Rosacea, just the worst ever - please help

[goofygoober]

I've had rosacea for around 6 years. It's never clear and sometimes very angry with very sore, red lumps. I am bf my baby, so anti biotics aren't an option. I've tried researching it and I don't have a clue what my triggers are. I don't drink alcohol, rarely eat spicy food, stay out of sun. I have high anxiety and crippling self-consciousness Some days I can't even bear to mix with anyone because it is just hideous. It's also very painful. Please, can anyone advise me of anything I can try? I am so grateful for any tips.

yes you need a dose or two of ivermectin which kills parasites and skin mites. Google demodex mites. They crawl over our faces while we sleep and shit on our skin, and some of us are allergic to that. Gross but true.

ivermectin is at present only licenced for animal use AFAIK, or rather I should say it is not on the list of drugs permitted for NHS docs to prescribe.
There IS a way of getting hold of it but at ones own risk.
I took some for scabies, it is v v effective.

They used to do ads for invermectin on a Sunday morning after the farmer's programmes.

it is IVER mectin not invermectin

I think I'll stick to the tea tree oil Sunny. I'm not too fond of either basting myself in sheep dip or the typographic police!

hahahahah into the sheep dip with you!
Seriously I did actually ingest a horse wormer, that is how insane skin mites make you!

I think the mite theory is just a theory. As I said there are many different types and I only have the flushing component. They did bring out a cream called Mirvaso that was meant to cure the redness /flushing. Unfortunately it causes rebound flushing which I'd much worse than the original condition!! God knows how it managed to get through all the testing and get licenced. Boggling!!

If you google Mirvaso and rosacea you will see the whole rosacea community up in arms over it and what a let down it is.

Sunny Are you sure the insanity isn't an iatrogenic after effect? Maybe of the horse wormer and/or ivermectin you've been dosing yourself with?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2339005-I-learnt-a-new-word-today-Iatrogenic?

you can get an ivermectin horse wormer and apply it topically y know if ingesting it seems too far out. It is like a light gel.

lol @ moustache. Yes in fact my insanity was iatrogenic, after being told I had 'grass rash' by one and 'contact dermatitis' by another one who actually seemed amused at my distress!
but I digress.

To the PP who asked about sunscreen, sunscreen has definitely been a trigger for me in the past and I found a very expensive Lancôme one that was absolutely fine. I think the key is that it has to be mineral based.

Maybe you should have a go at the ketamine too then Sunny? Once you've knocked back one set of horse pills, a batch of horse tranqs might do the trick on the iatrogenic insanity...

lol nah I will give the ket a miss I am 50 fgs!

Paula's Choice has some good products, but might be worth ordering samples first.

The frustrating thing is that it's so different for everyone, but what's worked for me has been

oxytetracycline tablets from the GP, taken for flare-ups only
gentle cleanser (Cetaphil/Paula's Choice)
liquid exfoliator (Paula's Choice 1% BHA lotion - which clears out the pores, and maybe the dermodex mites??)
gentle moisturiser & sunscreen - Ultrasun SPF 30 or Paula's Choice Resist range
GP prescription finacea gel on the spots

I'm still on the look out for a good moisturiser as I've got dry skin and it's hard to balance the sensitivity with full-on hydration. Rosehip oil seems to be working well, so far.

And nothing with active ingredients (aggressive anti-ageing serums, or anything scrubby) and, sadly, I've had to scale my Clarisonic use right back. My triggers seem to be hormonal rather than food/drink/heat-related.

I've just been diagnosed at the GP with Rosacea, it's been there for over a year with the flushing happening for a few years beforehand. I've been given an antibiotic gel but after reading this thread I'm unsure on whether to bother with it.

Sooo.....this ivermectin? would a, erm, treatment for rabbits do it? I see the ivermectin has been passed for use in the US (1% cream) (where I'm going in a couple of months on holiday) but in the meantime would 150ug spot treatment help? anyone tried?

you have to read the ingredients strawberry.
If it is 100 per cent ivermectin then give it a go.
It is certainly available in other countries, the only problem with stuff meant for animals is the dosage. With the horse stuff, I weighed myself and measured the dose as they recommend on the tube. Probably a bit hit and miss.
I cannot actually belive I am on a forum recommending horse wormers but there you go!

Ha! Thank you I will have a look.

Have you used La Roche Posay at all? I'm off to boots in a min to stock up before I go to pets at home

Hi OP, agree with PP, it's so different for everyone and what helps me may not help you and vv. For me the biggest improvement comes when I hugely reduce my sugar intake.
Good luck, it can be horrible to live with but it can get defnitely get better.

Whilst waiting for the GP appointment, I've been using a bit of sudocrem at night, it definitely has calmed it down. Thanks to the PP who suggested it. Thanks for all the posts, the mites info has me freaked out I have tried La Roche Posay moisturiser, but it hasn't been very effective on calming the redness.

I suffered quite badly with acne in my teens and really appreciated having clear skin when I grew up. So bloody disappointing then, when all this shite comes and never goes!

I'm still hopeful that one treatment will suit me. Thanks everyone

Well the mite theory would explain why hibiscrub worked for me (as it the same stuff surgeons use to wash before they operate).

Interesting about ivermectin. I have easy access to that as we have horses. I might try it if I get any future flare ups. We use equimax but I'm sure that's got something else in with it. What brand do you recommend buying (horse wormer)? One of our horses doesn't get a full tube so I could put the leftovers to good use.

Estee lauder double wear is brilliant! I have a bright red nose most days and no one knows!

Ask your doctor to test for H Pylori infection, that's often associated with rosacea. Meditation/counselling would be helpful, or other de-stress techniques like yoga, tai chi.
Also take probiotics, the gut function is definitely involved. As for skin care, I'm an advocate of all natural products, try the oil cleansing method, and for moisturizing tamanu and camellia oils are my favourite.

I have gastro issues which I have only ever been given movicol for and so have started taking probiotics after reading the link between gut and rosacea.

It's so confusing because advice is conflicting everywhere and what seems to work for one doesn't for another. I couldn't sleep last night after finding out about the mites and have now washed all sheets on 90 degrees and used my clarisonic (which hasn't been used for a couple of years) then tea tree, then my antibiotic. Can't stop looking at my face and feeling distraught.