When Jane Smith became pregnant with her second child, she began experiencing painful red bumps across her nose, mouth and cheeks.
Within months, the flushing escalated into angry, burning redness that left her feeling like a self-conscious teenager all over again.
The condition that blighted Jane‘s life was rosacea – a chronic, long-term inflammatory skin condition that affects as many as one in ten people in the UK.
It causes persistent redness, flushing, visible blood vessels and acne-like bumps on the face, usually accompanied by a burning or stinging sensation.
Crucially, experts say there is no cure for rosacea, and symptoms can persist for years despite treatment.
For Jane, a receptionist from Folkestone in Kent, the impact on her self-confidence was so severe that she would refuse to leave the house without make-up on.
Jane, now 61, says: ‘Even if people came to stay at the house, I would get up extra early to put make-up on before they came down for breakfast. I wouldn‘t be seen even having a morning coffee without make-up.‘
It wasn‘t until Jane radically changed her diet that she began to notice improvements to her skin.
But Jane says that it took decades for her to realise this. In fact, for years, she made the problem worse: the more make-up she applied to cover her skin, the more inflamed it became.
Her self-esteem was so badly affected that even now, looking at old photos is painful.
Jane Smith, 61, has now been medication-free for more than 10 years and manages her rosacea through diet and skincare
Rosacea causes sore and inflamed skin, accompanied by acne-like bumps and visible redness. For two decades, Jane managed this condition with an antibiotic called oxytetracycline
‘The photo of my son and me in the hospital after giving birth is particularly tough to look at,‘ she says.
‘All I can see is my bright red face – it completely distracts from this tiny little baby in my arms.‘
Over the years, she tried countless natural remedies and skincare products, including tea tree oil.
Jane was also prescribed a low-dose oral antibiotic, which helped keep her symptoms largely under control for nearly two decades.
But over time, she became concerned after noticing the medication – oxytetracycline – had caused her teeth to yellow, and after reading about possible effects of long-term antibiotics on gut bacteria and general health.
In 2015, on the advice of her GP, Jane stopped taking the antibiotic. However, the sudden change triggered the most severe flare-up she had ever experienced.
Her face became so inflamed that even splashing it with water ‘felt like pouring vinegar on an open cut‘ and the fragile skin would crack and bleed if she smiled.
‘It was like wearing a painful mask that I couldn‘t take off,‘ she says.
‘You can‘t just cover it with a bit of concealer – it would split and bleed, and there was nowhere to hide.‘
For Jane, the impact on her self-confidence was so severe that she would refuse to leave the house without make-up on
Studies show that stopping long-term oral antibiotics for rosacea can cause severe rebound flares, as the skin‘s inflammatory pathways, previously suppressed by the medication, become hyperactive.
At the time, Jane was working as a retail manager, ‘so there was nowhere to hide‘, she says. Her skin was often so raw that it would crack and bleed during shifts.
‘It knocked my confidence flying,‘ she says. ‘I was seeing people all day, every day, and I felt very, very self‑conscious.‘
But after years of suffering, Jane believes dietary changes played a major role in improving her symptoms.
‘I read that cheese can make inflammation worse, so I decided to cut it out of my diet around 2023,‘ she says.
‘I‘d never thought about how my diet was impacting my skin before. Back in the 80s, we didn‘t really think about what we were eating – we went to the pub, had crisps and didn‘t give it much attention.
‘Now I‘m much more aware of what I‘m doing and what could affect my skin. In the last few years I’ve really focused on what I‘m eating – sticking to fairly “clean” lunches like celery, tomatoes, cucumber and tuna.‘
She also incorporated a daily probiotic yoghurt from Activia – a fermented dairy product containing active, ‘friendly‘ bacteria cultures – which she believes has helped with the inflammation.
Now, some 30 years since her symptoms first began and more than 10 years medication-free, she estimates her skin is about 85-90 per cent better.
‘I‘ve spent around half my life dealing with this awful condition in one way or another,‘ she says.
‘Now, my skin is as close to crystal clear that it can be without taking an antibiotic.
‘I still have the odd flare-up but at a push I‘ll even go out without make-up, which I would have never done before. I no longer feel like people stop and stare at me or my skin when I go out.
‘It‘s how I feel about myself that’s the most important – and I’m happy with where my skin is at now.’
Those around her have also noticed a big difference.
‘My son, who I was pregnant with all those years ago when the rosacea started, is just happy that I‘m happy – he‘s finally seeing me go out without make-up,‘ Jane says.
‘Even my partner says he‘s noticed I‘m not quite as obsessed with foundation as I used to be, which means I take less time to get ready in the morning.‘
Research into the relationship between gut health and rosacea is ongoing, with some studies suggesting probiotics may help reduce inflammation and support the skin barrier in certain patients.
However, experts say that responses to dietary changes vary widely between individuals.
Dr Dev Patel, GP with a special interest in dermatology, says: ‘There is growing interest in the relationship between gut health and skin health – often referred to as the gut skin axis – which may explain why some patients notice an improvement in symptoms when incorporating probiotic-rich foods such as live yoghurt into their diet.
‘While there is no universal “rosacea diet”, we do know that certain foods can act as triggers for some patients by increasing inflammation or flushing responses in the skin. Common culprits can include alcohol, spicy foods, and, in some individuals, dairy products.‘
Dr Patel advises his patients to avoid inflammatory foods, such as sugar and anything highly processed, such as fast food or sugary treats, as well as eating a diet that supports a healthier gut microbiome – the natural bacterial population that lives in the gut.
‘I always focus on getting inflammation down, whatever skin issue I am dealing with,‘ he said. ‘If you succeed with that, the condition tends to stay quiet, be it rosacea, acne or other.
‘Gut health is linked to whole body inflammation, which is also linked to skin, so the connection makes sense.
‘That said, rosacea is highly individual, so dietary adjustments should be viewed as part of a broader long-term management approach alongside appropriate skincare including UV protection, trigger avoidance and, where needed, medical treatment.‘
Jane visited the Skinlab clinic, where her skin was assessed using imaging technology to capture high-quality images of her face such as this one
Now, some 30 years since her symptoms first began and more than 10 years medication-free, Jane estimates her skin is about 85-90 per cent better
Alongside these dietary changes, Jane visited the Skinlab clinic in Deal, Kent in April 2023, at the recommendation of a colleague.
At the clinic, her skin was assessed using imaging technology to capture high-quality images of her face to identify different skin characteristics, such as redness, dehydration and oil production.
While at the clinic, she was recommended a medical-grade moisturising cream and face wash from the brand AlumierMD.
Though she was advised to use medical-grade products, dermatologists say many affordable over-the-counter formulations can also help manage rosacea effectively.
She says she felt instant relief from the products within the first use – even though her skin didn‘t look any different immediately.
‘The face wash was very soothing and I noticed less burning and soreness within the first couple of weeks,‘ she says.
‘At first, my skin felt better but didn‘t necessarily look very different but within a few weeks it started to look clearer and calmer.
‘By about three to four weeks, I noticed my skin had really calmed down and looked less angry. By around the six-week mark, there were no pustules, cracking or bleeding and it felt much less hot.‘
Experts say effective rosacea skincare focuses on repairing the skin barrier, using gentle, hydrating ingredients that help reduce sensitivity and redness.
They recommend looking for products containing ingredients such as azelaic acid, niacinamide and ceramides, as well as soothing botanical agents, which may help ease symptoms.
Jane‘s advice to others is simple: ‘Don’t try to live with rosacea and suffer alone without getting help.
‘Try to tackle it as soon as you can because the difference will be incredible.
‘You might not get absolutely perfect skin but if you use the right products and watch your diet you can find a happy medium – you‘re looking after your skin and your insides at the same time,‘ she says.
