Advice from Cynthia Nixon On Dealing With Rosacea

With her gorgeous red hair, fair complexion and always perfect appearance, you’d never guess that Cynthia Nixon suffers from a skin disorder called Rosacea. You know her best as Miranda Hobbes the snarky, hilarious, brilliant lawyer with the three best friends in New York City from the hit television series Sex and the City – and both blockbuster SATC movies – but her onscreen life never hinted at the fact that this lovely actress has real life problems.

Rosacea is so much more common than most of us think. Unless you suffer from it or know someone who does, you may not know much about this skin condition. Essentially, rosacea is a condition that brings back the horrors of teenage life. While it can affect anyone, it’s most common in fair-skinned women in their 30s, 40s and 50s (there’s something to look forward to). It causes the appearance bright red bumps on your face and skin, sometimes causing you to appear as if you are blushing incessantly. It can be devastating, heartbreaking and difficult to deal with – and not just because it causes flashbacks to your teenage breakouts, 2-foot Aqua Net hairstyles , hammer pants and shoulder pads.

I recently had the privilege of speaking with the ever-fabulous Cynthia Nixon about her experience with Rosacea, how it changed her life, affected her career and her secrets for dealing with her flare-ups. During the interview, Cynthia Nixon spoke of her experience dealing with pimples and breakouts well past her teen years and how it has affected her confidence as a woman and an actress. Additionally, she offered three pieces of key advice for other women who want to improve their skin and minimize their flare-ups.

Go Easy on the Product

This might come across as questionable advice from someone in Cynthia Nixon’s line of work (lights, camera, action!) but it’s impeccable advice. Go easy on the facial products you use. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the more aggressively you wash your face to treat your sudden breakouts will work. Your skin is not the bad guy and you are not a super ninja. Overdoing it can actually cause your flare-ups and condition to worsen.

Instead, limit the number of times you wash your face and the aggressiveness of your cleansers. In this case, less is more. Furthermore, don’t think that you have to cake makeup onto your face to hide your imperfections. You’re gorgeous the way you are; let your skin breathe. The gentler you are on your skin, the gentler it will be on you.

Know Your Triggers

Once you know what triggers your flare-ups you can gain control over your Rosacea by looking at solutions like Metronidazole online. Cynthia is very aware of her triggers and she works hard to avoid them as often as possible, especially when she is working or has a public appearance approaching. Unfortunately for her, some of her biggest triggers are her favorite things; super spicy foods, red wine and relaxing hot baths.

Other triggers include extreme weather, sunlight, stress, embarrassment and even hot beverages. While you might be a bit luckier than Cynthia and be able to come home from a stressful day at work and enjoy a glass of red and a nice hot bath, you will still have triggers. Know them. Avoid them. Indulge when you want to.

It’s Okay to Be Embarrassed

The one thing Cynthia said that spoke of her character and her strength is that it’s okay to be embarrassed and ashamed of your skin when Rosacea flares up. It makes you human. As women, we often value our worth based on our appearance – even though we know better. When we feel our appearance is less than perfect, it can negatively affect other aspects of our lives. Take a few minutes to allow yourself to feel what you’re feeling and then remind yourself that you’re a gorgeous, beautiful, strong woman worth so much more than just your appearance.

Perhaps hearing that even the most gorgeous women in the world are imperfect and suffer just as many of us can help even one woman realize that while serious, this is not a condition that should debilitate her. The next time your skin flares up, channel your inner Miranda Hobbes and brush off the negativity with a bit of attitude, a cosmo and a night out with your girlfriends. If someone who spends so much time in the public eye can handle imperfect skin with grace and poise, so can you.

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