Use Herbal Remedies for Rosacea

Rosacea is a chronic skin condition characterized by facial redness or flushing from enlarged blood vessels just beneath the skin, occasionally accompanied by pimples. Many rosacea sufferers may wish to avoid using metrogel (metronidazole) or oral antibiotics (such as tetracycline, minocycline, or doxycycline), or find them unsatisfactory. This article will discuss the use of herbal remedies as an alternative to treat rosacea.

Steps

 * 1) [[Image:Fruits_and_vegetables2_238.jpg|thumb|Eat healthy.]]Eat healthy. Nutritional deficiencies may exacerbate rosacea.
 * 2) *Eliminate foods containing trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, and common allergens, such as corn, dairy, gluten, and peanuts, which are known to trigger rosacea flare-up.
 * 3) *Eat lots of whole grains, almonds, and dark leafy greens, which contain anti-inflammatory B vitamins.
 * 4) *Eat fruits and vegetables, such as prunes, pomegranates, grapes, blueberries, blackberries, zucchini, cherries, apples, beets, kale, spinach, broccoli, and onions, which are rich in antioxidant  bioflavonoids to strengthen arteries and veins and prevent them from dilating to cause rosacea.
 * 5) *[[Image:Atlantic_Salmon_74.gif|thumb|Eat salmon.]]Eat fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as wild-caught salmon, halibut, and sardines, three times a week.
 * 6) [[Image:Camphor_structure_669.png|100px|right|thumb|Camphor]]Apply Camphor Oil (Cinnamonum camphora) to affected areas of your skin, after washing your face. Camphor is readily absorbed through the skin and has soothing, analgesic, and antimicrobial effects. Camphor oil has been studied for treating Demodicid mites that often infect areas of the skin affected by rosacea. In a study by El-Shazly et al (2004), rosacea patients, with or without Demodex folliculorum infestation, were treated with daily 1/3 diluted camphor oil with glycerol and 500 mg metronidazole for fifteen days, with successful outcomes and no adverse effects. While this study does not prove that camphor oil is effective (it could be that metronidazole, or metrogel, alone was sufficient), camphor oil can be used without side effects. Be careful with the use of camphor oil, however, as it can irritate the skin. Also, use sparingly, as camphor has been reported to cause reversible hepatotoxicity in extreme cases.
 * 7) [[Image:442px-Matricaria_February_2008-1_903.jpg|thumb|Chamomile flowers]]Try Chamomile (Matricaria recutita and Chamaemelum nobile) cold compresses. Steep a handful of pure chamomile or several chamomile tea bags in three cups of boiling water for 10 minutes, then refrigerate. When you need a cold compress, dip a cotton cloth in the chamomile and apply it to the affected area until you feel relief. Chamomile may also be used as an ointment or cream applied to skin. The active ingredients of chamomile include the terpenoids (bisoprolol, matricin, chamazulene) and flavonoids (apigenin, luteolin). Chamomile may provide soothing and anti-inflammatory effects, and it is commonly used in cosmetic products and soothing compresses. Be aware that chamomile also contains coumarin, a naturally-occurring anticoagulant, or "blood-thinner". Do not consume the chamomile if you are taking warfarin, or if you have a bleeding problem. In rare cases, chamomile may cause allergic reactions, including skin rashes, throat swelling, shortness of breath, and anaphylaxis.
 * 8) [[Image:Feverfew_163.jpg|thumb|Feverfew]]Apply a skin cream containing Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) to the affected area. Feverfew reduces inflammation by inhibiting 5-lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase, resulting in decreased platelet aggregation. Extracts of feverfew contain parthenolide, a potent skin sensitizer. In a recent study by Sur et al, a parthenolide-depleted extract of Feverfew (PD-Feverfew) was made and used to test for its effectiveness in treating inflammatory skin conditions, and found that it reduced inflammatory markers and reduced skin redness induced by vasodilation (similar mechanism as in rosacea), suggesting that parthenolide-depleted feverfew might be an appropriate herbal remedy for rosacea. Do not use feverfew if you are pregnant or nursing, or in children under age two. Side effects may include canker sores, oral irritation or swelling, loss of taste, bloating, nausea, nervousness, and upset stomach.  If you have used feverfew for more than a week, be sure to taper off gradually, as abrupt cessation may cause withdrawal symptoms, such as rebound headache, anxiety, fatigue, muscle stiffness, and joint pain.
 * 9) [[Image:800px-Single_lavendar_flower02_251.jpg|thumb|Lavender]]Apply Lavender (genus Lavandula) oil to clean, affected areas of your skin. Wash your face and pat dry. Apply a very small amount of lavender oil to your face to see if you are allergic. Lavender contains geraniol, which irritate skin in some people with rosacea. If you develop any redness, do not use it. Otherwise, soak a cotton ball with lavender oil, and gently massage it into affected areas of your skin. Repeat daily. Lavender oil has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, but must be used with caution as a potential allergen. Do not ingest lavender, especially during pregnancy or breast-feeding. Side effects are rare, but may include nausea, vomiting, headache, and chills.
 * 10) [[Image:450PX-~2_110.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Green tea]]Use Green Tea (Camellia sinensis). In addition, apply green tea infused face cream twice daily to affected areas of the skin. Green tea contains epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin-3-gallate, and epigallocatechin-3-gallate, which have anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and photoprotective properties, the latter especially useful rosacea, of which sun sensitivity is a hallmark. Green tea extract may also reduce the disruption of the skin barrier seen in rosacea. If you cannot find green tea infused cream, you can try the cold compress method described for chamomile above. Avoid using green tea if you are pregnant or nursing, or have heart problems, kidney problems, stomach ulcers, or psychological disorders (particularly anxiety, which may be exacerbated by the caffeine in green tea). Check with your doctor first.
 * 11) [[Image:372px-Illustration_Glycyrrhiza_glabra0_167.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Licorice]]Apply a gel containing Licorice (Glycyrrhizin) to affected areas of the skin twice daily. Glycyrrhizinic acid has also been shown to improve dermatitis. In a study by Saeedi et al (2003), 2% glycyrrhizinic acid gel significantly reduced erythema, edema, and itching in patients with atopic dermatitis over the 2-week treatment period.
 * 12) [[Image:621px-Oatmeal_114.jpg|thumb|Oatmeal]]Rub Oatmeal onto affected areas of skin. Oatmeal cleanses, moisturises, soothes irritation, relieves itchiness, and acts as an anti-inflammatory to treat rosacea. Oatmeal also protects skin and enhances barriers, as the proteins and polysaccharides in oatmeal bind to skin to provide a protective barrier, while proteins buffer both acids and bases.
 * 13) [[Image:401px-MelaleucaAlternifoliaEssOil_895.png|100px|right|thumb|Tea tree oil]]Apply Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) to affected areas of skin. Tea tree oil has both antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. It may kill germs resistant to methicillin, vancomycin, and other antibiotics. Tea tree oil contains over 100 components, mostly monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and their alcohols, such as terpinen-4-ol, which is responsible for most of the antimicrobial activity. Use tea tree oil with caution, as it may cause side effects including allergic contact dermatitis, systemic contact dermatitis, erythema, and systemic hypersensitivity reactions, as well as conditions such as linear immunoglobulin A disease.

Tips

 * All of these herbal remedies should be used primarily as topical treatment for rosacea. Taking these drugs orally may increase risk of systemic absorption and potential side effects.
 * Avoid common rosacea triggers, such as alcohol, chocolate, cold weather, exercise, face scrubs, fragrances, hot baths, showers, or saunas, hot beverages, some conventional makeup, spicy foods, stress, sun exposure, and topical corticosteroids.
 * Drink plenty of water to keep skin well hydrated and healthy.

Warnings

 * While some of these herbs are proven to help rosacea, they may also aggravate it in some cases, or cause side effects or adverse drug interactions. If you are thinking about using herbal preparations as a rosacea natural treatment, please seek the advice of a herbal medicine practitioner, or talk to your doctor or dermatologist.

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Reduce Rosacea
 * How to Get Rid of Acne
 * How to Get Rid of Acne Using a Home Remedy
 * How to Improve Your Skin With Only Herbal Products
 * How to Make Herbal Compresses
 * How to Grow an Herbal Tea Garden
 * How to Get Rid of Brown Spots Using Home Remedies

Sources and Citations

 * http://rosacea-support.org/treating-rosacea-with-herbs.html
 * http://deliciouslivingmag.com/health/conditions/0701-conditions-rosacea/