New to Forum-A little About me and my Rosacea

[cookie]

Hey guys

Just wanted to introduce myself and tell you that I have been dealing with rosacea for four years. I am 24 now so I got it at a really early age.

Currently I am so depressed because nothing works! I have these big, red, cystic pimples on my cheeks and red marks from all of them! Retin-A micro helps it to some extent, but I don't have insurance to afford a doctor right now.

I just bought B. Kamins rosacea products on the net. Anyone ever heard of it or used it? Every time I buy something new, I get a twinge of hope that maybe this time it will work....so here's for hoping. :idea:

A little about me, I just finished college and i would like to move to New York in the near future to pursue a writing career. I love to work out and I am obsessed with make up and fashion--two things I would love to write about. Anyways...thanks for listening. L8r

[IowaDavid]

Be very careful with topical retinoids if you have rosacea--I don't even know if they're used for rosacea, or with individuals that have rosacea and acne, given how many of us react to topicals like that. I don't have acne, and will only break out in rosacea pustules and papules when my skin (hopefully never again) _extremely_ stressed.

Perhaps some others with papulopustular rosacea can help, here? I'm not a very informed on treating this kind of thing--I'm mostly a hardcore flusher with telangiectasia.

Your derm is sure you've got rosacea? Or do you have acne and rosacea? Or is it papulopustular rosacea?

I don't mean to be condescending (if you've already been through this thought line, disregard me), it's just that if your acneform lesions are caused by rosacea rather than acne vulgaris, I think the treatment approach would be very different.

There is quite a bit of information here and at the rosacea-support site and the wiki site. Please do some reading if you haven't.

Best,

David

[newattitude]

welcome cookie-i agree that you have to be careful -i would never be able to put anything so harsh on my face.B. Kamins is a good line-but everyone is different-and right now my own skin is so sensitive that i am putting very little on it. for a start i would look into going low carb and eating tons of vegetables to keep your body a little more alakaline. go back and research-claudia wrote about it and nomoreredcheeks did and others. Brady Barrows wrote a great book on low carb for rosacea-i do not follow it to the extreme but i go a little higher with the carbs-although i envy those who are that disciplined-and it is helping me. i totally agree with him that sugar is horrible for rosacea-i also eat tons of vegetables and some fruit because a high protein diet is very acidic and this helps to balance your body.lots and lots of water. a lot of people are bothered by dairy. i also found that sometimes if i take a little of something-then i don't feel so restricted.there is great information here-just read, read,read.you can send me a private message if you like.good luck...Lin

[cookie]

Thanks guys!

Even though I have had rosacea awhile, I still feel new to it. What I mean is that I know diet plays a huge role in it and I do all the no-no's. I smoke cigarettes occassionally (about one or two cigs a day), I drink wine occassionally, I've been eating a lot of chocolate recently. I have heard that dairy products aggrivate acne yet I have never heard about the carb thing and will begin to do research on that. I love carbs, so this might be a problem for me. I'm glad to hear that B. Kamins is a good line, I hope it works but it wouldn't heart to start eating more fruits and veggies. I am sure sugar has played a huge role in my acne. David, I am not sure about all your questions. I've been asked before if maybe my skin is just severe acne and not rosacea. I think it is probably what they call acne rosacea. I mean, if I don't treat it at all, I get about six or seven new cysts a day and they stay on my cheeks for months. It's really depressing! And I've noticed the older I get the redder my whole face gets. I have VERY oily skin. Any more information from yall would be helpful and thanks for replying.

[Kelli]

Hi Cookie,

I have/had P&P rosacea, maybe mixed with a bit of acne on top. Mine started when I was 11, and just got worse when I hit about 21. Pregnancy sent it into overdrive.

I tried all of the antibiotics, topicals, etc. What ultimately helped me was learning for one that I also have PCOS and got on a good birth control pill (Yasmin - it's very good for women on the pill with rosacea) and I'm on month 7 of Accutane. I hated having to go down that road, but I'm in a MUCH better place than I was 7 months ago.

Basically, I'd recommend finding a dermatologist that you might be able to pay little by little. I know that's easier said than done.

Good luck - Hope you can get some info here that will help out!

[redhotoz]

Interestingly enough, my Derm recently suggested the use of topical retinoids for my Rosacea. In particular, Tretinoin (Retin-A Gel). I asked him if it would be harsh on the skin and he said "Yes, it would be!" So, I have chosen to disregard his suggestion!

Just goes to show...we have to be 'on the ball' when it comes to Rosacea!

Red