The Rosacea and Oily Skin Care Conundrum: Find it Again Friday

Do you suffer from rosacea, oily skin, and blackheads?

If so, have you found the very products that treat your oily skin and blackheads aggravate your rosacea?

Do you feel there is no solution to this problem?

The Rosacea and Oily Skin Care Conundrum

The questions above embody the rosacea and oily skin care conundrum; there appears to be no method to treat both conditions without resulting in a breakout of rosacea or clogged pores. However, Dr. Cynthia Bailey has addressed how to solve this very issue in her post: Best Products for Rosacea, Oily Skin, and Blackheads. Dr. Bailey thoroughly describes the skin care steps she uses in her practice for rosacea and oily-skin types. Below is a brief outline of the general steps.

Skin Care Regimen for Rosacea and Oily-Skin Types 

1. Begin with a "Rosacea Cool Down" - This will not worsen blackheads or clogged pores, but it will only treat your rosacea that is currently inflamed.

• Stop all irritating skin care products or procedures.
• Use soothing products that calm rosacea, including: Calming Zinc Soap (usually twice a day, but the small potential to dry some skin types may cause us to switch to only once a day, alternating with a gentle cleanser; Green Tea Antioxidant Skin Therapy (twice a day). Both are found in Dr. Bailey's Facial Redness Relief Kit.
• If your rosacea is really flaring up, consult a dermatologist to determine if a prescription is necessary: Prescription Medicine and Cosmetic Procedures to Treat Rosacea 
• 
  Keep your skin hydrated with a soothing moisturizer, such as Daily Moisturizing Face Cream, which is perfect for oily skin. Find all of Dr. Bailey's favorite rosacea skin care products in her Rosacea Therapy Kit. 
• Wear sunscreen to prevent further aggravation from the sun. Dr. Bailey's favorite sunscreen for rosacea is her Sheer Strength Pure Physical Matte Tinted Sunscreen. The matte base absorbs oil and the tinting blends into all skin tones to help hide complexion flaws.  

All of these products come in Dr. Bailey's Rosacea Therapy Kit!

 2. After your rosacea calms, next tackle your clogged pores and blackheads

• Best method: use a sonic skin cleansing system such as the Foreo or Clarisonic. However, it is important to note that there is no guarantee that the rosacea-prone areas of the cheeks or forehead will react well to sonic cleansing, which is why it is always something we start slowly and carefully using the lowest settings with the Delicate Brush for extra-sensitive skin.

• For blackheads:
  • Dr. Bailey's first treatment choice when treating rosacea patients with blackheads is to use a retinoid such as her Retinol Night Cream. However, it is tricky to use a retinoid with rosacea-prone skin but it is possible for certain areas of the face. Dr. Bailey details how to properly apply retinol under the 'directions' tab on the Retinol Night Cream page.

• Benzoyl peroxide is another option to get rid of blackheads in rosacea-prone skin. Some may find benzoyl peroxide even helps their rosacea, while others do not. Dr. Bailey uses her alcohol-free Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Treatment Cream. This potentially irritating medicine is applied only to the blackhead-prone areas: nose, chin, and between the brows. This method is only a test since it may cause a rosacea flare-up, so start the application gingerly.

Even when you perfectly follow your skin care regimen, a rosacea flare-up is bound to occur. When this happens, Dr. Bailey ceases use of all harsh and irritating products (especially products to treat clogged pores and blackheads). Then she starts the "Rosacea Cool Down" process again. When the rosacea inflammatory phase calms, then she will recommend delicately resuming the blackhead and clogged-pore treatment. 

Essentially, a skin care routine for rosacea and oily-skin types will revolve in this alternating cycle. If you want to read a more in-depth discussion of the rosacea and oily skin care conundrum, read Dr. Bailey's original blog post here.

If you have found these rosacea and oily skin care tips helpful, please show your thanks by sharing this blog post on social media with your friends and family.  Sincerely, Angela and the Dr. Bailey Skin Care Team

Photo attribution: Thanks and gratitude to © Doable/amanaimages/Corbis