There is a lot of interest from rosacea sufferers in treating their rosacea with natural or herbal therapies and remedies. Many are keen to avoid treatments like antibiotics and metrogel. This paper is by far the best collection of information about natural rosacea treatments or products I’ve found.
Treatment of rosacea with herbal ingredients. Wu J., Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2006 Jan;5(1):29-32.
Abstract: Since rosacea is a chronic disease and many patients find prescription therapies unsatisfactory, they frequently turn to herbal ingredients for relief of their persistent facial redness. The most useful and frequently used herbal compounds include licorice, feverfew, green tea, oatmeal, lavender, chamomile, tea tree oil, and camphor oil. The utility of most of these herbs is based on their purported anti-inflammatory properties. Some of these herbs have proven effects, many have potential benefits, and some may aggravate rosacea. Due to the fact that many patients fail to inform their physicians about their use of herbal ingredients, dermatologists should be aware of what patients may be using and be able to advise them about the efficacy of these ingredients or the potential for adverse effects.
Many patients use topical over-the-counter (OTC) agents to treat the symptoms of rosacea, either as an alternative to traditional prescriptions or to complement their prescription regimen. Increasingly, many of these OTC preparations contain herbs. Current estimates report that consumers in the US spend more than 21 billion dollars on alternative medicine and the use of herbal remedies saw an unprecedented 380% increase between 1990 and 1997.
Licorice (Glycyrrhizin)
Glycyrrhizinic acid has also been shown to improve dermatitis. In a study by Saeedi and associates, 2% glycyrrhizinic acid gel was reported to significantly decrease scores for erythema, edema, and itching over the 2-week treatment period.
A recent study by Dieck and associates found that licochalcone A exhibited a potent anti-inflammatory action on a broad range of skin cells involved in skin inflammation.
Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)
One of the primary active components of feverfew, parthenolide, inhibits serotonin release from platelets. Feverfew inhibits 5-lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase, resulting in a reduction in human blood platelet aggregation.
In a recent study by Martin and associates, 45 days of treatment with 1% feverfew PFE (parthenolide-free extract) – Aveeno Daily Moisturizer Ultracalming, improved mild inflammatory acne by inhibiting the release of inflammatory markers from activated lymphocytes and reducing neutrophil chemotaxis. It is these immunomodulating properties that suggest feverfew PFE[TM] may be a useful treatment for rosacea.
Green Tea (Camellia sinensis)
The green tea derivatives epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin-3-gallate, and epigallocatechin-3-gallate possess well-documented anticarcinogenic properties and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capabilities. (15) These properties are especially useful for patients with rosacea as inherent sun sensitivity is a hallmark of the disease. The photoprotective properties of green tea may lessen reactivity to ultraviolet light, thereby reducing the signs and symptoms of rosacea. Moreover, green tea extract has been shown to reduce the disruption of the skin barrier often seen in patients with the disease.
Oatmeal
First, oatmeal is a potent antipruritic. The moisturizing properties of colloidal oatmeal alleviate itch due to dry skin. These properties, in turn, promote protection of barrier function, which is often impaired in rosacea patients. Oatmeal also works as a skin protectant and enhancer of barrier function as the proteins and polysaccharides bind to skin to provide a protective barrier, while proteins buffer both acids and bases.
Lavender (genus Lavandula)
studies in animal models confirm the traditional use of Lavandula angustifolia for the treatment of painful and inflammatory conditions (including gastrointestinal disorders, migraines, and generalized pain).
Chamomile (Matricaria recutita and Chamaemelum nobile)
The active constituents of chamomile include the terpenoids (bisoprolol, matricin, chamazulene) and flavonoids (apigenin, luteolin). Studies have documented the anti-inflammatory and soothing effects of creams containing chamomile in patients with various inflammatory dermatoses. Chamomile is used in a variety of cosmetic products and as soothing compresses.
Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia)
In recent years it has become increasingly popular as an antimicrobial agent and has also been demonstrated to possess anti-inflammatory properties. Tea tree oil should be used with caution, however, as it has been associated with a wide variety of side effects including allergic contact dermatitis, systemic contact dermatitis, erythema, and systemic hypersensitivity reactions as well as conditions such as linear immunoglobulin A disease.
Camphor Oil (Cinnamonum camphora)
Recently, camphor oil has been evaluated for its efficacy in treating the demodicoses that are frequently comorbid with rosacea. In a study by Morsy, marked reduction in the infestation density were noted following application of diluted camphor oil at concentrations of 20% to 25%. Caution is warranted with the use of camphor oil, however, as it is a known skin irritant.
Discussion: The therapeutic value of medicinal herbs has gained increased acceptance by the medical profession. However, there are a number of variables which can influence the composition, concentration, and bioavailability of the herbal compound. Moreover, few of these ingredients have been evaluated in clinical trials. Despite these issues, many patients may benefit from the use of herbal remedies and a growing number of patients are using “natural” ingredients to treat their rosacea. Some have proven effects, many have potential benefits, and some may, in fact, aggravate rosacea. Of particular concern is the finding that patients using alternative therapies are unlikely to tell their doctor. Dermatologists should be aware of what patients are using and be able to advise them, beyond what is prescribed or the procedures performed.
Disclosure: Dr. Wu is a consultant for Johnson and Johnson Consumer Products and is Founder and President of Dr. Jessica Wu Cosmeceuticals.
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- PubMed Abstract
- Full Text Online (photographs ommited). The author kindly provided a printed copy of the paper.
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25 comments ↓
I have been using the Aveeno Ultra Calming Night Cream & Facial Wash for 3 weeks now and this product actually works like a miracle for my moderate roseca. My skin is looking almost normal and no one has asked me if I’ve been spending too much time in the sun or wind since using this product. I never thought I would ever find anything that would take the reddness out of my skin and I would have to live with the severe redness forever. If you are ‘on the fence’ about trying this line of products you need to give the Aveeno Ultra Calming line a chance.
Great to hear Tracy. I have collected some more comments about Aveeno Ultra Calming range here http://rosacea-support.org/aveeno-ultra-calming-with-feverfew.html
I won a gift certificate to a soap manufacturer in Syracuse NY, and had to buy $20 worth of product. I tryed their Tea Tree soap. Very mild, and I use a little round natural brissel brush that they sell. It has worked wonders on my rosacea, especially the break outs, dry skin and redness. The soap was $3 and the brush $2, and the products are all natural. Small investment, and has lasted me a while, (I keep the soap in a soap container). Syracuse Soapworks. They have a website if you want to check them out. Good luck!
I am older and have had what doctors told me was rosacea for years. In my quest to find a product that worked and spent tons of money trying, I finally found a great product. Evan Healy Blue lavender cleansing milk. My redness disappeared after one washing. Then I added a new moisturizer and mask. My skin looks great and the redness is gone. I found Evan Healy on Carenonline web site or you can get it at Whole Foods.
I have had success with turmeric! It seems to function as an anti-inflammatory without the wacky side effects of commercial products. Make sure to take it with a meal as it can otherwise cause stomach discomfort.
Good luck!
Hi Maija,
Dr. Wu’s latest paper “Anti-inflammatory ingredients” also mentions turmeric for its anti-inflammatory properties. I’ll see if I can get a copy to see what it says.
davidp.
Thanks for such an informative and useful post about herbal remedies. herbal medicines don’t have any side effect. they are just good for health.
Thanks for your time to post this article.
I have rosacea of both the face and the eyes. I do not have health insurance, so alternative treatments are very important to me. Thank you for all the helpful information! It all makes sense, and I will implement as many as I can.
I want to add that I have always had ‘irritable’ eyes, from as far back in my childhood as I can remember. I always just attributed it to allergies. I also noticed a few years ago that if I scratch my scalp and then touch my eyes, they immediately get really irritated, so the tie-in of scalp dermatitis with blepheritis makes sense to me.
Hi John,
Unfortunately herbal remedies do have the potential to have unwanted side effects. Most drugs we take originated from natural compounds, so just because something was originally found in nature isn’t enough to ensure it is always safe.
davidp.
How useful is a 1% Cortisone Cream in treating rosacea? Thanks.
Lin,
I have used prescription 2.5% Hydrcortizone creams and lotions for rosacea and they work to an extent but it always comes back. The 1% did not work for me at all.
I am trying tea tree oil but just started.
I have been a victim of allergies, eczema for years recently diagnosed as rosacea, I have tried every lotion and cream from lubriderm, clinique, neutrogena, cetaphil, almay..etc.
Aveeno Ultra Calming Night Cream & Facial Wash did not work for my rosacea, but the Aveeno Baby lotion did. I recommend “Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture lotion” on face, not around your eyes you will instantly feel calming and moisture. And its alot cheaper than the Aveeno Ultra Calming Night Cream
____________________________________
Can be found at: http://www.walgreens.com/
Product:
Aveeno Baby: Daily Moisture Lotion, 12 oz
Product Details:
* Fragrance Free
* Pediatrician Recommended
* Moisturizes For 24 Hours
* Helps Heal & Protect Delicate Skin
* Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Loyion Contains Natural Colliodal Oatmeal Blended With Rich Emollients to Soothe and Help Heal Your Baby’s Delicate, Dry Skin. The Naturally Nourishing, Non-Greasy Formula Absorbs Quickly, Moisturizes For A Full 24 Hours
I have developped a case of rosacea in the past year, and first thought it was an allergic reaction or mild rash (people in my family, especially women are prone to allergic reactions, psoriasis, eczema, etc). I have also had irritated itchy eyes for years due to allergies, but it got worse since I developped rosacea, along with itchy scalp.
After reading some of the articles and posts on this site and doing some additional research, I decided to try some natural remedies rather than spending a lot of money on doctors visits and ending up on what seems to be the antibiotic rollercoaster.
For about $20-25 worth of supplements and products purchased online, after less than two weeks, my skin has stopped itching, the redness is significantly diminished (almost gone on one side) and the little white bumps are also much less than they were. I will make adjustments and try other things as well, but so far, here is what has worked for me, if someone else wants to try it. It may not work for everyone, but it is inexpensive and has no known side effects
I take a woman’s daily multivitamin, to which I added Burdock Root, a zinc complex, copper, and turmeric curcumin.
Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory as well as a powerful antioxidant, burdock root helps detoxify and has long been used for a variety of skin disorders. Zinc is not only good as an antioxidant, but is especially good for skin because it helps the body process the fatty acids necessary to heal burns, acne, and other skin conditions including rosacea. The copper supplement is because zinc tends to inhibit absobtion of copper, so they should be taken together.
In addition to these supplements, I have been using a pure aloe vera gel which I use as a refreshing cleanser (I don’t normally wear make up so I’m not sure if it would really work that way), and then use my Neutrogena soap just a couple times a week. I also use the aloe vera as a lotion if my skin feels a little flushed.
I purchased these products on puritansale.com which seems to have the best prices on supplements as well as an extensive selection of both their own line as well as others (I am in no way affiliated with them btw).
I would love to hear from others who have had some success with herbal remedies and supplements (I am thinking of trying milk thistle, carotenoids or licorice).
I have been using the following now for a month with excellent results:
Every morning and evening
1. Wash with Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser* using a gentle exfoliating glove, pat dry. *(do NOT use the Daily Facial cleanser, that one irritates rather than soothes)
2. Wait 10 minutes.
3. Apply Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion (one squirt is enough for me)
The results have been amazing!
The only time I had a problem, and it was a big one that sent me back to the derm doc, turned out to be an allergic type rash reaction to MINT and CINNAMON (both the flavorings and the scents seem to really irritate rosacea -I think it is the intensity of the chemicals they are using now) – It’s a pain to avoid those two at the Winter Holiday season, but easy enough to accept rather than have my face so red, blotchy and painful again!
Hope others can have similar results!
I have been given 2 treatments by drs that have “fed” my condition and am still waiting to get in to see a dermatologist, but in the mean time have used baby cornstarch powder on my face at night and the swelling has reduced dramatically.
I am going to try some of the other remedies for day time and will let you know how it goes.
Hello, everyone. I’m 32. I first developed pustules around my nose when I was a teenager. It wasn’t until I was in my late twenties that I was diagnosed with rosacea. It is a moderate case I think, with broken veins on my nose cheeks and chin and break outs on my nose neck temples and chest when it’s bad. I have oily skin and large pores. So.. this is the regime I am currently on. After years of sensitive reactions it has worked wonders for me.
I cleanse with a mixture of oat flour and honey powder in the morning and evening. The oat flour is very cheap. I put a teaspoon of flour in my hand and mix in a bit of water. You can add normal honey at this stage maybe quarter of a teaspoon. I then rub gently over my face like any cleanser then leave on like a mask for a few minutes then wash off. Leaves skin feeling very soft.
To moisturise I came to a point after trying so many and then being expected to pay so much for what I wanted that I decided to make my own. It’s very easy. You have a water base and an oil base and then an emulsifier to bond the two bases. It’s just like making mayonaise. You then add whatever additives you want. The ingredients I use after looking through all the posts on this site are:
Water base:
Olive leaf infusion (anti bacterial, anti viral, kills mites etc) with oatmeal 62%
Vegetable glycerin 5%
Aloe juice 5%.
Oil base:
Rosehip oil 10%(dry oil that reduces pore size and includes vit A)
Calendula in jojoba oil 3%(soothing anti inflamatory), Safflower oil 1%(vitamin E anti oxidents)
E Wax NF 8% (this is an emulsifier to bond the water base to the oil base)
Additives:
Zinc oxide 2%
Licorice powder 4%.
(The percentages represent the weight of the final product. I make 100g so it means 62g in weight of water base, 5g Veg Glycerin etc etc. I do 100g because I’m rubbish at maths)
It smells like licorice, (no perfume) but that soon goes. I’ve been using this recipe for three weeks and my skin has never been so healthy. I have no pustules or lumps and bumps and the skin around my nose has gone right down, just thread veins left. I’m going to tinker with it a bit. I’ve ordered some titanium dioxide to add for sun screen.
I suppose what I’ve learnt is that because I can make up small batches (one 100g jar) and keep it in the fridge. I don’t need preservatives or parabens etc which my sensitive skin just can’t handle. I know we are all different so I thought this might be a great way of finding out what really helps. I’m going to try vitamin K in my next batch as well. Also I can mix any ingredient with vegetable glycerin and do a spot test to see if I react before I make a batch.
The ingredients info is all free on the net as are instructions. This site gives you basic recipes and instructions are free including how to make the infusions (essentially like making tea) and the macerated oils, (calundula or another herb of choice chopped and left in oil for three weeks, or heated and left to infuse for an hour)
http://www.glenbrookfarm.com/makinglotions.htm
This support group is great for finding what ingredients will help your skin but if you are anything like me you probably have a good idea of what you need and what you react to. Then I just googled my chosen ingredients to see how best to include them.
The money for all the ingredients I found is around fifty quid, but I can make, I reckon, about twenty jars out of most of them. I will have to keep ordering the oils.
It feels great to be free to do it myself. I feel like I’ve taken some power back. I’m going to tinker and trial them on my skin and I thought share my recipes on here. If anyone else has recipes they have tried I would love to hear about them.
Hope this helps, Liz
Some excellent and helpful comments Liz – thanks !
I have inherited various skin conditions along with rosasea on my face and neck. When I developed acne in my teen years the dematologist I saw recommended Clinique products. So for over 30 years I have used clinique. I used to use the facial soap along with the 3 part system but within the last 15 years I do not use cleasner nor soap on my face at all. I just use water to wash my face daily and with a washcloth I do get my makeup off from the day. I have learned that I do not put hot water at all on my face and neck – I take lukewarm showers and that prevents flareups. If I have a flareup on my lips, cheeks, forehead it usually is from a food allergy such as berries and/or lots of citric that I had for the week. Also I try to limit my spicy food including salsa and pepper on my food too which stirs up flareups. Also of the flareups are from food that we eat and/or air pollution, pollutants in the air.
I do love using Clinique’s Superdefense sunsreen 25 spf(oily to combo oily) on my face and neck and ears everyday. I live in AZ and we need it hear all year. Also at night I have been using Clinique’s Redness Solutions which is good too. I have seen a difference over time in the redness in my face – it has definitely decreased over the years and these products I truely believe have helped.
I have tried some organic products – but I made a mistake and some had peppermint in them which is a big mistake for our skin condition of rosasea and flared up my skin in two days – so I returned them and said no thanks and went back to Clinique, my old favorite and loyal producer of skin products. Just to let everyone know – organic is not always the best choice – just make sure you read all the ingredients and stay clear of any ginger, peppermint, orange, citric stuff which will definitely cause flare-ups.
I do love the new Aveeno line too which I can buy at Target which is a lot cheaper than the mall for Clinique. I use their lotion on my body and I have just purchased their sunblock line and spray on sunblock as well which works great too. I still like the Clinique Superdefence sunscreen 25 spf b/c it is not greasy and it lasts all day long.
I also use Euercin’s Aquaphor healing ointment – advaned theraphy which can be found at drugstores too. This was recommended to me by a dermatologist also and he gave me free samples at the office b/c I had a bad lip flare up last summer.
My flareup also occurred on the tops of my hands and lip area. It was due to steaming hot water in a spa – so stay clear of those too if you have these skin conditions.
I hope I have given a lot of advice to everybody b/c these are my experiences with some products that have been very successful for me with this skin condition.
I also had some flare-ups occur on my skin from going to public pools with their pollutants and high clorine levels – also spas are not good for people like us with these skin conditions too. We have to be careful of the hot water which is not good for our vein circulation as well in our bodies.
just wondering if janet could please tell me what moisteriser and mask she used on carenonline
i just started using the redness relief abt 1 week ago,
my face is feeln a bit on the tight side, what i want to know is: does it get better before it gets worse?
Hi, I’m a 45 male and have been struggling with Rosacea for a long time. Can’t seem to find any products that suits my skin type, which is usually oily. I’ve tried my different doctors – tablets seem to work for awhile, but after 6 months to a year, I’m back to square one. I live in California, and try to stay out of the sun as much as possible and wear suncream when outdoors.
Reading these mails have educated me a lot on this condition – better advice her than most doctors that I have visited. I’m trying to figure out my triggers – one question though on this – how do you know what triggers a break-out – does it happen in mins/hours or days after you eat or are in touch with a trigger?
Also, have any of the men here found really good products that you use, especially for shaving – shaving cream, balm or moisturizer?
Thanks for your help.
The rosecea could be caused by Demodex mits, living under your skin. Try “Kwellada” anti-mites lotion or permethrin 5% lotion used for scabies. Use it once weekly for 24 hrs. Change your bed linen more often. Wash it in hot H20, add H202 to the load for disinfection.
Crotamiton crm 10% is helpful to fight mites.
About a month ago a bought Clinique redness solutions instant relief mineral powder, and I was really surprised that it has helped a lot. It seems to calm my skin, and give a healthful complexion. It is not a solution though, but consider it as a gentle make up. I think it would work for guys too. I also tried their daily redness relief, but it did not work because my skin is oily.
can anybody recommend any good organic products for the face / neck ? i seem to have semi oily skin so i need something that won’t flare up acne breakouts too. i use the jason organic body lotion on my legs and i love that but cannot use that on my face/neck b/c it is too oily feeling and i don’t want to irritate those areas – now i currently use clinique oil free products only on my face / neck.
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