Why Does My Face Brake Out From The Sun?

Some of my clients with rosacea complain about an almost acne like breakout when they are exposed to the sun.  There are many variables that can contribute to or elevate these breakouts such as medications, dehydration, stress, reactions to foods or beverages, as well as an increase in physical activity.

One thing for sure Vitamin D seems to play a role and be a common thread in aggravating people stricken with the rosacea skin condition. "Eighty-one percent of patients with rosacea report that sun exposure makes it worse. Of the many environmental triggers that exacerbate the condition, sun exposure is actually the most common. This may be because patients with rosacea have elevated levels of the antimicrobial peptide, cathelicidin, in the affected skin. Vitamin D increases cathelicidin, which may explain why sun exposure is a common environmental trigger, though researchers don’t know for sure." claims Cannell, MD of the Vitamin D Council.

Cannell, MD of the Vitamin D Council also states that,"Overgrowth of a dysfunctional intestinal flora or abnormal intestinal microbiome may play a role in causing the disease. Recently a trial of rifaximin, a non-absorbable antibiotic that treats intestinal overgrowth but does not leave the digestive tract, showed a 96% response rate; meaning, that almost all of the participant’s reported an improvement with this treatment."

So, what do you do?  My advice is to apply at least SPF 30 full spectrum sunscreen in conjunction to wearing a hat for maximum protection. I prefer a physical versus a chemical sunscreen, because less people tend to have allergic reactions.  Also, stay out of the sun from 10am to 3pm when sun exposure is at it's strongest.  Last but not least, wash your face directly after exposure to get excess sebum off of the skin. 

References:
http://www.rosacea-ltd.com/rosacea-and-sun-allergy/ 
https://www.vitamindcouncil.org/blog/sunlight-and-vitamin-d-do-they-trigger-rosacea/#
http://rosacea.org/tags/sun

Makeup by Lori Riley
Photo courtesy of  Beiron Andersson

What Causes & How To Prevent Styes

Recently I had a client who experienced  a stye in her eye.  She is a client that regularly has eyelash extensions done as well as uses Latisse to enhance her eyelashes. The event of the stye occurrence was very alarming to me as her skin care professional making me want to further educate myself, readers and client about this phenomenon.

What I found out was that styes in general are pretty common and they are typically contracted by the staphylococcal bacteria that naturally lives on the skin, in the mucus in the nasal cavity and the throat.  What causes a stye is a oil gland that becomes clogged by dead skin cells and other debris.
 
When a person wares eyelash extensions it is very important that they practice good hygiene, because the glue that encases the natural lash and the synthetic  lash is very porous and if not kept clean can trap dirt and bacteria making the occurrence of a stye more likely.  Washing your eyes with a non-fibrous 4x4 and a solution of baby shampoo mixed with warm water is a great way to keep the eye area clean and healthy while not disturbing the bond between the extension and the eyelashes.

The other causes of styes can be stress.  According to Troy Bedinghaus, O.D. ‘During times of stress, our bodies excrete certain chemicals and hormones that may play a role in developing styes.” The other most common contributor to contracting styes is eyelash enhancers such as Latisse according to doublecheckmd.com

The bottom line is make sure that your eyelash extension professional is knowledgeable, certified and is experienced in applying extensions.  It is also very important that your hygiene and the hygiene of the salon  is clean and safe.

References
http://www.webmd.boots.com/eye-health/guide/stye-symptoms-diagnosis-treatment
http://vision.about.com/od/sportsvision/qt/Avoid_Styes.htm
http://doublecheckmd.com/DrugDetail.do;jsessionid=00F3FDA34F4EC8C709B911437CDAA82F?dname=Latisse&sid=159833&view=e
http://www.foodsafety.gov/poisoning/causes/bacteriaviruses/staphylococcus/