Newly diagnosed with rosacea - what do I need to know?

[myfaceisatomato]

Well I finally have an answer for my constantly red, sore, flushed face - rosacea. I went to the GP thinking I just had dry skin and came out with a prescription for Rosex.

Having now extensively googled rosacea though, it seems to suggest the Rosex will help with the spots (I get a fine red rash on my cheeks and over my nose) but not the redness.

I don't drink caffeine or alcohol (though I look like the pub wino), but am outdoors a lot. Is there anything else I can do to help. I don't wear makeup at all, too nervous of getting another skin reaction. Is there anything else I can do to help with this?

(1) Try and get Rosex cream rather than gel. Or at least if you are given gel and it makes your skin dry and flaky ask your GP to specify cream on the next scrip.

(2) Yeah the jury is out on whether Rosex will actually help with the redness - I use a sulphur cream sometimes (look up Harrogate Sulphur coy or something like that, they do mail order) - apparently it helps the redness in some people and I think it helps a bit - but it does smell slightly!

(3) Always let hot drinks/soups cool a bit before you drink them - often it's simply the heat that makes you flush.

(4) Always wear a sun screen - Clinique do a 'redness solutions' primer that is a sunscreen plus its a slight green colour (but so do other ranges). I find that plus foundation doesn't make my skin react.

(5) As the rosacea websites will tell you - remember that ice cream is your friend

Oh (6) - in summer I find that a subtle face fake tan, ie one that is goldeny rather than orangy (eg Clarins or the Chanel 'golden' one) disguises the redness and doesn't make my face react - maybe try out when you are not going out - and put on lots of moisturiser first.

Hi, sorry, that must be tough, you could try getting in touch with Helios Pharmacy (for when your prescription is finished) they do stuff that is really gentle on your skin, am sure they'll be able to help, good luck

I'm trying to treat mine without a prescription this time round. I've had some manual lymphatic drainage and it's made a remarkable difference.

Thank you very much for the info, I'll google the products and see what looks good - the GP gave me a factsheet which had some pretty scary pictures on it so I'm hoping to keep this in check!

Kwan - tell us more about that please!

Tis a nightmare - the bane of my life! Have been on roaccutane and am currently on some other stuff that doesnt work either.

I wish I had lovely skin.

I find that acid foods like tomatoes or oranges give me a red face: red wine definitely!.

For that golden look without slap i use Dr.Hauschka bronzing powder. Expensive but worth it for it's non allergy effects!

other foods that me a red spotty face; burnt barbecuedy black lines on ; you know the sort of thing.

3 months of oxyteteracycline sorted mine out...rosex,duac and the other creams didnt help.

Ster clear of spicy foods,extremes of temperature and stressful situations. Also exercise and extremes of temperature can exacerbate it. Good luck...its awful....i used to glow bright red as soon as i had soup or anything hot or playing sport.

Thanks all for the interesting ideas - such a shame though as I love running outdoors and spicy food ..... but I'm a bit sick of the tomato look.

I didn't really get the flushed look but did suffer with the spots and was prescribed a gel for it. However, the Mn favourite Waitrose Botttom Butter sorted me out. I put it down to always having iffy skin and using so many oil-stripping stuff through my teens and twenties my face had become desperately sensitive. These days the rosacea has cleared up and I get the odd hormonal spot when my period is due. Amazing stuff.

One thing re scary leaflets - dermatologist told me to ignore all leaflets/web articles that start out with slightly flushy skin and lead in an inevitable trajectory towards totally red face plus swollen nose etc. She said that, for the vast majority of women sufferers such severe cases are unheard of.

I know exactly what you mean about the pictures - DH keeps reassuring me I'm not going to get the Alex Ferguson look anytime soon....

DH had a long course of antibiotics that sorted it out. Still prone to a bit of redness, but he looks soooooooooooo much better.

there is rosacea and acne rosacea which are totally different things. Roaccutane is used for the very severe form of acne. Collision ...have never heard of it being used for acne Rosacea.

BTW forgot to mention ,avoid alcohol and too much sun as this makes it worse too.Basically avoid anything that causes the capillaries to enlarge and the it will help it subside.
Mine made my eyes sore and dry too.But after 2 or 3 courses of the oxytetracyclines i am now clear and i dont look like rudolph or the local alky now .
Clinique do a foundation with a slightly green base which takes away the redness. Honestly it doesnt make you look like the 'hulk'

it is rarer to get the swollen nose and it happens more in men than women..I think it is called rhinophyma.

LOL at The Hulk - Boots used to do a green concealer which saw me through my pink-cheeked teens!

if its not a rude question myface....what age group are you in?

Not rude at all! I'm late 30s - I'd say I've had the flushing and sensitivity my whole life, but things have got worse over the past year or so (fine red rash and the skin on my cheeks feels much rougher, plus the flushing/redness is pretty much full-time now).

I use Paulas choice products, the salicylic acid exfoliator works wonders on mine.

Traditional advice says to avoid these sorts of products, but there is some research that salicylic acid which is derived from aspirin is actually anti-inflammetry. Her cleansers are lovely too.

www.beautypedia.com/

Buy products here www.paulaschoice-eu.com/

The one acid forming food that i forgot and tends to be in everything is vinegar . It is an acid; you could try avoiding pickles etc.

gerkin- Waitrose Botttom Butter, you put arse cream on your face !!!

the reason i asked your age was because it seems more prevalent in that sort of age group.

have you tried the antibiotic root yet.

I felt so self conscious when i had it. I could walk into the pub and be ok one minute...then i would feel my face flush and burn and then i would look like a beetroot all night. i was so embarrassed.

do you get any other weird or seemingly unrelated symptoms.

Not yet, this was the first time I've visited the dr about my skin, and he was a bit surprised I've never been about it before (didn't realise it was so obvious LOL). He said don't worry we can sort it out, try the Rosex and come back when you've finished the tube to see if any improvement or if we need to try something else.

I've got very very puffy droopy eyelids and dry eyes (can't wear contacts anymore) which seems to come up on the symptoms list too, so I'll mention that next time I see him.

Tbh in some ways I'm relieved he was so quick with a diagnosis, I've had signs of this my entire life and while it's always bothered me it's just this past few months it's got so bad I'm really embarrassed by it. is very appropriate!