Rosacea is a common inflammatory skin condition that affects more than 14 million Americans. Rosacea causes redness and spots on the skin of the face that can be very distressing. Although rosacea is a harmless skin condition, it has a high impact on quality of life.
Causes and risk factors of rosacea
The cause of rosacea is unknown. Studies point to a genetic component, but a rosacea gene has not been identified.
New studies suggest that an altered innate immune response and abnormal regulation of the neurovascular system are involved in rosacea.
A number of abnormal activities are observed in rosacea:
- Dilated blood and lymph vessels
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Increased blood flow
— Increased blood vessel growth (angiogenesis)
- Development of specialized immune and inflammatory cells
— Activation of skin fibroblasts and increased tissue fibrosis
— Weakening of keratinocyte-derived proteinases (important enzymes in the desquamation process and the orderly regulation of the skin’s barrier function)
— Decrease in antioxidants produced in the body
— Enhanced immune and inflammatory responses
A number of factors can increase the above abnormal activities. Some of these factors are:
- Spicy foods and drinks
— alcohol
- Sunlight
— Stress, anger, or embarrassment
— Strenuous exercise
— Hot baths, saunas
- steroids
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Drugs that affect blood vessels, e.g. B. Cardiovascular drugs
Rosacea Symptoms:
- Reddening of the face
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Blush or blush easily
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Spider-like blood vessels
— Red nose
— Acne-like skin lesions that may ooze or crust
- Burning or stinging sensation in the face
— Irritated, red, watery eyes
Rosacea Treatments:
There are many treatment options for rosacea, but there is no established cure for rosacea. The mainstay of treatment for rosacea consists of oral and topical antibiotics. However, continued use of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistance. The best validated topical therapies include metronidazole, azelaic acid, and sodium sulfacetamide sulfur. Other topical therapies such as calcineurin inhibitors, benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, retinoids, topical corticosteroids, and permethrin have shown unpredictable success.
Many rosacea sufferers find standard treatments inadequate or even aggravating. Due to the conflicting results of drug treatments, rosacea sufferers are increasingly interested in alternative therapies using natural products to reduce inflammation and relieve rosacea.
Stop suffering from rosacea with anti-inflammatory herbs
Since inflammation triggers, spreads, and worsens rosacea symptoms, cooling inflammation can ease the agony of rosacea breakouts.
Based on scientific literature, the following natural ingredients have demonstrated therapeutic effects in treating inflammatory skin conditions including rosacea.
Licorice Extract
Licorice plants are used extensively in alternative medicine to cure a variety of inflammatory conditions. Key components of licorice extract include triterpene saponins, flavonoids, and isoflavonoids.
Studies have shown that licorice has anti-irritant and anti-inflammatory properties. It suppresses oxidative stress (i.e., reduces superoxide anion production and cyclooxygenase activity), reduces inflammation, aids in mucus secretion, calms irritation, and supports adrenal gland activity.
In addition, licorice appears to affect immunomodulatory, antiviral, and antimicrobial activity. Topical preparations have been shown to significantly reduce erythema, edema, and pruritus and improve quality of life.
Green Tea Extract
Green tea is one of the most analyzed antioxidants. Green tea extract contains powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer polyphenols known as catechins. These polyphenols are active in initiating cellular and molecular reactions in the top layers of the skin (ie, epidermis).
Green tea extract possesses antioxidant properties by scavenging reactive oxygen species and inhibiting various enzymes involved in oxidative stress (eg, nitric oxide synthetase, lipoxygenase, cyclooxygenase, and lipid peroxidase). Green tea extract exerts anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting inflammatory cell infiltration and reducing inflammatory mediators. Finally, green tea extract is anti-carcinogenic by preventing the binding of carcinogen DNA and subsequent tumor development.
In addition to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that make green tea extract valuable in treating rosacea, its protection from UV light makes it particularly useful, as rosacea is often triggered by exposure to light.
Topical applications of green tea extract have been shown to decrease UV-induced erythema and reduce DNA damage. Green tea extract may also directly improve the signs of rosacea by reducing the number and appearance of small dilated blood vessels (telangiectasia) and minimizing skin barrier disruption.
scute extract
Scute has been used in traditional medicine for centuries to heal inflammation, allergies, infections and skin conditions.
Studies have shown that scute has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiallergic and antitumor properties. It is one of the most commonly used in Chinese herbal medicine.
The bioactivity of Scute is due to the free radical scavenging activities of the flavone components. More than 60 flavonoids have been isolated in Scute root. Scute extracts produce potent anti-inflammatory activities by inhibiting a wide range of inflammatory cytokines.
aloe extract
Aloe extract is known for its anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, anti-itching and wound-healing properties. Its active components include salicylic acid (anti-inflammatory through thromboxane and prostaglandin inhibition), magnesium lactate (antipruritic through histidine decarboxylase inhibition), and gel polysaccharides (anti-inflammatory through immunomodulation).
Aloe has been successfully studied in treating burning, itching and scarring associated with inflammatory skin conditions. Studies also showed a decrease in vasodilatation and vascular permeability, key features of rosacea.
Aloe has shown convincing results in treating various skin infections such as boils, cysts, ringworm, athlete’s foot and itching. Its well-known healing, moisturizing and softening properties are commonly used to soothe the skin and heal cuts, burns and insect bites.
chamomile extract
Chamomile contains active components of terpenoids and flavonoids that reduce enzymes (cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase) involved in the oxidation process. These components also regulate immune cell activation and histamine release during an allergic reaction. Topical applications have been shown to help with skin inflammation and irritation.
Reishi Mushroom Extract
Extracts from mushrooms such as shiitake and reishi contain some compounds (i.e. polysaccharides, triterpenes, proteins, lipids, phenols and cerebrosides) that have remarkable anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. These compounds prevent lipid oxidation, matrix degradation and the production of inflammatory cytokines.
To learn more about inflammatory skin conditions and relieving inflammation with natural anti-inflammatory remedies, follow the Nature’s Best Anti-Inflammatory Herbs and Natural Cures For Chronic Inflammatory Conditions blog series.
Thanks to Yi Shi
