Introducing Myself

[Gail]

Hi, Everyone!

I just found this forum, and I've very happy to be able to chat with fellow rosaceans. (That's what I call myself, anyway!)

I'm 52 and was diagnosed with mild rosacea over 4 years ago. At first, I was puzzled -- what caused this? My skin had always been my pride and joy when I was younger: unblemished and what my dad used to call "peaches and cream." I am still frustrated that no one can tell me WHY my blood vessels are inflamed, but I've moved on to figuring out WHAT I can do to make things better.

I'm currently supposed to be taking Doxy (60mg/qd) and Metrolotion and a topical retinol-based product. I've stopped taking the the topicals (sorry, doc!), since I really don't seem to find them effective for anything but eating up my money. I do take the antibiotics, but I hate taking them and want to stop taking them someday. I'm not fond of putting so much drug into my system. Perhaps others who have gone off antibiotics can tell me what their experience was like...?

I also take Betaine hydrochloride, as well as omega-3 oils and primrose oil (CLA). I have had stomach issues that the Betaine seems to fix, and a Chinese herbalist said that fixing my stomach would fix my face (loosely stated). I do detect a SLIGHT improvement in my skin. For redness, I use a Eucarin moisturizing lotion (with a sunscreen) that has a light green tint to it (I think it's called "Redness Control"). That actually works fairly well. I only have about 1-2 outbreaks per year. I do have a few bumps, and my redness can look like a sunburn if I drink red wine or go out in cold weather.

So, that's the bare essentials of me. I hope to be talking to you all again!

--Gail

[Bonnie]

Hi Gail,

I too used to have pretty skin until somewhere in my mid twenties. Then I started to have the occasional break outs. That's when I started taking antibiotics and my doctor would use the cold freezing stuff on my face. I think that the cold stuff is what started the Rosacea.

Over the years I have tried everything and have been on and off antibiotics. After going through menapause I don't have breakouts but get small red spots and overall redness on the tops of my cheeks and nose. I also have the visible vessels on my face. I have had them zapped with a laser a few times but they just come back.

My biggest problem now is seb derm. The only that helps is the steroids creams which we aren't suppose to use.

I am wondering if your problem is due to declining hormones. You need to read Irishgenes's post about hormones.

Take care and welcom to the Forum!

Bonnie

[phlika29]

Hi welcome to the group. You were right to stop using the retinoids, they only help progress your rosacea and are too harsh for rosaceans skin. Have you thought about using some more herbal supplemnets? I found that grape seed extract/or pygenerol really helps protect the skin from developing further veins by strenthening them. I also use an antihistamine for general redness which I find helps.

I also take propanerol for my flushing. Besides this a good diet helps alot (water, no tomatoes, etc).

Spend some time looking for round the boards, you will pip up lots of info.

Best wishes

Sarah

[Gail]

Thanks for your replies, Bonnie and Sarah!

Bonnie, I do indeed think that declining hormones triggered the rosacea. I'm not menopausal, only perimenopausal ("peri" means "about"), but I noticed that in pictures of myself at about age 45 and older my skin looks redder -- in some cases, I look like I had a sunburn! I will definitely take a look at the hormones posts.

Sarah, thanks for confirming that I think that the retinol product is wrong for me (I recalled the name of the drug -- Avita). I absolutely love the idea of using an herbal supplement -- I've become a very big fan of trying to remedy ailments in a more natural fashion, if at all possible. That's why I'm taking betaine (hydrochloric acid). I've got some sort of gastritis (stomach pain), and the betaine seems to help. I'm going to try to find the grape seed product that you recommend.

Odd that you limit tomatoes in your diet. I heard on "People's Pharmacy" (a radio show on NPR that discusses herbal and supplemental remedies) that some guy got rid of his roseacea by eating MORE tomatoes. He ate two huge spoonfuls of salsa per day and his roseacea cleared up. This is similar to my betaine solution -- increase the levels of acid in your bloodstream to decrease the blood vessels' inflammation. But each person is individual!

Again, thanks for the welcome, and I hope to talk to you you in other parts of this board!

--Gail

[claudia]

Welcome Gail

I'm 51 and can identify with your experiences. Although I never had a peaches & cream complexion...that would've been nice! It's very good you got off the retinol. My old derm prescribed it for me years ago and I'm convinced that's what revved up my rosacea symptoms...that and menopause. After that my old skin care regime no longer worked, my skin kept getting more inflammed and I got the deep blemishes I had battled earlier in life.

I've also used antibiotics through the years and am now on Bactrim. But I've resigned myself to their use...my poor skin needs the help...and everything "natural" I've tried never really took care of the problem. I personally like the new metrogel 1%...it's very cooling and helps reduce inflammation...plus it's formulated for longterm use. Again, I've tried many times to go just "natural" but everytime ended up with my face a big mess. So I've changed my thinking to how wonderful it is that there's products out there that work for me. In the rest of my life (diet, lifestyle, etc.) I go as organic and natural as possible. Plus my derm has repeatedly tried to convince me that actually the treatment I'm on has a basis in natural approaches...that the ingredients are based on real stuff but just refined and made more potent to address the problem more effectively (ie bactrim is a sulfur derivative...been around forever as a remedy)

Again, welcome. You'll find lots of support here and good ideas!