To ask what helps you with your rosacea?

[sadsack78]

I am struggling with rosacea at the moment- mainly flushing and redness that flares up with exercise and some under-the skin fluid filled bumps across my cheeks and nose that look like spots but aren't if that makes sense!

The NHS/ GP appointments being what they are right now I don't want to use up valuable time on a skin complaint when very ill people can't get help right now.

Are there any products that have helped you manage the flushing and any raised bumps/ sore patches? I'm looking at various OTC creams but don't want to waste money or make it 1000x worse!

TIA!

Hi! I had the exact same, I got prescribed Rozex cream which cleared up the redness, dryness and bumps.
Unfortunately I still go beetroot red with exercise. Not sure there’s anything that can stop that.

I used azelic acid on my face for a while. And for a while it helped. But my skin dried up too much.

im not sure if it makes a difference but I switched to mainly drinking water and just used some dermol on my face (I had to get that prescribed though) and it’s made a huge difference

Soolantra!

Soolantra

Mine cleared up when I had an awful bout of cystitis and didn’t drink alcohol or caffeine for two months and drank loads and loads of water every day. It was tough but the cystitis was the worst thing I’ve been through bar labour and I was so scared of it coming back! I’ve since stated drinking both again and it came back but I enjoy my Diet Coke and wine too much to quit again! When it flares up I do try to cut down though.

Following as in the same. I’ve tried skin and me who prescribed azelyic acid but it didn’t help.

Laser. Has massively helped mine..also go on caroline hirons skincare freaks on fb

You may find really good help on there

Nothing until I got soolantra.

Liz Earle products. Every time I move away from them because they are ££ and try something new it returns.

Soolantra. First on a private GP prescription via superdrug during lockdown and now my NHS GP prescribes it as I use it once a week as a maintenance dose.

Just a caution though that soolantra can make it worse before it gets better. It seems to work amazingly well the first 3 days and then it was awful for around 10 days and then just got better and better.

I still flare when I'm particularly stressed - last big flare was in 2022 so the GP added in 4 weeks worth of minocycline antibiotics to reduce the inflammation which worked really quickly and well alongside the soolantra.

No pain, no bumps and the texture of my skin changed. Still a bit redder than I'd like but there is no way I was using the Mirvaso the GP offered - that stuff is nasty so I'd avoid that.

Soolantra.

Another vote for Soolantra/ Ivermectin

but it needs to be prescribed by a GP / dermatologist after a specialist appointment ( in my area at least)

over the counter stuff never helped my rosacea, but soolantra is a game changer.

personally- it affected my mental health dealing with it, so felt justified taking an appointment. ( it takes 10 minutes from a GP, and the dermatologist is only looking at skin issues anyway)

I found laser worked well then using Niacinamide serum.

My rosacea is just very painful and very red skin, not the kind with pustules or other concerns. If we're talking non medicated things, the one that works best for me is Charlotte Tilbury's Magic Cream. Every so often I stop using it because of the insane price, my skin gets horrendous and I decide to try it again and it sorts it right out.

Literally any other product inflames my rosacea to some extent. But the Mahic Cream doesn’t. Even if I have a day where I don’t shower (and therefore don’t moisture), my skin starts to get red and sore again due to not using the Magic Cream. So it’s not just something that doesn’t irritate my skin, it’s something that actively helps it.

I've never pursued medical treatment for it as my doctor made it feel like a waste of time.

Soolantra.

My GP told me years ago that no cosmetic products would work. The only thing that would work is antibiotics.

Tetracycline is a powerful antibiotic but it clears up rosacea very quickly. I used to take it for several months at a time.

You cannot risk pregnancy though - it can cause birth defects.

My rosacea was very influenced by hormones. Always better during pregnancy- back with a vengeance afterwards. I had a surgical menopause in my early 40s - no rosacea since.

Cliradex wipes, but expensive. Optician confirmed demodex outbreaks were the cause, which was enough for the GP to prescribe Soolantra without seeing me. Transformational.

Do you drink alcohol or caffeine?

Lymecycline...
Want to find a moisturizer as I now have dry skin...but all cause flares

Cutting out sugar and wheat for 3 months. Then gently reintroducing them over time.

Laser, not drinking and natural skin care. If you do Dry Feb, for example, see what your skin looks like after no booze for a month

DH found soolantra something of a miracle cure. Gets it by filling in a form online with Superdrug.

Soolantra but it needs a prescription.
Less alcohol. Azelaic acid.

I tried skin&me for 3 months, thought it hadn’t helped. After a month off it I noticed it was really bad again! I’m now on my 2nd month since restarting and the bumps have all gone - just redness, but not as bad as without. I think it takes 2 months to adjust and 3rd month you’re meant to see the benefit.

can you do e consult at your doctors? I did one and sent over photos of face when it was flared up. He called me back and asked a couple more questions and then prescribed azaelic acid. This alongside body shop aloe face wash and moisturiser (everything else flares my skin up), drinking more water and less caffeine has massively helped mine.