My Red LED Array

[redhotoz]

Thought I would share a couple of photos of my new red LED array.

I started using this 1st May 2006, 9 days ago. First night was 6 minutes and now an average of 20 minutes, at a distance of around 15-20cms away from my face.

The set up comprises of 6 panels of 147 red LEDs, total of 882. The panels have been placed in an arch shape to surround the face, which have been encased so that the wires are neatly tucked away. The head is attached to a pole, which is attached to a base stand. This allows for forward/backward, up/down adjustment and the final adjustment is the swivel of the head above the face. I can lay down or sit up when using it. Each panel of LEDs can be removed easily, if a bulb needs replacing.

So far, early days, so can't really say either way. What I can say is that there have been no negative reactions. So far, so good! :D

I am off all meds now, have changed my diet and going down the natural path. Will keep this thread up-dated as time goes by.

Here's my before pic (agghhh!!!). Actually, my face is pretty good here, compared to worst times! But this is my starting point:

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/justforjen/3924cdec.jpg

This photo is before the top cover was attached:

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/justforjen/27afec19.jpg

This photo is the current work in progress. I think I might paint the outside cover and pole black to make it look 'nice'! It's a girl thing! LOL

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/justforjen/7ea30348.jpg

Yes, my house is painted in green, purple AND orange too, but you can't see the orange in the pic! LOL

Jen

[DukeCity]

Jen, - Best of luck with your LED treatment, please keep us up to speed on it... and I think a few pics of you in a bikini using your light would be nice too!! :P

[Artist]

Oh Jen I reeeaaaally hope it works for you! The LED looks very interesting. You look so relaxed under that it...and a bit like you might be beamed off the planet :lol: nnoooooo..don't take our Jen!! Definately keep us posted!

Artist

[IowaDavid]

=D>

Keep us posted. 8)

[moc]

Good luck Jen - look forward to hearing how you get on!

[spuggylegs]

fingers crossed - Jen.

[redhotoz]

Thanks for the encouragement everyone! It's truly appreciated.

I assure you there will be no bikini shots posted! LOL Got a good laugh from that! :lol:

It is very relaxing to sit under and is great for stress relief too. I've even got a friend of mine sitting under it to help reduce wrinkles. Who knows, maybe his hair will grow back too? LOL Ok, maybe not, but will let you know if it does!

Jen

[scrumptious]

Good luck jen, i hope it gives you some relief. Have we any time frame in mind before you are hopefully going to see or feel any benefits?

[redhotoz]

Good question Scrumptious!

I have already seen and felt benefits from this approach. I started with the diet first and the "before" photo I put up is a GOOD one of my face with almost no p&p! Heaven forbid if I post an older, plagued with Rosacea pic! Agghhh!!!! Not that many of us have those types of pics! So in the photo I posted, I already had some good improvement, that is, no p&p's and under my chin/above the neck area was clear (normally full of 'spots', not that you can see that in the pic), apart from one big doozy that mishaped my chin at the time - now cleared.

I am doing a two pronged attack - red light therapy and diet change. It's my understanding that with natural healing through diet, it takes one month to heal naturally for every year you have been 'sick'. So for the diet part of it, I imagine it will take 5 to 6 months for complete clearance for me. With red light therapy, I hope to see some significant changes in 3 to 6 months, with the optimum result being in 2 years, so I believe. I'll post an up-date pic in a few months and you can judge for yourself.

My thoughts are that this is a long term project but one that will set me up for the future - Rosacea FREE! I do believe in this approach and have done soooooo much reading on so many things for Rosacea. I've also tried so many other things and this one seems like the best of the lot! All of my research has lead to this for long term clearance of Rosacea. No more lotions, potions, meds...no more outlay of big bucks! BUT it takes dedication!

So far, just cutting certain foods out of my diet has helped immensely! That being bread/wheat/gluten products, milk and cheese. Introducing a lemon/sea salt water drink up to 6 times a day has been working wonders (1/2 a lemon squeezed into a cup, 1/4 teaspoon of sea/ocean salt, topped up with hot water - drunk warm). Lots of plain water as well, as the input of salt into the body needs the water to help hydrate the body. Or maybe that should be restated, we need the sea salt to allow the water and foods to be absorbed into our body. Also, it MUST be sea or ocean salt, NOT table salt. Celtic Sea Salt is a good choice if you can buy it locally.

In the morning I whizz up a drink made with 3 raw eggs, a tablespoon of coconut oil, a few drops of Stevia, 1/2 the juice of a lemon, 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt, water and a banana. I've been a bad eater in the past, so a drink is good for me in the morning.

Eating high protein and 'good' fats and oils I believe is playing a key role. I'm playing around with the diet at the moment so not sure which bits are the best yet. I'm not supposed to eat bananas because of the sugar content but I'm not convinced that cutting all fruit out of the diet is the best thing to do. The concern lies with the sugar content. Sugar is a NO NO for Rosacea. Luckily, I don't have a sweet tooth!

Dinner will consist of a good cut of grain-fed beef (fat still attached and eaten) cooked in coconut oil, butter, fresh garlic and selected herbs with vegies like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, sprinkled liberally with sea salt. Tonight I had a breast of chicken (free range) cooked in coconut oil, fresh garlic, butter and oregano, served with a salad of lettuce, freshly grated beetroot, english spinach and boiled egg thrown in. All topped with sea salt. There's lots of options. This diet will also help with weight reduction, if needed, believe it or not!

This will be a slow process and through the natural healing process I will also go backwards at some points in time. The old saying is, you have to get worse to get better. It's called the "Healing Crisis" in natural healing. I had a pustule crop up on my nose yesterday morning and normally these takes months to heal for me. I would say by tomorrow morning it will be gone, it's almost gone now! To me, this is amazing! Quick recovery time as by body adjusts to detoxing.

My body is slowly becoming hydrated and even now I find that I can eat tomatoes with no reaction. Tomatoes have been a bit of a test case for me because I always reacted to them in the past.

In regards to hydration, I recall the discovery of the Eczema Gene with the mutated Filaggrin protein (not able to hold water). I believe this could aslo be applied to Rosacea (if the Roscea Gene is found...I'm working on that!). That is, if we hydrate our bodies, we will see an improvement of Rosacea. BUT water alone will not do it. Adding the sea/ocean salt will. This is also part of Drummond's theory, which is a little difficult to follow in that thread but he has made some very interesting points. So glad his ideas didn't get shot down in flames for the entire thread!!!

As to red light therapy. So far it is day 11 and too early to tell. What I do notice is that sitting under my array is very relaxing and de-stressing. Another factor that has changed for me is no more stressing about everything, like I used to do! After a session, my face feels 'nice' and I am relaxed. I'll be more descriptive later down the track.

Sorry this is so long. I could go on and on and on...but I shan't! I'm just excited that I am getting my Rosacea under control the natural way! Yeay!

P.S. I just learnt that I can reduce the size of photos in PhotoBucket! So no more scrolling from side to side to read the text! First time I've done it, so learning as I go. :)

Jen

[claudia]

redhotoz --- I'm so hopeful for you! Please keep us posted with your results. Maybe the red light array will do the trick :wink:

Unfortunately for me treating rosacea naturally hasn't worked. I've tried this several times for periods of up to a year...eating a natural organic fresh diet, etc., using no meds, etc. The good result is my skin looks incredibly youthful for my age (...a little bragging...gotta highlight something...) but without meds my skin starts forming deep red inflamed p&p's that then inflame my whole face.

My derm claims I have cystic acne + rosacea and that although diet may help reduce the redness only meds will reduce bacteria sufficiently to stop the deep red p&p's. Now that I've given in to taking meds (Bactrim + metrogel + spiro) my skin has remained clear since starting several months ago.

I sometimes wonder how people dealt with this disease in the past...were there natural herb treatments we've forgotten about?

I really hope your regime works...I'd LOVE to be inspired to try going natural again. Although please don't feel too awful if it doesn't work. You've given and are giving so much to this forum...I know at least for me you've been a wonderful support.

CV

[Bob Bear]

Jen,

As a fellow Bear, I will be sure to send you 100% of my good vibes. Good luck!

BB

[redhotoz]

Thanks Claudia and BB

Hey, Claudia. I would be interested to know what the diet was that you were on.

Thinking about what you posted, tonight I decided to add Tea Tree Oil to the Rose Hip Oil I use, as Tea Tree Oil has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. It's natural, so why not keep on top of it, just incase. I used to use Jojoba Oil, Tea Tree Oil and Hemp Seed Oil mixed together but when I stumbled across Rose Hip Oil, I was so impressed! Leaves my skin feeling silky smooth and is a natural anti-inflammatory.

I am very postive about this approach, as it has come about after a huge amount of reading and summising from several theories on Rosacea. Fingers crossed!

Interestly enough, I've had quite a few PMs and e-mails asking for more info and have been busy anwering those. It's in my nature to want to help. Even if only one other Roscean can benefit from this, then I will be happy. I do truly believe more could benefit from this but I'm happy to be a guinea pig and if all turns pear shaped, then at least that theory is out the window. I think I'm on to a good thing though. Proof will be in the pudding.

Thanks again everyone for the encouragement, on and off the Forum!

Jen x

[Sylvia66]

Fingers and toes crossed this will help ya :)

::hugs::

[redhotoz]

Thanks Sylvia

Long time no chat! Hope all is still going well for you. I'm going great guns with this new approach! Yeay!

Luv Jen x

[Tioh2001]

Hi Jen,

Very impressive setup you have! How nice that you can lie down while spending time under the red light.

It sounds like you are on Bee's candida diet...is this the one you are following? Just curious.....but with all the lemon/sea salt and raw eggs, it sounds like Bee. I'm not on her diet, but I do include lemon water, sea salt and lots of coconut oil and coconut milk in my diet. Good stuff.

Take care.

Heather

[redhotoz]

Thanks Heather

Yes, it's Bee Wilder's Candida Diet. Coconut oil is wonderful stuff. I read that someone puts it on their face too. Must try that. I'm not sure that coconut milk is part of the diet, but good to hear that you have had success with it. I'm always open to suggestions of what works for others.

My new chickens laid two eggs this morning! I only got them yesterday arvo. Had to tell someone as I'm so excited! :D

Jen

[claudia]

Hey, Claudia. I would be interested to know what the diet was that you were on.

The diet I've followed is basically no meat, dairy, alcohol, sugars or junk foods. I eat organic vegies, Ezekiel Breads (sprouted grain - no gluten), pasta, olive oil, occasional roasted chicken (have been craving it lately...), fruits, nuts and a small amount of soy milk.

When I've tried to treat skin problems naturally I've been really diligent about eating well. I think it's helped keep my skin from getting too damaged but as I said above I don't think diet alone has been eneough to take care of the problems.

Off and on during that time I've experimented with adding back in milk but after several weeks I get more inflamed even if on meds. I can eat a little bread once in awhile without ill effect. But if I eat it regularly I get inflamed. I can eat a little tofu once in awhile but it also causes problems. Yogurt also causes problems after awhile. Cheese isn't a problem if I eat it sparingly or only once a week.

Anything like dessert immediately causes me to break out even if I'm on meds!

I recently tried drinking lemon juice sqweezed in water throughout the day but I think my body got too alkaline! I started getting indigestion! Same with green tea...I was so hopeful it would be a good "antiseptic" but drinking it all day was no good. A cup of tea or one glass of lemon water is all my body can take.

I'm going to check out your candida diet to see what else I can do...

Am always open to something else that might do the trick :wink:

CV

[redhotoz]

Thanks for the info Claudia.

The diet you were on sounds similar to what I am trying at the moment, except I no longer eat pasta and I do now eat a lot more red meat with the fat attached, cooked in olive oil or coconut oil. The idea of Bee's diet is in the ratios of protein, good fat and carbs that we eat. I haven't actually pulled out my kitchen scales *yet*, I just make sure I have roughly the right ratios of protein:fat:carbs in a meal, relative to my height.

Interesting that you could have a bit of bread or cheese every now and then with no major reaction. Since being on this diet, I now have a higher tolerance for my trigger foods. In fact, I have now permanently included fresh tomatoes into my diet because I no longer have a negative reaction to them. This is also what Joanne said in the Alkaline diet. Once you are eating in the right proportions, you can then add in foods that you would normally trigger to. Joanne's diet is quite different to Bee's diet, but there are also some similarities.

Will be interesting to see what you make of the Candida Diet, Claudia.

Best of luck!

Jen

[Tioh2001]

Hi Jen,

That's me who uses coconut oil on her face. Every night I put on a very heavy layer. It's not a miracle worker but it has definitely helped. Because my skin barrier is so damaged, my skin can't retain moisture and used to get horribly dry and painful. The oil keeps mositure locked into my skin. I have coconut oil on my skin 24 hours a day, except for the 2 minutes or so it takes to wash at night.

I used a number of different oils before coconut oil, but I like c.o. the best. I've been using it for about 2 years now. If I need to use the ZhongZhou ointment (if I get a breakout of p&p's), I put it on over the oil. The same with moisturizer or makeup. Nothing directly touches my face anymore, except overtop of a layer of oil.

You are right, I don't think Bee recommends coconut milk when on her diet. I don't follow Bee's diet (I am vegetarian), but I used to read her list, as I found her opinion on garlic, coconut oil, lemon, sea salt and other things to be very interesting. I hope Bee's diet helps you. Since it completely eliminates processed food, it should be a big help (although I personally think she is wrong in de-emphasizing the importance of fruits and vegetables, even in a candida diet).

Heather

[redhotoz]

Ahhhh, it was you Heather. Now I will definitely try coconut oil on my face! I do love my Rose Hip oil though and have found it difficult to move on from it.

I am eating a lot of veggies on this diet but maybe that's cos I haven't spent the time to weigh foods yet. I just do what I think is about right. I haven't cut fruit out yet (of course lemons and limes are recommended) as I am not yet convinced that I should. I'm taking things slowly and evaluating as I go. I'm not a sheep! LOL

Anyway, so far so good. Also, I wanted to mention that being on this det has improved my general mental state and I am so much more motivated now. Things were a tad slow for a while but now I can't wait to get out of bed to live life! More time AWAY from the computer is a god thing too! :)

Jen

[Tioh2001]

Jen,

It's always best to think for oneself! Sounds like you've taken the best Bee has to offer and made it fit for you. And who knows you better than you!

Glad you are feeling better. I don't think most people realize the negative affects of processed food. It can really bring you down.

I've never tried rose hip oil.....now I have one more thing on my list to try...one day. I have not changed my skin care routine for over a year now...I'm afraid to jinx things. But maybe, next time I'm in the health food store, and I see rose hip oil, maybe I'll give it a try. However, I think any oil is good...we just have to find the best one for each of us. I like the idea of using coconut oil....I eat it and I wear it. I like the synergy of that!

Heather

[SpencerK]

Yes indeed, the very best of luck with that.... And please please let me know if your friend starts growing his hair back..... I could do with some!!

Best wishes...

Spence

[redhotoz]

Hey Spence

I read this hugely long article today and thought of you when I read this:

http://www.biblelife.org/stefansson1.htm

It's under Part 2 (second page), section IV

"Andersen, who had had one head cold after another when working nearly stripped outdoors in his Florida orange grow, suffered only two or three attacks during the meat year in New York, and those light. He did not regain his hair but he reported that there had been a marked decrease in the shedding. As said, according to the reports of the doctors, Andersen was troubled when he came from Florida with certain toxin-producing intestinal micro-organisms in relation to which physicians at that time ordinarily prescribed elimination of meat from the diet. This condition did not make trouble for him while on the meat."

So, moral of the story, eat more meat and good fats and your hair will not fall out as much!

Luv Jen x

[SpencerK]

Hey Spence

I read this hugely long article today and thought of you when I read this:

http://www.biblelife.org/stefansson1.htm

It's under Part 2 (second page), section IV

"Andersen, who had had one head cold after another when working nearly stripped outdoors in his Florida orange grow, suffered only two or three attacks during the meat year in New York, and those light. He did not regain his hair but he reported that there had been a marked decrease in the shedding. As said, according to the reports of the doctors, Andersen was troubled when he came from Florida with certain toxin-producing intestinal micro-organisms in relation to which physicians at that time ordinarily prescribed elimination of meat from the diet. This condition did not make trouble for him while on the meat."
So, moral of the story, eat more meat and good fats and your hair will not fall out as much!
Luv Jen x

Hey mate.... Thanks for the read!

Bless ya, the problem being that I've already lost it all.. hehehe, I used to eat a lot of meat aswell tbh.... I was a chef in my previous profession and had access to all types of meat...

Sometimes I feel that being bald in an extra poke in the ribs, because my Rose is starting to creep up my spammy head – lool.

Add to this the ever increasing bags under my eyes (which are filled with horrid black veins!) and I fill like the ugly duckling in reverse at the age of just 29. Tell ya, glad I got my lovely mrs earlier while things were ok... Now she's gotta stick with me !!! haha!!!!

You take care...
Hope the light works matey!

Spence

[redhotoz]

Ahhhh...well...I did think of you as I read it.

Oh, something else to try, which my boyfriend's Dad swore by for hair "re-growth" was to brush your head with a soft brush a lot. Brush from the base of the back of your head upwards, until it feels warm, that way you know the blood is flowing to your scalp. Maybe get your lovely wife to brush your head whilst watching tv. May even lead to...mmm...a fun evening! LOL

Jen

P.S. You know what they say about bald men........ :wink:

[vesna]

Hello again Jen,
I am so hopeful that your natural approach will work! I am dying here from this worst ever flare and decided that I had to fast for at least 24 hrs, then I'll do only raw fruits and veggies for 3-4 days and then try to eat as much whole unprocessed foods as I can.

Actually, I shouldn't take a credit for this "cleansing" regimen - it's my mom's. She's 72 and tried it on herself. She healed herself from rheumatic fever, which is a serious heart condition. She decided to try fasting at the point of no return when she was 41 and she'd developed serious allergic reactions to all her meds. The docs told her at that time that she had only 1 year to live and I was 5 years old. So with nothing to lose she started fasting 1 day per week and shortly after that she became a vegetarian. She says she could tell the difference after a couple of fasting episodes. And she's in her 70s and takes no long-term meds.

So let's see if this fasting and natural diet can help me beat this nasty rosacea! I am hopeful...But my face looks so horrible right now that I am considering an IPL Tx in addition to it as well....

Let's keep each other posted!


Tanya

[redhotoz]

Best of luck Tanya! Great to hear you taking control of your Rosacea, instead of the Rosacea beast controlling us! It's a positive step and wish you all the best.

Jen

[ben99]

Hi Jen - how is the Red Light therapy going?? Is your skin looking better? It's nearly four months for you I think!

[redhotoz]

Hi Ben

Thanks for asking. Yes, I started 'gung ho' in May. Alas, stress is my biggest enemy and sitting under my array is de-stressing. So what does a big stress Queen like me do??? Keep on stressing!!! Oh dear!

So, let me explain what I mean. After I put my two boys to bed, it's my time...time to catch up on e-mails etc. Once that is done, I am so tired, I just crash out and the last thing I feel like doing is timing even a short session under my array. Yup, I know, sounds totally stupid but I'm being honest here!

What annoys me the most is that I know that my face feels soooo much better after I have sat under my array...calmer...it's all good. I've asked my boyfriend to rig up something above my bed, with an auto timer, so that I can go to sleep and ensure that I do the red lights every night.

I must tell you that I know that it helps so much with my face when I do sit under the lights. I had a wicked week away, doing lots of wild anti-Rosacea things and the first thing I hankered for when I got home was my red lights to calm my face down. I almost fell asleep under my array last night and I woke up with a much calmer face.

Anyway, I can't provide any miracle photos as I haven't been consistent...urgh...especially after a weekend of letting my hair down big time...dancing and drinking. My body is still aching from the dancing insult! LOL I dragged at least a quarter of the crowd up on the dance floor, which wasn't bad for a crowd of about 150 or more. Ahhh but it has to be good to do that every now and then...right? My face looked like crap but I didn't care! Sometimes you just have to forget and have fun!

Jen

[redhotoz]

Ok, my array has now been mounted above my bed. I started again last night and will at minimum do it every night. Thought I would show some pics...

This is when the array is off and out of the way.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/justforjen/RedLEDArray-AboveBed-Up.jpg

This is when it is down and ready for use.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/justforjen/RedLEDArray-AboveBed-Down.jpg

I tell you, it is so much easier and now I have no excuse not to do it! LOL

It's rigged up with a frame that can be extended outwards or closer to the wall. Also, it is sideways now. Well, it is long ways above my face. This seems to cover my face better, so my boyfriend says. Obviously I can't see when I'm under it!

The little silver loop, attached with a chain, holds the frame up when not in use. The shank part of it slides easily into a hole that has been drilled out, so there is no danger of it falling on my head!

The power unit is attached to the frame and I turn the lights on/off with the toggle switch on the cord. It's good to have an Electrician for a boyfriend! LOL

It's a very nice, neat unit now and it even looks pretty darn nice with the new black paint job. I'm very happy!

Hope this might inspire those who have made their own to consider this set up above the bed.

Jen

[Twickle Purple]

That's BRILLIANT!

[IowaDavid]

Ok, my array has now been mounted above my bed. I started again last night and will at minimum do it every night. Thought I would show some pics...

This is when the array is off and out of the way.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/justforjen/RedLEDArray-AboveBed-Up.jpg

This is when it is down and ready for use.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/justforjen/RedLEDArray-AboveBed-Down.jpg

I tell you, it is so much easier and now I have no excuse not to do it! LOL

It's rigged up with a frame that can be extended outwards or closer to the wall. Also, it is sideways now. Well, it is long ways above my face. This seems to cover my face better, so my boyfriend says. Obviously I can't see when I'm under it!

The little silver loop, attached with a chain, holds the frame up when not in use. The shank part of it slides easily into a hole that has been drilled out, so there is no danger of it falling on my head!

The power unit is attached to the frame and I turn the lights on/off with the toggle switch on the cord. It's good to have an Electrician for a boyfriend! LOL

It's a very nice, neat unit now and it even looks pretty darn nice with the new black paint job. I'm very happy!

Hope this might inspire those who have made their own to consider this set up above the bed.

Jen

Holy balls!

I might turn gay if Greg(?) would be my boyfriend, too.... ;)

[redhotoz]

Thanks TP. Yes, it is brilliant. I'm stoked! My Greg is definitely a clever fella! He can make all manner of things from whatever he has hanging around in the garage.

Gay, David! LOL I don't think so! Not unless you get into the bikie look. Yup, Greg looks mean...long beard...the whole bikie thing going on! LOL

If you want the specifics of what was used, how it was put together etc. just throw me an e-mail. It was TP's idea really, with having a table set up specifically and so going from that, I figured something similar above my bed would do the trick. Thanks for the idea TP! I so love it! It's so much easier!

I was thinking that if I wake up early enough in the morning before work, I could switch on and start the day with a calm face. Then finish the day off with another calming treatment. It's all good!

Jen

[Peter]

Holy balls!

I might turn gay if Greg(?) would be my boyfriend, too.... ;)

Hey David

Leave it out!! Post things like that and before we know where we are someone will be putting on their website that he has hundreds of letters from guys who turned gay after using RLT :lol:

Peter

[IowaDavid]

:lol:

Good call, Peter.

[GJ]

My dog has been humping my leg with a great deal more avidity of late. :shock:

[Sandra]

Hi Jen,
Glad things are going good for you.. I'd like to know if the red array helps with the broken cappillaries.. Does it heal them and if not then what exactly will the red light array do? Can you post a before and after picture together so we can see the change in your face..
Sandra

[redhotoz]

Hi Sandra

I have really only just started back up using my array. I put it on when I go to bed. In fact, I keep falling asleep under it and wake up around 3am to switch it off! Must be the time of night when the temperature drops or something, as this seems to be the time I have been waking up and realising it was still on. Have to say, it has been a good thing too! My face seems to be so much calmer.

So, I haven't really been using it on a regular basis for long enough to say whether it helps with the broken capillaries. All I can really say at this point in time is that my face is far less angry. I really hate FEELING my face, you know, that irritated feeling. I don't seem to get that nearly as much now.

Honestly, things have been up and down, especially with the diet, which is what I am supposed to expect. I wondered how I could tell which was was doing the most good for my skin and since I had quite a long break from the red lights, I would have to say that they really do help with calming my skin down. I can't give you any scientific stuff, just my own personal feelings on how things are going.

Heck, what I am trying at the moment is all long term stuff and can be quite frustrating at times. I go through healing reactions with the diet and if I cheat on the diet, it sets me back. I try to be as good as I can be but not perfect. Who is, huh! Same as when I wasn't doing the red lights every night. I knew my skin wanted it but I was just too tired.

I have to say, overall, I believe that what I am trying is helping, even through the ups and downs. Since I don't take any medications, I am pleased with my progress. The diet healing reactions have been hard to deal with but when the good times come back, it makes it all worth it for my long term goal of being Rosacea free - naturally.

Yup, of course, I will post a before and after pic but it will be more like a before and in-process pic, as the after won't come for some time. Patience Jen, patience! LOL

Jen

[Sandra]

Glad to hear Jen that your feeling much better.. I know that when I don't have the burning feeling in my face or pickyness as I would call it I feel great even though I may have a bit of redness..Today is a real good day for me.. No burning,,pink and pimple free.. So we all have our ups and downs.. And of course we all have are own way of dealing with Rosacea and it's nice to hear all the different ways people are coping with their Rosacea so that we may find something good from what others find works for them..
Good luck Jen,, I'll be looking forward to seeing lots of before and after pictures as your healing progresses. Keep up with your array,,don't miss a day!! you have no excuse now that it is up over your bed!!! AS for the diet..there is no way I could keep that up..I just stay away from triggers,,your diet is to strict for me,,thumbs up to you for sticking to it..

Sandra

[redhotoz]

Ok, as promised, an up-date with photos.

I have found Bee's diet difficult to stick with but I still firmly believe in the principles of the diet. My day now usually consists of the raw egg drink for breakfast (3 eggs, 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, 2 tablespoons of butter - whizzed up). It's quick and easy as I am rushing out the door. I take Bee's recommended supplements with the egg drink - Vitamins A, B Complex, C, E, Fish Oil and Calcium/Magnesium. I mostly skip lunch. Dinner will be whatever I have the inkling to make. Mostly it is the right stuff but sometimes I make something that I used to make before the diet (old habits die hard). Oh, I've also been a bit naughty when dining out. Overall, I'm still trying to eat the foods I should but I'm not as strict as I should be. I'm not giving up on the diet though. Besides, I didn't plan my vegie planting very well. So I had to give sooo much away to friends, as we simply couldn't eat it all. Second and now third round of planting is small amounts and lots of variety! I'll eventually work out this companinion planting concept (so many web sites...each saying different things!)

I started using ZZ ointment on 23 August 2006. See, I'm getting good at recording things now! :) Had some horror break outs for quite a while but now things seem to be going well - touch wood! After seeing Simon's improvement from the ZZ, I thought I would try it for my p&p's. I'm glad I stuck it out, as I don't get nearly as many p&p's as I did before.

Once my array was mounted above my bed on 18 September 2006, I started doing it every night. Ah, well, there may have been one or two nights that I missed but not like before when I would miss a week or weeks at a time.

So, my evaluation of what I am trying:

I believe an unprocessed foods diet is a great base bench mark. That is, the body is not being aggravated by the crappy marketed processed foods that are out there, so it rules the food issue out of the Rosacea equation. Even though I have not been perfect on the diet, I try my best to eat the best, freshest foods possible...albeit...I'm only human and sometimes those yummies at restaurants are too hard to resist. So, for me, the diet is the platform with which to work upon in conjunction with other treatments.

The ZZ ointment is the best I have found for p&p clearance, after the inital break out period. Not fun, at all! I like the idea that it is a natural product. I wash with Acarid Removing Soap morning and night but only apply ZZ at night. In the morning, I apply Rose Hip Oil. ZZ is quite drying, which is good for my oily-prone skin but I think applying it twice a day might be too drying? RHO has anti-inflammatory properties and I love it. It's very light and makes my skin feel so smooth. I've been using RHO for about 10 months now.

Low level red LED therapy has been really great for calming my face, overall. It's almost been 3 months since I started using it every night and I'm very pleased with the results so far. For me, it's a matter of how my face FEELS. If it is not irritated, hot, burning, stinging...then I'm a happy lady! :D

Ah, do I need to summarise my summary? :lol:

Diet - platform to work upon, in conjunction with other treatments
ZZ - p&p clearance
Red LED Therapy - Overall calmness of the face

So, here's a pic taken on 07 September 2006. This was not long after I started with the ZZ ointment. The horror breakout period I mentioned above:

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/justforjen/2006September07.jpg

Here's another, mid October (I didn't up-load the pics, so don't have the exact date)...still major breakout from the ZZ. Not a happy camper!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/justforjen/2006OctoberMid.jpg

This photo was taken mid Movember, with makeup on. Not sure it's covered that well but at least I can WEAR makeup now-a-days!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/justforjen/2006November-Mid4.jpg

This photo was taken on 25 November 2006, after I had been out in the hot sun for about an hour, swimming in the pool out back. You can see my eyes are a bit sore from the chlorine - I keep the pool heavily chlorinated so that no yuckies can breed in the water. (There you go DukeCity! Closest I will get to a bikini shot! :lol: )

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/justforjen/2006November25.jpg

Obviously my face is not perfect and not even sure it looks better than the one I posted in May. However, my face definitely FEELS better, calmer, less sensitive, less p&ps and so on. So, for me, I think it is improvement. Of course, I look forward to more improvement over time.

Jen

[redhotoz]

Oh, I wasn't sure which thread to put these photos in.

The following thread has a bit of a history of my photos, if anyone hasn't seen it, or is interested:

http://forum.rosaceagroup.org/viewtopic.php?t=3973

I also put a thread up about Bee's diet here:

http://forum.rosaceagroup.org/viewtopic.php?t=3619

When I first started posting about Bee's diet, it was pretty much early days for me. Believe me, it's quite over whelming at first! I've learnt a lot more now and suggest that if anyone is interested in Bee's diet, join her group and at minimum read the intro file. If you don't want to do that, throw me an e-mail and I can give you a low down.

Jen

[Quench]

I think you've made great progress Jen. The ZZ ointment really does seem to work.

[Jordan]

Yes Jen your face does look like it is improving. Thanks for all the updates.

[DukeCity]

You're a tease!!

[Twickle Purple]

You are looking better for sure. I hope this is just the beginning!

[Bob Bear]

Jen,

Well done! Thats quite a startling improvement I must say :D

BB

[claudia]

Jen ~ great improvement over pics in Sept and Oct. Much less inflammation and less p&p's! You look much happier too :D

However, did you know ZZ cream has salicylic acid in it? This probably is what's taking care of the p&p's but it may be too irritating for the skin overall. I tried various types and levels of salicylic acid but all of them were too irritating and I couldn't get my skin past a certain level of inflammation and p&p's. I tried it for months but gave up, especially after having some major flare-ups.

I know you're trying to go all natural and I'm so hopeful that works for you!!! I have to agree with you about diet...following a good one like Bee's seems to be a "base" for other treatments...like it helps other treatments work better.

FYI --- my skin looked like yours in Sept & Oct before doing 2 rounds of Accutane (full strength --- in my late 30's). Then my skin looked like the Nov pic. Last year (age 54) I stopped using all harsh products designed for acne (benzoil peroxide, salicylic acid, toners, etc.) and the residual redness slowly went away...took about 4 months. After using the treatment below my p&p's totally stopped except for maybe once a month when I get a little non-inflammatory whitehead or two, usually in response to eating poorly. I blush a little occasionally but it isn't anything like the raw redness I had when the p&p's were deep and active.

[Brady Barrows]

Jen,

Congratulations and thanks for sharing this with us.

[redhotoz]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

I know I've still got a long way to go but at least there's some improvement with the things I am trying - all being long term things.

Claudia, I'm not sure if it's the Salicylic Acid or a combination of the other ingredients in the ZZ that are helping the most with clearing up the p&ps. (Full ingredients are: "Zinc Oxide and Sublimed Sulfur 71mg. Subsidiary material: Mentholum, Salicylic Acid, Boric Acid and Silicones."). What I do know is I rarely get any of the deep p&p's now and that is such a relief! I haven't found ZZ to be irritating to my face. Well, other than the initial breakout period, which lasted way too long for my liking. Anyway, I'll see how things go and if need be, will re-evaluate.

I do still want to stick with the natural approach, medication-free. I can feel myself slipping back a little with self-control. It does take a great deal of self-control to go down the a la natural path. Overall though, through ups and downs, I think I am staying pretty focused. Not perfect but then, who is?!

Anyway, will plod along.

Jen

[nwc]

I haven't found ZZ to be irritating to my face. Well, other than the initial breakout period, which lasted way too long for my liking. Anyway, I'll see
Jen

hey jen, (or anyone)

is this breakout to be expected for everyone who uses the zz cream?

[Skywolf]

I haven't found ZZ to be irritating to my face. Well, other than the initial breakout period, which lasted way too long for my liking. Anyway, I'll see
Jen

hey jen, (or anyone)

is this breakout to be expected for everyone who uses the zz cream?

I have read that some manage to avoid this nasty part of the treatment. Our faces are all so different its hard to say if you would go through it. Mine, which I thought was getting a bit better but still seems to be hanging on like grim death, was and is no where near as bad as Jens pics. That just looks so gosh awful painful. But I do have a whole new crop of the little #$%**&@'s coming up, and it stinks. Very deep cystic acne, some very close to my eyes, which I wont put the cream too close to because it burns.
This wasn't really a help, but you may not get this if you are not prone to the bumps.

Laura

[nwc]

thanks skywolf

yeah... i get the bumps and last month a couple started close to one of my eyes. i'm sure we both might have the same cuss words...


reading on zzcream... i don't think i have mites. does it matter? will it still rid of the p&p's if i don't have mites?

ps... i know we all have mites... but you know what i mean.


edit... i'm reading another thread that's answering my questions. :)