Is a Rosacea Skin Exam the same as an Annual Skin Exam?

We recently posted about why it's important to have a Yearly Roscea Skin Exam, but what about the other type of Skin Exam you're supposed to have each year, that includes your whole body? 

Is it the same thing?

Is a Yearly Rosacea Skin Exam the same as an Annual Skin Exam?

An annual Rosacea skin exam is different than a Full Body Skin Exam.

A Yearly Rosacea Skin Exam is a type of annual follow-up exam that helps you manage your skin condition with the help of a licensed dermatologist. 

An annual Full Body Skin Exam (also known as a Skin Cancer Screening and Melanoma Screening) is very important to schedule as well. This full-body skin check, will include screening your entire body for possible pre-cancerous spots or lesions, including your scalp, behind your ears, and other hard-to-see places, all the way down to your toes. 

Can I have my Rosacea skin exam and yearly skin exam at the same time?

Unfortunately, due to the way insurance is billed, both a rosacea skin exam and an annual full body skin exam usually cannot be done on the same visit. Sometimes they will allow you to refill existing medications but not discuss new methods for treating your rosacea. Check with your Dermatologist to find out their specific policies.

Types of things covered in a Rosacea Skin Exam

• Your Dermatologist will ask you how your skin is doing and whether you have noticed any changes. 
• He or she may also perform an examination of your face by looking through a magnifying tool.  
• Throughout your discussion your doctor will determine whether the current rosacea medication you are using is working and can renew those medications during your visit.
• If you are curious about other treatment options or have other questions about Rosacea, now is the time to ask those questions. 

Types of things covered in a Full Body Skin Exam

• You will need to prepare to undress, down to your underwear, and wear the robe they provide. 
• Your dermatologist will examine your skin closely, using a magnifying tool, looking for any spots of concern, starting at your scalp and ending with your toes. *Make sure to let them know if there are any spots you are concerned about.
• If there are any concerning spots, your dermatologist may do a skin biopsy which involves numbing the skin and removing a small sample to send to the lab.
• If your sample comes back as cancerous, you will be notified and come back to discuss next steps.

Click here for more about  What to expect during a full body skin exam 

It's important to schedule your yearly rosacea skin exam and your yearly full body skin exam and cancer screening, to ensure you are doing all you can to manage your rosacea so it doesn't get worse, and catch skin cancer in its earliest stages for the best outcomes.

And remember to use only the gentlest rosacea friendly products on your skin to keep your skin barrier healthy. 

Do you remember to schedule your Rosacea skin exam and full body skin exam each year?

Let us know in the comments below!

Do You Need a Rosacea Skin Exam Every Year? 4 Reasons to do it

Do you need to have a yearly skin exam if you have Rosacea?

In my experience, after being diagnosed with Rosacea back around 2009, there are

Top 4 Reasons to have a Yearly Rosacea Skin Exam:

1. To make sure any medications you are using are working and discuss different treatment options

2. To renew current medications

3. To discuss any changes to your skin regarding your rosacea

4. To prevent your Rosacea from getting worse, as can be the case if it is not treated or managed effectively.

Other Reasons it's important to have a yearly Rosacea skin exam:

• Since there is no cure for Rosacea, you need to look at this as any other medical condition you would need to continue treating throughout your life.

• There may be times when your Rosacea feels more "in control" than others, but just because your skin is clearer does not mean your rosacea is cured. Rosacea flares more readily due to things like stress, extreme temperatures, certain foods, or other triggers specific to you. 

• The truth is, you should schedule a Rosacea Skin Exam every year for the rest of your life to ensure you are staying on top of your condition and keeping your skin as healthy as you can.  

• You may not notice something on your skin that a trained skin care professional may see. 

• There may also be new options available to treat your Rosacea that you may not have heard of and a Dermatologist is the best source to get that type of information from.

 

The best skin care products to use for Rosacea

Just as important as having your Rosacea skin exam each year, is using the right products on your rosacea prone skin year round.

I have been using skin care products on my skin that have been recommended or approved by my dermatologist, and my skin has never looked better. 

I have been following this routine faithfully for many years and it has kept my skin clear and free from redness, irritation and most rosacea flares. I hope it can help you too!

 

My Rosacea Skin Care Routine 

Metronidazone Gel

I have been using Metronidazole Gel since I was diagnosed with Rosacea and it has helped keep my rosacea clear. It is only available by prescription and with insurance, is very reasonably priced. A single tube lasts me several months.

Vanicream Cleanser

This is my very favorite gentle cleanser. I have tried others like Eucerin Redness Relief cleanser and CeraVe gentle cleanser and this is my favorite. It cleans really well without making my skin dry or tight and doesn't irritate my skin at all. It is very creamy and gentle. I use it ever day.

Soft flannel Fairface Washcloths

These are the ONLY washcloths I will use on my face! I noticed a difference right away when I stopped using regular terrycloth washcloths and switched to these soft flannel face cloths. There is absolutely no redness or irritation. They are soft and gentle to my skin. Highly recommend! 

 

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

I used to use Vanicream lite lotion, but found it didn't give me quite enough moisture. When I switched to CeraVe's moisturizing cream I couldn't believe the difference. My skin felt much softer and it was very moisturizing and healing to my skin. This is the only moisturizer I will use on my face.

Eucerin Daily SPF 30

Using sunscreen every day to protect rosacea prone skin is vital to keeping it healthy. I have been using Eucerin's Daily SPF 30 for years. It is the perfect light weight consistency. It goes on smoothly and disappears into my skin.  I use foundation over it once it has dried and it goes on smoothly. This is my daily go-to face SPF.

Taking care of your Rosacea prone skin doesn't have to be complicated 

If you follow these simple guidelines to have a Rosacea Skin Exam every year and use gentle products to keep you skin barrier healthy year round, you will find your Rosacea prone skin stays clear and is easier to manage than you thought.

Make your Rosacea skin exam today and stock up on these gentle skin care products to jump start your healthy skin care routine today!

Rosacea: Goals for Healthy Skin

I've been thinking a lot about skin care lately, not just about products, but more around what our own expectations are for our skin. 

Are you happy with the skin you have? 

Do you wish your skin looked like someone else's? 

Do you feel you fall short because you don't look like the filter-perfect-skin you see on Instagram? 

Do you have realistic expectations for your skin?

Do you know how to care for your skin? 

After I posted this on Instagram, 

"Skin care isn't about having perfect skin, it's about having healthy skin." - Shannon Sorensen, Founder, CEO, Fairface

I started to wonder, what are people's expectations for their skin? And beyond that, what are my own?

What it's like having Rosacea

I've shared openly on the Fairface Podcast, what's it's like living with sensitive skin and Rosacea, and what has helped me along the way.

Although I am able to manage my Rosacea today very well, it was a different story 12 years ago when I was first diagnosed. Rosacea has left its mark on my skin and my soul. 

My skin is far from perfect and I can thank medium coverage make-up for hiding most of my flaws. I have tiny blood vessels on my cheeks, a perpetual rosy complexion, and a self-conscious dislike for leaving the house without make-up on. I have bumps and spots that show my age, and every year I wonder, "will this be the year I have them lasered? Will they just come back, and how many more will pop up over time?"

I take my skin care routine seriously (probably more than most). I don't go a day without sunscreen or a night without washing my face before bed, and I have a slight obsession with changing my pillow case each night. 

Are my rosacea skin care goals realistic?

The truth of it is, Rosacea cannot be cured, but it can be managed. Although my skin will never look like Jennifer Lopez, Nicole Kidman or Cindy Crawford, I feel blessed with the skin I have and I try to honor it by taking care of it the best I can. 

If I focus on having "perfect skin", like celebrities appear, or even the flawless-filtered-skin on Instagram, I will always fall short and feel inadequate.

The goal is not to have perfect skin, and instead, to keep my Rosacea-prone skin healthy, which is much more realistic and also much more attainable. 

Is Healthy Skin Possible with Rosacea?

Can you have Rosacea and still have healthy skin? Yes! 

By focusing on maintaining a healthy skin skin barrier, i.e. the outer layer of your skin, you can maintain healthy Rosacea skin by: 

• Following a gentle skin care routine (I love Fairface soft flannel washcloths, Vanicream Cleanser and CeraVe moisturizing cream.)

• Wearing sun protection every day (I love Eucerin's SPF 30 daily sunscreen)

• Using make-up that is appropriate for your skin & doesn't irritate (I wear Mary Kay foundation)

• Eliminating your triggers by watching your environment and what you eat to prevent flushing as much as possible

• Meeting with a Dermatologist annually to get the best advice on treatments to help manage your Rosacea. (*I use Metronidazole gel on my skin daily to help prevent and clear flares)

This is totally do-able, right? 

Healthy skin care goals that are easy to maintain. That's what we're after! 

Having Rosacea doesn't mean you can't have healthy skin, it just means your skin needs a little extra TLC. With the right products and following good skin care habits, you've got the steps in place to be successful and happy with your own skin!

xo Shannon

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Best Showering Routine for Rosacea and Sensitive Skin

Is there such a thing as showering in the wrong order? It turns out, with sensitive skin conditions like Rosacea, Eczema, Psoriasis and even acne, the order in which you wash does make a difference to your skin.

Sensitive skin conditions can be easily irritated by skin care products used while showering, from the type of body wash you use, to your facial cleansers and even shampoos and conditioners.  

For this reason, the order in which you wash your face, body and hair matters, so you don't leave behind anything on your skin that can be potentially irritating.

If you are using products for your body, face and hair that are ALL made for sensitive skin, you'll have less worry about possible residue irritation.

If your hair products are not made specifically for sensitive skin, your body or face may not tolerate any residual product left behind and result in itching, redness or even a rash. 

Showering Routine for Sensitive Skin

1st Wash your hair

Just because you use your shampoo and conditioner on your hair, doesn't mean you want to use it on your face or body. Facial skin can be particularly sensitive to chemicals used in hair care products. By washing and conditioning your hair first, you'll be able to rinse off any shampoo or conditioner left behind on your face or body. However, just because it's rinsed off, doesn't mean it's totally gone.

2nd Wash your body

After washing your hair, wash your body. This will allow any remaining shampoo or conditioner that may have been left behind on your skin, to be washed away by your body wash, and then rinsed off. 

By washing your body 2nd, and before washing your face, it will also give you extra time in the water to ensure all your body wash is rinsed off. Although body wash may be gentle to your skin in the shower, if it's not rinsed off completely, the residue may have the potential to irritate your skin.

3rd Wash your face

Because your face is generally the most sensitive skin, over body and scalp, it's important to wash it last, so the last thing you have on your skin is your sensitive skin face wash. We love Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser and Fairface Delicate Flannel Facecloths for Rosacea, Eczema and other sensitive skin conditions.

Be sure to completely rinse off your facial cleanser before stepping out of the shower, and seal the moisture into your clean skin with a soothing face cream while your skin is still moist. We love CeraVe moisturizing cream.

This sensitive skin showering routine has helped me a lot. Having Rosacea and sensitive skin, myself, I am always looking for ways to prevent irritation to my skin. I have to admit, there have been a few times that I have hurried through showering and haven't completely followed these steps and have had itchy spots on my face and body. So stick to it, and you won't be sorry!

Have you tried these sensitive skin showering routine tips? How did it work for you? Let us know in the comments below!

xo Shannon

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Fairface Washcloths Delicate Washcloths on Etsy

OR

Fairface Washcloths Delicates on our website

 

Advice from someone with Rosacea and Sensitive skin

Have you ever gotten unsolicited advice about Rosacea or sensitive skin issues, from someone with perfect skin? It doesn't go very far. 

But when someone offers help who has lived through it themselves and actually "gets it"? I'll listen all day long.

I decided to launch the Fairface Podcast back in 2020, based around my small business making Fairface Washcloths for sensitive skin, and offering real talk and advice about Rosacea and sensitive skin issues, based on my own experiences.

A place to share and give advice about Rosacea and sensitive skin

Although it's still a bit in its infancy at this point, with a whole 27 episodes under my belt so far, I've loved coming up with new topics and having a place to share my own experiences with Rosacea and sensitive skin issues, wellness topics, and what it's like to run a small business. Through what I share, I hope to connect with and help other people dealing with the same issues.

It's also a place our Fairface Washcloths customers get to peek behind the scenes and get to know me and my personality a little bit better (although honestly, I'm a lot funnier in real life).

Fairface Podcast Recap

In case you missed it, here's a recap of all of our Fairface Podcast Episodes, as of the end of 2021. I'm looking forward to sharing more interesting topics with you and even adding special guest appearances.

If you are navigating through your own journey with Rosacea or sensitive skin issues, I hope these episodes can help you. 

If you have a topic or question you'd like me to cover, please leave me a comment below! I'd love to connect with you! Thanks so much for being here!

Fairface Podcast by Topic 

Topics include Rosacea, sensitive skin care, sensitive skin products, skin care organization, skin and diet, emergency hygiene, wellness, and small business. 

• Links will go to the Podcast episode show notes page for you to listen, read, or both! 

• You can also listen on Apple / iTunes Podcasts, Spotify, Google podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, & Radio Public. Enjoy!

ROSACEA

What it’s like Living with Rosacea

8 ways to calm Rosacea redness this winter

6 Eye Soothing Tips for Ocular Rosacea

Keeping Rosacea prone skin cooler in the summer heat: 20 Tips

10 Tips to Finding the Right Foundation for Rosacea-prone Skin

SENSITIVE SKIN CARE

The Psychology of Skincare

The Sensitive Skin Care Top 5: What you should be doing for your skin right now

Do I really need to wash my face?

8 Face Washing Tips for Healthy Skin

Sunscreen Diaries: Part 1 + A special message and support of Black Lives Matter

Sunscreen Diaries: Part 2

SENSITIVE SKIN PRODUCTS

Soft Face Masks for Sensitive Skin - Fairface Behind the Scenes

Pillow Talk for Rosacea and Sensitive Skin

SKIN CARE ORGANIZATION

How to Edit your Skin Care Products - for your Face and in your Space

SKIN AND DIET

Does Clean Eating = Clear Skin?

EMERGENCY HYGIENE

How to make your own 72 hour Emergency Hygiene Kit

WELLNESS

10 Ways to Beat the Winter Blues

3 Ways to Calm Your Worry during the Coronavirus

The Self-care Super 6

How to hear your Inner Voice 

SMALL BUSINESS

The voice behind the brand - Welcome to Fairface

Story Time! Behind the scenes of my small business

The story behind our name: Fairface Washcloths

New Fairface products and big dreams

Bringing a product to market: a maker’s perspective

A look back and look ahead: Fairface 2020 & 2021

Selling as an Introverted People Pleaser

Can Humidifiers help Rosacea flares?

It started last night.

The incessant itching on my cheek.

Followed by the fiery hot spot under my skin.

I hadn't had a rosacea flare in a very long time, yet I knew instantly what it was before I even had to look in the mirror. 

A bright red welt-like area began lighting up my left cheek and the itch was just too much.

I soon came to realize that sitting in front of a space heater the last few days had finally done it's damage. 

All the face flushing caused by hot, dry air pumping out of the vent, created the perfect storm for a rosacea flare.

Are Heaters Making Your Rosacea Flare?

We know that there's nothing better than feeling that first burst of heat after you've been shivering cold, but have you ever considered what those same beloved heaters are doing to your skin?

Simply said, heat dries out moisture.

Think of hanging wet socks next to a heater. That's how they get dry.

So imagine yourself sitting next to a space heater for an hour.

It dries moisture up like it does those wet socks, except it's coming out of your skin, lips, eyes, nose and even your hair.

While your moisturizing cream may prevent some moisture from escaping your skin, eventually it's a losing battle. 

 

Can a Humidifier help Rosacea?

Putting moisture back into the air is supposed to help combat dry skin.

To clarify, by adding moisture to your skin, I don't mean facial steaming. See: why facial steaming is NOT a good idea for Rosacea 

Using a humidifier for your skin is not the same as steaming your face.

The only experience I've personally had with a humidifier, was 30+ years ago when my mom ran one in a sick baby's room, and I remember it feeling stuffy and humid in there.

So my question is, how much moisture will be enough to help ease the discomfort of my dehydrated  rosacea skin without turning my bedroom into a steamy greenhouse or start to warp our wooden bedside tables? 

Using a Humidifier to help Rosacea

According to the National Rosacea Society, and several dermatologists, using a humidifier is recommended to help reintroduce moisture to the air in your home, which can help combat Rosacea dryness and irritation. It's also recommended not to sit too close to your heat source (guilty as charged)!

I also ran across a post by Talonted Lex, a blogger who also has Rosacea, who shared her experience using a humidifier by her bed at night. 

After using it a few months, she noticed that her skin didn't feel as tight and was more comfortable in the morning. She also mentioned that when she didn't use it, her throat and eyes seemed much more dry. 

That reminds me, using a humidifier may also help with my *ocular rosacea! Bonus! 

Knowing that my flaring skin probably won't last a long winter like this, I've decided I will order myself a humidifier and I'll update you about how it goes.  

I already follow the 6 Winter Skin Care Tips for Rosacea & Sensitive Skin, so adding a humidifier just makes sense. 

Have you tried a humidifier to help your Rosacea?

I'd love to know - just leave a comment below!

Thanks for reading!

xo Shannon

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RELATED POSTS:

You might also enjoy listening to our Fairface podcast episode #16, 8 ways to calm Rosacea redness this winter, where I share my experience during a winter power outage. Show notes are also available to read.

As well as episode 21: 6 soothing tips for ocular rosacea

SHOP our soft face cloths for sensitive skin and rosacea-

Fairface Washcloths Etsy Shop

Fairface Washcloths Website

Is Facial Steaming good for Rosacea and sensitive skin?

Maybe you've seen them - the lovely little facial steamers influencers have been promoting lately. 

They sit with their smiling faces over the large upward spout as a steady stream of cloudy air cups their faces, with what could only be described as "Home Spa Magic". Ahhhh. It really does look tempting.

But when it comes to beauty trends, the question for all us sensitive skin types is, but is it right for MY skin?  

Is facial steaming good for us sensitive skin types? Yay or nay?

Here's what I found:

Facial Steaming for NORMAL SKIN TYPES-

According to Specialists in Dermatology, certain skin types can benefit from facial steaming once or twice a week, as the steam:

• Helps release pore build up and prepare skin for a deeper cleanse  

• Nourishes skin with increased blood flow  

• Hydrates skin  

• Promotes relaxation, and 

• Helps to open sinuses 

Facial Steaming for SENSITIVE SKIN TYPES-

Unfortunately, facial steaming, for those of us with sensitive skin and skin prone to redness (like Rosacea, and Eczema), can actually make our skin worse and aggravate inflammatory skin conditions. The heat can also cause facial flushing, which for me, with Rosacea, is the opposite of what I want.

Facial steamers are right up there with hot tubs, saunas, hot showers and sitting too close to the fireplace. Overheating Rosacea and Eczema prone skin is a trigger we want to avoid, not choose it on purpose. 

While the benefits of facial steaming are clearly there, for us sensitive skin types, those benefits don't outweigh the disadvantages.

Have you tried facial steaming? What was your experience like?

I'm out of the face steaming game but will happily stick with a little "Home Spa Magic" of my own, Fairface soft washcloths for sensitive skin. 

Beauty trends come and go, but when you find what works, you stick with it!

xo Shannon

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Sensitive Skin Tips

If you enjoy learning about gentle skincare for rosacea and sensitive skin, you might like Fairface Insider — a quiet monthly note with sensitive skin tips, early access to new launches, and occasional private offers.

Join here:

insider.fairfacewashcloths.com

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