...except that if you treat it like acne, it’s possible to make it worse instead of better. If you’ve tried every trick in the book to get rid of your acne and are worse off than before, you might have actually been mistreating rosacea. 

The most noteworthy difference between acne and rosacea is the location of the breakout. While acne is most commonly seen on the forehead, cheeks, chin, jaw, upper back, and chest, rosacea is more central. It is typically seen on the cheeks and nose, but can span across the entire face. We are fully aware that both of those location descriptions overlap, which is why we recommend asking a dermatologist if you’re not sure. 

Rosacea can have specific “triggers” that make you breakout. If you’ve ever had one sip of wine and suddenly looked like you have the world’s worst sunburn, alcohol is probably a trigger for you. Or if you’ve spent a summer day outside and ended up with splotchy red patches that show through your makeup, heat might be a trigger. While triggers can be specific to each person, the most common ones are spicy food, alcohol, heat, chocolate, and warm drinks. 

Once you know you have rosacea, you can manage it with the regimen below. Since a large part of rosacea is hypersensitivity of the skin, the key to managing flare ups is using exceptionally gentle products and protecting your skin at all costs. Basically, think of yourself as a secret service agent for your skin if your skin was the President.