Dealing with one problem at a time...

Last month I went to the Dermatologist for pail red blotchy rough spots on my cheeks (not really on my nose, just cheeks). And Rosacea is what she diagnosed me with (**Ive been using 1% hydrocortisone for the past 10 years. Ive just NOW decided it was time to get proper treatment for this problem** i know, i know... :eekB: )

Anyway, the doc gave me a regimen of different creams and moisterizers to try (both otc and scripts). With the instructions of, "some thing work for some, and other things work for others. We just need to find the right treatment for YOU."

So that left me feeling a little nervous.

So Ive started using all of this new stuff. But the same thing is happening that has occured in the past when I tried to stop the hydrocortisone... my skin gets flakey looking and itches!

I look like a shedding lizard when this happens. PLUS I have mulit-colored skin tone. All of this together is NOT pretty.

I really dont think Rosacea is the correct diagnosis.

Any of you have this?

What did your skin look like before treatment?

And, what is your treatments?

Paula, I was diagnosed with rosacea about 20 years ago and tried EVERYTHING!! I am very alergic to hydrocortisone creams and Metrogel worked but was very expensive (I had no insurance) I went to a Health store and was told to put something very strange on my face everynight.

You will never guess what?? Are you ready for this?? olive oil:eek: !!! Guess what?? IT WORKS!!:faint: I have not had a flair up in a very long time. I did stop using it for a while but started getting red cheeks again so I am using it again. I know it sounds silly, but it really does work! I have never had such smooth skin.

Hey, If it doesn't work for you, you can always use it in your kitchen!!

Good luck,

Cool! I'm trying it tonight! Olive Oil. My Metrogel RX is $45! It's great...works wonders for me...but olive oil is sooo much more affordable. I'm giving it a shot! Thanks, Terri!

Hi,

I have rosecea. I didn't get it till I was in my 40's. I am 50 now. My mom also has it. Previous to that I was a sun worshiper, I could drink socially and never had any acne or pimple problems. It is only on my cheeks not my nose. Metrocream worked for a long time and then stopped working (not the gel-the gel is drying). Usually Metrocream/gel is the first round or protocol. Yes it is a try it and see if it works kind of problem. Then you are usually put on some sort of antibiotic. You now officially have "sensitive" skin. Be wary of alcohol, steam (absolutely no saunas or steam facials), the sun, and being really hot.

If you aren't happy with this dermotologist find another opinion but don't mess with the rosecea if indeed it is the right diagnosis.

It is has fickle as the band. It can come, get worse, get better, dissapear and show up again. Or it can dissapear entirely. But while you have it-take care of it. You can break out in pimples, have scaly patches, turn bright red if overwork or have a drink. At the worst it can affect your eyes. I don't mean to scare you-you won't go blind but it can affect your eyesight by giving you "dry eyes".

At this point when the metrocream stopped working I was put on a very low dose of antibiotic 3 x a day100mg of Doryx. Worked like a charm but did not cure. There are other creams out there now, yes you do have to try it and see. Everyone is different. Currently I am using "Rosac-cream" and am doing well. And yes it did affect my eyes, I had to change my glasses perscription and am now on Restasis an eye drop for dry eyes. I went to the top opthamologist in one of the top eye hospitals-Massachusetts Ear and Eye...the cause of my dry eye syndrome is the rosecea.

I do have some broken blood vessels on my cheeks which breaks my heart since I had gorgeous skin. I will be getting the laser treatments.

I am very careful when I blow dry my hair, I live with sunblock, drink very rarely and never ever get steam treatments. The worse breakout I ever had was a "rosecea special facial" at a spa and they didn't even use steam. It took 2 months to recover. My dermotologist is of the opinion of "less is more". Keep your face clean with a gentle soap, put your metrocream or whatever brand on your face after you shower or wake up then after you get dress use light makeup/base. I also use a drug store product for a face cream Eucerin Redness relief. I use the night cream for day cream. I change my eyeliner and masacara monthly.

Similiar to the band-don't mess with rosecea and it won't mess with you and also similiar to the band-everyone is different.

Be aware it may go away for a while. And while some things may feel good (olive oil, facials) and it looks like it went away...true rosecea needs to be treated medically.

Hope you find what works for you very soon. Good luck

Thanks Diva. I have been having dry eyes lately (months) and it never occured to me it might be related to my rosacea? hmmmm. Maybe I won't be giving up my Metrogel? But I must be eating something or exposed to something not helping my dry eyes. Interesting. I'll give that some serious consideration for the next few weeks...see what I can find that might be making the dry eyes worse? Thanks for the tip!

Cool! I'm trying it tonight! Olive Oil. My Metrogel RX is $45! It's great...works wonders for me...but olive oil is sooo much more affordable. I'm giving it a shot! Thanks, Terri!

hehe, Ill let Kathy be my guinea pig!

diva, thanks for those details.

I feel like I NEED an oral drug to get this going in the right direction. My treatments became disrupted last week when I had a Laser hair Removal appointment. Since my face became super sensitive for 3 days after the treatment, I stopped using the metro. cream and went back to the hydrocortisone. I didnt notice any change in my complexion. From start of Meds - to last week - to now.... everything seems the same.

I feel like Im spinning my wheels.

Hi,

Your dermatologist can give you samples to try so you're not going crazy with perscriptions and $.

The 100 mg of Doryx was given to me as samples, so was the Rosac-cream and some other cream I forget the name. Because the stupid rosacea is so fickle they have lots of different samples-it was that metrogel or metrocream was it now there are more choices. Give up the gel and go to the cream-the gel is so drying. They may be able to change it over at the drugstore without another perscription since it really is a matter of choice-same product different consistancy. And the antibiotic is really the best way to go. You don't stay on it forever and it really works!

As for the eye thing- I noticed my eyes would just tear up (overcompensating) and just itch and burn. The when I couldn't read the highway signs very well I got my ample hiney to the doc. They'll suggest artificial tears if it isn't that bad. For me the restasis is the a charm. I started with 2x a day now I am down to once at night. BTW your eyes don't get pimples or scaly or anything gross like that-they just get dry. It may the rosacea or not but it needs to be treated.

Its a bummer alright! Good luck!

Oy, Paula, I wonder if the laser treatments are worsening the rosacea? That's kind of a catch-22...it seems like laser treatments would be hard on the skin, especially if you really DO have rosacea and your skin is sensitive. I'd say the oral antibiotics would be helpful. Doxycycline or tetracycline are the ones most used, I think. Paula use the Metrocream regularly for a good little bit and see if it gets better. I'm sure you have a good moisturizer, but I'd try putting the Metrocream on clean dry skin at bedtime, then topping it with your moisturizer or that olive oil...although, I have to admit, I was laying in bed last night and remembered the olive oil and thought about the side of my face on my pillow....ewwww. I'm sure it sinks in, though. I really will try it! I'll be the guinea pig!

Diva, I use artificial tears for my dry eyes and it helps alot. It's no problem, I'm just using them morning and night now, and occasionally during the day. So it's an issue, but if the best thing OTC is artificial tears, I'm set. I'd rather not go to the Restasis if I can avoid it. $$$$ LOL

it seems like laser treatments would be hard on the skin

I think it is too.

I wonder which is the lesser of 2 evils... Plucking for an hour a day OR lasering?

Night before last I used the metro cream. Then last night I used some aveeno complexion stuff.

Get this, today I had a compliment on my complexion. I even thought my face looked smoother this morning.

Im just not sure if its the metro cream OR the aveeno stuff????

time will tell.

I just wanna be able to go make-up less during the summer (possibly forever).

wishful thinking. :nervous

Paula, what's the Aveeno stuff you are using?

As I type, I have night, what? 2? of Olive oil on my face. Oh yeah baby! Feels so good! Okay, it's a bit greasy if you pile it on too much, but once it sinks in, it's very silky and nice, and my skin looks good in the morning! I think it may be helping my pores to stay cleaned out? Like, what would end up being a whitehead or blackhead is not piling up in there? Maybe the olive oil keeps my skin so moisturized I don't over-produce and get trapped? Or what gets trapped in my pores slides on out with the olive oil? Who knows...but I like the olive oil. Go figure! Thanks for the tip!

So I have a little medicine cup on the bathroom counter with the olive oil in it. I'll keep you posted on the progress!

I used Aveeno for awhile, it has oat flour in it and a pretty mild cleansing agent.

I cheated and poured boiling water over regular old oatmeal and Rooibos loose tea (with a little honey in it if I am especially inflamed). When it cools down some, I pour it through a mesh strainer and stir in some aloe gel. This is what I use to clean my face since I went soapless. I make enough for three or four days at a time and keep it in the fridge. I will warm it before using. If cleavers are in season, like right now, I use 'cleaver tea' instead of the boiling water. Cleavers are those sticky weeds that make burs. You can eat them, but the infusion is great for weeping areas like with eczema.

Just saw your request today Paula, working on a useable recipe since I measure with intuition. Do you have chickweed around? I think most everyone does.

I also use the metro cream. Works well for me.

I broke down last evening and went and bought the Eucerin redness relief and guess what? It actually worked so far so good. No conceler on me today. Don't be shocked if you get it cause it is green... I hope it continues to work. Now I need to worry about my new aquired mustache:(

Don't be shocked if you get it cause it is green

Mary, in my readings on Roseaca - they say to use a green tone for conceling. Maybe Eucerin is the right thing to use?

So many choices makes me overwhelmed.

Im useing the Aveeno Ultra-Calming moisturizing cream under my make-up. And the metro-cream at night when I remove all the goop off my face ~ I also have some Aveeno Clear complexion daily moisturizer (in a pump bottle)that Ive applied a couple of times here and there INSTEAD of the metro cream.

Im not sure if any of this stuff is working.

Kathy, Im scared that the olive oil would make my face extremely oily. Im gonna wait and see what a weeks worth of this treatment's gonna do for you.

I hear you on the choices Paula - It took me a good 30 minutes to decide on what I was actually getting. You know I did not know about the green evens the tone. Good Luck and let us know how it goes for you. So far I only have a tinge of red right now. Hopefully one day it will be completely gone.

Hi darling, does this happen just on your face? Did it just pop up out of the blue, perhaps allergies to something new around you?