Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Rosacea, anyone?

22 replies

PrettyCandles · 16/09/2011 10:15

Looks like I've got it.

Not happy.

Need encouragement.

[sob]

OP posts:
Thehusbandsatcricketagain · 16/09/2011 12:01

omg I had never considered that this may be my problem,looked it up as was curious & it seems to be describing me & my symptoms

can't offer encouragement as am sooooo shocked after reading but can say many many thanks for posting this & am going to make an appointment at gps as soon as

SNM · 16/09/2011 12:09

Hi. My sister has Rosacea. She's about to start having laser therapy treatment on it. Can't tell you more than that but I'm sure there's tons about it on google. Good luck!

PrettyCandles · 16/09/2011 13:10

I'm about to start 3 months of antibiotic treatment which may help.

In a way, I'm lucky because although I have had it for years - all my adult life, really - I do not have it severely. Mildly enough that i did not know i had 'a condition', and it never occurred to me to go to the dr about it. Rosacea was only diagnosed while I was being treated for another chronic condition, and the dermatologist suggested that treating the rosacea might actually help with the other condition too.

But I feel like my face is crumbling, and with it my fragile self-image and self confidence.

OP posts:
bigfatgypsy · 17/09/2011 14:00

Yes me, and my sister actually. I've always 'blushed' easily, even when I was in my teens but it got much worse after I had ds (I was 32) and I ended up with permanently red cheeks with raised red lumps and much embarrassment.

It's not curable but there's lots you can do to keep it under control. Firstly I went to the dr who gave me oral antibiotics and a topical cream (rosex) These got rid of the lumps and bumps but I still had very red cheeks. Face creams were the next to be looked at. For quite a while I was using Liz Earle products which really helped but over time I think I've got even more sensitive and even those aren't really helping.

Recently I've been washing with just warm water, and then using a pure aloe Vera gel as a moisturiser. This has been the best combination so far. I'm actually experimenting with grapeseed oil as a cleanser atm but I won't recommend it yet as I'm not sure of the outcome. But def aloe vera.

Alcohol is my worst trigger. Just half a glass of wine makes me flare up. All sorts of other things trigger people to flare up, but main ones are alcohol, heat, exercise, spicy foods. It's just a case of experimenting really to see what works best for you.

Oh I would also recommend a green-based cream if you need to cover up - there's one by Witch Hazel that I've used before now. And the only foundation I use is Virgin Vies One step face base, although there are plenty of others that people use. Good luck and don't be disheartened, lots of things do help and it will get better if you research and persevere.

PrettyCandles · 17/09/2011 14:53

I'm allergic to several fragrances, and other things often found in beauty products, so have to be very careful what I put on my face. I find that even just plain water irritates my skin, so I try to wash as little as possible (sounds awful!Wink)

How did the oral abs work for you, bfg? I'm about to start 3m of lymocycline, 300mg daily. Is that what you had?

OP posts:
bigfatgypsy · 17/09/2011 15:11

No I had tetra-something-cline they were good, better than the cream alone which the dr gave me at first. My face calmed right down and it got rid of the horrible lumps and spots that had become quite distressing. Until I found the right face cream it stayed quite red though, although the hotness had gone. I'm still experimenting tbh but I did notice that my skin was better than it had been in ages when I went abroad earlier this year and ran out of cleanser. So I didn't really use anything for a week and it felt good so the cleanser I'd been using obviously wasn't as good as I'd thought.

PrettyCandles · 17/09/2011 18:48

I've noticed in recent years, since I've started staying out of the sun, that I don't get as red-faced as I used. Still do some spectacular blushes though!

I've always known that I do two different sorts of blushes. The embarrassment blush feels entirely different to the inexplicable blush, which is so hot it almost hurts, and which I now know to be the rosacea.

OP posts:
Thehusbandsatcricketagain · 19/09/2011 13:47

I am so glad I read this thread as have just come back from gp & knock me down I do have rosacea,all these years I thought it was adult acne/ageing & it's not.so now have some gel to put on twice a day to control it

I feel so much happier than feel so fed up abpout how I look as opposed to how I used to look (sorry if that sounds vain it's not meant to but this has made me feel very down/not wanting to go out ect)

SpannerPants · 19/09/2011 19:52

I had a 6 month course of roaccutane for rosacea which worked brilliantly and then I got pregnant 3 months after finishing it. I had perfect skin for the whole pregnancy, but now DS is nearly 10 weeks old my skin is rubbish again :( it's more red when I'm tired and stressed which is all the time at the moment!

I find mineral foundation the best for covering it up without irritating or making it look like I'm wearing a mask, I have a clinique one which is great and lasts for ages.

PrettyCandles · 19/09/2011 20:28

Glad it's helped you thehusbands Smile.

I know what you mean about mixed feelings. I'm being treated for a condition that I never knew I had, that I just lived with and accepted as part of me.

OP posts:
bahookie · 19/09/2011 21:50

it's expensive, but i find gatineau serenite anti-redness cream really helps calm my face down.

carolinefromhackney · 21/09/2011 22:25

I have it on one side of my face, weirdly. I started with a topical cream prescribed by my GP - metronizadole - found it just made my skin flakey and no change to redness, but it does work for some. I have just started doxycycline anti biotics. You can't drink whilst taking this.

I found the best thing for self esteem was having a makeover at a department store with Clinique anti redness range. I came away looking better but it's tough on the wallet! I don't usually wear foundation but have found the Clinique stuff easy to use and it does cover up redness very well without making spots worse.

I read recently an article by Carole Smiley who has rosacea and cleared it up by cutting out full fat milk, butter and sugar. This will be my next step if doxycycline doesn't work, but one step at a time!

Good luck.

carolinefromhackney · 21/09/2011 22:27

p.s. this is a good time of year to try out various creams/antibiotics that might your skin react to sun, unless you have winter sun holiday booked!

Harecare · 21/09/2011 22:35

I've started washing my face in the morning in a sock of porridge oats! It seems to help, but then so does stopping using the cheapest face cleanser wipes. Have to cancel a dermatologist appointment for Friday as I'm pregnant so won't be able to change the erythromycin and metrosa I already use.
Caroline - I started with it on just one side of my face too, now it seems to have spread all over, but maybe that's just sensitivity and I'm not using the right products?

carolinefromhackney · 22/09/2011 21:42

It has remained on one side of the face for 18 months. My GP was showing me loads of photos of other people with it and I realise I have it mildly compared to many people. I haven't seen a dermatologist as there isn't an NHS one at all in the county I live it (not hackney anymore!) - just one part time one who only has time to see severe cases. I am interested to know, if it comes to it and my rosacea spreads, how much a private one costs approximately. And do you pay a lot more for the prescriptions?

PrettyCandles · 22/09/2011 21:59

Private consultant appointments are generally £100-£150, 1st appts generally being at the higher end of the scale, and private prescriptions about £30-£40. Though if your GP is willing, you can take the private scrip to them and ask them to reissue it as an NHS scrip. I don't think that they are obliged to do so.

OP posts:
carolinefromhackney · 22/09/2011 22:11

thanks prettycandles

PrettyCandles · 22/09/2011 22:27

Near London, BTW. I don't know if it's different elsewhere.

OP posts:
alypaly · 23/09/2011 23:39

tetracycline or oxytetracycline is the 2nd line of treatment after trying metronidazole gel. avoid heat,stress,too much exercise,alcohol caffeine and spicy food. i know that sounds like all the nice things but it works. my mum had it and so did i and it worked.
preetycandles,even if you gp wont issue it as an nhs script ask them to issue it as plain tetracyclines /oxtetrcyclines as they are much cheaper than that even on a GP's private prescription. tetralysal is often used for acne too

inashizzle · 16/10/2011 00:04

Hi just seen this thread and i,ve had mine since i was 22 (very weird as generally starts 30s -40s, so i know how it is to live with it, but on a good note :) i can tel you, metrogel prescribed by the doctors is great for a big flare up. And my miracle camoflague, "Clinique Even Better" is a must.Costs 22 quid but lasts for ages ( 5 months so far, using daily. You only need a bit. The clinique girls should give you a makeover and if you buy it and dont like it, they give you a refund. Once you,ve brought that take samples of toner and cleanser but as these are so dear i buy neutogena oil free face wash and nivea oil free moisteriser.Once i have the foundation on i feel confident and rosacea free!

In my case all of the above are so correct but i think mine is greatly flared up by bloody hormones:(. Something i cant control -and central heating - i swear i feel the itch coming on as soon as radiators on. Good luck. Try the foundation at least.P.s don't buy the range out at clinique, tempting as it is, get samples as much as you can.Good luck:))

SecretSquirrels · 17/10/2011 14:17

Mine started when I was in my 40s.

I take tetracycline (tetralysyl) which works like magic with no side effects. I try to take it a few months and a few off. Went two years without symptoms But then it crept back.

No cream of any kind has ever made any difference.

lovetomatoes · 24/10/2011 19:25

only one thing seems to be working for me. EPA fish oil - there are various brands. It gets worse before it gets better. clinique anti-redness make-up very good also.
tried anti-biotics but EPA is giving comparable results with fewer side-effecs and i don't need a presciption.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread