Rosacea support thread anyone?

[jazzharmony]

Anyone else have Rosacea? I was diagnosed last spring - I say diagnosed but really they just diagnose by looking, there aren't any tests.
I am really interested to hear what others are doing to treat their rosacea or prevent flare-ups.
I am a vegetarian and I don't eat dairy, gluten, soy. I eat a good percentage raw and do the green smoothie thing everyday, etc. My worst spot is on one side of my nose which becomes itchy and burns often. To me it seemed more like seborrheic dermatitis but 2 doctors said rosacea. It keeps coming back and the only thing that seems to work on that spot is prescription strength antifungal. I used white vinegar the other day and it burned but seems to help it from getting worse (just on that small nose spot)

I have read a lot of conflicting information on foods that supposedly cause rosacea. Avocados, Spinach, Tomatoes, and some other fruit/veggies that I love supposedly aggravate rosacea!?!?

Anyone do anything specific for their rosacea? Avoid or add certain foods? Supplements?

Anyway, hoping to hear from others with this condition

[SandyMom]

My ND looked at my face with a huge magnifying lens and said that I had rosacea. Mine is really mild but was presenting a lot like the lupus butterfly rash - which is why I was concerned. After looking he said definitely not lupus - rosacea. He also said that rosacea can be due to low hydrochloric acid in the stomach which is common on ppl with hypothyroid - like myself. Supplementing hcl does help.

[HappyMommy2]

I was just thinking about a support thread for my rosacea, and found yours. I'm surprised there aren't more of us.

Mine is super depressing because I have always been known for my beautiful skin. Now after 2 babies, my face is always red and consistently breaking out. It makes me feel so ugly and sad!!

I never knew it was connected to hypo... I got that 3mo pp too. hmmm...

Any mamas find any rosacea treatments that actually work?

[aris99]

I don't have rosacea but a little while ago I was researching it for a friend and I came up w/a lot of info on demodex mites. Has anyone heard of this? That rosacea is actually caused by mites similar to head lice?

[Mom2M]

The only thing that works for mine is the Metro gel and using absolutely no soap on my face. I tried many organic, natural soaps; soaps designed for rosacea, etc...and all of them made it worse. I only use water now and the Metro gel if it gets bad.

Exercise really aggravates mine, especially when I sweat a lot and my face gets bright red!

I saw a commercial for something called Prosacea and if mine comes back bad, I am going to get it.
(It's good right now because I just had a baby and it's in remission.)

I hate the way it looks.

Deb

[jazzharmony]

Welcome everyone

For me, Nizoral cream has worked and I only use it on one spot on the side of my nose. I do wish there were other more natural options that actually worked for me.

I also am trying to avoid flushing which is really difficult as I am an active person. I also love very hot baths which is a no-no. It's freezing here now and that's not good either. sigh.

I have looked at pictures and know that i'm pretty lucky as mine isn't a severe case. I am trying to keep it from progressing too much or too quickly. I don't know if it can be stopped.

Hugs to everyone - I'm glad we can support each other.

[katelove]

I developed Rosacea this year. Mine isn't that bad either but I get pretty down about it as it looks so awful.

My biggest trigger seems to be sun exposure and heat (and we just moved to the tropics). It is much worse on my right cheek, probably from sun exposure during driving. Foods don't seem to make much difference.

I was initially prescribed metronidazole gel but it is better not to use that during pregnancy so I have switched to azelaic acid cream. I also did a few days of topical steroid cream to settle it and give the azelaic acid a chance. It seems to be holding it but not really improving it enough to be acceptable to me. I'm planning to look into laser treatment but I haven't done so yet.

[DaughterOfKali]

I've had rosacea for years. I haven't used anything on it yet but, as I get older, the breakouts are getting worse. I almost always have the bumpy, itchy redness at this point.

[Mom2M]

I looked into laser treatment also but it seems like some people can have a really bad reaction and it makes it worse. Others say it works great...who knows?

When I have taken oral or IV steroids for other reasons, my rosacea completely disappears and I have beautiful skin. I've never tried topical steroids, I wonder if it would be responsive to that.

I've read about a few things people have tried to help and I think I will try them to see if they work for me if it flares again.
Rosehip and Hibiscus Face Serum, milk of magnesia applied topically, apple cider vinegar applied topically, and clinimycin phosphate (Rx).
I don't want to try extended courses of antibiotics because I think the side effects in the rest of the body may be worse.

The worst part of rosacea for me is when the red bumps are there and they get painfully inflamed no matter what I do. I read that if you don't treat it then it gets worse over time.

I remember when I first got dx with rosacea and looking at the pictures of people who have it really bad. The nose stuff is the scariest looking.

[jazzharmony]

Hello again, everyone

I just thought I would update with a bit of success to report. Since I last posted, my rosacea/seborrheic dermatitis (I believe I have both) had taken a turn for the worse. Constant burning, stinging and itching. Red bumps on the sides of my nose and eyebrows. It was really awful. I stopped using the antifungal rx cream and began faithfully putting raw honey on my face for as long as possible, before bed, and then Spectrum virgin coconut oil for moisture. I also cut out avocados as I was eating 1-2 per day. My skin is much better now, though I do still have a bit in the crease of my nose. I had tried the honey ages ago but it seemed to make things worse. Now I think I stopped using it too soon.

I did take a long bike ride/hike with my kids this morning which brought about terrible flushing but i'm not going to worry about that right now.

How are all of you doing?

[DaughterOfKali]

Glad yours is getting better!

Sad to say, mine is getting worse. Maybe I should stop eating avocado's.

[Mom2M]

ugh, I always get that burning and stinging when I exercise and get really sweaty!
It's great that you are doing better! What exactly do you do with the honey? Do you wash it off after a certain period of time?
I love avocado but don't get it too often.

Mine is doing very well. I use the gel only once a day right now and I actually think it has improved partially because of eating so much watermelon! Maybe because of so much extra water.

Sorry to hear yours is worse daughterofkali

[katelove]

I have had great success with erythromicin gel. I still have a mild reddness/bumpyness on my cheeks but it is hardly visible and no flare-ups with heat!

[jazzharmony]

Originally Posted by Mom2M

What exactly do you do with the honey?

I leave the honey on for as long as possible - some online sources recommend 3 hours but I rarely have time for that. Ideally, I put it on in the morning when I wake up and leave it on while I walk the dogs, make breakfast, etc. I put it on again at night and leave it while we get ready for bed. I rinse it off with just tepid water and then put a very thin layer of virgin coconut oil on my face. So far so good



daughterofkali

katelove, glad to hear you have found something that works for you.

[jazzharmony]

Here is the honey, in case anyone is interested.
http://www.amazon.com/Raw-Antioxidan...8641482&sr=1-1

I found it at a health food store.

Coconut oil link
http://www.amazon.com/Spectrum-Natur...8641540&sr=1-3

Both of these jars last for a really really long time. In fact, I haven't had to replace them yet. Very economical. You only need a tiny bit at a time.

My skin is feeling great now. It's hard to believe, actually. It looks great too but I wasn't even concerned about the look - I just wanted the burning/itching/peeling to go away.

I have a dermatologist appt next week. I have to go for regular skin cancer checks but I was also going to bring up how bad the rosacea/sebborhea had gotten. Now I suppose I will tell her about the honey/coconut oil and see what her reaction is.

I still do have bad dandruff which is probably related and is relatively new. I'm not sure i'm ready to deal with the mess of honey and coco oil in my hair but I might have to do it at some point.

I hope others can find relief as well

[Mom2M]

Thanks for the links! I have coconut oil from making soap and the raw honey is not very expensive! I always thought it was.
I have to get it and try it because I would much rather use honey and coconut oil than metro-gel.

My sister uses hemp oil in her hair and swears by it, it's definitely less messy so maybe you could try that.

I don't like the burning and stinging after a workout but i also hate the way I look in pictures. I always have red cheeks even if it isn't actually bumpy at the time.
It would be so nice to have good skin!

[vegmom]

Even though this is an old thread I would like to join this group! I had a mercury amalgam replaced last November while I had undiagnosed walking pneumonia. I guess getting dental work done while immune compromised and getting mercury exposure is not a good thing. Several days after my appointment my face started to break out. I thought that I was going through some sort of detox because I had taken supplements to aid in detoxing mercury. When the acne did not go away I thought that I was allergic to my new composite filling.

So I have been to my physician, allergist and dermatologist. Their conclusion is that I am not allergic to my composite filling, that i have rosacea and that it was induced by stress of toxins and being sick at the time. I am also not allergic to dairy, wheat and other common foods and allergens. The allergy test did not test the filling though. But the allergist said that it is unlikely that the filling is causing the rosacea. How he was so certain... I don't know.

A year later, my rosacea turned to ocular rosacea and I also get huge cysts under my skin. I just came back from the doctors office with the biggest eye stye he has ever seen. He gave me a prescription of antibiotics for 5 months as well as topical erythromycin.  I cant take these medicines at all. I have battled Candida for **decades** and I react badly to antibiotics.

I had tried MMS (miracle mineral supplement) last year for my pneumonia and that is what healed it. It also partially cured me of Candida. I just did not take it long enough.

I tried MMS again for my eye stye and within one day my eye stye had reduced in swelling. It is amazing that it worked so quickly. I have been on MMS for 6 days and the eye stye is about 3/4 gone.

I put MMS on topically too. Although I am a bit lazy and feel a bit nauseated from the smell of MMS and I don't put it on as often as I should. It does kill whatever bacteria causes the breakouts and inflammation.

However, I don't want to treat this rosacea as a symptom. I want to fix my body so I don't break out anymore. I never had to put so much effort on skin.

Banish Rosacea recommends Lysine, HCL and zinc supplements.

Earth Clinic has a remedy of borax for rosacea. Borax taken internally and externally. I have yet to try this and need to read up on this a bit more.

Other things that have helped are washing my face 2x day with Carbolic Soap, honey mask, aloe vera and jojoba oil. Coconut oil does not help my skin and causes more inflammation.

I am searching for a cure...

[activistamamacita]

Hi, I am so glad to have found you all.  

I have perinasal dermatitis, which is a cousin to rosacea.  I remember having it a couple of times when I was in my early 20's but it was easily treated with antibiotics/metrogel/antiinflam.  Now, I have a 14 month old, and have had this same case of dermatitis for almost a year.  My dermo prescribes Keflex, but I have been on it for three going on four months and I am very wary of building resistance.  I nurse dd, so she says she can't give me other things that she is sure she can control it with, and annoyingly refers to this as "the issue".  I am not willing to stop bfing.  

I am interested in reading things that have worked for others. I have tried vinegar, zinc, and of course my prescribed meds.  I am going to stop using soap on my face.  I guess I thought that what I was using was natural so it couldn't be that.  I have not tried any elimination diet, and I have to say, I am really hesitant to do that.  Mostly because I don't think I have the will power!  

Thanks for the support.  No one else seems to understand how I feel.