Manuka Honey for Rosacea
What is Rosacea?
Rosacea typically begins as redness on the central face across the cheeks, nose, or forehead, but can also less commonly affect the neck, chest, ears, and scalp. Rosacea affects both sexes, but is almost three times more common in women. It has a peak age of onset between 30 - 60.
There are four identified rosacea subtypes and patients may have more than one subtype present:
- Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea: Permanent redness with a tendency to flush and blush easily. It is also common to have small widened blood vessels visible near the surface of the skin and possibly intense burning, stinging, and/or itching sensations. People with this ETR type often have sensitive skin. Skin can also become very dry and flaky. In addition to the face, symptoms can also appear on the ears, neck, chest, upper back, and scalp.
Telangectasia - One of our customers used our Therapeutic Skin Cream several times during the day and before retiring in the evening with this result. Click here if you would like to read Barbara's story...... |
2. Papulopustular rosacea: Some permanent redness with red bumps with some pus filled (can last 1–4 days or longer; extremely varied symptoms); this subtype can be easily confused with acne.
3. Phymatous rosacea: This subtype is most commonly associated with rhinophyma, an enlargement of the nose. Symptoms include thickening skin, irregular surface nodularities, and enlargement. Phymatous rosacea can also affect the chin (gnathophyma), forehead (metophyma), cheeks, eyelids (blepharophyma), and ears (otophyma). Small blood vessels visible near the surface of the skin (telangiectasias) may be present.
4. Ocular rosacea: Red (due to telangiectasias), dry, irritated or gritty, eyes and eyelids. Watery eyes. Eyelids often develop cysts. Some other symptoms include foreign body sensations, itching, burning, stinging, and sensitivity to light. Eyes can become more susceptible to infection. About half of the people with subtypes 1-3 also have eye symptoms. Blurry vision and loss of vision can occur.
Treatment for Rosacea
Treating rosacea varies depending on severity and subtypes. A subtype-directed approach to treating rosacea patients is recommended to dermatologists. Mild cases are often not treated at all, or are simply covered up with normal cosmetics. Therapy for the treatment of rosacea is not curative, and is best measured in terms of reduction in the amount of erythema and inflammatory lesions, decrease in the number, duration, and intensity of flares, and concomitant symptoms of itching, burning, and tenderness. Laser therapy has also been classified as a form of treatment.
While medications often produce a temporary remission of redness within a few weeks, the redness typically returns shortly after treatment is suspended. Lifelong treatment is often necessary, although some cases resolve after a while and go into a permanent remission.
Nature's Gold Therapeutic Skin Cream may help with Rosacea but needs to be applied several times per day and every day.
Rosacea is a skin condition that looks like you are blushing, with redness on your cheeks and nose. But this redness can also appear on your forehead, ears, back, chest, and even your eyelids.
Sometimes this skin condition causes acne-like small pus-filled bumps and visible broken blood vessels.
While rosacea can affect anyone, it particularly affects middle-aged women with fair skin.
The exact cause of rosacea is not clear. Various triggers like stress, sunlight, heat, exercise, certain medications, some foods and drinks, and beauty products can exacerbate the condition. It is best to avoid triggers and manage your lifestyle around them, like wearing sunblock before you go out, using gentle skin products, and managing stress.
Rosacea treatment
There is no cure for rosacea, and it can be quite difficult to treat. Your doctor can suggest treatment options for rosacea. Prescription medications can help manage the redness, bumps, and other symptoms, while some procedures like dermabrasion and laser treatments can be beneficial too.
However, there are also natural treatment options available that you can apply at home, particularly Manuka honey, which is proving to be quite effective.
What makes Manuka honey a treatment option for rosacea?
Raw honey is packed with beneficial components for the skin because of its unique antibacterial and skin healing properties. But Manuka honey is more potent than any other raw honey and contains a higher concentration of methylglyoxal (MGO), a compound that makes this honey a powerful anti-microbial.
The unique properties of Manuka honey help kill harmful bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which keeps the skin free of pathogens and aids in healing the skin, including minor and chronic wounds.
Premium Manuka honey is not only anti-bacterial but also bacterial resistant, meaning the bacteria may not be able to build up resistance to its antibacterial effects. Studies also show that Manuka honey attacks infections considered to be untreatable, highlighting its effectiveness in clearing and treating infections.
The honey’s high sugar concentration can keep wounds moist and aids in quick healing. It also reduces inflammation and pain at wound sites. Manuka honey is also a great emollient and helps the skin feel softer.
All these properties make Manuka honey a natural remedy for skin conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, burns, scars, and rosacea.
How to use Manuka honey for rosacea
A small amount of premium Manuka honey can be applied directly to the skin, and it can be effective in reducing dryness of the skin, which worsens with rosacea.
In our experience, when using Manuka honey, you may notice the redness on your skin gets aggravated before it clears up. That’s because any inflammation on the skin reacts to the active ingredients in Manuka honey and it tends to flare up first before it gets better.
Some people also experience a tingling sensation when Manuka honey begins its healing process. We always recommend doing a spot test before you start using Manuka honey on your skin.
It is also advisable to consult your doctor before starting any treatments for rosacea.
If you are looking for Australian honey products or specifically, Manuka honey therapeutic skincare, visit our online shop or look for Nature’s Gold products in the stores.