A flushed complexion is not something many of us seek out. If you’ve noticed that your skin has been looking redder than usual, don’t panic! We have a number of tips that help treat and prevent your skin going an unfortunate shade of crimson. Skin redness is so widespread because there are many sources of inflammation — including injury, heat, emotion, spicy food, allergies, exercise, friction, and the immune system. Knowing what’s causing your damage is the first step to finding a treatment, and here at Total Body Concept we can help with a wide range of redness reducing therapies. The many forms of ‘redness’ Rosacea & Sun Damage If your skin appears blushed or flushed after a physical or emotional trigger and stays that way longer than you desire, you may just be experiencing the symptoms of rosacea. The increased blood flow to the skin dilates blood vessels and as a result, your skin appears flushed and red. This pesky skin condition affects millions worldwide. Ruddy skin, frequent flushing and red bumps are some of the signs to watch out for, and if you suspect you may have this condition make sure you talk to us at Total Body Concept. If left untreated, the condition tends to get worse, which may lead to more frequent flare-ups and periods of red skin. Rosacea is a common skin condition that can feel like a constant battle to cover skin flare-ups and redness. It’s an inflammatory condition that causes the skin to redden around the centre of the face. The reddening is also referred to as erythema amongst dermatologists and skin care professionals. Thankfully there are skin care products available to help treat rosacea and calm the skin. The complexion will often be sore, sensitive and inflamed with a thicker skin texture. Red, raised bumps may be present as well. We see the condition in both sexes of all ages with climate, UV radiation and diet amongst the common triggers. Predominantly, areas most affected are around the nose and cheeks, chin and brows. If your skin appears blushed or flushed after a physical or emotional trigger and stays that way longer than you desire, you may just be experiencing the symptoms of rosacea. The increased blood flow to the skin dilates blood vessels and as a result, your skin appears flushed and red. The problem is that the blood vessels stay dilated, so over time they stretch and suffer damage. The problem is that the blood vessels stay dilated, so over time they stretch and suffer damage. Sound like something you’d like to address? IPL can help – it works by emitting a range of lightwaves that break down the vessel walls of the haemoglobin, causing them to fragment and be reabsorbed by the body, meaning any discoloured blotches in the face and neck will become much less visible. Sometimes it will progress into breakouts, or feel that the skin is uneven or splotchy, usually in the centre of the face. Excess sensitivity, tingling, and/or burning can begin so it’s a good time to start treating it as rosacea. Be extra vigilant about sun protection, as people with rosacea tend to be particularly sensitive to those rays. Photoaged skin is also prone to blotchy pigmentation which heightens the appearance of redness, fine lines and wrinkles. Factor 50, no less ladies and gentlemen. Active Rosacea Active Rosacea is characterised by the raised bumps and pustules that form as a result of the inflammation. This shows when the condition has been triggered by diet, stress, heat or alcohol and many more. The best option for treating the condition is by reducing that of what has been triggering it, or by undertaking a course of IPL or Laser Excel V treatments. Nothing soothes red hot skin like something cool, and Thalgo is the perfect brand to turn too when your rosacea is getting you down. The Cold Cream Marine range effectively replenishes, soothes and repairs dry and sensitive skin for guaranteed comfort for up to 24 hours. Need a moisturiser on the run to keep your redness in check? Ultraceuticals Red Action moisturiser targets the appearance of facial redness and rosacea with its fast-acting formula which visibly reduces redness associated with photodamage. Acne Scarring Acne scarring can appear anywhere on the body after an untimely breakout. It is caused due to the depth of a breakout and your skin’s ability to heal without leaving a mark. When your skin is broken the body responds by bringing in new nutrients to heal it and the only way to do that is with new blood vessels. This leaves the unsightly appearance of a red scar where the pimple once was. The prominent trait of acne rosacea is diffused redness with added red pimples and bumps in the centre of the face. Laser Excel V can help. The most advanced aesthetic technology combines two powerfully precise lasers to target and eliminate redness – your therapist will select one of the two lasers and customise the treatment settings to target the colour and depth of your skin concern. Broken Capillaries Dilated or enlarged blood vessels just beneath the surface of the skin are the cause of broken capillaries, which on the surface seem just like little red splotches that don’t go away — even when you’re not blushing! Commonly affected areas include your nose, cheeks, and chin. What causes capillaries? Genetics can take a lot of the blame here – if you have fair skin and rosacea, you’re more susceptible to these little redness discolourations. But broken capillaries are actually caused by windburn, extreme temperature changes, excessive drinking or smoking — especially UV damage and trauma to the skin, such as popping a pimple too forcefully. So if genes and harsh external temperatures are both working against you, chances are there will be some broken capillaries popping up in your life. How do you prevent them? In the end, the best treatment is prevention, so that means limiting UV and weather damage as much as possible. Use good quality broad-spectrum UVA and UVB sunscreen and protect your face in cold weather with scarves, high collars and wash your face with lukewarm water rather than scalding hot. Never spray perfumes on your skin as they can react with the UVA and UVB rays and create more sun damage especially on the neck, known as Poikiloderma. IPL Photorejuvenation can help to lighten and reduce redness, rosacea, dilated blood vessels and broken blood vessels on the face, neck and chest with its specialised lightwave treatment process. The causes of skin redness Skin redness is so widespread because there are many sources of inflammation — including injury, heat, emotion, spicy food, allergies, exercise, friction and the immune system. Lifestyle choices can also cause redness, particularly excessive alcohol consumption. Yes, it’s a major dehydrator but for those wanting to fend off rosacea, you might want to listen up. Sun exposure, stress, alcohol and spicy foods can cause the condition to appear in anyone, so be on the lookout for increased redness! Sun Damage Spending too much time outdoors without adequate sun protection is extremely harmful to your skin, and years of sun exposure can alter the appearance of blood vessels under the skin. To stop these effects, always wear sunscreen, no matter what the weather is doing, and have a skin consultation with us, to see what further steps can be taken to reduce the damage done to your skin. Stress Stress can have a significant impact on your body, thanks to the stress hormones that are responsible for the fight-or-flight response. These responses boost body heat, which in turn can lead to flushed skin. If you’ve been feeling particularly stressed lately, read our blog on ways to reduce stress here. Alcohol Alcohol causes our insides to become inflamed and this will quickly show up on the skin in the form of redness, breakouts and puffiness. It’s also the devil of hormone disruption and microbiome disturbance which, in turn, cause imbalance and lead to skin problems. Consuming alcohol alters your brain’s ability to regulate vascular control, which causes blood to rush to the surface of the skin. As a result, your skin appears flushed, and the more alcohol you consume that worse the flushing appears. Cut out (or at least cut back on) the amount of alcohol you consume, and you should start to see a reduction in redness. Different alcohols have different effects on the skin, but as a general rule, the clearer, the better: vodka, gin, and tequila get out of your system quicker. Other causes of redness Other causes of redness are diet, climatic conditions and changes such as heat, cold, and low humidity. Stress is always a factor in many skin conditions which impairs lipid bilayer formation. Over cleansing and under moisturising can also affect the tone of your skin as can using incorrect skin care products. Any of these factors towards irritation of the skin causes an inflammatory response, which is expressed as redness and sensitivity. For a skin consultation and individually prescribed skincare plan, contact us at Total Body Concept.
