I do not want to have bastarding bloody rosacea!

[margaritasbythesea]

I am so frustrated as I have recently got on top of eczema on my body and my skin on my face was looking good. But having recently moved to Spain rosacea seems to have been triggered by too much sun exposure (despite using factor 50 every day). I have had it for about three months. It is getting worse not better.

Will you help me with advice about what works? Is there anything I am not considering? From my experience with eczema I am prepared for this to be a long road but I am desperate to get rid of it.

I have been to see a dermatologist and he gave me rozex which has been hopeless and a factor 100 sunscreen. The out break I currently have is the worst and longest yet, so I am not happy and have another appointment for the end of February.

I have worked out that alcohol is definitely a trigger. I spent four weeks not drinking then had a couple last night and woke up like someone had been at me with a blowtorch. I am fed up at the idea of not being able to have a drink now and then but I guess I will have to take that one on the chin.

I use CeraVe products for cleansing and moisturising. I don't use hot water. I am frightened to try any new products in case it triggers a reaction and I waste my money.

I am testing out some new foundations but again this is really tricky without wasting money. I am extremely pale and don't live in a big city so not much access to beauty counters. Double wear, which seems to be recommended a lot is too dark for me even in the palest shade.

I really want to know if this is something I am going to be able to get on top of or if I will be forever wrangling with it. I was so happy to have overcome my eczema and I feel a bit defeated by this. I would really appreciate any advice or experience you could offer.

[ilovebruuuceandbags]

Hiya, i used to suffer terribly so i sympathise with you. At my worst i had IPL treatment at a private hospital, that really helped - maybe 3 or 4 goes which was enough, coupled with long term anti-biotiics (Tetralysal). I had the IPL treatment a few years ago now and not needed it since. I have stayed on the antibiotics and that keeps it at bay.

I have a simple skincare routine - nivea facial wash in the shower then a Neals Yard moisturiser (soothing star flower). Clinique Even Better foundation and Benefit Bo-ing concealer on cheeks. The concealer is BRILLIANT, to the point I'm scared they'll stop making it one day! My skin does go red after the moisturiser but it quickly calms down and to look at me once my make up is on its not apparent i suffer with Rosacea.

I also tried a new cream type thing, i cant remember what its called but its only relatively recently become available on uk prescription - it works by restricting the blood vessels to the skin. I tried it, initially thought 'wow' as the redness disappeared, but then when it wears off after about 8 hours, its like the blood comes flooding back and goes redder than before. Its all trial and error but over everything, i think the antibiotics really work as long as they are taken continuously every day.

[margaritasbythesea]

Thanks for replying. Do you take the antibiotics orally? The rozex is an antibiotic but in gel form. Hopeless!

[Flisstizzy]

Watching - OP I have recently been diagnosed. I'm using metrogel, also useless. Sick & tired of wearing thick concealers and make up to hide it.

[RandomDent]

I used to have a nasty red face and acne. Then I got a gum infection. Two weeks of a combination of metrodazinole and another antibiotic I can't remember the name of, and I have had no symptoms since.

[TrollTheRespawnJeremy]

Alcohol, dairy and gluten were all triggers for it over here. Happily clear skinned now.

[Thecontentedcat]

Have you been tested for sibo? There is research starting to show a link and a course of rifaximin can cure in some cases. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18456568

[Thecontentedcat]

Rifaximin is an antibiotic by the way that only works in the gut iircr

[Rainbowshine]

Common triggers are heat/cold, spicy food and chilli, alcohol especially red wine, stress. Rosex is the normal thing they try when you're first diagnosed, after that it's massive antibiotics that have some significant side effects so make sure you get the information before committing.

[ilovebruuuceandbags]

They're antibiotics in tablet form, no side effects noticed in the time I've been taking them. Google tetralysal (or lymacycline)

[Bloggybollocks]

Fellow sufferer here too, retinol has worked wonders when really it sounds as though it would irritate, it actually resurfaces the overly red bits and calms it all down. Rosehip oil on top of that too. The avene mineral water spray really takes away redness and avoiding alcohol and sugar too.

[margaritasbythesea]

Thanks for your replies.

Those of you who found dietary triggers, were you able to go back to those things once the rosacea was under control?

Contented cat no, I haven't had any tests yet. The dermatologist I saw is private and tests were extra so I thought I would see how the medicines worked first. I have an appointment in April with the Spanish NHS sothat might be an opportunity.

[Bebespain]

Hello!

A fellow sufferer here and I´m also in Spain. Mine has definitely gone worse since living here despite using SPF50 even in the Winter. I dread the Summer months. It´s horrible and I find I get more comments here about my red face, suppose Spanish people don´t usually suffer with it.

I´ve seen a couple of private Dermatologists here but as we know there´s no magic cure. The last one I saw prescibed me Finacea. I haven´t had much success with it and it made my skin VERY dry. However, she did say it would be more helpful when having a particularly bad flair-up as it works best for the spots/bumps associated with Rosacea etc.

What she did recommend from a cover-up point of view was "Sunlaude Compacto 50+" and I have found this to be excellent. I couldn´t be without it now. It is widely available in chemists/parafarmacias all over Spain and you can also buy it easily online. A bonus is that it´s not expensive either, around 12 Euros and for me it works a treat!

[Bebespain]

Sorry, I should have said that the "Sunlaude" is a tinted compact make-up. It does look dark but I am fair skinned and it blends in really well and does look very natural. I was sceptical, but for me it was money well spent. I have wasted a fortune in the past on products that have ended up in the bin.

[margaritasbythesea]

Thanks for the recommendation. It's good to have one for something available here, especially as all cosmetic things seem to be astronomically expensive here.

My Spanish sil is allergic to the sun but it's not rosacea.

I just want it to go away!

[Jmangel]

Ask your Dr for Soolantra - I had rosacea for 15 years and had tried everything and within 2-3 days of using this cream, it has completely cleared and been gone for 5 months now. Life changing.

[Riversiderunner]

Ditto Soolantra - I saw a private dermatologist who prescribed it and it's great. Also washing your face every morning and night religiously with a v mild soap free lotion, and a serum on your skin first thing - I use Skinceuticals A10 or something like that.

But get Soolantra - it will change your life.

[margaritasbythesea]

Thank you for the recommendation. Did you go in and ask for it or was it suggested? I will have to find out if it is available in Spain.

[dinodiva]

I don't have rosacea but my husband does. The thing that really helped him (which may or may not be relevant to you) was to stop using his asthma inhaler. He used to use his preventer inhaler every morning even though he hadn't had an attack in years. His skin has improved no end since he stopped - if you google rosacea + asthma there is thought to be a link between rosacea and use of steroids in this way.

[Pupsiecola]

It's worth coming and having a look at this thread. A few of us have rosacea and there is some brilliant, unbiased skincare knowledge. It's our fourth thread since September.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/2821575-Yet-More-Fantastic-Skincare-and-Where-To-Find-It

[perfectlybroken]

I feel your pain op. I used to get people asking what was wrong with my face. Mine has been gone now for about 4 years, although I'm always aware it can come back! I started cleaning my face with water and lemon (fresh not jif), and then applying black seed oil. I'm fairly convinced that's what cleared it up, I've continued with that everyday since and it's not come back yet. And bare minerals make up helped when it was bad but now i can use normal foundation.

[SleepFreeZone]

I posted recently about a new cream for rosacea that's coming out by Allergan. Google Rhofade, I'm quite excited about it 😜

[RoganJosh]

DH finds that Selsun shampoo is the only thing that helps with his. Odd, but there's other people online who have found the same. It's behind the counter in U.K. chemists, I'm not sure about in Spain.

[Falalalafffffffttt]

Interesting all the different ways everyone deals with rosacea.

I swear by Clinique redness solutions cleanser, moisturiser and foundation. It's oil free so doesn't irritate and the foundation covers brilliantly.

I'm interested in the SIBO/gut connection to rosacea. I have gut problems such as candida and low stomach acid and these and the rosacea have gotten worse as I get older.

[Heartbroken47]

I was prescribed Lymecycline and found it really helps with blemishes and redness. Now I only take it when I have a flare up.

[shinynewusername]

I'm a GP...with rosacea. My honest opinion is that there is no one thing that works - it really does seem to be different for everyone. So it's annoying if the first treatments you have tried haven't helped, but really important not to give up hope - you just have to keep trying with trial and error to find what works for you.

If the topical treatment hasn't worked after 6-8 weeks, I would be offering you tablet antibiotics (provided there's no medical reason you can't take them obviously).

For a cleanser/moisturiser, the single thing that has worked for more of my patients than anything else is Cetaphil, so I recommend that everyone tries that, even though it didn't help my rosacea at all. I seem to be better with a thicker cream like Epaderm, even though it's disgustingly greasy to use