Men With Rosacea: How to Treat & Prevent Irritated Skin

What Is Rosacea?

Rosacea is a chronic disease that affects the skin. It most commonly affects the face, causing redness, bumps, flushing, pimples, and similar symptoms.

What Causes Rosacea?

The exact causes of rosacea are not fully understood. It is believed that a combination of genetic, immune, and environmental factors lead to rosacea. 

If you're working to reduce rosacea flare ups and minimize negative symptoms, knowing your own irritants is key. While the sun is one of the most common triggers, sufferers can attest to any number of things that set off reactions. In no particular order, all of the following can cause rosacea to flare up:

• Alcohol
• Stress
• Strenuous exercise
• Harsh skincare products
• Spicy foods

Some of these can be avoided through lifestyle choices. But others are impossible to eliminate entirely. For example, many guys wonder if stress can cause rosacea. The answer is yes - but it doesn't have to if you find smart ways to manage your stress level and minimize its effect on your skin.

Is Rosacea Contagious?

No, rosacea is not contagious. You cannot spread it to others or catch it by interacting with someone who has rosacea. There does seem to be a genetic component to developing rosacea, however. So you are more likely to suffer from this condition if other people in your family do. 

How to Treat Rosacea

To control a rosacea flare up, it's important to understand its triggers and address them directly. This can take a while for each person to learn, since every individual case is different. 

Daily Skincare for Guys with Rosacea

Taking care of your skin with rosacea can feel like a burden given how easily it can get irritated. Rosacea treatments call for taking care of the skin by gently cleansing and moisturizing, without causing irritation whenever possible. 

To achieve this, we suggest sticking with two products: a natural face wash for men and a natural face moisturizer for men. Together they give your skin the primary essentials it needs - cleansing and hydration - without irritation.

We advise washing your face no more than twice a day and always moisturizing afterwards. The best face cleanser for rosacea will include gentle, yet effective cleansers such as activated charcoal. The best moisturizer for rosacea is one that contains effective natural hydrators such as aloe and jojoba oil. Use only lukewarm water when washing your face - and avoid excessively hot water.

You can get both of these skincare essentials in our Daily Essential Face Care Routine. It includes:

• Purifying Charcoal Face Wash - gentle and non-lathering formula with activated charcoal, olive oil, and jojoba.

• Daily Essential Face Moisturizer - lightweight, fast absorbing, and oil-free moisturizer with aloe vera, jojoba, and DMAE.

How to Exfoliate with Rosacea

Exfoliation involves using scrubbing particles or acids to remove dead cells from the surface of the skin. For guys with rosacea, this can be problematic since the process may be irritating and can even lead to a flare up. 

But exfoliation is also very beneficial for your skin, making it brighter and preventing blemishes. How can you enjoy the benefits of exfoliation if you have rosacea without causing a major flare up?

• Be Gentle - Choose a gentle exfoliating product that uses natural scrubbing particles and BHA's. This will remove the outermost layer of dead skin and prevent flakiness without causing major irritation. Our Renewing Face Scrub is made with jojoba beads, pumice, green tea extract, coffee extract, and avocado butter - all of which provide a balanced, nourishing, and hydrating approach to exfoliation.

• Less Is More - You only need to exfoliate once or twice a week to get the benefits it offers. Any more than that can be a source of irritation for men with rosacea. 

• Moisturize After - Apply moisturizer immediately after exfoliating to nourish and protect the skin. This is the ideal moment for your skin to absorb all of the nutrients and antioxidants in our Daily Essential Face Moisturizer. It will also calm and soothe the skin, thus minimizing the chance that exfoliation will lead to a rosacea flare up.

How to Shave with Rosacea

Shaving can be a pain for any guy - but for men with rosacea, it can be disastrous. The best shaving tips for men with rosacea start with the right products.

Choose the Right Razor

Most guys with rosacea prefer an electric razor. If you must use a blade, we highly suggest investing in a sharp safety razor. Rubbing too many blades across your already sensitive skin could cause trouble - so avoid it at all costs.

Use a Hydrating Shave Cream

Avoid shaving creams that lather or foam. The ingredients used to make shaving cream foam up are highly irritating to the skin (even to men who do not have rosacea). The best shaving cream for men with rosacea is a natural shaving cream as it will be less likely to trigger rosacea inflammation.

Our Smooth Brushless Shave Cream is non-lathering with moisturizing ingredients that soothe and calm the skin. It's made with glycerin, jojoba, and aloe vera to protect your skin from irritation, provide a slick surface for your razor, and prevent post-shave irritation.

Preventing Flare Ups with SPF Products

The sun is a major source of irritation for men with rosacea. but most guys can't - and don't want - to completely avoid the sun. So applying sunscreen when outside is essential. 

More important than just applying an SPF product is choosing the right one for your sensitive skin. Men who suffer from rosacea need to avoid sunscreens with harmful chemicals and skin irritants.

Our SPF products offer broad spectrum protection from UVA/B rays with natural, non-irritating ingredients and a zinc-based mineral formula. 

• Daily Defense Face Moisturizer with SPF 20 - Oil-free formula protects your skin from sun damage without clogging pores. Made with zinc-oxide, green tea extract, and vitamin E. Absorbs fast and doesn't leave behind any white marks.

• Element Defense Moisturizer with SPF 45 - Designed for use all over your body when you'll be exposed to direct sunlight for an extended period. Made with zinc oxide, green tea extract, and sunflower oil.

Best Ingredients for Treating Rosacea

Choosing skincare products with the most helpful ingredients will allow you to effectively treat and prevent rosacea flare ups. When using any new product - including one that includes any of the following ingredients - test it on a small area of skin first to make sure you don't have a negative reaction. And speak to your dermatologist if you have any concerns.

Is Hyaluronic Acid Good for Rosacea?

Hyaluronic acid is a powerful natural skin moisturizer, so it's excellent for treating dry skin. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that can help treat the itch, redness, and swelling that are common with rosacea. And it's a key ingredient in our Daily Essential Face Moisturizer. 

Is Salicylic Acid Good for Rosacea?

While salicylic acid is excellent for treating acne, it is not recommended for guys dealing with rosacea. That's because it tends to dry out the skin and can cause redness and inflammation in people with sensitive skin. Opt for more gentle ingredients instead.

Is Witch Hazel Good for Rosacea?

Witch hazel is a common ingredient in toners and acne fighting skincare products. It is an astringent and has a drying effect on the skin. Due to this, it is not recommended for use if you have rosacea or are trying to calm a flare up.

Is Retinol Good for Rosacea?

Retinol can increase cellular turnover and boost collagen production. But it also sensitizes skin to UV damage, can cause irritation, and may lead to dryness. So the answer depends on your skin - but there are generally better tolerated ingredients.