benefits of Olive fruit Extract Including Skin Protection

Sulforaphane

Sulforaphane is derived from baby brussel sprouts.  Sulforaphane extract is a potent reducer of erythema and vascular damage and angiogenesis.  This nutraceutical, at clinical doses, mobilizes cellular defenses to protect against dangerous free radicals and oxidation — both outside the cell and inside the cell.  Sulforaphane’s main active component, a transcription factor called NrF2, binds to cytoprotective genes that activate Antioxidant Response Elements that work to protect blood vessels and skin cells internally and externally to ensure cell survival.  Over the past five years dozens of clinical studies on human skin irradiated by UV radiation have demonstrated excellent protection of cells and normal function blood vessels and surrounding tissue. It is germane to point out that sulforaphane is one of the strongest angiogenesis inhibitors — a central cause to rosacea.

Rosadyn contains all three of these powerful skin beneficial extracts inside at clinically-proven doses.
Study: Sulforaphane Mobilizes cellular defenses that protect skin against damage by UV radiation

Sun Protection Inside (Rosadyn) and Out – Don’t Forget That Topical Sunblock Too!

While the ingredients discussed above are a key part of a rosacea sufferer’s oral sun defense, we recommend daily that UV protection with sunscreen as well.  That said, not all sunscreens are suitable for rosacea skin.  In fact, many can cause adverse reactions, such as flushing, breakouts and redness

Often times these reactions stem from the fact that most sunscreens block UV rays with chemical agents.  While those that use physical sunblocks, such as zinc oxide, are much better for sensitive skin, they traditionally had the drawback of leaving a visible white film on the skin.  However, recent technological advancements have allowed skincare companies to micronize zinc oxide with dimethicone, resulting in a more cosmetically elegant product.

 Comment Section:

Do you wear sunblock everyday?  If you don’t do you find yourself exposing your facial skin and blood vessels to short term sun exposure?  Many Rosadyn clients have mentioned reduced sunburn responses after 4 to 6 weeks of treatment – have you noticed a difference?

Thank you for your important feedback and wishing you a rosacea-free future!

Health Disclaimer:  Informational article above not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If you have or think that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider. Before adding in or considering alternative supplements and treatments please consult with your medical practitioner first.  We do not claim to “cure” disease, illness or conditions, but to simply provide you with additional information and education nor is any product sold or discussed to be considered to replace your medical treatment, diagnosis, treatment or preventative recommendations.

More Articles On The Effects Of UV Rays and Rosacea
Ultraviolet Light and Rosacea
Study, Sunlight may Affect Blood Vessels of Rosacea Patients

The post Is Sun Exposure Aggravating Your Rosacea Symptoms appeared first on Rosadyn.

News – Enhanced Rosadyn Formula Just Released

Rosadyn’s Team is pleased to announce that our Rosadyn formula has been significantly enhanced as of January 2016.

The new formula is called Rosadyn+. (Rosadyn Plus)

Our Research & Development team has been keeping track of cutting-edge rosacea research and treatment over the years as a myriad of scientific and clinical discoveries detailed exact defects in rosacea skin, blood vessels and the skin’s compromised immune system. This helped shed new light on the underlying pathophysiology and gave us very specific rosacea modulators to target.

Our focus was to improve the effectiveness of Rosadyn by researching selective, clinically-proven nutraceuticals that targeted these newly-identified rosacea pathways.

With this new research we were able to greatly enhance the “Anti-Redness & Anti-Flushing Support^©”, “Clear Skin Complexion Support^©” and “Trigger Reduction Support^©” of the new Rosadyn+ formula with five unique clinical-grade nutraceuticals:

(1) Menaquinone-7 [ K2]
(2) Sulforaphane [New Enzyme-Activated, Enteric-Coated Formula]
(3) Maqui Berry Superfruit Extract
(4) Pomegranate Berry Superfruit Extract
(5) Mangosteen Berry Superfruit Extract.

These five new ingredients are nearly devoid of side effects – just like a sugar pill — and do not have any allergic potential, are actually gentler to the stomach and are extracted with GREEN water distillation purifiers that do not use any alcohols, solvents or separation agents that are harmful to the nutraceutical or the environment. This is an exciting new formula that should have potent anti-rosacea actions on most rosacea sufferers, especially the moderate-to-severe sufferers who have fallen through the medical health care system with few treatment options.

Five New Clinical-Grade Nutraceuticals In The Rosadyn+ Formula

(1)  Menaquinone-7 – this nutraceutical is derived from the Vitamin K family but all of its actions are focused on promoting vascular health and normal vascular responsiveness. This is so effective that it’s being used to help treat vascular dysfunction in cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and inflammatory skin disorders.

• Menaquinone-7 suppresses a key overactive enzyme in the muscle layer of the blood vessel wall that regulates flushing and blushing responses. This greatly reduces the intensity and duration of flushing and blushing responses and in some cases may completely prevent them.
• Menaquinone-7 suppresses inflammation inside the blood vessel wall of rosacea sufferers. This, in turn constricts surface blood vessels to help reduce facial redness and blotchiness.
• Menaquinone-7 greatly reduces the calcification and formation of telangiectasia (permanently dilated, fragile blood vessels) by reducing the influx of excess calcium into the blood vessel wall.

(2)  Sulforaphane [New Enzyme-Activated, Enteric-Coated Formula] – this nutraceutical is special. It is literally one of the best nutraceuticals for rosacea treatment.

We have worked closely with our Sulforaphane manufacturer to monitor this new Sulforaphane formulation. Developing an enzyme-activated version greatly increased the bioavailability of sulforaphane into the blood stream and adding an enteric coating protected the Sulforaphane from damaging acids in the stomach – making this new sulforaphane significantly more bioavailable and bioactive.

These are both extremely important because sulforaphane penetrates into the cell nucleus of blood vessels and skin cells to provide potent anti-inflammatory actions, angiogenesis inhibition and blood vessel healing. This is not your Father’s Sulforaphane!

• Enzyme-activated Sulforaphane is one of the most potent inhibitors of angiogenesis. In clinical studies it can inhibit excess blood vessel growth by 83%. This is important to rosacea sufferers as uncontrolled angiogenesis is one of the core disturbances in rosacea and must be addressed for rosacea sufferers to get better.
• Enzyme-activated Sulforaphane inhibits the production of three key inflammatory substances central to rosacea progression – NF Kappa Beta, Inflammatory Cytokines and Dilator Prostaglandins
• Enzyme-activated Sulforaphane is unique in that it activates “Antioxidant Response Elements (ARE’s) around blood vessels and skin cells in the facial skin. This is important to rosacea treatment as scientific and clinical studies in 2014 & 2015 have shown that rosacea sufferer’s cellular ARE’s are defective and contribute significantly to rosacea symptoms and triggers.

(3)  Maqui Berry Superfruit Extract – this nutraceutical, derived from the pulp of Maqui Berries from the tropical forests of Chile was voted the #1 Superfruit, antioxidant and natural anti-inflammatory in 2015 due to its clinical actions within the human body, especially on inflamed skin, damaged blood vessels and inflamed eyes.

• Maqui Berry is the most potent anti-oxidant ever tested. Out of all the antioxidants currently known to man it is, by far, #1. It scavenges free radicals 400% greater than the popular Acai Superfruit! The key point is that inflammatory free radicals are involved in every rosacea symptom and trigger… and is central to rosacea progression. If free radicals are left unchecked they damage & kill skin cells, greatly increase flushing and blushing intensity and duration and wreak havoc on the protective epidermal layer. Maqui Berry stops this inflammatory process with unique molecules called Delphinols. They scavenge and inactivate all free radicals known to be active in rosacea. This is the single best anti-inflammatory one can use against rosacea as this is a free-radical based disorder of the skin.
• Maqui Berry also restores fragile blood vessels through the use of anthocyandins. These molecules are close cousins to Rosadyn’s pro-anthocyandins Pine Bark Extract and work synergistically to maintain healthy blood vessels and normalize vascular hyper-reactivity.
• Maqui Berry is quite unique as it has been proven to treat various inflammatory eye conditions, much like ocular rosacea. This superfruit increases tear production by up to 50% and greatly increases the quality of the tears and the tear film layer – this is great news for all ocular rosacea sufferers. Maqui Berry also blocks inflammatory cytokines which irritate the ocular surface of rosacea sufferers and is currently the main target for prescription rosacea eye drops. This is a great supplement just for the treatment of ocular rosacea.

(4)  Pomegranate Berry Superfruit Extract – this nutraceutical, derived from the seeds and pulp of tropical Pomegranates is the #2 highest-rated antioxidant studied to date and due to molecules called punicosides is hailed by many Naturopathic Physicians (N.D.) as the perfect anti-acne supplement.

• Punicosides (40% standardized) from Pomegranates help to normalize the skin’s immune system and suppress immune-mediated inflammation. This blocks neutrophils from migrating to the epidermis – which, in turn – reduces the formation of rosacea papules and pustules. It also reduces inflammation in-and-around sebaceous glands which may explain a potential connection to treatment of demodex.
• Pomegranate also helps to clear regular acne due to its effect on blocking hormones that trigger formation of white heads and blackheads around the center of the face and the mouth area where the pore concentration is the largest and most active.
• Recent clinical studies have shown Pomegranates to have significant beneficial actions on damage to the inner lining of blood vessels throughout the entire body. This is excellent news for rosacea sufferers as protecting and reversing inner lining vascular damage is key to stopping the progression of vascular fragility, hyper-reactivity and angiogenesis.

(5)  Mangosteen Berry Superfruit Extract – this nutraceutical, derived from the rind of the tropical Mangosteen berry contains unique molecules – xanthones – that possess some of the most potent and beneficial actions on skin health and complexion.

• Xanthones are almost as strong as Maqui Berries when it comes to anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory actions, but these xanthones are skin-specific. They literally seek out inflamed skin cells by following inflammatory cell adhesion molecules in rosacea skin. This not only leads them to the rosacea outbreaks to treat, but along the way the xanthones clear the cell adhesion molecules which helps break the acne rosacea cycle.
• Mangosteen berry is also proven to speed up skin healing through several other important compounds. In areas of damage or acne breakouts Mangosteen stimulates zinc-, selenium- and sulfur-based healing molecule release from adjacent skin cells. This greatly speeds up the healing process and subsequent clearing of hard-to-treat rosacea papules and pustules. In rosacea biopsies scientist normally find a large number of free radicals inside the papule and pustule inflammatory fluid. The xanthones quench these free radicals and often quench free radicals right as they are formed which inhibits them from having any adverse biological actions on the skin… this important action is also key to clearing rosacea-affected skin.
• Xanthones also play an important role in quelling epidermal inflammation and subsequent acne outbreaks. The rosacea epidermis is often chronically inflamed which leads to the release of a myriad of inflammatory substances onto the dermis and into the pores of the skin. Xanthones have been shown in scientific studies to greatly reduce most forms of epidermal inflammation, and more specifically, Prostaglandin E2 which is one of the strongest acne rosacea triggers. All the above-mentioned actions of Mangosteen Superfruit and their xanthones work in tandem to act as one of the best oral nutraceuticals for rosacea sufferers suffering from acne rosacea and regular acne.

New Rosadyn+ Formula Is Better For All Rosacea Subtypes

When a topical or oral product works for a rosacea sufferer they often get concerned when any changes are made to the formula. Everyone at Rosadyn personally knows this fact. However, we are positive that this new Rosadyn+ formula will help every rosacea sufferer achieve better and faster results. Why?

1. We only removed two ingredients from the original Rosadyn formula – Boswellia Extract and Yellow Sweet Clover Extract.Seven years ago it was thought that certain enzymes such as COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes played a role in rosacea symptoms. That is why we incorporated Boswellia into our original formula – because it is an excellent natural blocker of these two inflammatory enzymes; however, over time, multiple in-depth studies utilizing advanced dermoscopy methods (not available seven years ago) have proven that these two enzymes play absolutely no role in any rosacea subtype or trigger. Thus, removing Boswellia extract has no effect on Rosadyn+.We just follow the science and clinical studies at the time of publication and we are professional enough to make necessary changes when new clinical evidence with state-of-the-art investigative dermatology equipment indicates a nutraceutical does not play any role in rosacea treatment.
2. We added Yellow Sweet Clover (otherwise known as LymphaSelect®) into our original Rosadyn formula because:Rosacea studies showed conclusively that lymphatic vessels in rosacea-affected skin were:
   [a] broken
   [b] did not function properly or
   [c] were overwhelmedThese important vessels are in charge of removing inflammatory substances, immune cells, free radicals, metabolic waste and excess water. If they don’t function properly then most of the inflammation stays in the rosacea-affected skin.

   Thus, this was an important nutraceutical to add seven years ago. However, recent studies on our Eastern White Pine Bark Extract, Enzyme-Activated Sulforaphane, Rutin, Hesperidin, Menaquinone-7 and Pomegranate Berry Superfruit Extract demonstrated that each ingredient was just as effective at normalizing damaged or dysfunctional lymphatic vessels.

   Thus, our Yellow Sweet Clover was overkill and we could now invest that expense in new findings on very specific pathways involved in rosacea pathophysiology and its treatment.

3. The five new ingredients that we added to Rosadyn+ are nearly devoid of side effects – just like a sugar pill — and do not have any allergic potential, are actually more gentle to the stomach and are extracted with GREEN water distillation purifiers that do not use any alcohols, solvents or separation agents that are harmful to the nutraceutical or the environment.

* We do strongly recommend if you currently are undergoing medical treatments for any medical conditions that you seek approval from your medical professional first before taking any supplements, changing lifestyle or dietary changes that may affect your condition or treatments.

The post Rosadyn+ New Enhanced Rosadyn Rosacea Formula Now Available appeared first on Rosadyn.

Article Objective:  Many people with ocular rosacea experience chronic ocular inflammation, irritation, hyper-reactivity and severe dryness which makes it difficult to wear any form of contact lens.    This article will discuss ocular rosacea symptoms, followed by information about laser procedures and their safety for people with ocular rosacea.  The laser procedures include, LASIK Eye Surgery, epiLasik surgery and Lasek surgery are three exciting options for rosacea sufferers with moderate-to-severe ocular rosacea with vision disturbances.   We will review the pros and cons of this surgery and list the potential side effects.  We will also discuss other treatment options for rosacea sufferers with cornea complications.  Finally, we will discuss important pre-operative and post-operative treatments that ocular rosacea sufferers should follow to ensure the best surgical outcome.

Ocular Rosacea

According to a large National Rosacea Survey taken last year more than half of the rosacea sufferers polled had active ocular rosacea symptoms.  The physicians who performed the survey emphasized that this number is probably much higher because many rosacea sufferers do not know the tell-tale signs of ocular rosacea or incorrectly assume they just suffer from allergies, dry-eye syndrome or blurred vision.  Below is a list of the most common ocular rosacea symptoms.

Ocular Rosacea Symptoms:

• Red, blood shot, swollen eye lids
• Red, blood shot looking  eyes
• Blood vessels coursing through the whites of the eyes
• Blurred vision
• Sties
• Red bumps by the eye
• Crusty eye lids.
• Itching, burning,and/or stinging sensations.
• Dry eyes.
• Feeling as if you always have sand in your eye or a “grittiness”.
• Light sensitivity
• Inflammation of the cornea and ‘corneal melting’
• Corneal abrasions and microabrasions
• Retinopathy (inflamed, dilated blood vessels that burst)

Many rosacea sufferers are now looking into LASIK Eye Surgery because the chronic ocular inflammation, irritation, hyper-reactivity and severe dryness make it difficult to wear any form of contact lens.  These rosacea sufferers want to know if LASIK Eye Surgery is safe.  There are many inquiries regarding this surgery on rosacea forums but most of the information supplied is medically inaccurate or fails to warn certain rosacea sufferers, especially those with cornea complications, about possible side effects.  Rosacea sufferers should also be educated on other forms of laser surgeries that may be better options.

What Is LASIK Eye Surgery

LASIK is a surgical procedure that uses a laser to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and/or astigmatism. In LASIK, a thin flap in the cornea is created using either a microkeratome blade or a femtosecond laser. The surgeon folds back the flap, then removes some corneal tissue underneath using an excimer laser. The flap is then laid back in place, covering the area where the corneal tissue was removed.

With nearsighted people, the goal of LASIK is to flatten the too-steep cornea; with farsighted people, a steeper cornea is desired. LASIK can also correct astigmatism by smoothing an irregular cornea into a more normal shape.

If you are considering LASIK eye surgery, your first step is to choose a good LASIK surgeon who can evaluate whether LASIK is right for you. Your LASIK surgeon will examine your eyes to determine their health, what kind of vision correction you need, and how much laser ablation (corneal tissue removal) is required. The doctor will also ask about any health conditions that may disqualify you altogether for LASIK surgery.

If you are not a candidate for LASIK, you may qualify for another laser eye surgery such as PRK (similar to LASIK but without the flap), LASEK, or epi-LASIK. There are also non-laser vision correction procedures. Your prescription and eye structure will be considered to help determine which procedure is best for you.

LASIK is an outpatient procedure, so you don’t have to stay at the surgery center overnight. The LASIK surgeon uses a computer to adjust the laser for your particular prescription. You will be asked to look at a target light for a short time while the laser sends pulses of light to painlessly reshape your cornea. The actual LASIK surgery usually takes less than five minutes

Benefits of LASIK Eye Surgery:

• It works in almost all cases. It corrects vision. Around 96% of patients will have their desired vision after LASIK. An enhancement can further increase this number.
• LASIK is associated with very little pain due to the numbing drops that are used.
• Vision is corrected nearly immediately or by the day after LASIK.
• No bandages or stitches are required after LASIK.
• Adjustments can be made years after LASIK to further correct vision if vision changes while you age.
• After having LASIK, most patients have a dramatic reduction in eyeglass or contact lens dependence and many patients no longer need them at all.

Potential Side Effects of LASIK Eye Surgery (please note that these are rare):

• Changes made to the cornea cannot be reversed after LASIK.
• LASIK is technically complex. Problems may occur when the doctor creates the flap, which can permanently affect vision.
• LASIK can rarely cause a loss of “best” vision. Your best vision is the highest degree of vision that you achieved while wearing your contacts or eyeglasses.
• Glare
• Seeing halos around images
• Difficulty driving at night
• Fluctuating vision
• Dry eyes which can be treated with prescription eye drops

Is LASIK Eye Surgery Safe For Ocular Rosacea Sufferers?

LASIK Surgery is a safe option for most ocular rosacea sufferers and has a safety record of nearly 15 years with very few side effects reported by rosacea sufferers.  The two primary side effects that might worsen after surgery include dryness of the eye and inflammation of the eye surface.  These are usually low-grade and transient but can be treated successfully with prescription eye drops such as Restasis and oral doxycycline.  LASIK eye surgery is an excellent option for rosacea sufferers looking to restore their vision and put away their contact lenses.

It should be emphasized that rosacea sufferers with thin corneas, corneal abrasions or corneal melting may not be candidates for LASIK surgery.

If this is the case they still may have other surgical options such as PRK (similar to LASIK but without the flap), LASEK, or epi-LASIK.  If you fall into this category it would be wise to consult with a corneal specialist in addition to your ophthalmologist to gather as much information on the treatment options best suited for your case and a list of potential side effects for each surgical option.

Preparation for LASIK Surgery:

Before LASIK eye surgery, you will meet with a coordinator or eye surgeon who will discuss what to expect during and after the procedure. During this session, your medical history will be evaluated and your eyes will be fully examined. Likely initial tests include measuring corneal thickness, refraction, corneal mapping, air pressure, and pupil dilation. Once you have gone through the initial evaluation, you will meet the surgeon, who will answer any questions you may have. Afterwards, you can schedule an appointment for the procedure.

Comment Section:

Do you have ocular rosacea with vision problems?  If so, do you have difficulty wearing contact lenses due to irritation?  Have you tried LASIK Eye Surgery, and if so, what were your results?

Thank you for your important feedback and wishing you a rosacea-free future!

Health Disclaimer:  Informational article above not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If you have or think that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider. Before adding in or considering alternative supplements and treatments please consult with your medical practitioner first.  We do not claim to “cure” disease, illness or conditions, but to simply provide you with additional information and education nor is any product sold or discussed to be considered to replace your medical treatment, diagnosis, treatment or preventative recommendations.

The post Treatment Options for Ocular Rosacea with Vision Loss appeared first on Rosadyn.

Article Objective:  Ocular rosacea can be a distressing condition because the chronic ocular inflammation, irritation, hyper-reactivity, blurred vision and severe dryness can interfere with work, daily activities, social activities and relationships.  Many of the prescription and over-the-counter treatments for this disorder fall short of expectations because they only focus on one or two underlying disturbances.  Our new Rosadyn+ formula is unique in that it was developed to target all five causes of ocular rosacea: (1) Lacrimal Gland Inflammation, (2) Eyelid Inflammation, (3) Goblet Cell Damage, (4) Fragile Ocular Surface Blood Vessels and (5) Uncontrolled Overgrowth of Ocular Surface Blood Vessels.  By normalizing all three layers of the tear film that protects and soothes the eyes, blocking and removing pro-inflammatory substances on the eye surface, and repairing broken blood vessels and blocking uncontrolled blood vessel growth, Rosadyn+ is the most comprehensive ocular rosacea treatment on the market.  The specially-selected, pharmaceutical-grade nutraceuticals incorporated in the new Rosadyn+ formula have been shown in scientific and clinical studies to have potent anti-inflammatory and healing actions on inflamed ocular surfaces, eyelids, blood vessels, tear film layers and the two very important glands that are central to ocular rosacea pathophysiology –Lacrimal glands (which produce tears)  and Meibomian glands in the eyelids (which produce oil).  This article will also show the selectivity of ingredients for the eye area due to their unique ability to track down and bind to inflammatory substances on the ocular surface and eyelids.

Ocular Rosacea

According to a large National Rosacea Survey taken last year more than half of the rosacea sufferers polled had active ocular rosacea symptoms.  The physicians who performed the survey emphasized that this number is probably much higher because many rosacea sufferers do not know the tell-tale signs of ocular rosacea or incorrectly assume they just suffer from allergies, dry-eye syndrome or blurred vision.  Without the correct treatment ocular rosacea usually worsens over time, making a proper diagnosis critical to treatment.  Below is a list of the most common ocular rosacea symptoms.

Ocular Rosacea Symptoms

• Red, blood shot, swollen eye lids
• Red, blood shot looking  eyes
• Blood vessels coursing through the whites of the eyes
• Blurred vision
• Sties
• Red bumps by the eye
• Crusty eye lids.
• Itching, burning,and/or stinging sensations.
• Dry eyes.
• Feeling as if you always have sand in your eye or a “grittiness”.
• Light sensitivity
• Inflammation of the cornea and ‘corneal melting’
• Corneal abrasions and microabrasions
• Retinopathy (inflamed, dilated blood vessels that burst)

Rosadyn+ Targets and Treats All Three Layers of the Tear Film Layer

Our tear film is made up of three layers – an outer oil (lipid) layer, a middle water (aqueous) layer and a mucous layer that lays directly on the ocular surface. These three layers work together to help maintain the overall health of our eyes and vision… and ward off infection and inflammation. Each time we blink, a protective coating of tears is spread like a film over the surface of our eye. If any layer is inflamed or dysfunctional, ocular rosacea symptoms may develop or worsen.

The tear film serves five important purposes:

The Function of All Three Layers of Tear Film

Rosadyn+ Treats Eyelids and Meibomian Gland Inflammation — Restoring Healthy Oil Production

Meibomian glands are glands that are arranged vertically within the eyelid near the lashes. The force of an eyelid blink causes oil to be excreted onto the surface of the eye. The oil is the “staying power” of the tears that helps prevent rapid tear evaporation. There are approximately 50 glands on the upper eyelids and 25 glands on the lower eyelids. In a patient with Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) — which is very common in ocular rosacea — vision and eye health is affected because there is a lack of oil secretion or the oil is released with inflammatory molecules.

 MGD, also termed posterior blepharitis, is the most common form of lid margin disease. In the early stages, patients are often asymptomatic, but if left unmanaged, MGD can cause or exacerbate dry eye symptoms, ocular irritation and eyelid inflammation. The oil glands become blocked with thickened secretions. Chronically clogged glands eventually become unable to secrete oil which results in permanent changes in the tear film and dry eyes.

[1]  Mangosteen Berry Superfruit Extract — this potent antioxidant has been shown to thin meibomian oil, reverse oxidation of oil that may cause oil flow to cease and inactivate inflammatory substances like cytokines and free radicals that inflame the eyelids (blepharitis) and the ocular surface.

[2]  Mediterranean Olive Fruit Extract — this superfruit contains several types of lipids that mimic meibomian oil.  These lipids stimulate the production of healthy oil and increases the flow of oil onto the ocular surface which is one of the most beneficial actions of Rosadyn+ on ocular rosacea.

[3]  OptiZinc — this special form of amino acid-chelated zinc activates dozens of anti-inflammatory proteins in the meibomian glands, the eyelids and on the eye surface.  This has a profound affect on oil health and production.

[4]  Sulforaphane (Enzyme-Activated, Enteric Coated) — this nutraceutical penetrates deep into the meibomian glands and helps to reduce inflammation, hardened sebum, and block the production of dangerous inflammatory molecules.

Rosadyn+ Treats Inflamed Lacrimal Glands — Increasing the Production of Healthy, Inflammatory-Free Tears

[1]  Maqui Berry Superfruit Extract — this nutraceutical extract is an eye’s best friend.  This superfruit enters the Lacrimal gland, incorporates itself into inflamed Lacrimal cells  — increasing tear production by up to 50% and blocking the production of inflammatory cytokines and free radicals that wreak havoc on the eye surface.

Rosadyn+ Treats Inflamed, Dysfunctional Goblet Cells — Restoring the Production of Healthy Mucous on the Ocular Surface

[1]  Pomegranate Berry Superfruit — this nutraceutical scavenges inflammatory molecules on the surface of the eyes and helps protect and repair dysfunctional or damaged goblet cells.  The mucous layer stabilizes all three tear film layer, thus it is critical that Goblet cells are healthy and functional.

[2]  Maqui Berry Superfruit — works synergistically with our Pomegranate nutraceutical to create a healthy ocular surface and quell most forms of inflammation.

[3]  OptiZinc — this nutraceutical activates several key repair enzymes and peptides on the eye surface that actively fix Goblet cells and increase healthy mucous production.

Rosadyn+ Treats Fragile, Telangiectatic Blood Vessels on the Ocular Surface — Reducing Surface Inflammation and the ‘Bloodshot’ Look

[1]  Menaquinone-7 — this potent nutraceutical actively repairs the walls of fragile blood vessels and actively closes the pores of dysfunctional vessels.  Menaquninone-7 also turns off a dysfunctional enzyme that allows too much calcium into the wall of blood vessels — greatly reducing telangiectasia.

[2]  Eastern White Pine Bark Extract —  this nutraceutical activates multiple repair enzymes throughout each layer of damaged blood vessel walls and can effectively reverse dying blood vessels that are on the verge of breaking.  This does such an exceptional job that eye drops have started incorporating the Eastern White Pine Bark extract to repair ocular surface blood vessels and treat blood shot eyes.

Rosadyn+ Suppresses Uncontrolled Overgrowth of Ocular Surface Blood Vessels (Angiogenesis) — Reducing Surface Inflammation and the ‘Bloodshot’ Look

[1]  Sulforaphane (Enzyme-Activated, Enteric Coated) — this nutraceutical is the most potent blocker of uncontrolled blood vessel growth on the market.  It inhibits all four stages of angiogenesis.  Sulforaphane can also trigger a cascade of enzymatic reactions that break down and remove newly developed blood vessels that are diseased or defective.

[2]  Eastern White Pine Bark Extract —  this nutraceutical not only repairs damaged blood vessels, but it is one of the most potent blockers of angiogenesis.  Angiogenesis is one of the core causes of rosacea symptoms and triggers in the eyes and on the face, so suppression of this vascular disorder is key to clearance.

Summary

Our new Rosadyn+ formula is unique in that it was developed to target all five causes of ocular rosacea: (1) Lacrimal Gland Inflammation, (2) Eyelid Inflammation, (3) Goblet Cell Damage, (4) Fragile Ocular Surface Blood Vessels and (5) Uncontrolled Overgrowth of Ocular Surface Blood Vessels.  By normalizing all three layers of the tear film that protects and soothes the eyes, blocking and removing pro-inflammatory substances on the eye surface, and repairing broken blood vessels and blocking uncontrolled blood vessel growth, Rosadyn+ is the most comprehensive ocular rosacea treatment on the market.

* We do strongly recommend if you currently are undergoing medical treatments for any medical conditions that you seek approval from your medical professional first before taking any supplements, changing lifestyle or dietary changes that may affect your condition or treatments.

The post New Rosadyn+ Formula Ideal for Ocular Rosacea Treatment appeared first on Rosadyn.

Dry Skin Pathology And Its Effect On Rosacea

Under normal conditions skin cells throughout the facial skin utilize high amounts of water to grow, form a strong cellular matrix, maintain a healthy cell membrane, stimulate the production of anti-inflammatory substances and create a healthy, thick, strong protective outer barrier of skin known as the epidermis.  Yes, proper concentrations of water in the skin is that important; this makes sense as facial skin is basically 70% water, 28% proteins and 2% lipids.

The three main inflammatory skin disorders affected by moderate-to-severe dry skin are rosacea, eczema and psoriasis.  “Dry Skin Syndrome” in these disorders can greatly exacerbate the underlying skin disorder, worsen symptom severity and increase the intensity of skin flares.  Chronic inflammation from these skin disorders can disrupt water concentration in the skin and cause cells to dehydrate, malfunction and even result in widespread cell death.  Below is a more extensive list of the clinical findings and side effects that can occur under these conditions:

Side Effects of Severe Dry Skin caused by Inflammatory Skin Disorders:

• Thins the epidermis – the outer barrier of skin responsible for protecting the facial skin can thin dramatically without proper levels of water inside each cell
• Stimulates the release of inflammatory substances that cause inflammation in the epidermis and dermis – feeding the vicious inflammatory cycle of rosacea
• Causes blood vessels to dilate and flush in order to try to bring extra water to the affected areas if dryness – obviously quite bad for rosacea and a strong stimulant for chronic facial redness
• Dry skin cells release inflammatory proteins that cause or exacerbate uncomfortable skin sensations often experienced by rosacea sufferers such as burning, stinging and itching
• Makes rosacea-affected skin ultra-sensitive to skin care products, cosmetics and outdoor extremes
• The dry skin disorder makes rosacea much harder to treat due to the cellular dysfunction caused by excessive water loss — water loss and cellular water content must be normalized to successfully treat rosacea

Regular Moisturizers Largely Ineffective on Dry Rosacea-Sensitive Skin

There are two primary reasons why facial moisturizers are ineffective  treatment for most rosacea sufferers:

1. Facial moisturizers, even those developed for “the most sensitive skin” are often ineffective because rosacea skin is often extremely hyper-reactive to most topical creams, serums and gels. Additionally, ingredients in many moisturizers can actually make your skin drier, interfering with the barrier on your skin that prevents moisture from dissipating; Emulsifiers, binding agents and penetration enhancers that allow oil and water to mix in moisturizers and lotions, leave a residue on the skin that disrupts your skin’s lipid barrier, allowing water to evaporate from the skin faster.  So, rosacea sufferers often get a fast shot of moisture that quickly fades. On top of this, most just reach for more lotion throughout the day — and the more lotion you use — the drier your skin gets — and the cycle just continues.  In fact, dermatologists specializing in this research suggest that a large percentage of rosacea sufferers may have moderate-to-severe dry skin due to the lotions they are testing and not the underlying disorder.
2. Facial moisturizers, even the expensive high-end moisturizers are minimally effective at combatting moderate-to-severe moisture loss experienced in inflammatory skin disorders such as rosacea, eczema and psoriasis where water levels can dip well below half their normal range.  Moisturizers also rarely penetrate deeper than the epidermis, even though the dermal layer below is in dire need of moisture.  These moisturizers were simply not made to treat dry skin on top of inflammatory skin disorders

Next-Generation Water Droplet Humidifiers Very Effective For Deep Moisturization

One of the most effective ways to moisturize dry rosacea skin according to the American Academy of Dermatology is to invest in a high-quality humidifier.

Experts in this field recommend using a high-end humidifier in your bedroom every night to get 6 to 8 hours of continual irritant-free moisturization from the new droplet dispersing humidifiers now available.  These humidifiers not only moisturize and reverse severe dry skin and inflammation in the outer epidermal lining but throughout the night they penetrate into the dermis which can make a significant difference in the duration and severity of rosacea symptoms and triggers – and greatly reduce skin hypersensitivity to harsh outdoor environments.

These next-generation humidifiers not only disperse air droplets (micro-droplets that penetrate the skin easily) throughout the entire room during the night for continuous deep moisturization, but they now have monitors that continually measure the room’s humidity level and temperature to make sure the moisture released from the humidifier is in the perfect range.  Just as important, they now utilize cutting-edge technology that eradicates 99.9% of bacteria, fungi and micro-organisms, ensuring that your facial skin gets pristine water hydration and your bedroom remains in its ideal, unadultered state.

Below are some examples of the new humidifiers and their benefits:

1. Taking its cues from the American Academy of Dermatology clinical studies and presentations on the importance of humidifiers for the treatment of Dry Skin Sydrome, Dyson,  just developed an innovative humidifier to treat severe dry skin associated with inflammatory skin disorders.  In fact, the description of the device, released on October 20, 2014, says it all, “Dyson Launches Humidifier to Combat Eczema and Psoriasis”.   (available  in the fall of 2015)This humidifier treats a large size room for up to 18 hours and has incorporated a patented UV light into the device to kill 99.9% of bacteria and fungi.  Interestingly, this new technology ensures the finest mist and the best skin hydration through the use of a piezoelectric transducer in the base of the machine, vibrating up to 1.7 million times a second, breaking the water down into microscopic particles, which are drawn up through the loop amplifier and projected through the air of the entire room.
   • Hygienic humidification though “ultraviolet cleanse technology” that cand kill up to 99.9% of bacteria in the tank.
   • Even room coverage that disperses evenly throughout a 16m2 room
   • Accurate Climate Control.  The Dyson humidifier measures temperature and humidity and adjusts accordingly to create a comfortable environment that is healthy for you and your room. So there’s no over humidification.
2.  Stadler Form William humidifier ($239.99)are one of the top next-generation humidifiers on the market due to their high-efficiency, germ-free mist dispersal
   • Covers large rooms up to 1,000 square feet
   • Ionic Silver Cube, inhibiting the growth of mold bacteria in tank with capacity of 1.5 gallons.
   • 3 Output Levels including warm and cool mist.
3. Winix FreshHome Air Washers AW107 Humidifier ($329.99)is at the top of its class with its ability to humidify a  room in a moisture perfect range and combine that with Freshome’s patented Air Purifier for a superb two-in-one device
   • 3 speeds with digital control panel, Sleep mode, and Auto mode
   • Low water indicator to let you know its time to refill
   • PlasmaWave Technology eliminates viruses and bacteria
   • Ideal for spaces up to 600 square feet

Hyaluronic Acid – The Second Key To Successful Hydration Therapy For Dry Rosacea Skin Types

Hyaluronic acid (Sodium Haluronate, HA) is a polysaccharide found naturally in the human body. It not only helps cushion and lubricate joints, but is also a major component of skin tissue.

The skin holds almost fifty percent of your body’s hyaluronic acid in the skin.  Hyaluronic Acid Serums not only moisture and strengthen skin, they also help heal skin, comfort skin and have strong anti-irritant and anti-inflammatory actions. These serums are a top choice for all rosacea sufferers.  Hyaluronic Acid Serums also prevent fine lines and wrinkles for those with aesthetics on their mind.    Hyaluronic acid is viscous but absorbs into the skin without any residue, making it a popular ingredient in serums – no more taut skin or irritation from well-meaning treatment serums!

As we age hyaluronic acid levels and skin moisture drop significantly.

Although part of aging this decrease in moisture and hyaluronic acid levels  makes the skin more prone to chronic dryness, inflammation — and if you have an  inflammatory skin disorder–  makes you more prone to advancing into the more severe stages of the skin disorder.  Hyaluronic acid plays a critical role in skin health with its unique ability to quell inflammation, heal individual skin cells, rebuild the epidermis and hold in an amazing amount of moisture (1,000 times its weight!).

Hyaluronic acid is also a “smart nutrient” as it can adjust its moisture absorption rate based on the humidity—relative to the season and the climate.

Hyaluronic acid not only moisturizes and protects the epidermis, but it penetrates into the dermis where dry skin is usually untreatable.  This is very important because a large portion of the water micro-particles from the humidifier bind to hyaluronic acid and are delivered to the epidermis and deeper layers in the dermis for superb moisturization, anti-inflammatory actions, healing actions, and normalization of the cellular membranes which are made up of over 75% water and do not function properly and even die when they dehydrate.

Below are some excellent hyaluronic acid serums suitable for the most sensitive rosacea skin:

1. 100% Pure Hyaluronic Acid (Organic and Vegan) by  Passport to Organics($28.99) -Strongest HA concentration in the industry.
   • Paraben-free, oil-free, no dyes, no fragrances, no alcohol
   • Made in the USA in a USDA registered facility
   • Aloe juice base to moisturize and calm skin

    

    

2.  Hyaluronic Acid Serum – 100% Pure – Vegan – 2oz-Cosmedica Skincare– ($14.95)Cosmedica Hyaluronic Acid Serum is made with 100% pure and stable hyaluronic acid at the highest concentration available on the market today to ensure you get maximum results.  3 simple irritant-free ingredients perfectly suitable for rosacea sufferers.

   Vegan, Paraben-free, oil-free, no dyes, no fragrances or fillers.

    

The post Humidifier With Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizing Treatment For Dry Rosacea Skin appeared first on Rosadyn.

Most rosacea sufferers battle triggers on a daily basis.  Avoidance is usually the best approach.  If you don’t avoid triggers or simply try to battle through them it usually leads to facial flares — i.e. increased facial redness, facial flushing, acne rosacea and burning skin sensations.  There are many rosacea trigger lists available online and at your physician’s office, but often times they only list the obvious triggers: sun, heat, spicy food, exercise, food allergies, etc.

The problem with most lists is that they leave out dozens of common triggers that general physicians are not usually aware of and online lists don’t even detail.  It’s important that  rosacea sufferers be aware of important triggers that are complex in nature or simply overlooked as a part of the rosacea disease process.  We’ve put together a list of five very common triggers that you rarely find on any list and incorporate recommendations on avoidance or treatment.  We hope you find this helpful.

Potential Rosacea Flare Triggers

(1)  Salon and Over-the-Counter Hair Dyes:  Many female rosacea sufferers dye their hair with synthetic dyes even though they can cause severe skin reactions on the forehead, temple area and nose.  To complicate matters, synthetic hair dyes can take a few days to a week to trigger a rosacea flare because the scalp skin slowly absorbs these dyes and enters the blood stream.  While there are many synthetic chemicals in hair dyes, the most problematic chemical for rosacea sufferers is p-phenylenediamine.  P-phenylenediamine is a strong irritant and is easily absorbed into the skin and scalp blood stream.

Recommendation:  Only use all-organic hair dyes with no synthetic chemicals and go to a salon that specializes in the application of these types of hair dyes so that most of the dye stays clear of direct contact with the skin.  It may cost a little bit more but your rosacea will thank you.

(2)  Hair Bleach:  It’s summer time again.  Many females prefer a lighter hair color and the most common way to do this is to bleach your hair.  It works… but, it’s one of the strongest irritants to your scalp skin and superficial blood vessels.  Most rosacea sufferers should stay away from hair bleach because it is a very strong rosacea trigger.  Even if you just lighten the tips of your hair, the hydrogen peroxide in the hair bleach slowly travels to the hair follicle and directly into the skin.

Recommendation:  Once again, we recommend visiting an all-organic salon if you want to lighten your hair up to four shades.  It can be done and maintained with professional help.  One of the most effective ways to lighten your hair is centered around the use of concentrated chamomile tea… but, please discuss this with a salon expert first.

(3)  Facial Hair Lightening Agents:  It’s a very common practice to lighten or bleach facial hair, especially above the lip area.  However, bleach and many other “hair lighteners” are very caustic to the skin and often cause acne rosacea breakouts in the mouth area and chin (perioral) or a trigger a breakout of perioral dermatitis.   Female rosacea sufferers should all avoid bleaching facial hair because it is such a strong trigger.

Recommendation:  Instead of constantly lightening hair, why not permanently get rid of the unwanted facial hair?  Female rosacea sufferers have two options.  First, laser hair removal has been shown to be quite effective in permanently removing facial hair, especially above the lip area and around the chin.  Second, females can now treat the hair directly with a prescription cream called Vaniqua.  This cream is generally well-tolerated by sensitive skin types and is a viable option for most female rosacea sufferers.

(4)  Lipstick and Lip Moisturizers:  This is the most under-rated female rosacea trigger on the list.  Most females mistakenly believe that lipstick and lip moisturizers have no effect on their rosacea; however, the use of these products can often lead to chronic outbreaks of acne rosacea, facial redness and burning sensations around the mouth and chin area.  The lips are a highly vascularized tissue — combine that with the fact that most lipsticks and lip moisturizers contain irritating chemical sunscreens and numerous chemical irritants — and you have the recipe for a very powerful, unrecognized rosacea trigger.

Recommendation:  Once again, the synthetic chemicals in these products are the main culprits.  One visit to your Dermatologist or a Naturopathic Physician can help educate you on the proper choice of a lipstick and lip moisturizer.  Most physicians will recommend all-organic products without chemical sunscreens and only a handful of hypoallergenic ingredients.

(5)  Oil-Based Makeup Removers:  Many new “light-oil-based” liquid makeup removers and micellular water (with alcohol and oil) are now being sold in skin care aisles of grocery stores and pharmacies.  All of these products are reportedly developed for “sensitive skin types”.  This could not be farther from the truth.  These new generation makeup removers often trigger acne rosacea breakouts and facial redness.  These flares can last for days. Be very careful with these types of makeup removers.

Recommendation:  The best approach to safe removal of makeup is to simply use your gentle facial cleanser.  In some cases you may need to cleanse your face a little longer or use pure 100% cotton balls or squares (pre-soaked in lukewarm water) to gently remove thick, resistant make up.   Remember that with rosacea, less is always better.

The post Five Cosmetic Products Often Overlooked- Potential Rosacea Triggers appeared first on Rosadyn.

La Roche Posay Anthelios 50 Mineral Sunblock

This new fluid-based sunblock contains 11% micronized zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.  This high concentration absorbs instantly into the skin due to the next-generation fluid technology, forms an invisible barrier that helps hide facial redness and skin imperfections with its matte finish.  At this concentration, micronized zinc oxide and titanium dioxide reflect UV rays and external heat, helping to keep the skin significantly cooler outdoors — helping to reducing facial flushing.

Advanced 100% Mineral sunscreen + antioxidant protection in revolutionary ultra-light fluid-based texture.

• Incorporated with potent Cell-Ox Shield™ antioxidant technology which helps to protect rosacea sensitive skin and doubles as an anti-aging cocktail
• Physical sun filters at different particle sizes for improved protection and texture
• Non-whitening, fast absorbing, weightless texture, matte finish
• Reduces signs of facial redness, acne rosacea, broken blood vessels and skin imperfections
• Micronized zinc oxide and antioxidant technology calms and soothes hyper-reactive rosacea skin
• Developed specifically for highly sensitive skin such as rosacea, psoriasis, eczema and atopic skin
• Water resistant formula
• Free of preservatives, dyes, nitrates, alcohols and other common irritants

Active Ingredients

Micronized Zinc Oxide 5% (Mineral Sunblock) • Micronized Titanium Dioxide 6% (Mineral Sunblock)

Inactive ingredients

Undecane • triethylhexanoin • isohexadecane • nylon-12 • caprylyl methicone • butyloctyl salicylate • phenethyl benzoate • styrene/acrylates copolymer • silica • tridecane • dicaprylyl carbonate • dicaprylyl ether • talc • dimethicone/PEG-10/15 crosspolymer • aluminum stearate • pentylene glycol • PEG-9 olydimethylsiloxyethyl dimethicone • alumina • polyhydroxystearic acid • phenoxyethanol • magnesium sulfate • propylene glycol • caprylyl glycol • PEG-8 laurate • disteardimonium hectorite • triethoxycaprylylsilane • diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate • tocopherol • propylene carbonate • cassia alata leaf extract • maltodextrin • benzoic acid • PEG-9

The post New “Fluid” Technology in Sunblock Ideal for Rosacea Suncare appeared first on Rosadyn.

Sonic Facial Cleansing Brushes for Women and Men

One of the top-selling skin care products over the last five years has been the facial cleansing brushes:

• Spin brushes with soft bristles
• Sonic brushes that vibrate instead of spin
• A combination of spin and sonic technology for the best of both worlds

The benefits of these brushes to non-rosacea skin are many fold:

• They cleanse the facial skin deeply
• They exfoliate dead skin cells much like a visit to the spa.  Exfoliation brings new, healthy, pink cells to the top
• This exfoliation stimulates division of new cells deep in the epidermis which thickens skin
• The “trauma” by the brush increases synthesis of collagen and elastin AND increases the growth of new blood vessels close to the surface of the skin
• They help treat acne by clearing the pores of sebum, bacteria and fungi
• They help reduce pore size by removing dead sebum and keratin from the pore canal and sebaceous glands
• They reduce the over-production of oil often found in the T-Zone of the face
• They remove dry plaques and superficial blemishes over time
• They reduce the appearance of wrinkles by increasing the thickness of the epidermis
• They have an anti-aging action due to their semi-aggressive exfoliation and cell renewal synthesis

These facial cleansing brushes are made for men and women. 

For Men:

• These sonic spin brushes are often used pre-shaving to remove dead skin cells that cling on to facial hair.  This results in a closer shave and allows the hairs to stand up for better clearance.
• They are also used to apply the shaving foam as the “spin” or “oscillation” improves lathering significantly
• These brushes are also used to soften course areas of facial skin due to harsh environmental elements like sun, wind, cold and heat
• The brushes also diminish the appearance of forehead wrinkles through exfoliation and increased blood flow that plumps the skin cells
• The sonic brushes are excellent for the hair line as they increase blood flow to the frontal hair line and temple areas, remove dead skin cells that may weigh down the hair follicle and enhance the anchoring of the hair which decreases hair loss
• The dual spin and sonic brushes are effective at removing superficial imperfections and color discolorations over time

For Women:

• Sonic spin brushes are superb for removing water-proof foundation, makeup, sunscreen and other hard to remove topicals.  Regular washing rarely gets the face squeaky clean like these specialize cleansing brushes
• The sonic brushes remove the top layer of the epidermis resulting in formation of new cells and a healthy radiant glow… the glow and color that most women look for.    This also enhances the absorption of moisturizers and anti-aging treatments.
• Sonic brushes reduce pore size, pock marks, white head and black head formation
• Sonic brushes on high speed reduce the appearance of fine wrinkles across the face
• Sonic brushes push cleansers and anti-aging ingredients deep into the skin by temporarily breaking up the epidermis

The Dangers of Using Sonic Cleansing Brushes on Rosacea Skin

While there is no doubt that these sonic facial cleansing brushes are excellent for non-rosacea skin, it cannot be over-stated how dangerous these can be on rosacea skin and those with pre-rosacea tendencies such as familial rosacea, frequent flushing and blushing, and hyper-reactive skin.  Everything that makes sonic brushes exceptional for regular skin lie at the heart of how these brushes can cause irreversible harm to rosacea sufferers.

Rosacea Sufferers – Buyer Beware:

• Exfoliation: Sonic facial brushes are strong exfoliators.  This is problematic for rosacea sufferers because exfoliation of abnormally thin rosacea skin results in even thinner skin and provokes an inflammatory response.  This also tears micro-holes in the epidermis that allow many different forms of environmental insults to reach sensitive rosacea blood vessels and nerves.  Unlike normal skin, this does not trigger enhanced growth and thicker skin.  Rosacea skin may take days or even weeks to recover from one or two exfoliations.
• Increased Blood Flow:  Sonic brushes are known for their ability to induce a day long “healthy-flush” in non-rosacea sufferers because it triggers blood flow in the superficial layers of the skin.  While non-rosacea sufferers love this healthy glow, this is dangerous to rosacea sufferers because this increase in blood flow usually triggers a strong, long-lasting rosacea flare.  Even the most gentle bristle tips on sonic spin brushes and the slowest speed will induce a vascular flush in most rosacea sufferers.
• Stimulates Growth of Many New Blood Vessels:  Uncontrolled growth of new blood vessels lies at the heart of rosacea pathogenesis.  Thus, stimulation of even more blood vessels not only cause flares, but it can cause progression to more severe stages of rosacea.
• Aging Effect on Skin:  These same brushes age the skin in rosacea sufferers because they activate inflammatory enzymes that actually break down collagen and elastin instead of renewing them and building them up like they do in normal skin.
• Actions on Sensory Nerves:  These sonic brushes irritate sensory “burning nerves” and “itching nerves” located in the surface of the epidermis.  These uncomfortable sensations can last from a few hours to all day long.  This can be quite painful — mimicking a bad sunburn — this is not the way you want to spend your day!

Comment Section – Please Contribute

Comments, feedback and online discussions below in the Comment Box help other rosacea sufferers understand their rosacea better and an informed rosacea sufferer usually finds more effective treatments… and in doing so, they may add a comment that helps you just as much.  Please contribute.

1. Have you ever used a Sonic brush, spin brush or hybrid sonic-spin brush?  If so, what was your reaction?
2. Can you use a Sonic brush once a week like a facial to deep cleanse or does that trigger a long-lasting flare?
3. For those who have had success with Sonic brushes, what brush was the gentlest and most effective?  Did you use anything else to help reduce trauma to your skin?

Thank you,

Team Rosadyn

The post Popular Treatments that Harm Rosacea Skin: Sonic Facial Cleansing Brushes appeared first on Rosadyn.

Fractional Resurfacing Lasers on Non-Rosacea Skin

Laser skin resurfacing has been called the anti-aging breakthrough of the 21st Century.  New technology has greatly reduced the side effects that normally accompany skin resurfacing. The term fractional CO2 laser resurfacing actually refers to two different types of laser skin resurfacing procedures, ablative and non-ablative. Both treatments are highly effective anti-aging procedures, and they can be used to correct mild to severe skin problems ranging from dark spots to deep wrinkles. Using the latest laser technologies and applications, ablative and non-ablative skin resurfacing can deliver dramatic results.

Ablative fractional skin resurfacing, also known as fractionated or pixilated carbon dioxide (CO2) laser skin resurfacing systems, deliver the most dramatic results but require significant downtime for recovery. Non-ablative fractional skin resurfacing lasers like the Fraxel deliver gentler, milder results and require minimal downtime, you can expect to be pink and puffy for approximately 4-5 days but you can wear makeup after 24 hours and resume normal activities. Although ablative and non-ablative procedures all involve laser skin resurfacing, the procedures are performed differently and they produce different results.

Non-ablative fractional skin resurfacing goes deep into the epidermis of the skin and stimulates the production of collagen, a protein that’s found in connective tissue. Collagen causes the skin to plump up, and as it does, the collagen fills in wrinkles and lines. The result is firmer, smoother, suppler and younger-looking skin. Because non-ablative skin resurfacing is performed within the skin rather than on its surface, there is minimal discomfort and no downtime.

Over time, as collagen in the skin is destroyed by aging, sun damage and pollution, the skin takes on a loose, saggy and blotchy appearance. Non-ablative Fraxel laser resurfacing uses light energy to create tiny pinpricks deep in the skin that ramp up collagen production. Unlike traditional fractional CO2 lasers, Fraxel lasers can accomplish their work without damaging the outermost layers of the skin. If your wrinkles are mild to moderate, Fraxel non-ablative laser treatments can give you a younger-looking face with minimal discomfort.

Although the fractional CO2 laser works best for acne scars, deep lines and wrinkles, the non-ablative Fraxel laser treatment is a great option for anyone whose fine lines and wrinkles are not deep. Non-ablative skin resurfacing is also an excellent treatment for dark spots, sun spots and skin discolorations; it penetrates the skin and causes these spots to rise to the surface so they can be removed.

The Dangers of Using Resurfacing Lasers on Rosacea Skin

While there is no doubt that fractional lasers are excellent for non-rosacea skin, it cannot be over-stated how dangerous these can be on rosacea skin and those with pre-rosacea tendencies such as familial rosacea, frequent flushing and blushing, and hyper-reactive skin.  Everything that makes fractional lasers exceptional for regular skin lie at the heart of how these lasers can cause irreversible harm to rosacea sufferers. Just as important, 9 out of 10 physicians will perform these ablative procedures on rosacea sufferers… without a second thought.

Rosacea Sufferers Must Avoid these Treatments:

• Permanent Skin Damage: Even the gentlest fractional laser can cause permanent scarring on rosacea skin.  Resurfacing lasers can activate fibroblasts which cause hardening of inflamed skin cells — a common response in rosacea sufferers and the complete opposite of the intended effect. This trauma often leaves the epidermis permanently thinner and breaks down this protective barrier permanently.  In many cases, these side effects are permanent.  Absolute caution must be advised when considering any form of treatment with a resurfacing laser.  There is no such thing as “minimal downtime” or “devoid of side effects” when it comes to the use of these lasers on rosacea skin.
• Increased Blood Flow:  Treatment with fractional lasers can often increase blood flow for four to six weeks.  This can cause many rosacea sufferers to progress to more severe stages of the disorder and increase the number of triggers they experience on a daily basis.  Clear superficial skin is not worth triggering rosacea progression.  It must be stressed that there is no technique at this time to limit these side effects.  The heat generated from hundreds of tiny laser beams is too much for rosacea skin.
• Stimulates Growth of Many New Blood Vessels:  Uncontrolled growth of new blood vessels lies at the heart of rosacea pathogenesis.  Thus, stimulation of even more blood vessels not only cause flares, but it can cause progression to more severe stages of rosacea.
• Increases Flushing Intensity and Duration:  Following fractional laser treatment many rosacea sufferers report that they flush more often each day and the intensity of the flush is greatly increased.  This is because the heat from fractional lasers has damaged rosacea blood vessels, increased the number of blood vessels and made these blood vessels more hyper-reactive.  Often times, this side effect is not reversible.
• Actions on Sensory Nerves:  These fractional lasers damage and irritate sensory “burning nerves” and “itching nerves” located in the surface of the epidermis.  These uncomfortable sensations can last from a few hours to all day long.  This can be quite painful — mimicking a bad sunburn.

Comment Section – Please Contribute

Comments, feedback and online discussions below in the Comment Box help other rosacea sufferers understand their rosacea better and an informed rosacea sufferer usually finds more effective treatments… and in doing so, they may add a comment that helps you just as much.  Please contribute.

1. Have you ever had laser resurfacing or fractional lasers used on your skin?  Did it make your rosacea and triggers worse?
2. Did you use vascular lasers to reverse the side effects of resurfacing lasers?  If so, please tell us what lasers you used and how many treatments were required?
3. Do you have any advice for rosacea sufferers suffering from post-resurfacing side effects?

Thank you,

Rosadyn

The post Popular Treatments that Harm Rosacea Skin: Fractional Laser Skin Resurfacing appeared first on Rosadyn.

Facial Scrubs

There are so many benefits and reasons as to why you should incorporate exfoliating to your beauty routine. When you exfoliate regularly you help remove ingrained dirt, old dead skin, and improve the over all look of your face.

When you scrub away the old flakey skin, you reveal a more soft and smooth looking skin. One that looks revived. Not only will the texture of your skin improve but you will also help slow down the rate at which your skin ages.

On non-rosacea skin, daily facial scrubs have many benefits and weekly deep scrubs at spas or medical centers can work miracles on facial skin:

• Facial scrubs will help you get rid of toxins and dead skin cells, thus stimulating the growth of new skin cells which leads to fresh and younger skin tone.
• Using a facial scrub stimulates the skin which results in improved blood circulation. This leads to firm and healthy looking skin.
• If you constantly battle with facial blemishes and dark spots, it is ideal to use the scrub regularly. This will remove the dirt on the face which reduces the skin imperfections and contributes towards flawless skin.
• For people with dry skin who have flakes around nose and chin area, a scrub will help remove the dead layer of skin and make it easy for you to moisturize.
• If you are tired and exhausted after a long day’s work, even your face would look weary. Facial scrub helps remove dirt, dust and grime making your skin look fresh, relaxed and beaming
• Over time, facial scrubs increase the number of superficial blood vessels in your facial skin.  This allows more oxygen and nutrients to be delivered to the skin… which is central to healthy skin and growth patterns.
• Repeated trauma by the beads (usually micro-beads made up of polyethelene) thickens the epidermis

Other forms of exfoliants used in facial scrubs:

• microcrystalline wax beads
• jojoba esters
• sugar cane particles
• oxidized polyethylene
• peppermint leaf particles
• ceramide beads
• papaya enzyme beads
• volcanic mineral beads
• blueberry extract beads
• alguronic acid beads
• rice beads

The Dangers of Facial Scrubs on Rosacea Skin

While there is no doubt that facial scrubs are excellent for non-rosacea skin, it must be emphasized that daily use — and even weekly use — can damage  rosacea skin and those with pre-rosacea tendencies such as familial rosacea, frequent flushing and blushing, and hyper-reactive skin.  The problem is that almost half the skin care products in pharmacies, grocery stores, department stores and other sales venues contain abrasive beads of some form.  Additionally, almost all spas and medical treatment centers employ facial scrubs to start their facial treatment regimen.  Even more disconcerting is the fact that many are now marketing them as “Safe for Sensitive Skin”.  Let us assure you, there is no such scrub for rosacea sufferers.  One single use can cause a flush that lasts for three to five days, cause a rosacea flare that is followed by clusters of inflammatory papules, or tear the epidermis in half and leave the entire facial area highly susceptible to all external insults.

Rosacea Sufferers Must Avoid these Facial Scrub Treatments for a Myriad of Reasons:

• Permanent Skin Damage: Facial scrubs are known for their strong ability to exfoliate normal skin… to the deepest layers.  They also bore hundreds of tiny holes in the epidermis which allows moisturizers and night time treatment creams to absorb 20% more deeply.  These actions are great for non-rosacea skin, but they will cause permanent skin thinning and structural damage to rosacea skin.  Rosacea skin does not thicken or adapt to repeated trauma — it just deteriorates due to genetic insufficiencies yet to be identified.
• Increased Blood Flow:  Treatment with facial scrubs can often increase blood flow for three to five days.  This can cause many rosacea sufferers to progress to more severe stages of the disorder and increase the number of triggers they experience on a daily basis.  Clear superficial skin is not worth triggering rosacea progression.  It must be stressed that there is no technique at this time to limit these side effects.
• Stimulates Growth of Many New Blood Vessels:  Uncontrolled growth of new blood vessels lies at the heart of rosacea pathogenesis.  Thus, stimulation of even more blood vessels not only cause flares, but it can cause progression to more severe stages of rosacea.  Facial scrubs stimulate the growth of new blood vessels as detailed above.
• Increases Flushing Intensity and Duration:  Following a facial scrub many rosacea sufferers report that they flush more often each day and the intensity of the flush is greatly increased.  This is because the beads in the facial scrubs damage rosacea blood vessels, increase the number of blood vessels and made these blood vessels more hyper-reactive.  Often times, this side effect is not reversible.
• Actions on Sensory Nerves:  These facial scrubs also damage and irritate sensory “burning nerves” and “itching nerves” located in the surface of the epidermis.  These uncomfortable sensations can last from a few hours to all day long.  This can be quite painful — mimicking a bad sunburn for many.

Comment Section – Please Contribute

Comments, feedback and online discussions below in the Comment Box help other rosacea sufferers understand their rosacea better and an informed rosacea sufferer usually finds more effective treatments… and in doing so, they may add a comment that helps you just as much.  Please contribute.

1. Do you get facials at a spa and if so, do they use harsh facial scrubs with beads or other exfoliating agents?  If not, what other options do specialists offer rosacea sufferers that may be of help to your fellow rosacea sufferer who wants better clarity and smaller pores?
2. If you did have a facial scrub at a spa or used a facial scrub or facial cleansing scrub at home, did this cause an adverse reaction?  If so, what was the reaction and how long did it last?  Do you have any tips on reducing this reaction?
3. Do you have any advice for rosacea sufferers suffering from post-facial scrub side effects?

Thank you,

Team Rosadyn

The post Popular Treatments that Harm Rosacea Skin: Facial Scrubs appeared first on Rosadyn.

Recent Rosacea Research Findings (2015): The Role of Skin Sympathetic Nerve Activity in Rosacea

Research performed and published by Dr. Thad Wilson, associate professor of physiology and medicine; Dr. Kumika Toma, postdoctoral fellow; Dr. Michael Tomc, associate professor of otorhinolaryngology; and Dr. Dawn Sammons, assistant professor of dermatology, Ohio University.  National Rosacea Society Grant-Based Research. Detailed below and located on this link:  http://rosacea.org/grants/research.php#Hoffert

Highlights of the Rosacea, Human Clinical Study:

“New medical research into the process of facial flushing and redness has found that individuals with rosacea produce greater nerve, blood flow and sweating responses than people without the disorder when exposed to increased heat or stress. Results of the National Rosacea Society-funded study also uncovered a role for the sympathetic nervous system, which controls the “fight or flight” response and other key involuntary functions such as heart rate, digestion, breathing and perspiration.

1. Testing Rosacea Skin  vs. Normal Skin –  Body Temperature
   To increase body temperature, the researchers had 10 rosacea patients and 10 healthy control individuals wear a tight-fitting suit lined with tubes carrying water heated to 115°F until their body temperature increased by approximately 2°F. Each person was then precisely measured for supraorbital nerve activity (a nerve just above the eyebrow that serves the forehead skin), forehead skin blood flow and forehead sweat rate.
   
   Results: The researchers found that rosacea patients had higher skin blood flow and sweating rates compared to normal subjects both before and after the heating began, and their skin blood flow and sweating also began to increase more rapidly during heating.
2. Testing Heart Rate, Nerve Activity and Blood Pressure
   In a separate part of the study, heart rate, supraobital nerve activity and blood pressure were monitored in 12 rosacea patients and 12 healthy control subjects during mental and physical tasks. These included performing fast-paced mental subtraction exercises for two minutes, using hand gestures to indicate answers, and tightly squeezing a handgrip for two minutes.
   
   Results: While heart rate and blood pressure were the same between the groups during the hand exercises, skin blood flow was higher during mental arithmetic in the rosacea patients. The rosacea patients also experienced heightened sympathetic nerve activity compared to those without rosacea during both the mental and physical portions of the test.The greater responses in rosacea patients occurred in the sympathetic nervous system, a part of the body’s autonomic nervous system that controls involuntary functions such as heart rate, digestion, breathing and perspiration. This portion of the autonomic nervous system functions largely below the level of consciousness and has been shown to respond to emotion.”

Sympathetic Nerves, Facial Blood Vessels and Flushing

In the illustration on the right you can view the relationship between the sympathetic nerves of the facial skin, the nerve endings, the blood vessels and the sympathetic nerve-induced flushing response.

More specifically, if you follow the numbers you can see the anatomy and location of the sympathetic nerve fiber in yellow (#1), the nerve ending that innervates facial blood vessels and is responsible for releasing dilator neurotransmitters onto the blood vessel below (#2), the blood vessel dilating (expanding) in response to overactive sympathetic nerve activity (#3,) and the flushing response depicted by the large numbers of red blood cell clusters inside the blood vessel wall (#4).

 Sympathetic Nerve Dysfunction Now Verified as Playing Key Role in Facial Redness and Rosacea Flushing

For the last two decades many physicians and medical researchers have hypothesized that “overactive” or “abnormal” sympathetic nerve activity played a major role in rosacea flushing and facial redness.  High environmental temperatures, high internal body heat, stress, emotions and mental calculations (i.e. arithmetic) have been shown to increase blood flow to the cheeks, nose and forehead of rosacea facial skin in isolated experiments.

All of these are major triggers for rosacea sufferers.  The one perplexing trigger, mental calculations, was actually researched and published by Dr. Peter Drummond of Australia over a decade ago.  These results go a long way towards explaining a perplexing form of flushing and facial redness — rosacea sufferers and their physicians were at a loss as to why they often flushed while taking exams in high school and college and why the flushing response was so intense in rosacea sufferers and non-existent in those students without rosacea.

Sadly, over the years, considerable feedback indicates that many rosacea sufferers dropped out of college or higher education because they could not concentrate during exams due to extreme flushing, burning sensations and long-standing redness within 15 to 20 minutes of taking any form of test.  As the research above demonstrates, even “fast-paced mental subtraction exercises for two minutes… caused increased facial blood flow and flushing responses”.

Rosadyn+ Helps To Reduce Overactive Sympathetic Nerve Activity in Rosacea Sufferers

The Rosadyn+ team performed over four years of research developing the popular Rosadyn+ nutraceutical in an effort to treat rosacea symptoms and triggers.

One of the main dysfunctions that two of the Rosadyn+ doctors found was a clear abnormality of sympathetic nerve activity in rosacea sufferers or those prone to facial redness and blushing.  Oddly enough, most of these studies were not performed by rosacea specialists, rosacea physicians or other medical specialists in the field, but were discovered by Neurologists, Endocrinologists, and Anatomy Specialists by accident.

Just like the recent National Rosacea Society research demonstrates, these earlier studies indicated that increased external heat, increased internal body heat, emotions and mental calculations played a key role in blood vessel dilation and flushing responses — yet, this was never published to the rosacea community for decades — so, it was largely unknown to rosacea sufferers and treating physicians.

So, when developing Rosadyn+ a natural Rosacea treatment support nutriceutical, a key component was to help target this dysfunction head on and developed a synergistic combination of two very effective, pharmaceutical-grade nutraceuticals that reduces overactive sympathetic nerve activity and greatly reduces the flushing, redness and burning sensations associated with these strong sympathetic nerve-induced rosacea triggers.

Reducing Sympathetic Nerve Rosacea Trigger Activity Naturally with Rosadyn+

See why PharmaGaba, L-Theanine along with Enzyme Co-Factors and Phospholipids  are Incorporated Into Rosadyn+  Learn  how they work together to help to address  sympathetic nerve response rosacea flare triggers.

1. PharmaGABA™

   GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is the primary natural calming neurotransmitter in the brain. In fact, it is one of the brain’s most important regulators of proper sympathetic nerve activity and function. It appears that many people with “overactive sympathetic nerve activity” and other brain disorders do not manufacture sufficient levels of GABA — which is used to calm down sympathetic nerve activity and keep it in check.  GABA, in the right form, is completely safe and remarkably effective without side effects.If you visit your local health store or do a search on the internet you will find over 60 brands of SYNTHETIC GABA.  Studies with synthetic GABA have shown that it is not clinically effective — even though it’s in most supplements, it is completely worthless. Simply put, synthetic GABA is too large to pass through the blood brain barrier so the brain does not receive this important supplement.  Other studies indicate that even if a very small percentage of synthetic GABA passes into the brain it is not able to bind to receptor sites like natural GABA due to minor differences in shape.

   The ONLY clinically proven form of GABA is a natural form known as PharmaGABA™.  This specialized form of natural GABA is extremely expensive, but Rosadyn only wanted to incorporate a clinically-proven form of GABA to help normalize overactive sympathetic nerve activity in rosacea sufferers.

   Where does PharmaGABA come from? It is produced with the help of a bacteria, Lactobacillus hilgardii, that is also used to ferment vegetables in the preparation of the traditional Korean dish known as kimchi. The bacteria is fed a nutrient-rich broth to produce the PharmaGABA™ and it is then filtered out and concentrated.

   PharmaGABA has been shown to dramatically decrease overactive sympathetic nerve activity.  In fact, in clinical studies, EKG’s (which measure various brain waves and nerve activity) were placed on human subjects and 45 to 60 minutes after ingestion of PharmaGABA the EKG’s measured a significant increase the production of alpha brain waves (the “calming”  brain waves that reduce abnormal sympathetic nerve activity, anxiety and stress — increasing relaxation — but without any drowsiness.)  In fact, while PharmaGABA reduced sympathetic nerve activity, anxiety and stress, it simultaneously increased mental focus and mental alertness.  It is important to emphasize that PharmaGABA also reduced beta-waves in the brain which are responsible for increased stress, anxiety and the “fight or flight” sympathetic nerve activity.  So, this specialized nutraceutical worked quickly and effectively on BOTH alpha brain waves (by increasing calming brain waves — sympathetic relaxants) and beta brain waves (by decreasing stress-inducing brain waves — sympathetic stimulants) to normalize overactive sympathetic nerve activity via a two-pronged approach.

   Not All GABA Supplements Work
   We cannot overstress the fact that while PharmaGABA is extremely expensive, it is the only form of GABA that works in the human brain and has been proven to be highly effective and extremely safe at any dose.  Rosadyn purchases PharmaGABA in bulk so we receive exceptional savings on this product and we pass these savings down to our customers so it is affordable.  We don’t know why countless other manufacturer’s still use synthetic GABA because it has no physiological action in the human brain and does not treat overactive sympathetic nerve activity in rosacea sufferers.  Please don’t waste your money on any other form of GABA except PharmaGABA…. it’s that important!

2. Pharmaceutical-Grade L-Theanine™

   Pharmaceutical-grade L-Theanine™ is clinically proven to reduce overactive sympathetic nerve activity — along with stress and anxiety — in a synergistic fashion with PharmaGABA™.  It is the perfect compliment to PharmaGABA and works synergistically to naturally increase the brain’s production of natural bio-active GABA and it sensitizes GABA receptors in the brain which makes GABA significantly stronger and more effective… without drowsiness.

   There are countless forms of L-Theanine on the market, but there is only one pharmaceutical-grade L-Theanine™ (Suntheanine™) that is the only form clinically proven to work and is backed by dozens of human clinical studies for efficacy and safety.

   This specialized form of L-Theanine™ is extracted from Japanese Green Tea Leaves and the active molecules are isolated and concentrated 100-fold naturally through complex processing where  it enters the brain — greatly increasing and enhancing natural bio-active brain-derived GABA.  This directly relaxes the overactive sympathetic nerve activity located in the hypothalamus — a key area in the center of the brain responsible for sympathetic nerve fight or flight responses, flushing to heat, blushing to embarrassment, chronic facial redness from internal body temperature fluctuations, etc.  L-Theanine and PharmaGABA work synergistically to reduce these major rosacea triggers. bouts of flushing, blushing and rosacea flares.  These two ingredients are key to pro-actively treating major rosacea triggers and symptoms.  It is ironic that there is no prescription medication equivalent to specialized pharmaceutical-grade L-theanine™ or PharmaGABA™.  This is one of the primary reasons why Rosadyn and our new Rosadyn+ have been so effective on hundreds of rosacea sufferers over the last 8 years.

3. Three Proprietary Enzyme Co-Factors and Phospholipids only found in Rosadyn+ for Enhanced Activity

   Rosadyn+ keeps up-to-date on the latest advancements in nutraceuticals for rosacea treatment and important co-factors and phospholipids that enhance the delivery of each nutraceutical and the bio-activity and effectiveness once each nutraceutical arrives at its destination.With regards to PharmaGABA™ and Pharmaceutical-Grade L-Theanine™, our research indicated that incorporation of three key proprietary enzyme co-factors and proprietary phospholipids improved delivery of both nutraceuticals to the brain by over 200% and increased the bio-activity of both ingredients once inside the brain cells by more than 100%.  This proprietary combination of four ingredients increased the overall efficacy of PharmaGABA and L-Theanine by approximately 300%, ensuring the proper treatment of overactive sympathetic nerve activity and its deleterious actions on rosacea symptoms and triggers.

   If we had to increase PharmaGABA and L-Theanine by 300% physically (i.e. without these proprietary enzyme co-factors and phospholipids) our Rosadyn product would be unaffordable to most customers.So, buying two very expensive — but extremely important — nutraceuticals like PharmaGABA and L-Theanine in bulk and adding selective co-factors and phospholipids that increases their efficacy by approximately 300% each customer is getting the best product at unheard of discounts.

Summary

This recent major clinical study verifies that dilator sympathetic nerves innervating the face play a key role in many forms of facial flushing, blushing and chronic facial redness.  The sympathetic nerves are the most powerful nerves in the body and over-ride all other systems that might help counter rosacea… so, it is paramount that sympathetic dilator nerve activity is kept in check.  Most rosacea sufferers have overactive or “sensitized” sympathetic nervous systems and this is central to many of the more severe causes of flushing and rosacea outbreaks:

Overactive sympathetic nerve activity causes:

• Flushing from external heat
• Flushing from internal body heat which constantly changes throughout the day and can cause “spontaneous” flushing during afternoon and evening hours when the body temperature is naturally at its highest
• Flushing from anxiety and stress
• Flushing from work that stimulates mental activity — very frustrating when this affects your job or your academic career — one of the most overlooked causes of flushing
• Blushing — all forms
• Flushing from exercising and the sympathetic nerves directing blood flow to the facial skin to release heat
• Flushing from fatigue or lack of sleep as the sympathetic nerves go into overdrive
• Worsens all forms of rosacea symptoms

Reducing Overactive Sympathetic Nerve Activity – Rosacea Flushing Trigger 

Rosadyn+ incorporates two of the safest and most potent nerve calming nutraceuticals discovered to date.  PharmaGABA and L-Theanine are supported by countless clinical studies and used by many Neurologists and Naturopathic Physicians for sympathetic nerve dysfunction.  But, only these two specific pharmaceutical grade nutraceuticals work in the human body, so don’t waste your money on the synthetic brands.  The cofactors and phospholipids incorporated into Rosadyn+ put this product in its own class because they can increase bioavailability by up to 300%.

Finding your Right Rosadyn+ Dose

Every rosacea sufferer is unique.  Many respond well to the regular-strength clinical dose (one capsule twice a day).  However, if you are a moderate-to-severe rosacea sufferer, 8 years of customer feedback and two large pilot studies have shown that some may require larger doses such as double-strength (two capsules twice a day) until the GABA levels in the brain are normal and the sympathetic nerve overdrive has abated.  Just like any treatment, it must be tailored to the individual patient and matched to the degree of flushing intensity and duration as well as patience and time.

Time? Yes, Rosadyn+ is not a quick fix to years of rosacea dysfunction and damages. Think of it this way; If you need to loose 20 pounds would one trip to the gym do it, one day of eating lite or a single weight loss supplement, shake do it? No! Rosadyn+ is working to help you and your body from the inside out, this takes time for your body to respond.  Like weight gain is gradual, your rosacea symptom improvements are gradual and cumulative over time. Depending on the stage of rosacea you are in some begin to see a difference at 60 -90 days while more advanced stage rosacea sufferers may need the full 6 months.  Understanding this, this is the reason why  Rosadyn+ offers a 6 month money back guarantee!

While there is no cure for rosacea with Rosadyn+, great skin care, diet, lifestyle and medical professional help if needed most can see a dramatic improvement in their rosacea symptoms

DISCLAIMER: Statements made herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products and articles contained on this site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease nor to act as or replace advice given by your medical professional. We recommend that you consult with a medical professional before adding any alternative supplements or treatments.

The post New Rosacea Research: Sympathetic Nerve Abnormality found in Rosacea and Rosadyn’s Role in Reversing Sympathetic Dysfunction appeared first on Rosadyn.