Be calm my flaming cheeks!

[Elfontheedge]

The ones on my face that is. Any recommendations to reduce the redness of my rosy red cheeks? My skin is generally a bit dry and stressed now that winter is coming on and my cheeks are getting redder since I had DD a year ago, like this
Budget options very welcome!

Probably any moisturiser would help. What do you use just now?

Could it be rosacea? I've had this since giving birth to DS2. Any kind of moisturiser makes it worse. I use Avene cleanance gel and that's it - anything else only makes it worse.

You can get a green tinged moisturiser that you apply before foundation. The green helps counteract the red - you don't end up with a Halloween witch green face!

I usually use Neals Yard frankincense hydrating cream. Could be roseacea possibly. Don't generally wear foundation unless going somewhere special. I have seen rosehip oil mentioned before now. Any experiences?

Hi Elf, it is more than likely rosacea which is very common following childbirth.

Instead of covering it up I would really recommend that you treat it. To begin with I would just try a very gentle cleanser like Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel, something from La Roche Posay or Avene, followed by pure rosehip oil.

See if this calms it down and then you could try something with a mild BHA in it to further calm the lower layers of the skin and gently exfoliate. Paula's Choice do an excellent range of BHA lotions, start with a 1% one.

This may not be a cheap route, but I don't think there is one if you want to care for your skin properly.

You could also try keeping a food diary to check if there's anything in particularly that may be triggering it or if it's worse after eating spicy food, drinking alcohol etc.

Thanks pip that's really helpful. Having had a bit of a google I think it might be mild roseacea I've used to have such good skin!

If it is rosacea then antibiotics can help. I was on ABs (lymecycline) for 6 months and they really helped my skin, unfortunately they aggrevated my colitis so I had to stop taking them. I find it's better if I avoid too much alcohol and refined sugar.

I would be reluctant to try antibiotics until it's a last resort. They are a bit of a slippery slope with skin conditions.

It sounds fairly mild so I really think a slight revision of skincare routine will solve it.

Also, now the weather has turned colder - if you are outside try and keep it covered up, wrap a scarf up around your face if you're out in the cold and the wind as that will make it worse.

I've just ordered some rosehip oil so we'll see if that helps.