Tips to Prevent Rosacea Flaring Up Worse in Winter Months

How Winter Weather Can Aggravate Rosacea Symptoms

For those suffering from rosacea, the colder winter months can exacerbate symptoms and cause more frequent flare ups. The dry air, wind, temperature changes when going indoors and outdoors, and even holiday activities can irritate sensitive rosacea skin. Understanding why winter tends to make rosacea worse and learning some helpful management tips can help you better control symptoms this season.

Why Cold Temperatures Are Problematic for Rosacea

During winter, the cold, dry air outside combined with the hot, dry air from indoor heating systems often dries out the skin. This makes the skin more susceptible to damage and irritation. Additionally, the narrowing of superficial facial blood vessels in cold weather can flush the skin and trigger swelling, redness and inflammation.

Temperature changes can also wreak havoc when you transition from cold outdoor temperatures into a heated building. The drastic change in air temperature can cause facial flushing, stinging and burning sensations in those with rosacea. Wind exposure often has a similar effect.

Holiday Activities That Can Worsen Rosacea

Many holiday festivities unfortunately lend themselves well to aggravating rosacea. Activities often center around food, drink and outdoor winter sports - common instigators for flare ups. Here are some examples:

• Drinking alcohol, hot beverages like apple cider, coffee, tea and hot chocolate
• Eating spicy cuisine, rich cheeses and cream sauces so common this time of year
• Time spent outdoors skiing, sledding, skating with exposure to cold, dry air and wind
• Indulging in luxurious hot baths or using fragranced soaps while home for the holidays

Tips To Help Prevent Rosacea Flaring In The Winter

While you want to enjoy holiday festivities with friends and family, you can take proactive steps to reduce potential rosacea irritation and flushing this winter.

Moisturize and Protect Your Skin

Cold winter air can rob facial skin of much needed moisture. Be diligent about applying moisturizer designed for sensitive skin at least twice per day. An emollient rich moisturizer creates a protective barrier, locking in hydration while protecting against drying winds.

When venturing outdoors, shield your face with a scarf to filter out wind. Wear sunglasses to protect eyes from glare off snow and apply a tinted mineral sunscreen made for rosacea or acne-prone skin to protect from sun exposure. Reapply moisturizer and sunscreen as needed when spending extended time outdoors.

Focus On Gentle, Sensitive Skin Products

Many holiday fragranced skin care items and harsh soaps should be avoided. They can contain ingredients that cause stinging, redness and inflammation. Stick with gentle cleansers, lotions and cosmetics specially formulated for reactive and allergy-prone skin types.

Be wary of any products listing alcohol, menthol, eucalyptus, peppermint, witch hazel or harsh exfoliants like retinol in the ingredients. When in doubt, perform a patch test on the underside of your wrist for a few days to gauge potential irritation before full facial application.

Handle Temperature Changes Carefully

Abrupt temperature fluctuations are difficult to avoid completely during winter. But you can take measures to ease their impact and reduce irritation. Cover your face with a scarf before walking out into cold temperatures. Gradually acclimate skin to temperature shifts instead of exposing your bare face immediately.

At home, refrain from cranking up thermostats excessively high. Maintain consistent comfortable temperatures instead. Consider using a humidifier at home and work to counteract dry indoor air.

After coming inside from the cold, resist that hot drink or meal right away. Allow your skin to slowly adjust and return to normal before consuming anything hot. This will help minimize flushing and swelling.

Be Selective With Food and Beverages

Around the holidays, people tend to overindulge in food and drinks that trigger rosacea flare ups. While its unreasonable to completely restrict yourself, be selective. Have small servings of culprit foods like spicy dishes or fermented items spread out over time instead of all at once.

Limit alcohol intake which can dilate blood vessels, and alternate each alcoholic drink with water to stay hydrated. For hot beverages, request green or herbal caffeine-free teas instead of coffee. And allow any heated drink to cool down significantly before sipping so you dont burn your skin.

Keep Your Skin Calm During and After Activities

Vigorous winter sports and activities also provoke flushing and irritation. Cover as much facial skin as possible with face masks, balaclavas or neck gaiters when participating. This protects from wind, cold air and glare. Take frequent breaks in warm spaces to let redness subside.

After any outdoor exposure, resist that sudden urge to warm up immediately. Instead of dunking into a hot tub or shower right away, go indoors and let your skin gradually return to normal temperature.

Then pamper your skin with a lukewarm bath using colloidal oatmeal or sensitive skin cleansers. Pat skin dry and apply moisturizer while skin remains slightly damp to seal in hydration. This helps soothe and calm any irritation.

What You Can Do If Rosacea Flares Up

Even if you follow smart winter rosacea care, symptoms can still flare up unexpectedly. Have an action plan in place detailing what products and remedies work best when your skin acts up.

Stick To A Gentle Skincare Routine

When rosacea gets inflamed, its critical to baby your skin. Avoid any harsh ingredients that can make matters worse. Use rosacea-friendly skincare containing soothing botanicals like aloe, chamomile, green tea, licorice root or feverfew.

Cleanse very gently with lukewarm (not hot) water, pat dry and apply appropriate moisturizer and sunscreen. Skip exfoliating, masks or other complex products until skin calms down. And never pick, scrub, pop or peel any blemishes - this damages skin further.

Utilize Home Remedies For Calming Flares

Numerous home remedies using common kitchen ingredients can safely and effectively reduce redness, swelling and irritation of flare ups:

• Soak a washcloth in ice cold milk and apply as a compress
• Make a paste with oatmeal and water and apply to skin for 5-10 minutes
• Use cool cucumber slices on the eyes or make a puree to apply on skin
• Apply cold green tea bags or brew chilled chamomile tea and use as compresses
• Try gentle skin-soothing essential oils like lavender or geranium mixed with a carrier oil

Talk To Your Dermatologist About Prescription Options

For moderate to severe flares that dont readily improve with home care, consult your dermatologist promptly. Several prescription medications exist specifically to treat rosacea including antibiotics, topical creams and oral drugs.

A short course of prescription steroids may provide relief for a severe flare up. Some laser or light therapies can also calm inflammation and redness. Your dermatologist will recommend suitable medical treatment options tailored to your unique rosacea condition and symptoms.

How To Prevent Rosacea From Worsening Over Time

While winters impact on rosacea usually resolves by springtime, symptoms can worsen cumulatively from one year to the next if not managed properly. Heres what you can do to prevent rosaceas progression long-term:

Identify and Track Your Unique Triggers

Keep a skincare journal noting activities, foods, products, medications or environmental exposures that seem to aggravate your skin. Over time, patterns will emerge spotlighting your most bothersome triggers. Avoid or minimize these whenever possible.

Adopt a Rosacea-Friendly Lifestyle and Diet

Making smart lifestyle choices tailor-made to benefit rosacea will make a big difference. Eat anti-inflammatory foods, apply only sensitive skin products, use sun protection diligently, manage stress levels, stay hydrated and get sufficient sleep.

Avoid extremes that put skin at risk - severe weather, saunas, harsh soaps or scrubbing, crash dieting, heavy exercise without cooling down properly afterwards.

See Your Dermatologist Regularly

Consult a dermatologist who specializes in rosacea every 6-12 months even when symptoms seem under control. New treatment developments happen regularly. Routine check-ups ensure you receive up-to-date care as well as prompt intervention should troublesome signs appear.

With smart management, most rosacea patients can enjoy significant control over symptoms and flare-ups. Avoiding pitfalls while protecting and nurturing your sensitive skin will help minimize rosaceas bothersome effects even during harsh winter weather cycles.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.