We all know if we have acne right? Well actually, acne is often misdiagnosed. People who suffer from Rosacea often think they have acne but they are two distinct conditions which require different treatments. Using the wrong skin care, acne cosmetics in particular on Rosacea will often cause your condition to worsen.

So when are your pimples acne and not Rosacea? Acne is a series of spots, whiteheads, blackheads and in severe cases cysts and pustules. It is caused by hormonal changes in your body leading to an overproduction of oils.

Rosacea appears like acne and is very common, affecting people between the ages of 25 and 60. It is incurable but treatable and characterised by redness on the nose, cheeks and forehead. Rosacea can look like pimples hence why some people confuse the two conditions.

There appears to be a strong genetic link involved as almost 40% of Rosacea sufferers have a close family relation with a similar condition.

A lot of skin care and acne cosmetics have an exfoliant effect. With acne, you are trying to reduce the oil production and get rid of the dead skin cells blocking your pores. Most acne skin care products will contain at least a mild abrasive material to help get rid of the blackheads and whiteheads.

This is the worst treatment for Rosacea as your blood vessels are already compromised i.e. weakened. Abrasive materials will cause an increase in redness, the opposite effect of what you are trying to achieve.

Using cosmetics when you have acne can be a minefield. On the one hand you are trying to cover up your pimples and blemishes. But the very materials used to do that may lead to an increase in your skin problems. You need to avoid all oil based cosmetics. Alcohol based products may be the short term answer but long term these may irritate your skin.

The process of applying makeup can also spread infection as can touching your face too often. When we are self conscious of our pimples, we often subconsciously put our hands up to our face. We need to break this habit as this is one way of easily spreading infection.

You must always cleanse your face thoroughly after using any make up products as blocked pores will cause more pimples. Try and avoid wearing cosmetics every day – let your skin breathe once and a while.

Treat yourself to a deep cleansing mask or facial once a week. Increase your consumption of fruit and vegetables and drink more water. Try and reduce alcohol consumption and leave the colas, coffee and other caffeine products alone as well.

When looking to buy skin care, acne cosmetics etc always seek the advice of a qualified beautician. They will examine your skin and give you some tips on how best to manage your condition. If they are good at their jobs, they will know their products inside and out and should be best placed to provide you with solid information on the best skin care acne cosmetics for you.

Some people suffer from Acne Rosacea, a condition where the pimples are accompanied by broken blood vessels and flushing cheeks. Although called Acne Rosacea, skin care treatments used to treat acne will not help this condition.

You need to see a dermatologist to confirm that you have Rosacea. This condition tends to run in families and develops over time i.e. it rarely suddenly appears. Although there is currently no cure, you can help to alleviate you r symptoms by avoiding anything that causes your blood vessels to open and close repeatedly. So you need to take extra care in the sun, avoid cheap red wine, coffee and cola drinks, spicy foods and over gruelling exercise.

Increase the amount of vitamin C in your diet by eating parsley and citrus fruits such as lemons, orange and grapefruits. These also contain bioflavonoids which will help to promote healthy capillaries. Weak capillary walls causes the blood vessels to dilate giving you that rosy glow you have grown to hate! Cherries, grapes, blueberries and strawberries are good foods to add to your diet to help combat this skin problem.

If you suffer from acne Rosacea, you need to avoid irritating your skin as much as possible. So throw out any skin care products you are currently using;if you find they irritate your skin.

When considering what is aggravating your skin, keep in mind the conditioners and shampoos you use on your hair. When you sweat or sleep, these pass onto your face and may be the source of the irritation.

Look closely at your diet – does your skin react to a certain food? Some people swear that dairy foods make their Rosacea worse. While there is no scientific evidence available to support this theory, it may be true for some people. The only way to test if it is leading to a worsening skin problem is to eliminate dairy produce from your diet for about 8 weeks.

Do proceed with caution though as we need the vitamins provided by dairy products to prevent brittle bone disease in later life. If you think dairy food is a factor in your skin problem then please speak to your doctor or dietitian to ensure you are getting these vitamins elsewhere.

Don’t go for steam treatments or worse plunge your face into hot water. You are trying to avoid temperature extremes so never spray your skin with alternate doses of hot and cold water.

Don’t use abrasive skin scrubs to cleanse your face. You need to avoid any harsh cleansing routines, instead using a vegetable soap or cleaning milk to clean your face.

Use calming herbs like camomile and thyme to soothe your skin during a flare up.

Chose an acne Rosacea skin care product such as Eucerin Redness relief or La Roche Rosay Roaslic anti redness moisturizer. A good moisturiser will provide a protective barrier between your skin and the elements. Finally, always use a sunscreen even when it appears to be a cloudy day.