Rosacea Skin Care And Sun Safety

Complete skin care and rosacea treatment involve much more than treating the damage that has already occurred. Effective rosacea treatment and skin care also involves preventive rosacea skin care. The use of sun screens is just one way to practice preventive rosacea skin care.

Sunscreens protect against sunburn caused by UVB rays and generally provide little protection against UVA rays. Sunscreens work by reacting chemically with the skin cells to protect them from the UVB rays of the sun. Unfortunately for those who suffer with rosacea, the ingredients in protective sunscreens can actually cause a sunburn-like photosensitive reaction. This reaction includes a rash or itchy red breakouts that can persist for days giving an appearance similar to rosacea. Studies by the Australian Journal of Dermatology indicate that 81% of the reactions caused by photosensitive persons were caused by two primary ingredients- oxybenzone and butyl methoxydibenzoyl methane.

Chemical sunscreens contain chemicals such as benzophenone or oxybenzone (benzophenone-3) as the active ingredient. They prevent sunburn by absorbing the ultraviolet (UVB) rays. Most chemical sunscreens contain from 2 to 5% of benzophenone or its derivatives (oxybenzone, benzophenone-3) as their active ingredient. Benzophenone is one of the most powerful free radicals generally known to science. It is used in industrial processes to initiate chemical reactions and promote cross-linking. Benzophenone is activated by ultraviolet light. The absorbed energy breaks benzophenone's double bond to produce two free radical sites. This explains why most chemical sunscreens cause various degrees of redness and sensitivity to rosacea sufferers.