If you have rosacea, using anti-aging skin care products can be a challenge, since they often cause redness or stinging for sensitive skin types. While you do need to take extra care to soothe and calm your skin, the good news is that you can use various anti-aging products to help keep lines, wrinkles, and dark spots at bay. Here are my top four product recommendations to help with anti-aging for rosacea sufferers.
1. Mineral-Based Sunscreen
Keeping your skin protected from the sun is crucial, especially if you have rosacea. Not only does sun exposure accelerate signs of skin aging, but it can also make rosacea symptoms worse. However, many rosacea patients cannot tolerate chemical sunscreens that are absorbed into the skin. Instead, try a mineral-based sunscreen like Elta MD Physical.
This sunscreen contains zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to create a physical barrier between your skin and the sun’s UV rays. It is generally well-tolerated for all Baumann Skin Types, including sensitive skin. In fact, Physician Assistant Ilanit Samuels says Elta MD is one of the only sunscreens that many of her acne patients can use without breaking out.
2. DefenAge
DefenAge is a relatively new anti-aging product that contains peptides called defensins. Defensins are responsible for, among other things, stimulating specific stems cells in hair follicles called LGR6+. When LGR6+ stem cells are stimulated, they begin the wound healing process and generate new cells. Most other anti-aging products that have been on the market for decades work by triggering old cells to produce components like collagen or growth factors. Defensins work by stimulating existing stem cells to make new skin cells altogether.
3. Sente
Sente is another line of breakthrough anti-aging products, and it contains an exciting ingredient called heparan sulfate. Heparan sulfate is a naturally-occuring glycosaminoglycan (GAG) that, like hyaluronic acid, is able to bind to and retain large amounts of water. But new evidence has shown that this ingredient may also be able to help cells “hear” messages from growth factors and cytokines in order to start producing more collagen and other key components of the skin.
As cells age, they do not hear these signals as well, which could play a role in the gradual decrease of collagen production with age. Heparan sulfate binds to growth factors and makes sure that they bind to the proper receptor to send the message to make more collagen.
4. Retinoids
Retinoids can cause redness, stinging, and other signs of irritation in sensitive skin types if not used properly. However, you can still use these beneficial anti-aging ingredients with rosacea, but wean them into your routine slowly and use with a soothing anti-inflammatory moisturizer like Zerafite Soothing and Calming Moisturizer. This moisturizer will also help to strengthen your skin’s protective barrier to keep water sealed inside and bacteria and other harmful particles locked out.
When introducing a retinoid into your skin care routine, follow these general steps:
- Wash your face with the proper cleanser, based on your Baumann Skin Type. People with rosacea should avoid foaming cleansers and toners.
- Dilute the retinoid with your calming facial moisturizer. You can start by mixing equal parts retinoid and moisturizer and see how your skin tolerates this.
- Apply a pea-sized amount of the retinoid mixture to dry skin. Retinoids can be more readily absorbed if applied to wet skin, which can increase the risk of side effects.
- Apply in the evening every third night. Some people may be able to tolerate moving up to every-other-night applications.
Bottom Line
If you have rosacea, you will need to take extra care to avoid irritation and redness when using anti-aging products. Introduce them to your skin slowly and combine with a soothing anti-inflammatory moisturizer to help reduce side effects and strengthen the skin barrier. It is also best to try to limit the number of products in your routine, so find which ones work best for you and choose a few staple products designed for your Baumann Skin Type that your skin tolerates well.
If you’re searching for in-office anti-aging treatments for rosacea, contact our Miami office online or call us at 305-532-5552 to schedule an appointment.
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