Seasonal Changes

The hottest summer day or a deep freeze in winter do affect rosacea. Weather is a common rosacea trigger, and it's one of the hardest to avoid. You can't simply snap your fingers and make the weather stop. You can't get rid of airborne pollen, intense sun, and bitter cold winds. When weather triggers rosacea's redness, what do you do?

Summer is Brutal

My skin looks best in the spring and mid- to late-autumn. In the summer, the heat and humidity seem to trigger my oil glands. My skin goes from being normal to excessively oily. As oil production increases, my rosacea redness kicks into high gear until I look sunburned and flushed 24/7. I also find my skin itches more in the summer, too.

As the itching increases, it makes it hard to sleep. Cool compresses and mists of distilled water help ease the itching, but it's only temporary. Medications that worked stop working. I hate going to the dermatologist as insurance will fight to cover the cost saying it's cosmetic. Skincare products no longer help. It's an aggravation that only makes me feel worse.

This summer has been brutal. We've already broken several high-temperature records. It hardly ever rains. If it does rain, it's quick and only adds to the humidity.

Nothing Helps so What Can You Do?

My face is scarlet red, itchy, burns, and is making me miserable. To my growing self-esteem issues stemming from my flare-ups, my son's wedding took place last week. It was a big photo event, so I had to put on makeup. Makeup has only added to the irritation and red skin. For the record, I even used a mineral makeup recommended by my dermatologist. It didn't help at all.

What do you do when this happens? There's not really much you can do. You should talk to your dermatologist or doctor and see if there's another medication that helps more. I find that medications only last so long, so I try to avoid them. For a flare-up this bad, I will make another appointment and see about trying a different medication.

Mostly, it's a good time to educate people. Many have never heard of rosacea. They assume people are sunburned, drunk, or dealing with high blood pressure. If you catch someone staring or saying something, tell them about rosacea. The more the public is made aware of the skin condition, the easier it will be on anyone who suffers from the redness and irritation.

Keep a spray bottle filled with distilled water available. It may only help ease the feeling of itching, burning, and stinging, but that minute or two of a break will help your overall mood. I found Evian Natural Mineral Water Facial Spray on a clearance rack years ago. It is a must-have in the summer now.

Don't forget that you're not alone. Anyone with rosacea knows exactly how you feel. Hit forums and support groups to see if others have any tips that might help you.