An estimated 16 million people in the United States are affected by rosacea, which means you or someone you know may be affected by this common skin condition. With April being Rosacea Awareness Month, the time is right to learn more about what rosacea actually is (as well as what it is not) along with rosacea-friendly skin care, so let’s dive into important questions, such as:

• Why is my face red?

• What is Rosacea Awareness Month?

• How is rosacea treated?

• How can I reduce redness from rosacea at home?

Why is my face red?

Rosacea could be one reason why your face is red. Rosacea is a very generic term, but it can be the result of inflammation, irritation and redness in the skin. In severe cases, rosacea symptoms can include swollen bumps or lesions, thickened skin and eye irritation. According to the National Rosacea Society, the telltale flushing of rosacea tends to present more on the cheeks and chin for women and on the nose for men. Though medical professionals don’t always have a cause for rosacea, there are treatments that can be helpful and also telltale igns that can indicate some causes.

What is Rosacea Awareness Month?

Rosacea Awareness Month was created by the National Rosacea Society to help educate the public about the signs and symptoms of rosacea. Another goal of Rosacea Awareness Month Debunk common myths about rosacea.

“In my practice, I see a remarkable change in patients with some very simple yet effective treatments,” says board-certified dermatologist and LovelySkin CEO Dr. Joel Schlessinger. “These can range from inexpensive medications to more expensive laser treatments, but usually I can find the lock and key for a successful rosacea protocol. In most, if not all, protocols, I make sure that the cleansing regiment is low-irritation and has ingredients that are less likely to cause allergies or sensitivities. Fragrance, in particular, is a huge issue for those who are prone to redness.”

Rosacea causes and treatments

Though April is Rosacea Awareness Month, this skin condition is top of mind all year round for those who have it. “Rosacea is not always curable, but it is treatable,” Dr. Schlessinger says. “Most of the medications that are commonly used for it, however, are pretty unimpressive.” Laser and light treatments can also help in some cases, as can oral medications such as antibiotics or ivermectin. “If you have rosacea with papules, or small bumps, medications such as ivermectin can often be a huge help.”

Though researchers don’t know what causes rosacea, they have found there are some common triggers that can cause rosacea symptoms to flare up, such as the sun, exercise, hot or cold weather, spicy food, medications or stress. “Your dermatologist can help you identify what in your daily life could be triggering rosacea symptoms so that you can think about making lifestyle changes that could help manage your symptoms,” Dr. Schlessinger says.

Face treatments to help reduce redness from rosacea

At Dr. Schlessinger’s practice, the No. 1 treatment regimen for rosacea is the combination of La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser and La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer. “We find this to be cost-effective and absolutely a great option for those who have challenged skin.”

Adding a topical face treatment with redness-reducing ingredients is another way to help reduce uneven skin tone and blotchiness from rosacea at home along with treatments prescribed by your dermatologist. Here are six of our favorite go-to facial serums that you can use as part of your existing skin care routine to help reduce rosacea-related symptoms at home during Rosacea Month and year-round.

Jan Marini RosaLieve Redness Reducing Complex

Created specifically for rosacea-prone skin, this twice-daily face treatment from Jan Marini contains azelaic acid to help reduce bacteria on the surface of the skin as well as Tetrapeptide-14, a type of peptide that helps alleviate redness associated with rosacea. Shea butter and bisabolol, an ingredient derived from chamomile, also provide skin-soothing benefits. “My practice conducted clinical trials for this face treatment, so I was able to observe its redness-reducing abilities at work on a range of rosacea patients,” says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Joel Schlessinger. “The results were impressive, and this is a product I find to be effective for rosacea-prone skin.”

Sente Dermal Repair Cream

Skin care brand Sente created this hydrating face cream to soothe sensitive and rosacea-prone skin. The starring ingredient is heparan sulfate analog (HSA), a patented molecule that helps reduce redness by boosting your skin’s response to inflammation and promoting dermal repair from the inside-out. It also contains glycerin to help hydrate skin as well as green tea extract to help reduce inflammation.

SkinCeuticals Redness Neutralizer Lotion

This lightweight face cream from research-driven skin care brand SkinCeuticals contains a proprietary ingredient called NeuroMed Complex, which not only helps correct redness, but also helps prevent it as well. The formula also contains glycerin to help hydrate skin and shea butter to protect your skin barrier. In a 12-week clinical study, subjects reported that redness reduced by 30 percent.

Avene Antirougeurs FORT Relief Concentrate

From Avene, a French-based specialist in sensitive skin, this face treatment contains Ruscus extract, a plant-derived anti-inflammatory that also helps constrict blood vessels beneath the surface of your skin to temporarily reduce redness. Rounding out the formula are soothing vitamin E and shea butter, as well as Avene Thermal Spring Water, a mineral-rich tonic that helps soothe and soften the skin.

PCA SKIN Anti-Redness Serum

Made for sensitive skin that’s prone to redness, this facial serum harnesses the calming powers of three anti-inflammatory ingredients: aldavine (a blend of red and brown algae), capparenols (derived from caper buds) and bisabolol (an oil found in chamomile). In a clinical study, users experienced a 50% improvement in redness after eight weeks of use. To add this serum to your routine, try applying it after cleansing and before you apply your moisturizer or sunscreen.

Clinicians Complex Anti-Redness Serum

Formulated to treat mild rosacea, this soothing serum goes to work helping to reduce redness with tea tree oil and arnica, two botanicals that help target inflammation. It also contains 4-ethoxybenzaldehyde, an organic compound that has been clinically proven to reduce redness from rosacea with four weeks of use. In addition, this formula contains glycolipids and squalane to help prevent moisture loss and support your skin’s moisture barrier, as well as emu oil to help stimulate skin growth.

Bonus: Glo Skin Beauty Redness Relief Powder

To help take the edge off facial redness when you’re on the go, we love this travel-friendly powder. Whether you’re experiencing redness from rosacea, acne or sunburn, the unique yellow pigment in this face powder helps neutralize the appearance of redness in your skin with a few quick swipes. The addition of aloe vera and honeysuckle, two botanicals that have a calming effect on the skin, also helps reduce irritation. The self-dispensing twist-up brush makes it easy to tuck into your bag and reapply whenever you need to reduce redness.

Looking to learn more about natural-looking makeup? You can try these six steps for a no-makeup look with some of our favorite products on the LovelySkin Blog.