Common
Rosacea Triggers Lists
This list
is meant to be a tool to help Rosacea patients and others with red symptoms of
the skin, chronic sensitivity or inflammations and auto-immune disorders to find the culprits that instigate
flare ups of their symptoms. We update this list as new
information is found in our ongoing research. Some of the
information comes to us from medical doctors, university studies, naturopathic
doctors, acupuncturists, aestheticians, cosmetic chemists, dentists and pharmacists. Browse the list and see
if anything looks like it has affected you and then discuss that with your
medical or aesthetic practitioner for guidance. If its merely a food or
environmental source...just avoid it for a few days to see the effect. If
it's your prescription medication, consult your pharmacist and doctor before you take any
action! I have found that pharmacists gladly discuss my prescriptions with
me and know more about any side effects than most doctors. If you have a
medical university near you, their pharmacology department would be a wealth of
free information, too. I pretty much spend 7 days a week investigating on
behalf of my readers and clients - you can follow some of my daily activities to
be pro-active in your own health: read labels diligently! Foods,
medicines, household cleansers, cosmetics, pet food...you name it. Many of
us have been made sick all our lives by the cleaners our families have used just
to mop the floors or countertops. Many popular "healthy" foods
contain ingredients that they know are controversial and yet they just repackage
things to seem healthy and low cal or low fat. READ.
These triggers
listed here may not
affect every one with Rosacea, and sometimes one person doesn't react to the
same trigger every exposure. These can be triggers for other health
issues, like melasma, asthma and eczema as well. This list is meant to be used to alert our
readers to the possibilities and then to take responsible action to find out if
it's causing you problems.
Another suggestion I
might add: leave your street shoes and coat at the entrance to your home when
you step inside. So many toxic fluids and debris are carried onto our
floors and carpets on our shoes in particular. When I stood at the
entrance to a grocery store recently and watched how many people stepped right
into oily stains in the parking lot I couldn't believe my eyes. Think
about it! Your shoes are carrying this stuff home. If you have small
children that spend time on the floor playing, its even more important to
control how clean your floors are. And your pets - are you making them
ill? In pets, one form of mange is actually the equivalent of our Rosacea:
from the Demodex Mite. Many skin problems are related to
allergies from the fumes of toxins in your home and work environment.
Don't forget to wash hands frequently and briskly rub or brush the cleanser
before rinsing well in warm to hot water. Brush under your nails as well.
Drugs
used on topical medications and cosmetics:
- Amino benzoic Acid (PABA) used in
sunscreen cosmetics
- Avobenzone (aka butyl
methoxydibenzoylemethane, Parsol 1789) used in sunscreens
- Benzocaine
- Benzoyl Peroxide (used in acne
medications and cosmetics)
- Benzyl Nicotinate
- Capsaicin
- Corticosteroids
- Diethanolamine p-methoxycinnamate
(sunscreens)
- Dicxybenzone
- Esthylhexyl p-methoxycinnamate
- Ethyl Salicylate
- Glycol salicylate
- Hydrocortisone
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Hydroquinone - pigment lightening
agent
- Methyl nicotinate
- Methyl salicylate
- Octinoxate (formerly octyl
methoxycinnamate) - sunscreen
- Oxybenzone
- Resorcinol
- Retinoids (tretinoin, Renova,
Retin-A, Avita, Differin)
- Salicylic Acid
- Sulisobenzone
- Topical antihistamines
- Trichloroacetic acid
- Triclosan
Drugs Taken Oral or
Inhaled:
- Alcohol (ethanol, spirits)
- Aminophyllin
- Anabolic steroids
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme
inhibitors (aka ACE inhibitors)
- Aspartame (NutraSweet)
- Aspirin
- Calcitonin
- Calcium channel blockers
- Cocaine
- Cortiscosteroids
- Corticotrophin-releasing hormone
- Ibuprofen
- Lovastatin (Mevacor)
- Marijuana
- Naproxen (Naprosyn)
- Niacin (aka Vitamin B3)
- Nicotine
- Nifedipine
- Nitrates (food related)
- Nitroglycerin
- Opioid narcotics (morphine, codeine,
thebaine, methadone, Demerol, Darvon, Dolophine, Vicodin, Percodan, Dilaudid)
- Progesterone
- Simvastatin (Zocor)
- Sodium monoglutamate (food related)
- Theophylline
- Vancomycin
- Vasodilators
- Viagra
Ingredients used in Cosmetics
(skin care or color products, hair or nails)
- 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol
- Acetone
- Albumin (egg whites)
- Alcohol (volatile only:
ethanol, ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, isopropanol, SD alcohol, alcohol
denatured)
- Algae
- Alpha hydroxy acids and salts
(including but not limited to: glycolic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, malic
acid, tartaric acid, sodium glycolate, ammonium glycolate, sodium lactate,
ammonium lactate)
- Ammonia
- Arachidonic acid
- Arnica oil
- Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C)
- Balsam Peru
- Barley
- Bay laurel oil
- Bayberry oil
- Bentonite
- Benzalkonium chloride
- Benzophenones
- Bergamot oil
- Bitter orange oil
- Black pepper oil
- Bromelain
- Caffeine
- Camphor oil
- Capsicum
- Cayenne
- Cetrimonium bromide
- Chamomile oil
- Cinnamic aldehyde
- Cinnamon oil
- Clove oil
- Cocoa butter
- Coriander oil (from the seeds of
Cilantro)
- Corn extract
- Cornstarch
- Diazolindinyl urea
- DMAE
- DMDM hydantoin
- Eucalyptus oil
- Fennel oil or extract
- Fir needle oil
- Fragrance (synthetic or natural)
- Gernaiol (found in palmarosa oil,
geranium oil, jasmine oil, lavender oil, citronella oil, rose oil and many other
essential oils used in aromatherapy and skin care products, shampoos and make
up)
- Ginger
- Ginseng
- Granular exfoliants (including Loofah, oatmeal, peach kernels, walnut shells, salt, sand, pumice, diatomaceous
earth, microdermabrasion crystals, jojoba beads, polyethylene beads)
- Grapefruit oil or extract
- Imidazolidinyl urea
- Iodine
- Lanolin
- Lecithin
- Lemon oil
- Lemongrass oil
- Lime oil
- Mannan
- Menthol
- Mica
- Montmorilonite
- Mustard
- Myrrh Oil
- Nettle
- Niacin (vitamin B3)
- Nutmeg Oil
- Oak moss extract
- Oats
- Orange oil
- PABA (sunscreen)
- Papain (enzyme found in digestive
remedies, skin exfoliating cosmetics)
- Papaya extract (found in many
cosmetics)
- Peanut oil
- Pennyroyal
- Peppermint
- Phenol
- Phenoxyethanol
- Phosphatidylcholine
- Pine oil
- Propylene glycol
- Quarternium-15
- Retinol (vitamin A)
- Rosemary oil
- Rue oil
- Saccharomyces (yeast)
- Saccharomyces lysate
- Sage essential oil
- Salicylic acid (BHA)
- Sandalwood oil
- Seaweed
- Sesame oil
- Sodium C14-16
- Sodium laureth sulfate
- Sodium lauryl sulfate
- Soy protein
- Spearmint oil
- Stearic acid
- Stearalkonium chloride
- Sulfur
- Tangerin oil
- TEA-lauryl sulfate
- Tea tree oil (maleleuca)
- Thyme essential oil
- Tocopherol
- Tocopheryl nicotinate
- Turmeric oil
- Vanilla extract or oil
- Wintergreen
- Witch hazel (when in alcohol or
propylene glycol)
- Ylang-ylang oil
Environmental Triggers:
- history of acne and medications or special
products used to treat it
- house hold dust
- airborne pollutants like agricultural
chemicals, industrial toxins, car and jet exhaust, smoke
- house hold cleansers and sprays,
insecticides, aromatherapies and room deodorizers