Selective Skin Care Most Helpful For Rosacea

Changing one's skin-care routine can go a long way toward relieving the unsightly symptoms of rosacea, according to a new survey by the National Rosacea Society.

In a recent survey of 1,273 rosacea patients, more than 91 percent said they had modified their skin-care procedures to help control the disorder. Of those who had modified their routines, more than 91 percent reported it had helped improve their condition.

More than 76 percent of the patients reporting successful results said they wash their face at least twice a day, and nearly 70 percent said they use their fingertips only, rather than a washcloth, as a means of avoiding abrasion. Most of these patients reported using a mild soap (51 percent) or non-soap cleanser (42 percent), and nearly 60 percent said they use a moisturizer.More than 94 percent of the patients reported using topical medication for their rosacea, and 61 percent also use sunscreen to protect against the sun exposure that aggravates the condition in many patients. Not surprisingly, very few of these respondents said they use astringents (10 percent), exfoliating agents (5 percent) or other products that may irritate sensitive skin. Of those using topical medication, more than 81 percent said it had helped reduce their symptoms.

Nearly 47 percent of the women reported using standard makeup, and 14 percent said they used green-tinted makeup to help conceal redness. More than 27 percent of the men reported using shaving lotion, although it has been previously noted that such products can cause irritation in some patients if they contain alcohol.

The survey also documented a tendency for the skin to become increasingly dry as patients advance in age. While only 6 percent of the respondents in their 30s reported dry skin, this increased to 15 percent among those in their 40s and to 22 percent among respondents in their 50s. Twenty-three percent of the patients in their 60s said they had dry skin, and 34 percent reported this condition after age 70.

Women Often Don't Understand Their Own Skin Care Needs.

More than 80% of American women flunked a recent skincare knowledge test. But perhaps more alarming, the overwhelming majority (88%) think they knew which skincare products to use for their skin type, according to a new national survey. This finding suggests that women should consult a skin care expert, such as a dermatologist or esthetician.
The survey, sponsored by the Society of Dermatology SkinCare Specialists (SDSS), asked U.S. women who use skincare products to answer a few simple questions about skincare, including identifying which types of ingredients they should be using to treat common skin concerns like dark spots, fine lines/wrinkles around the eyes or inflammation and bruising. Age, level of education and household income did not seem to matter -- the results were poor across the board.
"This demonstrates that women who do not go to a skincare expert, like a dermatologist or licensed esthetician, may be using the wrong products, which may actually be making the condition worse," said Susanne Warfield, Executive Director of SDSS. According to the survey, U.S. women spent an average of about $28 per month (or $336 per year) on skincare products that they rarely or never use because they're not right for them, so this can be an expensive waste of money if the products are not right for the person's skin concern.
The survey showed that:
* 83% of women were not sure which ingredient to use for anti-aging and
thought they needed the advice of a skincare expert
* Almost half of women (48%) only use sun protection seasonally or do
not use sun protection at all -- but sun damage can occur year-round
* More than six in ten women (65%) were not sure which ingredients would
help reduce inflammation and bruising, and almost 10% of women
selected an ingredient for reducing inflammation that actually may
cause inflammation in some women.
* 82% of women were not sure which ingredients to use to help lighten
the skin
Previous studies have also shown that women are often misinformed about their own skincare needs. For example, several studies have shown that more than 50% of women wrongly believe they have sensitive skin.
"This is something I see in my practice on a daily basis," said David Avram, MD, a New York City dermatologist. "Women tell me they have a particular condition and need treatment for it, but after examining their skin, I realize it's something completely different -- in fact, oftentimes they have multiple skincare conditions, but they may not realize it. I just worry about all of those women who are not going to their doctor for a skincare concern."
Indeed, the survey showed that only approximately one-third (36%) women actually went to a doctor or esthetician for a skincare concern. More, however, try to treat it themselves by buying a product at a drug or department store, or seeking the advice of family and friends (41%). But even buying a product at the department store, where beauty experts are on hand, may be perilous, since most products are recommended based on a skin self- analysis and many women may end up buying the wrong products.
Some physicians and estheticians are taking matters into their own hands -- not only by encouraging patients to seek their expert advice, but also by customizing skincare products for them, thereby eliminating costly mistakes and helping women solve their skincare problems faster.

New Findings On The Occurence Of Rosacea

Medical scientists from around the world heard updated reports on advances in the understanding of the potential causes and other key aspects of rosacea at the National Rosacea Society (NRS) research workshop held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Society for Investigative Dermatology in St. Louis. The NRS conducts the annual workshop to promote interest in rosacea research and to share new information from ongoing studies.
In a recently completed clinical study, Dr. Joel Bamford, associate professor of family practice, University of Minnesota-Duluth, and colleagues found that individuals who had styes as children were significantly more likely to have rosacea as adults.
In the study, 5.5 percent of those who had had styes as children developed rosacea as adults, while just 1.5 percent of those who had not had styes later developed the skin disorder. Styes are an inflamed swelling of the sebaceous gland, called the Meibomian gland, at the margin of the eyelid.
"These findings suggest new avenues for investigation of the causes of rosacea, as well as an informal diagnostic marker to consider in patient histories," Dr. Bamford said.
Dr. Richard Gallo, chief of the division of dermatology, University of California-San Diego, reported that new research by his group shows that a particular antimicrobial peptide that acts as a natural antibiotic could be the cause of certain signs of rosacea.
"Biopsy samples from all rosacea patients in the study showed increased levels of cathelicidins, one of the tools the body uses to protect itself against infection," Dr. Gallo said. He noted that cathelicidins are vasoactive (expand blood vessels) and inflammatory (cause irritation), potentially producing the telangiectasia (visible blood vessels) as well as the papules (bumps) and pustules (pimples) often associated with rosacea. They also observed that certain microorganisms like Helicobacter pylori, which have been linked to rosacea, are better able to stimulate an increase in cathelicidins than other skin organisms.
Dr. Richard Granstein, chairman of dermatology at Cornell University, reported on his group's research into the role of neurochemicals in the development of rosacea. They found that adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a neurotransmitter and carrier of chemical energy that is widespread throughout the body, induced the release of a variety of substances linked to inflammation, and hypothesize that rosacea triggers such as stress, alcohol and sunlight may initiate a cascade of events that contribute to producing the bumps and pimples of rosacea.
Tracy Stoudemayer reported results of an NRS-funded study conducted by Dr. YaXian Zhen and Dr. Albert Kligman, professor, University of Pennsylvania, exploring similarities between acne vulgaris and rosacea. The researchers noted that in studies of more than 100 women with rosacea, about 40 percent reported having adolescent acne. Moreover, about 30 percent to 40 percent of the women who experienced acne during adolescence exhibited moderate flushing responses to common rosacea triggers.
In a further investigation of 15 female rosacea patients and five women without rosacea as controls, the researchers found that the rosacea patients had more characteristics common to acne than the control subjects. Facial oil production was about 40 percent greater; microcomedones, precursor to visible comedones (blackheads), were twice as numerous and larger in the rosacea patients than in the controls; and the density of the acne bacterium, Propionibacterium acnes, was nearly twice that of controls.

Adult Acne And Rosacea

As adult acne becomes more common, the occurrence of rosacea related to the treatments for acne also increase.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the average age for acne sufferers in now 26 years old, but the cause for this new trend is still being disputed.
While it is alleged acne in teenagers is caused by bacteria and too much oil, many believe acne is caused by environmental factors including stress and hormones for young women.
The start of new careers, marriages, and motherhood can cause young women to have an increased level of stress.
Minimizing stress, getting a lot of exercise, and plenty of sleep can make a difference when dealing with acne.Although the best way to minimize adult acne is through properly cleansing the skin.
Acne can also leave embarassing scars, but doctors say products containing salicylic acid can diminish marks and discoloring.

Hiding Rosacea Redness With Flawless Application

Tips for flawless rosacea cover up application:
1)To avoid a streaky or blotchy appearance, allow your moisturizer to completely absorb before applying mineral foundation powder. If necessary, apply a thin layer of mineral rice powder first to absorb any extra moisturizer.
2) When applying cream or liquid foundation, most of us start with a lot and then blend most of it off. With mineral makeup, the minerals are pure, concentrated pigment. Using downward strokes, start with a light dusting and add layers until you achieve the desired coverage.
3) For a dewy look, create a tinted moisturizer by mixing a bit of powder foundation in the palm of your hand with your favorite moisturizer. Apply evenly as you would a moisturizer.
4) Apply mineral eye shadows dry for a soft, airbrushed effect. For a more intense and longer-wearing look, dip a wetted brush into the powder and then sweep it across the lids. The wet look is also good for events like weddings and chick flicks because it's crease and tear proof.
5) Because mineral blush contains no synthetic dyes, use it on eyes and lips for a dash of sheer color.
6) Finally, invest in good makeup brushes. As with applying any cosmetics, quality brushes make all the difference. Some popular mineral makeups include: Jane Iredale, Bel'Image Skin Care & Make-Up, Scosh Mineral Makeup, Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics, Mineral Secrets.

ROSACEA GURU TO END BATTLE OVER CRITIC'S SITE

Rosacea guru to end battle over critics' site

By Kevin Corcorankevin.corcoran@indystar.com

A Fishers physiologist whose online postings turned him into a guru for people suffering from rosacea agreed Thursday to abandon his legal fight to silence a Web site questioning his credentials and advice.

Published anonymously, the site claims Geoffrey Nase, 36, is practicing medicine without a license and dispensing potentially harmful advice to many thousands of people desperately seeking a cure for the tough-to-treat inflammatory skin disease.

Nase -- who has made claims about himself that Indiana medical groups have refuted -- unmasked his cybercritics, and Thursday he tried to confront them in Marion Superior Court.

After several hours of attorneys for the Web site operators and Nase shuttling in and out of Judge Kenneth Johnson's office, both sides said they had reached an agreement in principle.Nase's attorney, Vincent Perez, described it as a confidential settlement. However, Ronald J. Waicukauski, the attorney for the out-of-state Web site operators, said his clients would continue to maintain their online presence and that Nase agreed to drop his lawsuit by Jan. 31.

In court filings, Nase claims his online rosacea critics slandered him, interfered in his business pursuits and dried up sales of his self-published, 332-page book on the incurable and progressive acnelike disease. He had asked Johnson to order the Web site shut down immediately.

Nase has stated he filed the suit in mid-August to defend his reputation. The case would have required Johnson to balance the critics' First Amendment rights against the potential harm to Nase's Internet business prospects.

The defendants -- Dr. Nicholas Soldo, an anesthesiologist from Scottsdale, Ariz., who uses lasers to treat rosacea, and one of Soldo's former patients, Laura Thomas, Asheville, N.C. -- say they can back up claims that Nase has inflated his credentials and dispensed harmful advice.

Both attended what was supposed to be a full-blown evidentiary hearing Thursday."Under no circumstances was that Web site coming down," Soldo said after the closed-door settlement talks. "It's too important to the rosacea community."

Online, the flare-ups between Nase and his critics have been dubbed the "Rosacea Wars" or "Nase wars" because of the way the caustic exchanges have roiled chat boards devoted to the disease.

Johnson said he did an online search during the settlement talks he initiated and found at least 10 pages of back-and-forth."I said, 'Geez, you guys have been really, really busy,' " Johnson said.

Nase estimates he has personally posted 55,000 individual messages touting rosacea research and offering free advice to sufferers within the past nine years. In addition, he ships his self-published paperback, "Beating Rosacea: Vascular, Ocular & Acne Forms," directly from his office for $46.90 plus shipping and handling, according to Amazon.com.Nase has a doctoral degree in microvascular physiology from West Virginia University's School of Medicine.

Nase runs an online site called "drnase.com" for rosacea sufferers looking for alternative treatments.

Waicukauski told the court Nase "has ruthlessly attacked virtually anyone who disagrees with him."

Soldo and Thomas are both ex-supporters of Nase who created the "DebunkingNase" Web site to challenge Nase's various claims.

They say they began to have doubts about him after he told his online supporters of a series of medical calamities this spring that included five gastrointestinal surgeries, the loss of 45 percent of his blood, heart attacks, major brain surgeries and a blood infection.

Yet, they say, Nase soon was back online. He even claimed to have done a business deal while in a coma.During a deposition Sept. 30, Nase refused to answer questions about his medical treatment. He asked Johnson to block access to his medical records.

Thomas said she began checking other online claims Nase had made and uncovered inconsistencies in his background.

For instance, Nase has stated that "after detailed interviews and evaluation," Indiana's Medical Licensing Board had "granted Dr. Geoffrey Nase full privileges to offer in-depth consultations to rosacea sufferers." However, Michael Rinebold, the board's director, said Nase's claim is false.Nase also has stated the Indiana State Medical Association gave him approval to call himself a rosacea specialist, to consult with patients over the Internet and to dispense medical advice. "I can tell you point-blank that is a bold-faced lie," said Adele Lash, the association's spokeswoman.

Nase did not return a call to his home Thursday seeking comment after the settlement was reached.

He has said his critics launched their Internet site after learning that he would be partnering with a dermatologist in Portland, Ore., who offers laser treatments for rosacea that would compete with Dr. Soldo's national practice. Nase received $6,000 a month for referring people to the Oregon clinic -- a financial tie that critics say he failed to disclose.

Nase's online detractors say the arrangement -- and his decision to seek damages against the "DebunkingNase" site operators for lost income -- ran counter to online assertions that he has "never ever made a single penny for anything related to rosacea."

Cheekbones Without Redness

To create cheek bones without the additional redness of a blusher, use the tips of your index finger and middle fingers to sweep concealer one shade darker than your normal skin tone from the corners of your mouth to your jaw joint (below the ears), then blend throughly. The slightly darker shade creates a subtle shadow effect that visually forms higher cheekbones, instantly minimizing puffiness.