Photo by Glyn Lowe
Remember when Prince Harry made headlines for all the wrong reasons? In 2012, the youngest son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana got called on the royal castle carpet by his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, after shocking nude photos surfaced of him playing strip billiards in Las Vegas.
What a difference two years makes. Prince Harry now generates news for his charity work, such as his expedition to the South Pole in support of Walking With the Wounded last December. The organization raises funds to find new careers for disabled soldiers as they transition to life outside the military. Plus, the royal romance rumor mill remains on high alert about a possible engagement between the fourth in line to the British crown and his girlfriend Cressida Bonas.
So why does the 29-year-old prince still appear red-faced with embarrassment? Experts speculate that he may suffer from a chronic couperose condition called rosacea (pronounced roh-ZAY-sha). Characterized by relapses and remissions, symptoms include redness on the cheeks, nose, chin or forehead, small visible blood vessels, acne-like bumps or pimples, and watery or irritated eyes. In fact, more than 16 million Americans suffer from the disorder, according to the National Rosacea Society.
The causes of rosacea remain unknown. Factors such as environmental changes, emotional stress, specific foods and beverages, or heredity may play a role. Although it's never been confirmed by Buckingham Palace, Prince Harry's father and brother, Prince William, appear to also suffer from the condition. Royal watchers reason that their ruddy complexions can't always be attributed to their active outdoor lifestyles on the polo field.
What a difference two years makes. Prince Harry now generates news for his charity work, such as his expedition to the South Pole in support of Walking With the Wounded last December. The organization raises funds to find new careers for disabled soldiers as they transition to life outside the military. Plus, the royal romance rumor mill remains on high alert about a possible engagement between the fourth in line to the British crown and his girlfriend Cressida Bonas.
So why does the 29-year-old prince still appear red-faced with embarrassment? Experts speculate that he may suffer from a chronic couperose condition called rosacea (pronounced roh-ZAY-sha). Characterized by relapses and remissions, symptoms include redness on the cheeks, nose, chin or forehead, small visible blood vessels, acne-like bumps or pimples, and watery or irritated eyes. In fact, more than 16 million Americans suffer from the disorder, according to the National Rosacea Society.
The causes of rosacea remain unknown. Factors such as environmental changes, emotional stress, specific foods and beverages, or heredity may play a role. Although it's never been confirmed by Buckingham Palace, Prince Harry's father and brother, Prince William, appear to also suffer from the condition. Royal watchers reason that their ruddy complexions can't always be attributed to their active outdoor lifestyles on the polo field.
Photo courtesy Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Royal flush: Princes Harry, William and Charles.
No cure exists for rosacea, but it can be controlled. Irritated and inflamed skin responds well to products that contain nourishing fruit and seed-based extracts and oils, and vitamins. To keep symptoms at bay, sufferers should avoid facial formulations with ingredients such as alcohol, synthetic fragrance, eucalyptus and clove oils, and salicylic acid.
April marks National Rosacea Awareness Month. In honor of the celebration, we've assembled the latest healing products that help reduce redness and restore balance to sensitive and couperose-prone skin. They make headlines for all the right reasons!
SHINE: Fleur's Gentle Cream. BEAUTY: Shea butter, vitmain E and sunflower seed oil soothe sensitive skin, and aid in reducing redness and feelings of irritation. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens.
SHINE: Ling New York Vitamin K. BEAUTY: Treat couperose-prone skin and strengthen capillary walls with vitamin K, hyaluronic acid, and jojoba seed, apricot kernel and kumquat oils. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens, and artificial fragrances and colorants. Supports Habitat for Humanity.
SHINE: Murad Redness Therapy Soothing Gel Cleanser, Recovery Treatment Gel, Correcting Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 15 | PA++ and Sensitive Skin Soothing Serum. BEAUTY: This line utilizes pomegranate, goji berry, peppermint leaf and licorice root extracts to help comfort, cool and calm flushed skin. BEACON: No animal testing.
SHINE: Sanítas Skincare Rosacea Serum. BEAUTY: Minimize the appearance of inflammation and surface redness, and support blood vessel stability with vitamins A, C, D, E and K. BEACON: Free of parabens and preservatives. Supports the Cinderella Foundation.
SHINE: Sumbody Simple Solution Serum, Square One Cleanser and Avocado Honey Soy Polishing Paste. BEAUTY: Healing oils, such as avocado, jojoba, sweet almond and argan, and moisturizing soy milk help repair rosacea-prone skin and restore an even tone to your complexion. BEACON: Contains no parabens, sulfates, artificial preservatives or synthetic chemicals.
SHINE: Yonka Paris Creme 11. BEAUTY: Soothe sensitive skin and reduce red patches with sunflower seed oil, and St. John's wort, arnica and witch hazel extracts. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens.
