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General health

Fucking rosacea upsets me so much - 27 years of this shit

31 replies

sheshootssheimplores · 01/11/2019 09:40

Honest to god I’m so sick of my flushing. Every time winter kicks in and the indoors get heated to sauna temps, my rosacea goes off the scale. My face just can’t cope with cold air into hot air and goes this colour 😡 which is bad enough all in itself, but it really really hurts 😩

Trying to explain to people why I have to bow out of so much social stuff in the winter because of my rosacea is soul destroying and embarrassing. I dared to go out last night after Halloween and had to sit in a brightly lit restaurant for a couple of hours with a face so hot and red you could fry an egg on it. I was so humiliated by the end I once again decided not to try and socialise again.

Honestly if I had a choice right now to just pop a pill and be done with the world I’d take it. The GP says there’s nothing to be done, I just have to live with it. I’ve tried laser in the past and it made no difference. Menopause is round the corner. I’m just dreading that added hormone flush on top of everything else.

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strongandlong · 01/11/2019 09:41

Have you tried soolantra? It's made an amazing difference to me.

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sheshootssheimplores · 01/11/2019 09:41

Sorry to vent on here but I’m so close to tears at the moment I’m just about keeping it together. Got to somehow try to talk it out a little bit do I stop berating myself internally.

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sheshootssheimplores · 01/11/2019 09:42

I haven’t but I didn’t think that was for flushing. My skin otherwise is a completely normal colour. But when it gets warm, I flush big time.

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strongandlong · 01/11/2019 09:47

Don't berate yourself! It's a horrible feeling and it's totally reasonable to find it really upsetting.

The look of it will bother you far more than anyone else, but it is so horrible have sore skin when you're supposed to be having fun. You have my sympathy.FlowersFlowers

I had really bad skin all the time before soolantra, but also had the flushing you describe, and it seems to have helped with both, so I'd recommend giving it a try. It can't do any harm.

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QueenJulian · 01/11/2019 10:21

Sorry that sounds really upsetting. Have you seen a dermatologist rather than a GP? The one I saw immediately gave me finacea, soolantra and a short course of antibiotics and my skin is so much better. GP was lovely but misdiagnosed it as acne.

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sheshootssheimplores · 01/11/2019 12:45

Queen I have been to see so many people in the past. My GP has a specialist dermatology clinic and he basically said that nothing can be done. I need to learn to live with it. Lucky old him not having to live with it. Me? I’d prefer not to live than carry on living with it, but I have children and so I need to somehow carry on carrying on.

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LochJessMonster · 01/11/2019 12:50

I was so humiliated by the end I once again decided not to try and socialise again. But why were you humiliated? Did anyone comment on it? I bet no one even registers it anymore. Of course you are self conscious but nobody else is caring about it.

If one of your friends has a large birthmark on their face (for example) would you want them to stop socialising with you? You'd just get use to it and accept it as part of them.

I was very self conscious about an aspect of my body for a long long time before I realised I was the only one that cared.

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BusterGonad · 01/11/2019 12:57

I haven't got this Op but I think seeking a second opinion at a different clinic would be beneficial.

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sheshootssheimplores · 01/11/2019 13:12

Unfortunately people do notice, ask if I’m okay? If I’m ill? That just makes me go even redder as then everyone starts looking over and all the attention is on me. I used to get terrible panic attacks. It’s gonestky the most devastating problem to have. The redness won’t subside until I physically manage to get my face into a cool place. So if I’m out for say four hours, at a hot social event. I’ll have a burning hot face for all of those four hours. Hence why I have become avoidant.

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sheshootssheimplores · 01/11/2019 13:14

And the comment about the birthmark. My god I would have a birthmark over this condition. In fact i used to wish could swap it for another less painful affliction every day.

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LemonPrism · 01/11/2019 14:24

I feel you. I don't have Rosecea, but have had eczema my whole life (badly, 500g steroid a month badly, under specialists).

I feel ugly and I'm unfcomfortable and people look at my flaky skin like it's gross (and it is). Mostly it just is so fucking ITCHY and painful. Also set off by this cold snap.

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QueenJulian · 01/11/2019 14:29

Before I saw this dermatologist I did something called the Whole 30. It’s 30 days cutting out various foods. Some people scoff at it but one definite consequence for me is that all the redness went out of my skin. People commented on how ‘creamy’ my complexion looked and I didn’t really need to wear foundation towards the end of the 30 days. It came back to an extent when I resumed my normal diet though (although I cut lots of crap out of my diet as a result). It’s not the easiest thing to do but it’s only a month and might help you?

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Freddymurky · 01/11/2019 14:31

I had dreadful acne rosacea and people commenting about ooh that looks sore was soul destroying so I sympathise OP. Boots do a moisturiser/ cleanser for rosacea called dermalex. I ended up on isotretinoin which got shut of it once and for all

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Sgtmajormummy · 01/11/2019 14:43

Have you tried Benzac Gel? It’s available over the counter without prescription. I got it for 13yo DD’s bad breakout which was due to hormones and over scrubbing, I tried it on my rosacea nose (also known as Bob, he’s a family member at this point). Anything’s worth a try...

It worked a treat and in 3 weeks it has cleared up the sore, itchy, weepy, scaly skin and hopefully the redness will gradually reduce.

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daisydalrymple · 01/11/2019 14:46

Have you read any of Rosie Green’s advice on this? She’s a beauty editor who also has rosacea. here’s one of her articles.

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sheshootssheimplores · 01/11/2019 16:14

QueenJulian that’s one of the few diets I haven’t tried. I’ll look into that, thank you x

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sheshootssheimplores · 01/11/2019 16:16

Lemon I’m so sorry you’re also suffering 😞. I constantly read articles in the Daily Mail about people that have cured their Eczema using all sorts of readily available creams. Child’s farm etc. I’m guessing youve tried all these?

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sheshootssheimplores · 01/11/2019 16:19

Ive just watched some videos by a TrinnyLondon that were interesting. So I’m going to watch another one about lasers. Haven’t heard of Rosie Green so I’ll check that out too.

The thing that pisses me off do much is the most he were supposed to form out without any guarantee of success. Six sessions of laser are at least £1000. Seeing a private dermatologist is hundreds of pounds. The list goes on. It just drives me mad as I’ve spent SO much money on this over the years, at least £10,000 and I’m no better than I’d have been if I’d done absolutely nothing.

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sheshootssheimplores · 01/11/2019 16:20

The thing that pisses me off so much is the fact were supposed to fork out without any guarantee of success. Six sessions of laser are at least £1000. Seeing a private dermatologist is hundreds of pounds. The list goes on. It just drives me mad as I’ve spent SO much money on this over the years, at least £10,000 and I’m no better than I’d have been if I’d done absolutely nothing.

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Widowodiw · 01/11/2019 16:25

I have a red fed as do my family suffer from rosacea too. You know what I love my red face, I even dye my hair to compliment the colour. I didn’t always but as a young widow I just can’t get upset about it. I think many times if you are self conscious about it that is when other people notice too. I would also say have a good look around and you will see that a lot of mother people have red / blushing faces too and it really is the minority of people that have good skin.

Have you tried azelaic acid from the ordinary meant to calm redness. I say calm as I have yet to find anything that gets rid completely.

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dramaqueen · 01/11/2019 16:42

Give Soolantra a go. Mine is (was) all redness and flushing and it’s 85% gone. You can get it on prescription so it’s worth trying at least.

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sheshootssheimplores · 01/11/2019 17:55

I have no redness on my face day to day unless I flush. I must have a very strange sub type.

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sheshootssheimplores · 01/11/2019 19:33

WueenJulien I’ve joined all the whole 30 groups on Facebook and am on the main website. At the moment I have no idea what I can eat but I’m going to give it a go!

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sheshootssheimplores · 01/11/2019 19:34

QueenJulien 😬

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QueenJulian · 01/11/2019 19:39

Grin it looks really daunting but it’s ok really!

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