Does Collagen Help With Rosacea?

Every day, we go about our routine and often take our health for granted. Our bodies are complex, operating like a machine. This also goes for our skin, as it does its best to maintain a healthy, hydrated appearance, but it needs our assistance as well.

Due to causes such as environmental factors and genetics, there are several skin conditions that can appear on the body, such as rosacea, and it is often hard to distinguish the seriousness of the condition.

If you start to notice one of these conditions appearing on your skin, don’t fret. There are several options nowadays for many skin conditions as the industry continues to evolve every minute. The relationship between collagen and its effectiveness on rosacea has been brought into question in the past several years. But just how well is it able to fight against rosacea?

What is Rosacea? 

Rosacea is a fairly common skin condition, often appearing in women aged 25-60. As of 2018, an estimated 415 million people globally are diagnosed with rosacea. Especially for people with Scandanavian/Celtic ancestry and fair skin complexion, this condition can be widespread.

Common symptoms of rosacea are abnormal, prominent areas of redness, most noticeably the nose, forehead, and cheeks. It’s usually diagnosed as a chronic inflammatory skin condition.

is collagen good for rosacea?

You might be wondering where collagen fits into all of this. At the time, collagen has not been discovered to be very effective in treating rosacea - whether collagen has any qualities that might aid persons with rosacea has not been examined sufficiently to declare conclusively.

However, collagen's existing characteristics can help to alleviate some of the symptoms while also enhancing our skin's general state.Collagen is one of the most important building components in our bodies, and it also helps to maintain the health of our skin.

Collagen aids in the restoration and rebuilding of damaged connective tissue, which is very important for rosacea patients. Collagen also aids in the process of hydrating the skin and alleviating dryness and irritation, both of which are common rosacea symptoms.

Collagen is also a key component in the shape and strength of blood vessels, and it produces strong and flexible blood vessels that aid in the maintenance of a healthy blood flow. Capillary blood vessels join arteries and veins and serve the purpose of providing oxygen and nutrients to body cells, including the skin.

The Four Main Types of Rosacea

There are four different types of rosacea that a person can experience. These variations simultaneously work through their own stages, which can be seen below.

The first type/stage of rosacea is telangiectatic rosacea. It results in rough, scaly skin and is evident from flushed and burning skin.

The first stage is followed by papulopustular rosacea, which causes mild papules. This stage is typically confused with acne. Phymatous rosacea causes the skin to get thicker and appear to have more of an irregular surface. There are also bumps that form on the nose before the final form/stage of rosacea.

This process concludes with ocular rosacea, which is ultimately the most serious stage and should be treated immediately. This type involves the skin becoming inflamed, particularly in the eyelids (blepharitis) and around the eye. The whites of your sclera become red and the nose may also become disfigured from the bumps that have formed.

The stages of these various types are summarized below:

Stage 1

• Blushing/irritation of the skin

Stage 2

• Persistent blushing on the face
• Often confused with acne

Stage 3

• Papules/pustules appear on the face

Stage 4

• Nose/facial disfigurement
• Ocular inflammation/whites of eyes become red

What Causes Rosacea? 

One of the most uncertain aspects of rosacea is that it can go undiagnosed until more severe symptoms appear. Before it develops into the final stages, it can often be confused with cosmetic allergies, acne, and sunburns. Knowing early signs and initial causes of this condition can prevent more serious breakouts in the future.

There are several contributing factors that are able to increase the skin’s susceptibility to external agents, even before rosacea starts to appear. These include aspects such as immune system abnormalities, neurovascular disease (affecting the muscles), and genetic predispositions. These could include Irritable Bowel Disorder (IBD) and neurological and cardiovascular diseases.

Other triggering factors of rosacea are the results of heat stress and mites or microbes. This is a cause for concern due to the sebaceous glands becoming infested with skin mites, inflaming the skin. Though this is possible, it is not a major sign of rosacea in most cases.

One of the main triggers for rosacea is often UV radiation and excessive sunlight exposure. When this causes inflamed skin, it can lead to diseases that cause dermal collagen degeneration over time. This can also lead to a condition called hypervascularity, which creates a higher concentration of blood vessels, ultimately worsening rosacea.

Treatments for Rosacea

Thankfully, there are remedies and treatments available to treat those who find themselves with rosacea. It is highly recommended to treat early or as soon as you see symptoms appear. Not only can this help to manage symptoms, but it also slows down the progression and may even stop it entirely.

Avoiding certain triggers for rosacea, such as hot beverages, alcohol, spicy foods, and excess sunlight, can help prevent future breakouts in the future. Many of these triggers help increase blood flow, which allows small blood vessels in the face to dilate.

To calm the condition, in less severe cases, always apply sunscreen when being outside for long periods, even on cloudy days. Continuously drink water to keep your skin hydrated. Wear less makeup and use lighter skincare products. Collagen shots have also been found to reduce the severity of inflammation.

Everyday use of cleansers and moisturizers that don’t burn or irritate the skin is recommended for the condition. Dēpology’s facial cleanser includes glycolic acid and is a gentle exfoliator. Formulated for all skin types, it prevents skin irritation and helps with different types of hyperpigmentation.

While many skincare enthusiasts love retinol, it may not be the most suitable ingredient while your skin is healing from rosacea. It helps with collagen within, but also can irritate the skin. If you want to keep using retinol products, you should consult with a skincare professional about their potential positive and negative side effects.

For more severe cases, prescription medications and creams can be applied to targeted areas.

The reason that collagen has been brought into the rosacea debate is that it is the main building block of the body’s skin. It is also implemented into helping our connective tissue, muscles, and ligaments.

Collagen has several duties to fulfill, such as replacing and renewing damaged connective tissue, acting as a natural moisturizer for the skin, helping with dryness/irritation, and providing a strong foundation for blood vessels.

Conclusion : Does Collagen Help With Rosacea?

As far as collagen’s usefulness when it comes to rosacea, this has not yet been denied or confirmed by the scientific community. While it hasn’t been proven to particularly influence the effects of rosacea, it does still have beneficial properties. Many of these benefits have not yet been studied in-depth to know the full outcome.