rosacea & acne vulgaris readers emails

 

Hi,

Im 16 and i have moderately bad acne vulgaris. The acne vulgaris page on your website completely describes me and how i feel. It does unfortunately affect my confidence as a person. I need confidence to do almost everything I do in my life and if I dont have it I often dont bother.
I've been to the doctor, who as you said, might dismiss it as a minor problem - it is not! I've been through lots of treatment and it doesnt seem to make headway. The latest, and therefore most potent treatment was said to take 8 weeks to kick in and it has been atleast 12 weeks and no signs of improvement. Normally after each set of treatment my acne vulgaris worsens! Now, I know that you have to be patient but I have been, and now I cant wait any longer.
I need information on anything and everything that can help my skin. I have it on my chest slightly, my back fairly heavily and on my face and neck quite badly.

I'd like to know the following:
1 Recommended skin treatments
2 How often to use these treatments?
3 What should I use to wash myself with, how often, and how to apply it?
4 Should I consult my doctor again about stronger treatment/medication?
5 Recommended diets/foods/drinks/exercise?

At the moment I use skin treatments by 'Simple'. Are they a good, reliable company to use, or are there other better alternatives? The antibiotics I use at the moment are called 'Minocin'.
As you can tell from the following I'm very keen to improve the situation and I will do ANYTHING to help it, ANYTHING!
If you could provide me with all the information you have at your own disposal, and if there is anthing here you cant help me with id be extremely grateful if you could refer me to someone else who can.

My greatest thanks,
Alex

Hi Alex
Man do I know how you feel. For acne vulgaris Vulgaris you will need prescribed medicaton as you have tried. Ask your Doctor for a different antibiotic (the bacteria may be resistant to Minocin) such as Erythromycin or Clindamycin tablets. Ask him about a combination treatment of Isotretinoin and Erythromycin topical lotion such as Isotrexin. The topical treatment may make your skin appear worse in the short term as it pushes the matter up and out of the spots you can see and the ones you can't, and then you should see good improvement. There may be side effects of redness, dryness and flaking and I would recommend trying my Aloe Vera products - cleanser and gel to help alleviate that. Don't over wash this just further increases inflammation - night and morning with the Aloe Vera cleanser is sufficient. If your acne vulgaris is severe and likely to result in scarring your Doctor should refer you to a dermatologist to consider oral Isotretinoin.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

 

Its now been just over 5 weeks since I started using your products
And It is going very very well, I continue to improve every day.
As you stated in the Help sheet that you send out it is very beneficial
to find a vitamin that does not contain Niacin. I have also reduced the
amount of Niacin in my diet by removing Tuna Fish and Fortified
Cereals such as Weetabix, with are both very high in Niacin, These
are foods which I have eaten a lot of in the past and since I have
stopped eating them I have experienced a good reduction in the amount
of flushing. After investigating this on the Internet, I have found
Documented
evidence that Niacin is related to Flushing and redness,

It would be great if you could include this on your internet site so
others may
try the same, and see if they have the same results that I have had.
I would be great if, like yourself, I could help others with the
information
that I have gathered.

Please let me know what you think

Richard

Hi Richard
very encouraging I must say. Yes let me know what info you have and I'll
put it on the tips page of the readers emails with your name on it if you
think that's suitable. I'm trying to get a new host for my website at
present so there'll be a delay in putting any new info on the site. I'm
very interested in a table with foods and niacin content any ideas?
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

Dear kcn,

Thank you for your super-quick despatch of the goods that I ordered on
Wednesday. They arrived first post today.

Yes, I would like to join your mailing-list and hear of any new products.

Many thanks for your help and best wishes,

Maggie

 

Hello
please help and advise me if you can
I fear I may have rosacea.
I am a 34 year old male
& over the past couple of years I have noticed my face goes very red when I am stressed or worried - but now it seems to be red when I am relaxed - mainly in the cheeks.
I have just recently been to my local doctors - but he dismissed that I had this condition and was not very sensitive to my concerns.
its getting to the stage where I am losing all confidence at work and more so, socially
just the other night was my 34th birthday - I got ready to go out but when I looked in the mirror I was so red in the cheeks - I declined and stopped in.
I don't know what to do next - I am not sure if its just me - but people are always telling me I look red - have I been on a sunbed, I need your help and advice. I am feeling more depressed every day.

thank you very much
my kind regards
Simon Smith

Hi Simon
I know exactly how you feel mate. I and all my thousands of correspondents have the same reactions and feelings to the same symptoms there is nothing strange about your reactions. The symptoms you describe may well be rosacea or and some kind of Dermatitis. Doctors most often do underestimate the severity of the emotional impact this problem has on people - I would go back to your Doctor and give him a print out of your email to me - if you tell him you have tearful bouts, a loss of appetite are losing sleep he will realise how depressed you are getting over your condition and should take you more seriously (Doctors often dismiss conditions on the first consultation and if the patient comes back takes them more seriously anyway). He then should prescribe metronidazole cream and or tetracyline antibiotics these treatments do work for some but not all. Many people find success with my Aloe Vera regimen and after reading the testimonials on the home page you may wish to try them. Below is the info I send with orders it should give you more of an insight into whether you have rosacea or not. Let me Know how you get on and I'm here to chat whenever you need to. Remember this is a difficult time for you I know I've been there! but you will get through it - if flushing becomes a problem consider Dixarit (clonidine).
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

 

Thanks for your site, and the Aloe Vera products! Help please! i am a coffee addict, however if i have to give up i will. Am i alright with decaffenated? I have alreday given up wine! (well almost!)
Thanks again for a brilliant site,
Lynne

Hi Lynne well I'm back on the wine now! thanks to using Aloe Vera and avoiding other triggers so there is light at the end of the tunnel. However I cannot tolerate coffee, one cup a day will produce redness. Certainly try decaffinated, I've just started some herbal teas but I'm quite lucky in that I wasn't addicted to coffee/tea as some people are, I like diet lemonade during the day. I think the key thing is to really try and get bland with your diet and avoid other triggers where possible for a month, let your skin calm down and then one at a time reintroduce things and then you will know what is setting you off and what is ok - it is difficult at first, it is a matter of lifestyle changes which will become habit but you will be the happier for it in the end. Let me know how you get on Lynne.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

Dear Webmaster,

I have received your regimen today. thankyou so much. Like a child (after
reading your leaflets) I ran upstairs to use them emmediately.I found the
cleanser and moisteriser very refreshing so heres hoping all will be well. I
shall let you know how I get on.

Everything in your leaflets sounds like sound commensense to me. In fact 2
weeks ago I embarked on the Carol Vorderman 28 detox plan., and surpise
surprise my skin is already in better shape. I have discovered that I am
definately sensitive to dairy products and possibly wheat as well. Caffeine
is now off the menu completely and eggs have never really agreed with me.

One curious thing I would tell you is that my doctor gave me a script for a
tetracycline oinment to see if that was any better for me than the metrotp.
Guess what foound in the list of engredients!? Yep good ol lanolin from
woolfat. A big nono for all us sufferers. How can a pharmecutical company
put such an engredient in a cream when so many people apart from us rosacea
sufferers are sensitive to it.

funny old world
anyway many thanks again
Kind regards

Ruth

 

 

Hello kcn,
I got your new gel and moisturiser yesterday and will start on them
tomorrow. I also bought the Aqueous Cream recommended by my dermatologist
which is good for washing with (and has the advantage of being very cheap!).
I was on clonidine for a couple of months at 50 micrograms a day but I
decided to stop taking them for a while as they tend to make you feel a bit
'spaced'. 50 micrograms is a pretty low dose so I think it's a fairly
potent drug with significant side effects. Unlike herbal remedies they work
within a couple of hours so the effects are pretty immediate, although tend
to be less noticable after a week or two. I think I'll go back on them
after exams, although since I'll be moving I hope my new GP will prescribe
them.

At the moment I'm still flushing once or twice a day, especially with it
being 26 degrees in London today. I may be missing a trigger but can't
think what it is; I do drink one or two cups of tea or coffee a day but both
are decaffinated so I doubt if that's it.

I'll let you know how I get on. Talk soon,
Mick.

 

hello im 18 and the details i guess u mean how i
suffer i suffer from lack of communication suffer from
doing alot of things like taking trips going to school
really sucks because u sit there in class no 1 looks
at u no 1 talks to u and i dont think im that bad at
all i think im hot but other i know judge me for the
little scars on my face the little acne vulgaris i hate shaving
it sucks i hate looking in the mirror or anyother
reflection it puts me down so i just stay away the
only time i look in the mirror is at home and it has
to be a magnifying mirror i dont know why but i just
like that i wish i had clear skin all over it would do
things alot perfect i think i hate the oil that my
face gets i only wash my face about three times a day
mornings then after school then at night but i hope 1
day i dont have to worry about acne vulgaris ive been worrying
for too long i hate that word i probobly started
having acne vulgaris when i was in the 8th grade i think im not
sure but my highschool years have been all messed up
its like it turned me into a different person a new
person which has the hardest time ever with his
condition i no im not the only 1 but it feels like
that it really sucks i dont do nothing but go to
school and lift weights 2 times a day to relieve
stress not heavy weight just light weight im in shape
i think i got that way because working hard not
communicating with no 1 what else is there to do
nothing my life needs alot of interest in it also i
think i have problems with my life not only acne vulgaris but
family problems my mother died unexpectedly when i was
sixteen and my father lives out of state he moved when
i was young and alot of stuff but all i got left is
school and me and weights and 1 sister thats it and 1
grandma wow and 2 uncles and 1 aunt anyway do whatever
u want to do with this letter i hope some1 outhere
feels my hurting pain bye!

Hey thanks for writing. You should write to Brent on the penpals page he's
about your age, with acne vulgaris and into weights. It really is great to talk to
people in the same position and he's a great lad. I know exactly how you
feel my Dad died a few years ago and I've had a load of other problems too.
We all share your feelings and reactions and emotions you are bravely
fighting an incredibly stressful and difficult disease and situation ever
day. Please don't make the mistake of thinking things will never get
better, they will, my teenage years were crap! Have a look at the acne vulgaris
treatments page and the readers email pages and see if there are some
treatments you think are worth asking your Doctor about, never give up.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

when replying to this please send to following email address: just saw your website and wondering if anything can be done for me...i suffer from rosacea and it mostly is in my cheeks...now have spider veins...i am a 43 year old male who wears makeup to cover it as much as i can and as little as to not be noticed...i live in canada..can you recommend something and prices in canadian dollars...thanks in advance...signed depressed!!

Hiya well don't worry about wearing make up we've all tried it and it can be very helpful to make the difference between confidence and lack of it, nothing wrong with it at all. The complete regimen to Canada is US$43.00 or Can$59.90 it helps enormously for me and many others but of course as with any treatment for anything, it will not work for all, so there are no guarantees. The usually prescribed medications from the Doctors are tetracyline and metronidazole and for blushing you may wish to discuss Dixarit/Clonidine with him. You must explain to your Doctor how depressed you are and consider prescribed medication for depression, modern ones like Seroxat, Prozac and Zispin (which may help with the flushing) have little side effects normally and are non addictive and safe, I've tried the lot! I don't take any now though I don't need them, when I was depressed I made the mistake of thinking things would never get better, I was wrong, don't make the same mistake! things will improve.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

hi kcn
(sorry not sure of your first name)
thank you for your reply
I feel I finally have some help support and understanding.

Again today at work I was placed under pressure and I could feel my face burning up, which in turn makes it worse.

I am going to take your advice and make a new appointment next week at the doctors - last time when I expressed my concern that I may have rosacea, he replied no you haven't that's a sort of acne vulgaris.

But I shall go back again to make a new appointment next week - and will inform you how I get on
in the meantime what aloe vera cream do you recommend?
I feel I must fight this before it starts to wear me down.
but I am determined to beat this, but need a little help.

Once again I thank you so much for your time and help -
my best regards
Simon Smith

Hi Simon
your Doctor may well be ignorant about rosacea. Ask him for Dixarit/Clonidine for the flushing and I would recommend the full regimen of cleanser, moisturiser and gel and perhaps the shampoo if you can afford it (I'm spoilt rotten nowadays I'm using all these products it's great! hehe). You will also need to avoid the trigger factors sent with orders (I may have enclosed them the last reply can't remember doh!). Let me know.
best wishes and take care
Kevin.

 

A quick question
is it possible for somebody of about 23 to suffer from
rosacea because alot of the sites say it is people of
40 up or so who suffer but i have the symptoms and
have had for about 2 years
yours miserable

A quick answer yes!
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

Hallo from Norway! I hereby order som more of the exellent Aloe Vera products you sendt me some months ago.
I used them for 3 weeks, then my daughter, who suffers from ackne, got hold of the products and off she went
with the cleanser and the cream, leaving me with the gel! My rosacea-nose is still red, but her acne vulgaris is much better!
She espesially love the cleanser.
Would you please send 2 complete regimen + 1extra cleanser to.... Ha det bra! Hilsen.

I'm 24 years old and I've had problem skin for as long as I can remember.
Even at the age of 11 I remember going to the doctors because I had huge
boils on my face. I used to pretend I had fallen off my bike and cut myself
because I was so ashamed. I have tried every treatment there is and none
have worked permanently. A few years ago I was perscribed Roccatune by a
dermatologist. Before I saw him, the nurse at the hospital looked at me and
said very sarcastically 'Oh poor you, you've got spots all over your face'.
I will never forget those words.
The Roccatune worked but the side effects were horrendous. At the time I
took the contraceptive pill and when I stopped, about four months ago, my
acne vulgaris returned. I started a new job about a year and a half ago and nobody
here knew I had acne vulgaris until now. Comments such as 'Congratulations, you've
reached puberty' are not helpful, in fact the worst thing about spots are
the hurtful comments.
I cannot go back to taking the pill because it made me ill, but I want to
try a lightbox, which I have heard can be helpful. They're quite expensive,
but to be honest I would pay anything to have clear skin. I wondered if
anyone else had used a lightbox and whether the results were good. I have to
go to a friends wedding in a few days time and I'm dreading it. I don't want
to be in any photos. I don't even have photos of my own wedding because I
hate looking at my spots. I wore a big hat on the day and pulled it as far
down as I could so nobody else could see how ugly I am. I don't go out and
never really have. I prefer to hide at home and I never look in the mirror.
I am seriously thinking that if a lightbox doesn't work then I might as well
be dead, because that would be better. I don't even know anyone else who has
acne vulgaris and why does it have to be on the face where everyone can see it? I
thought the spots had gone for ever and I cannot stress how disappointed I
am that they've come back. I had a glimpse of how good life could be and now
it's gone. Please help

Susy

Hi Susy
thank you so much for writing. I know exactly how you feel the derogatory
comments you have suffered are all too common, it makes me so angry I'd like
to kick the culprits right in the *&*'s. If those are the kind of morons
you are working with and it makes you so depressed you should consider
changing jobs. I know how difficult that is believe me I have been through
it all myself, I have been suicidal and I made the mistake of thinking (no I
knew) that things would never get better, I was wrong it has taken years but
now I am happy with my life the same can be true for you too. Don't think
about death, we are all going to die someday and we could all end our lives
at anytime but what might we have missed? My Doctor (who died recently)
said to me a few years ago "consider those you leave behind, they will blame
themselves for the rest of their lives wishes they could have said or done
something to help you and it will eat away at them causing untold misery".
You have people who care about you, thousands of people who will read this
and are suffering the same will wish to God that there was something they
could do to help, so don't let them down by giving in, you must continue to
fight against your disease and the bigotry that surrounds it. You are not
ugly, if the moronic cretins you work with can't see past your skin then
*&*^ them!

Please print out your email that you sent to me and go back to your Doctor
with it, she should consider treating you for depression (which is
imperative) as well as refering you to a dermatologist again. A light box
is worth a try. Ask your Doctor about the tests mentioned on the acne vulgaris
treatments page:

Please get back to me when you have seen your Doctor and let me know what
she says.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

I wrote to you asking about coffee as i was addicted!. I finished a course of antibiotics three weeks ago so my skin was looking better. I have now stopped taking caffiene in any form. I do have one cup of decaffenated in the morning and then i stick to herbal teas. I believe that the Aloe vera products are helping. I dont think that it will ever clear completely but with your products i feel in control! and its looking better!

Thanks again for your web site!
Lynne Roberts

 

my sister has acne vulgaris rosacea around the chin and cheeks but another problem
she has is when the weather is cold around those ereas it turns blue in
witch she finds it very embarrsing and would like to no if that is a common
thing she has been to the docters about this but have just gave her a cover
makeup but still does not help the problem go away.have you got any ideas
thank you beryl

Hi Beryl
thank you for writing. I haven't personal experience of that symptom I'm
afraid and it hasn't been mentioned before. Has your sister been prescribed
MetroCream or and Tetracycline? She may wish to consider my Aloe Vera
products which bring symptomatic relief to many (although there are no
guarantees of course, no treatment works for all). Which make up does your
sister use and does she find it suitable? such information will help others
if you can let me know.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

Hi

I have recently come across your web site. I am 42 years old and just having my second bout of acne vulgaris rosacea ~last one I was in my twenties. I am about to order your aloe products but noticed your advice on make up. Is there any make up you can recommend. I only usually use a little powder and blusher but at present use a foundation to help cover my skin (which is not so bad at present only a bit pink). I have been using Simple products to cleanse and moisturise but even these seem to now cause redness.

Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated

Jan

Hi Jan
If you have a look at the readers email page, you will see a link to a page on just tips, there I have put all the readers recomendations from readers about make up.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

Hi
I would like some information on rosacea. My doctor told me that I have it.
I am using metro gel. What else can I do for this?? I am clueless to this
skin problem. I do not even know what to use on my face for washing. Will
this go away???
Please help me Thankyou Carri

Hi Carri
You will need to carefully study my website and read as much as you can to gain an understanding of rosacea and what you can do to help your symptoms. After you have read the site fully I shall be pleased to answer any questions you may have (obviously I can't reproduce in an email answer all the work I've put into the site over the months). You may wish to consider my Aloe Vera products for your skin care regimen. I'll look forward to hearing from you again.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

I apologize.
I was wondering if you can recommend makeup for women with rosacea. I am
currently on tetracycline and am using the topical gels. In teh winter my
skin is dry , in teh summer my skin is oily. I currently wear sunscreen
and
then apply Almay powder on top. It's ok, but most of the times, it looks
messy by the end of the day and the shine seeps through. Is there any type
of powder or liquid foundation that you can recommend that will stay set
all
day and will mask the redness yet not dry out my skin or make it break
out?
Also, can you recommend a good oil-free self tanner for the face?
Thank you for your help.
If you receive this after 5:00 on Friday, can you please respond to
kittypooh86@aol.com
Thank you

Hi please follow the link for "readers emails" and then "just tips" at
www.acne vulgaris-rosacea.co.uk I hope to frequently update this page as more people
write in with their recomendations.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

 

i write to enquire if you have heard of a cosmetic product made by a French company called Decleor which is called Corrective Care? It is a green cream with is used on top of moisturiser but underneath makeup and is excellent at camouflaging redness on the face.

Unfortunately I have now been told that it has been discontinued! This is most annoying because every time I find a product I like it seems to go out of circulation.

The only other product I have used is from the Boots No. 7 range but in my opinion it is not as good as the Decleor product.

Do you have any other suggestions for similar products I might try please?

Thank you for any help you can give.

Jane

Hi Jane
Please follow the link "readers emails" and then "just tips" I hope to frequently update this section in the coming weeks.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

 

Hello again kcn,
I've been meaning to email you again for a while but my finals are coming
up
in a few weeks so I've been revising like mad. I've just sent off for
some
more gel and the new moisturiser and look forward to trying it. Do you
find
the Hypericalm tablets effective? I've been using the gel for quite a few
weeks now and my skin is definitely less dry, although not really much
improvement with the redness and flushing. I finally got to see a
dermatoloigst yesterday but she wasn't much help - she seemed to think
only
older people got rosacea and said the flushing was 'just me' whatever that
means. She prescribed minocycline but I can't see them helping much as I
only have very mild acne vulgaris and that doesn't bother me. She did say I could
try beta blockers next if they don't work, but said clonidine was too
severe
and was surprised my GP had prescribed it! Bloody doctors! She also
recommended aqueous cream as a moisturiser so I might give it a go - have
you heard anything about it?
Talk soon,
Mick
ps I can recommend one thing for avoiding stress - don't do a physics
degree!

Hi Mick great to hear off you again. I've only tried been using the
Hypericalm for a couple of weeks and as you know these sort of medications
are a long term thing with the effects building up. The herbs in the
tablets have a very good press with mainstream Doctors in Germany
prescribing St Johns Wort as much or more than conventional antidepressants,
of course as an effective drug they will have side effects in some people, I
would talk to your Doctor about taking them or another antidepressant if the
stress is telling and you can't get much more stressful than exams AND skin
disease. I'm glad your GP has given you Clonidine is it helping at all? how
long have you been on it? and at what dosage? A correspondent who has his
own website on blushing recommends Clonidine and Atenolol for really
stressful events like meetings etc. Have a look on my links page if you get
time it is very comprehensive and could be of some help to you. Your
Dermatologist sounds like she needs to go back to college! The minocycline
may help with inflammation however. The new moisturiser is really good,
give it a try before the gel, the new gel is the same Aloe Vera but it tends
to sit on the skin more than the other, I've been in contact with the
manufacturer and hopefully they will change the thickening ingredient. Good
luck with the exams mate, stick in there!
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

Dear Sir,
I was very greatful to find this web site. I was recently diagnosed with mild rosacea, however I don't feel like it is mild. My nose is not only flushing various times throughout the day my mose is actually getting swollen and it does'nt seem to go back to normal. i am very fearful since I am only 32. I have never experienced anything like this before. I have lost a lot of weight since many foods aggravate the condition. Can you please give me more information about the alloe vera gel. I eill try anything to help to minimize the appearance of swelling. My last question is have you ever heard of someone saying that their rosacea went into a remission. I am praying that mine does. I am very excited about these anti flushing medications. Can they be used in the US. Do you know of any of the side effects. Hope tohear form you soon

Sincerely,

KH

Hi your feelings are quite understandable of course. Your Doctor has probably prescribed metrocream and tetracyline these may help with the inflammation and any spots. Similarly my Aloe Vera products may help but there is no guarantee as no treatment for any condition works for all of course. rosacea is usually an ongoing chronic condition with periods of remission and flare ups but some people do experience spontaneous remission. Low blood pressure may be experienced while on something like Clonidine you can certainly get them in the states. I hope that is of some help have a good read of my site and follow the links and news/articles and readers email pages to get the best insight you can into rosacea.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

Do you have any ways of solving acne vulgaris for free. My friend said that filling
the bastin with boiling water and puting your face very close to it to allow
it to steam and cleanse. Then wash your face with cold water strait after.
Does this actually work. Also when i went in the sauna at my gym m face
condition seemed to greatly improve for the next couple of days after.
Any advice

Thanks

It is certainly worth trying as long as you don't over do it and burn you skin. The best thing to do though is to see your Doctor and get prescribed medication such as antibiotics.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

 

Hello. I have a mild case of rosacea and I was thinking of getting a dermabrasion done for some mild scaring and discoloration I have on my forehead and cheeks from the sun. Will this procedure make the rosacea worse?

Of course this is something to discuss with your Dermatologist/Doctor but I would expect a flare up of rosacea symptoms.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

Hi UK

I am Sandra from New Zealand having suffered in the past from acne vulgaris (12 yrs to 28 yrs of age) and when menopause kicked in so did the return of acne vulgaris but now in the form of rosacea and with enlarged pores and nose to boot, ie bootnose, once associated with overindulgence of alcohol! I am aged 61 and dread to think what another 5 years of living will add to the state of my nose. Not being a life-threatening problem the importance is not too great from a medical viewpoint but oh dear what will I be looking like in the not too distant future?
So far I have not requested the Roaccutane (?spelling) treatment as for the past 7 years I have been a regular blood donor but if you have some advice to offer I would certainly be interested in receiving such. Aloe vera abounds out here in many forms so suggestions concerning this plant/product are easily followed through.
Hope this manages to get thru.
Regards - Sandra

Hi Sandra you will have tried the regular medications from the Doctors of course? Certainly give some of your local Aloe Vera products a try but beware 90% of the ones I've tested have irritants such as alcohol in, so try and get something very pure. Isotretinoin as you suggest may be the thing to discuss with your Doctor - it can be very beneficial for Rhinophyma.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

 

hey ang on, the prices a gone up!

damn hippies

ummm yeah...... summers coming :-)
I was just wondering what sun tan cream to use............. what do you
suggest, oh wise one?

lol hehe :-) well the price of the 3 skin care products is the same overall
£21.85/$43.00 but they're from a different manufacturer now hence the slight
change individually.

Sun tan cream is really something we are all desperate for info on, I've had
an appeal for makeup/suntan lotion info for weeks now and while I'm getting
tips on make up, no recommendations for sun tan lotion, doh!

when info comes in I'll put it on the readers emails - just tips page, if I
suggest a broad brimmed hat will I lose my title? I like oh wise one but I
suppose useless sod will have to do! lol.

best wishes and take care
kcn :-)

 

Hi! I'm 20 years old, and I also have acne vulgaris though my skin is getting better. From what I learned, acne vulgaris comes from the inside to the outside, so instead of going to the demartologist, you should go to the gynecologist and check your hormones level and see if your period is regular or not. My period started to get irregular at age of 13, and that's when my skin started to break out. Recently I went to the gynecologist and the doctor told me the cause of having acne vulgaris was because of my period which was irregular. My period is getting regular now; as a result, my skin is getting clear up. Please, don't assume that having irregular period is okay and normal; it is not and that is what causes women skin to break out.

I hope this will help all

Hi
thank you for that, I shall put it on the regular email pages on the next update.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

Hello,
Is there anything out there that is not oral, but topical that truly
takes the red away? Or, is metro-gel really the only way?

Hi Tim in addition to what is mentioned on the site there are light
therapies I shall be putting more info on them on the site when I get time.
You can find info through search engines and perhaps www.medscape.com will
have unbiased articles. Light therapies tend to be very expensive. It
really is a case I believe of trying different treatments until you find one
that suits you. Avoidance of trigger factors is essential where possible.
The following info is what I send with orders of Aloe Vera it may help you.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

Hi,
i suffer from facial flushing and avoid hot drinks etc which make it worse, but it still causes me problems at work. acne vulgaris is not a problem for me. I have had dixarit prescribed from the doctor after reading about it on your page and have just received the aloe vera gel and facial cleaner and moisturiser from you. Can you tell me what dose of dixarit you would suggest and also what is the best way to use your products? Is the aloe vera best as gel or tablets? I sometimes think my face gets hotter when i apply gels or cream to it in morning, which can make it worse, but is this the time to apply the aloe vera? Thanks for all your help, please could you email me reply,
regards
a

Hi your Doctor needs to evaluate your dosage according to different factors. The following info is what I send with orders it should help you. I have only recently started the tablets (aloe and vits) and find I have a lot more energy. The gel, cleanser and moisturiser I found excellent for my skin, the only thing I have tried that addressed the redness and consequently helped my with flushing (this symptom is a complicated issue however, a link on my links page to Peter's site for facial blushing will give you more insight into this, he discusses Dixarit/Clonidine and other drugs).
best wishes and take care
kcn.

hi, i have not got serius acne vulgaris but i do have bad skin and blemishes,i where
make up everyday because of my skin at the moment i am going through a hard
time cause i have been staying round my boyfriends most nights and i dont
like him seeing my skin!please can you tell me what i can use to make my skin
better? i know that this email is not as important as some of you others but
i would realy appreeshiate you replying!! thankyou, sophie!

Hi Sophie
the best thing to do for acne vulgaris vulgaris is to see your Doctor and consider prescribed medication. A range of treatments can be found on the acne vulgaris treatment page for you to look at, perhaps a topical treatment or you may like to consider Dianette the contraceptive pill. I know how you feel, I used to hate the lights comming on at the nightclub at the end of the night!
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

Hello! I am very excited about your web site. I am from the US and have only heard of this surgery through your site. I was diagnosed with mild rosacea toward the end of February. I only remember one specifice flushing incident before the diagnosis (believe me I never flushed at all, barely during exercise and never in the heat). i found the isolated flushing incident odd. One month later I went to the derm for a different issue. He quickly said that I had mild rosacea and goave me Noritate cream. The cream made me red and swollen. I did a round of Doxycycline, this is before I , or my family members even saw a hint of rosacea. The only time my nose would get red would be when I cried over the fear of it. After the antibiotics and the different creams things flew into high gear approximately six weeks after the diagnosis. I am now trying Sulfacet R. It has only been two days. I do not have barely any acne vulgaris, only sever nose flusshing several times per day. I am going to inquire into the clonidine. Is this something that can be taken long term. I have not tried aloe vera as of yet. I do remember using it for a sunburn once and I becamme further irriatated. Please reply with any good or hopeful news. I feel completely devestated. I feel hopeless. The dermatologists do not seem to care nor do they understand. I also have hair loss. I have used Rogaine topical slution for quite some time. I am curious since the Rogaine is a vasodilator, could it have triggered the rosacea? The doctors seem to say no. I feel very suspicious of this cause. Please Help!!!!!

Hi thank you so much for writing. There is no reason to worry yourself sick, I have had rosacea for 25 years and apart from flare ups from over exposure to triggers and a few thread veins it hasn't got any worse. Let me know how you get on with the Sulfacet R. I don't have any experience of Rogaine I'm afraid but look at www.medscape.com and www.gsm.com and www.rxlist.com for more info on it. Certainly discuss Clonidine with your Doctor and be sure to tell him of the emotional impact you disease is having on you. Consider my Aloe Vera products there is no guarantee, no treatment works for all, but many find relief from symptoms such as yours. The following info I send with orders I hope it is of use.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

Hi
Im a 27 year old female and have been taking dianette for over 7 years. I
suffered from acne vulgaris and am completely clear now but kept on the dianette
for
contraceptive reasons. Every time I go on a sun holiday or expose my skin
to
the sun my forehead comes out in spots which are more like a rash than
spots. THey are under the skin and are quiet oily. I have sallow skin and
it
tends to be after having exposed my skin a lot to the sun especially after
holidays. Im just wondering if this is a side affect of the dianette as my
skin is fine all the rest of the year. Weve had a few nice days and Im
getting married in 3 weeks and dont want this to continue.
appreciate anything you can tell me.
Ashling

Hi Ashling the best sites for drug side effects I've found are
www.medscape.com, www.gsm.com and www.rxlist.com
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

 

Dear kcn,
came across your website as I was trying to find out more about
photorejuvenation,read an article in Now magazine,which said that this
proceedure was v.good for rosacea,from which I suffer. Do you know anything
about it??
I have tried Aloe Vera before,but it was pure aloe vera from Fuerteventura
and all it managed to do was irritate my skin even more. I have printed off
various pages from your website so that I can digest them at length. I am
currently using metronidazole,which appears to help a bit but I am still
suffering from awful spots/v.dry skin. I am also on Prozac which I am not
sure if this helps or hinders??

Would appreciate any help you could offer.
I will continue to check out your website.
Many thanks,

Jackie Parkes.

Hi Jackie I haven't had any laser treatment myself but a search on the search engines or perhaps www.medscape.com will give you more info. I would try my Aloe Vera moisturiser and gel before dismissing Aloe Vera, there is no guarantee but for the price it must be worth trying, I find the gel excellent for spots. Let me know what you find out about the laser treatments.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

 

hi

i started getting acne vulgaris at the age of 18 . now i am 20 yrs and in coll.
my acne vulgaris is just getting worse. in school i always used to get compliments for my good skin. no one can imagine that i'll ever get acne vulgaris. i am very depressed . my skin used to be smooth now i avoid looking into mirror . i have got red spots on my face .plz help

thanx

Hi
Have a good read at the pages on the site and learn as much as you can about your condition and then you must seek proffesional advice ie see your Doctor for prescribed medication, perhaps consider antibiotics etc.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

 

Hi, I wrote to you some time ago regarding my condition, and I would like
to
tell you how things are going at present.

Well, I have given up Alcohol, which was not too difficult, I decided that
my looks were much more important to me (That was two months ago) - I no
longer take in any caffine and I have completely cut out Niacin and the
improvement was really astronomical..........

However I was still experencing erosions around my mouth and forwhead, and
I
have been having problems with my eyes ie. blepharitis, and a corneal
erosion, I informed by eye specialist that I have have rosacea and he has
given me anti-biotics for two months. I have been taking them for three
weeks and hey-presto!! my face has returned, people are commenting on how
well I look now, and it certainly makes me feel more confident.

The Furture? I dread stoping the AB's for fear of
return.............................

Janet

Hi Janet
thank you for the update and good luck, keep me up to date won't you?
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

 

Thanks very much for putting my letter on your website
I hope it will help other people with this same affliction.

I thought I would give you a quick update as to how I am doing
It has now been just over 3 weeks and I am doing good. the improvement
has slowed somewhat from the dramatic improvement I saw in the first week.
I have found that some of my other major triggers are Alcohol and heat.
The flushing that I used to get about 30 times a day has dramatically
decreased and I can actually have a conversation with someone without
being paranoid about how I look, and if I do flush it does not last for
much more
than 5 minutes as compared with the hours that it used to be. Another
large
improvement is that it doesn't burn and sting half as much as it used to.
The day to day facial redness is still visible but the improvement is
good, I am
using a lot of
the aloe gel and have found it very good for the really bad times. It
still annoys
me that I cannot get rid of this affliction and it seems that there is no
cure, but
the
products and information that I received from you has helped me
dramatically,
Its even the little thing like I can now drink hot tea during the day,
something
that
I have not been able to do in the past

I will continue to use the wash, shampoo, aloe tablets and gel, but do you
recommend anything else that may be worth trying to get rid of the redness
completely.

Thanks

Richard

p.s I thought it may be worth mentioning that When surfing the net for
other
rosacea
info I noticed that it was spelt it 2 ways, the way that you spell it and
Roseacea,
It may be that
A lot of people looking for information maybe missing your page because of
the way
they spell it.

Hi Richard
thank you very much for that I shall certainly look into that spelling good
point! Further treatments worth looking into are laser treatments which you
could discuss with your Doctor like photoderm
http://www.cosmetixlaser.com/PhotoFacial.htm is an american site you could
look at but I believe the treatment is available in the UK, it is essential
to see your Doctor and not go to a private beauty clinic in my opinion.
Although even with such treatments I believe repeat treatments will be
needed costing several hundreds of pounds (if you can convince you Doctor of
depression associated with your rosacea you could stand a chance of it on
the NHS perhaps). Unfortunately as far as I'm aware it is a case of
symptomatic relief of the chronic condition of rosacea which is what we are
aiming for at present, with subsequent up's and down's, perhaps gene
research will hold some hope of a complete cure. Let me know if you find
out anything interesting Richard. Oh and I find it effective to rest your
face from the Aloe Vera one day a week see if you find the same.

best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

Dear webmaster,

Have finally found time to contact you and say how pleased I have been with the aloe vera products. I have been using the gel and moisturiser for just over a month now and the difference has been amazing!. The horrid dry and flaking patches have almost gone completely and the redness has reduced to a very acceptable level. I am also impressed that both products have not made my skin greasy which is a problem I have had with moisturisers in the past. I have notice that you are now selling a different brand of gel and moisturiser and am hoping that these products are as good as the current ones! Finally just to say thanks for your brilliant website for improving my life not just physically but mentally as well. Keep up the good work.

Sam

Hi Sam
that means a great deal to me thank you so much. I hope you find the new products as good I'm sure you will, I find them better and they are proving more popular in general. The new gel needs to be applied thinner however as it can leave a film on the skin (although the efficacy is the same of course), I've been on to the manufacturer who will hopefully make a slight change to the stabilizing agent to solve this.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

Dear everyone,
i wrote last week, in other words about three inches further down this page. i was feeling rather depressed and in a mood to indulge my self-pity that day. I apologise. Anyway i got some friendly e-mails with advice which i have heeded.

At the moment i am in peru and not going home for a long while so maybe that explains why i was worried when my condition came back. I will never give up. and today a peruvian doctor prescribed me a four month course of accutane. he tells me that there are 50/50 chances that it will get rid of it for good. I am feeling happy. Everyone seems to say that it is effective and maybe will get rid of this disease. If not then i will continue the search.
Yours james.
ps. i thought of two good things about acne vulgaris. First of all you end up making friends with people who are nice and not superficial. secondly it inspires me to write poetry.

Excellent news! please stay in touch.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

Fellow sufferers. I desperately need help with makeup and sun lotions that can be used. Could you please send me some information regarding brand names. You can contact me (Pam) at spanner.dave@btinternet.com

 

 

 

dear penpals,
i wrote last week. in fact i wrote yesterday but it deleted itself. thank you for all the notes. I was feeling perhaps a bit self pitying when i last wrote so i am sorry. The thing is i am in south america for the foreseeable future a long way from home. As usual the acne vulgaris raises it head at the most inopportune moments. Anyway the long and short of it is that i am on accutane. it is costing a bomb. They say it may get rid of the acne vulgaris which i doubt knowing my luck. but it will buy some time in which maybe i will have outgrown the disease to a larger extent. No fear of side effects. You only live once. Take it easy. James

well done James stick in there mate, I shall pass your message on next update.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

----- Original Message -----
From: "valarie mc Kevins"
To: <rosaceas@aol.com; <rosacea-support-owner@yahoogroups.com;
<webmaster@acne vulgaris-rosacea.co.uk; <info@about-rosacea.com;
<hazel@patient.co.uk; <alison@the-asg.demon.co.uk

Hi, I have some questions about rosacea and would
greatly appreciate it if you could help me to learn
more about this condition and how to control it.

I am 23 years old and have had 'rosy cheeks' for as
long as I can remember. I was diagnosed as having
rosacea in1999 in South Africa, was told that ultra
violet light aggravates my rosacea and to use
hypoallergenic products.

I have tried almost every product in the Clinic range,
Clarins, Payot, Roc and the list goes on but to no
avail and I am particularly sensitive to sun blocks.
I have however discovered a cleanser in the roc range
that I can use safely, as well as one of the sun
blocks in the payot range; unfortunately I have to
have them both imported. I also struggled to find a
shampoo that I can use.
The dermatologist in S.A told me to come back and have
some tests done to see exactly what is causing the
irritations or to help isolate what could be
aggravating my skin, unfortunately I immigrated to the
U.K. and have been to see two doctors neither of which
would refer me to a dermatologist.
I have spent much time travelling and returning
products and have felt too distressed to go out in
public because of my condition, I am also no longer
allowed to purchase the few clinic products that I
have not yet tried as I have returned too many and
been told that I must first see a dermatologist to
find out what it is that I am reacting to?

I don't have the pimples and pastules associated with
rosacea, but seem to have a permanent "tan" and a lot
of flushing which I find very distressing and often
don't go out because of it. I asked my doctor if I
should use the common gel used to treat rosacea, but
she said it might make my skin worse, but prescribed
it anyway and I left feeling very confused and did not
try the gel as I wasn't sure whether I should use a
gel or not as I don't have the pimples and pastules?
I don't want to damage my skin any further and would
like to see a dermatologist for the proper treatment
and care.
Does smoking affect rosacea?
Also, I was prescribed an anti depressant by my
doctor, which seemed to aggravate my skin and make it
look as though I had just done some heavy exercise.
After being on the medication for 4 days, I phoned the
doctor to be told that it couldn't be the medication
that was aggravating my skin as I had only been on it
for a short while. I felt confused, as I know that if
I eat a curry for example my skin flares and here this
doctor was telling me that I had been on the med. For
too short a time to tell, when it had obviously
entered my blood system and I was having a reaction.

I have to wash my hands every two minutes, as
everything seems to aggravate my skin.
What do other people with rosacea do with regards to
things like deodorant and perfume or if they want to
dye their hair, and what would they use to calm and
sooth their "sunburn"?
I would so much love to wear powder on my skin when I
go out, but cannot find anything I don't react to. I
would also like to purchase green powder to hide my
dilated capillaries.
I would like to keep my skin under control.

The most distressing part of having rosacea is not the
"sun burn" but the feeling I sometimes get under my
skin and that's what prevents me from going out.
I get this horrible feeling under my eyes that is hard
to describe but makes me feel very self conscious and
causes me to flush? My eyes also water along with the
flushing.
Could this be ocular rosacea, as I have not heard
anybody describe it the way I do, with regards to
feeling very self-conscious and flushing and shaking
with embarrassment every time I talk to someone?
It is very distressing and I just want it to go away.
Thank you for taking the time to read what I have
written. I hope you can help.

Yours sincerely
Valarie

Hi Valarie
You will have to read up on the all the sites you have emailed including
mine at www.acne vulgaris-rosacea.co.uk there is no quick way round taking in
information but to take the time to read and learn I'm afraid. The
following info is what I send with orders I hope it is of some use:
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

Hi I have just been on your web site. Great site full of information. Please can you advise me on your best treatment for my rosacea. I have been getting red burning cheeks. This sems to be triggered by heat. If I get warm my cheeks flush red and feel like they are stinging/burning. I have also just started getting spots that come to a head but they don't pop, they just die down and leave me with a raised mark. The doctor has given me some cream (metronidazole 0.75% ) I haven't started to use it yet I only got it today. I don't know if it will work or not but I would still prefer to take/use a natural remedy. I have only had pretty mild rosacea until now that has been kept under control with the occasional use of Benzamycin Topical Gel, but now the redness and spots have started. PLEASE CAN YOU HELP. If I was to use your products would I still need to use the Metronidazole as well ? I await your reply. From. e.delaney@btinternet.com

Hi I'm afraid I cannot tell you to take or not to take prescribed medication, that is a matter for you and your Doctor. However I'm sure after a good read of the site you will be able to make a decision. Some people find metrocream works ok some find my Aloe Vera regimen of cleanser, gel and moisturiser works well, nothing works for everyone and it is a case of experimenting to see what you find most suitable for yourself I've found. The following info should be of assistance to you.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

Hi,

With an ever rising shaving line I was advised to use a gentle warm wax as
shaving on my cheeks was uncomfortable. I'd tested it and then used this
wax on my face with no problems. However last August I had a violent
reaction against it and my face has been left sore ever since. I have a
near constant burning sensation on my face and nose like very bad sunburn
and while not flushed is pink all the time. I've been on Minocin that
didn't do anything and hydrating creams that made it worse. I was given a
steroid cream but stopped using it after reading that it could trigger
rosacea. Finally after a four-month wait I've been told I do have rosacea
although none of the triggers seem to effect it, spicy food, alcohol wind,
cold, heat. Anything I put on my face reacts against it. I'm now on
Isotrexin gel and Erythromycin pills which I take twice a day. I
understand
that these might take a few months to work. Has anybody had any success
with this combination? I'll send off for the Aloe Vera - anything to stop
the burning feeling which is tiring and depressing.

Yours hopefully

Rhod

Hi Rhod did your Doctor prescribe Isotrexin for rosacea? it's usually for
acne vulgaris vulgaris. The following info may be of some help to you and I feel
certainly the Aloe Vera regimen is worth a try.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

Please could you advise me on Niacin naturally found in foods - I have an organic breakfast cereal which I eat with soya milk. I have contacted the manufacturers who tell me that there is no added Niacin in the product. Obviously I am now wondering whether niacin found naturally in foods is also problematic - I have discovered that Niacin is found naturally in most milk and yeast-based products as well as pulses and grains.

Please advise me as I am now confused!

Also, I have just taken delivery of your regime and Aloe Pills this morning (I'm looking forward to seeing if they work!)

Best wishes and keep up the good work!

Jane Dillon

We're all confused Jane just in varying degrees hehe! I need to find a table of niacin content naturally occuring in foods for the site, so if you find one let me know! All I can say about niacin is that if I have two small tins of tuna fish I flush big time, if I have cereals with added niacin I get flushed, the best thing to do is have a varied and healthy diet, you shouldn't need to avoid too many things (except cereals with added niacin, and the other stuff mentioned on the instructions with your order) and then see how you get on, hopefully using the Aloe Vera in conjunction with trigger avoidance will allow you to get your skin under control and then it will be easier as you expose yourself to foods, alcohol etc to see what effect they have, keeping a food diary can be helpful.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

i am 24 years old and was diagnosed with rosecea about three weeks ago. I
started taking tetracycline and using cream. Right now my face is more
broken
out then it has ever been. I called in sick to work today- every day is a
struggle. Does this sually happen? Does it get worse before it gets
better?
Or is soemthing else the poblem? I don't know what else to do.

Hello again
I'm trying to work out the best way to get a new host for the website and set up better ordering procedures, I tell you if I had half a brain it would help! hehe lol.

I know exactly how you feel, many people including myself have been in the same position, I understand completely and that's why I wanted to get back in contact with you. If you can have a look at the advice I sent you will notice what I call "trigger factors" have a look at them and then read back up on the site and you will begin to learn about rosacea and gain insights that will help you to control the symptoms. Remember there is no reason at all why you cannot get it under control and regain control of your life, it may take changes but fight for it and make it happen, things may seem bleak and desperate right now, but don't make the mistake I made a few years ago of thinking things will never get better they will you can get control back. I and many people who have written to me find my Aloe Vera regimen more effective than metronidazole but I always advise discussing changes of treatment with your Doctor and of course Aloe Vera, like any treatment doesn't work for everyone so there is no guarantee, but I find it really excellent for my persistent rosacea spots. Please stay in touch if you want to chat I'm always here or why not correspond with a penpal it brings great relief to many.
best wishes and take care

kcn.

 

 

 

hai dafny here from bombay i skin is dark brown is there any herbal
treatment or lotion to make the skin lighter, one more problem is that i
have got dark skin in my forehead can you help me in this.

dafny

Hi Dafny
I'm very sorry but it outside of my experience. Have a look at
www.medscape.com which is a very informative medical site.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

 

Thank you so much for all of that information. I've already stopped
applying the Isotrexin as I can't believe it will do the condition any good
especially as I don't have acne vulgaris. Congratulations on the site it really does
help.

Kind regards

Rhod Jones

 

At last it's good to see (or maybe not so good for us sufferers) that
there
are many over 25s out there with acne vulgaris. After constantly reading reports
about how teenagers get acne vulgaris and it will generally clear up by itself I
was
beginning to think I was the only over 25 with it.

My acne vulgaris started when I was 25 and after trying absolutely every drug/cream
going it's now got to the stage at 29 where Raoccutan is being prescribed
as
the only answer. I am about embark upon my first treatment with this and
am
as usual after so many drugs pretty sceptical. I would be grateful of any
feedback from fellow sufferers (alisonganner@hotmail.com)

thanks Alison I'll pass that on.
best wishes and take care
kcn

 

Please help me, I think I have roseacea as i have been having flushes for about a year now and have horrible pimples on one side of my face. I am really worried. The doctor told me it was acne vulgaris and not to worry about it, but it won't go away!! I feel really down about it,and having read there is no cure, I think I'll go mad. I feel very conscious about it

Hi thank you for writing, I and 10's of thousands of others understand exactly how you feel. Please don't make the mistake of thinking things will never get better they will. You will need to learn about rosacea and deal with symptomatic relief, find out what triggers your condition and what soothes it. Please have a good read of my site www.acne vulgaris-rosacea.co.uk your Doctor may prescribe metronidazole cream or tetracycline, many people find my Aloe Vera regimen works very well for them but of course there is no guarantee. Have a look at the info below and see what you think. I'm here to chat anytime you need help.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

My name is Brian Fogle I'am 32 years old. I have suffered from rosacea
for about half my life
now. I was wondering how i could join a support group for better ways to
treat this terrible
disease. Thank you.

sincerely, Brian Fogle

Hi Brian
a very good group is the ASG acne vulgaris-support group the address is on my site
www.acne vulgaris-rosacea.co.uk links page. For about £12/year you get a news letter
with upto date info. Why not correspond with some of the messages on the
penpals page it really helps to talk to others about rosacea, I was too
embarressed to mention it to anyone up to a couple of years ago, but there's
nothing like running a website on it to bring you out of your shell hehe.
Why not send me a message to put on the penpals page? The following info is
what I send with orders I hope it is of help to you. Stick in mate and
remember I'm hear if you want to chat.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

First let me thank you for the great information on your sight. It is so
much more helpful than what the rosacea soceity is doing. Please keep up the
good work.

I have a quick question for you. What have you heard about colloidal silver?
I have been reading that some rasacea suffers find it helpful for
controlling flare ups.

Let me know what you know.

Dale Miller

 

 

hi... i have mild to moderate acne vulgaris.. and red skin that just wont seem to go away.. i have never been diagnosed with rosacea..or anything for that matter... so i feel your products will help me a great deal.. it's just a feeling i have... i doubt that it would make the problem worse.. but any insight from you would help a great deal thanks.....Phil

Hi Phil

I know exactly how you feel mate. Have you seen your Doctor for prescribed medication perhaps antibiotics for your acne vulgaris?. My Aloe Vera regimen is certainly worth a try, it helps many people with their symptoms but of course not all, no one treatment does work for everyone as we are all different. The following info is what I send with orders it may give you some insight, I hope so.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

 

My name is Brian Crowe. I have just developed symptoms at the age of 57 and they seem to be progressing rapidly. I would appreciate any information on treatment. What do you think of rosacea Ltd III ?

Hi Brian below is info I send with my Aloe Vera regimen it should be of assistance to you. I think rosacea ltd 111 is a sulphur based treatment, sulphur based treatments were common for treatment of both rosacea and acne vulgaris before antibiotics, I don't have any personal experience of it though or correspondence about it.
best wishes and take care
kcn

 

Hey im a 16yr old male suffering from acne vulgaris and i have recently been
prescribed with these pills called Erythromycin tablets, i have been told
to
take 4 of these tablets a day, morning, afternoon, evening and night can u
tell me if this is wise and safe because i dont trust my doctor because my
brother beat him up. I have also been told to use adapalene ( differin)
gell. It says on the tube that i have to use this at night before i got
to
bed, but what i wanted to know was would this gell be benificial if i also
used it in the morning. Your site is great keep up the good work and i
hope
to hear from u soon.

Hi thank you for writing, the best place for you to look for specific drug
info, interactions dosage etc is www.rxlist.com and www.gsm.com you may need
to register and www.medscape.com you should be able to find out what you
need ok by using their search boxes just type in the name of the drug your
interested in.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

after twenty five years of acne vulgaris i have got it under control by taking roaccutane i took the prescribed dose for 6 weeks but could not continue as side effects were too severe to go to work so reduced the dose to one tablet every second day i have startet to live again , but still have to wait and see what happens when tablets run out my consultant does not know about this yet mick gillan

thanks for that Mick let me know how you get on. The following info may be of use to you.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

Hi,

I hope that this is being directed towards the correct peson, but this is
the only address that I could find on the site.

I'm a 19 year old guy who has what i suppose you would describe as
adolescent acne vulgaris. I have a fair covering of blackheads which whilst
unpleasant are not the biggest probelm. I wouldn't say that I get
whiteheads
much but I tent to get a sort-of small red imflamations that usually
accompany whiteheads. I tent to get the majority (but by no means all of
this) on the cheeks of my face, most noteably on the right cheek which
coincidentally is the side that I sleep on. They sort of look like scars
but
I don't think that the majority of them are, they appear to heal quite
slowly because of the constant replenishing of spots.

I think that I will probably have to look at some sort of cosmetic surgery
when I am older, in order to smooth my face which I find quite
distressing.

The only treatment I use at the moment is simply an antibacterial soap to
just clean my face up. I find that this is better than nothing and has
minimal adverse effects. I am in no way worried about using what would be
considered to be feminine products if there is a possibility of improving
my
appearance. I don't like using anything abbrasive or containing alcohol.
as
I find that I simply cannot maintain these treatments because my skin
(being
quite sensitive) tends to get imflamed.

I currently use a tanning lamp partly to mask some of the scars, but also
because I tend to find that during the summer my tanned skin tends to get
far less spots.

Would something like an exfoliator be bennificial?.

I really would appreciate your suggestions,

Thanks,

Ray.

Hi Ray
your only course of action is to see proffessional medical help from your
family doctor and if necessary a dermatologist for prescribed medication.
There is so much false information and marketing put out by big cosmetic
companies about skin care that confuses the issue. acne vulgaris is a skin disease
and needs treating as such! Let me know what your Doctor says Ray.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

Do you have any experience of Hydroxychloroquine being used to treat the
blushing associated with rosacea?
My Dermatologist has just prescribed me the medication in question, but I
am
slightly apprehensive as i have heard it can affect your eyesight. He did
say
it was the third line of treatment behind Clonidine and Propanolol and has
been used extensively in Scandinavia. I have noticed you mention Zispin
quite
often and wonder which of the above mentioned medications you feel is the
most effective in treating the facial flushing.

Hi no I haven't any experience of Hydroxychloroquine but you can find some
info at http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/hquine_cp.htm and please let me
know how you get on with it. Clonidine is the first treatment I would
mention to people for blushing ahead of propanolol and Zispin. Perhaps use
Clonidine in conjunction with a beta blocker for stressful events, See
rosacea treatments page and the link to
http://dreamwater.org/health/sadhelp/ peters site on blushing with in depth
info.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

 

dear all. i hope no-one will think i am hogging this page by adding another e-mail. I am continuing on my course of accutane to treat my acne vulgaris condition. It has now been three and a bit weeks on accutane. As the top wrung of the ladder in acne vulgaris treatment so to speak i should have been worried if it had not worked. As it happens it is working. Differently to what i am used to - different to antibiotics. my skin is drying up and i suppose although i have somewhat less energy than before i am about to begin feeling what it is like to live a more regular life. Prone to worrying as i do, i was wondering how i might be able to get hold of more of this drug as and when the acne vulgaris reappears after i finish treatment. for me not only is living with the disease humiliating but the possibility of changing back to what you look like before after having had a successful treatment frightens me. This next year i am returning to university and am was hoping to enjoy myself for once and not feel i have to skulk around in a hooded top. But it seems that if i need more accutane i will just have to contact a dermatologist and go through the blood tests etc. probably safest option. nevertheless i am more content and obviously happier with my appearance. also thanks to other penpals advice i have resolved a few other important issues which were lingering in my mind about girls, having children etc.
thank you . and best luck to all. i will write again as and when i have news.

Thanks for keeping in touch James I'll put that on the next updated page, (just changing hosting service at the moment and things are a bit hectic), most people find after successful treatment with isotretinoin that the results do last, keep in touch mate.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

 

Hi - I live in the UK and have suffered from moderate
acne vulgaris for almost six years. I have tried 'Panoxyl Gel'
which is basically Benzoyl Peroxide in an aqueos base
solution but it caused my skin to be inflamed so i
gave up on that. Since then I have tried tetracycline
and minocin and something else beginning with
oxy-something, all three in the form of tablets but
neither helped. I am currently trying out light
therapy; a lamp which supposedly replicates two
particular rays that the sun gives out, that are
helpful to getting rid of acne vulgaris. I am also taking
erythromycin tablets and using some stuff called
'Benzamycin Gel' which combines both erythromycin and
benzoyl peroxide in an aqueous solution. (Coming to
the point!), what I was really writing to you for was
some advice as to what else I could try, as my
gruesome regime of drugs and light rays still aren't
fully working out as I would like.
Isotrexin sounded like a good idea to me when i was
reading through your pages on the website, but I was
wondering if you had any other suggestions as to drugs
i could talk with my doctor about, or of
over-the-counter stuff i could buy that's of any
quality?
Thanks for your time,
David Mumford

Hi David
I would indeed ask your Doctor about a topical combination treatment with
isotretinoin and erythromycin such as Isotrexin, Differin is another
treatment that works for some. Let me know how you get on.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

Dear Webmaster,

I have been reading your website and am interested in trying your treatment, it sounds fantastic.I am 36 years old and have been an acne vulgaris sufferer for about 18 years, even though I have been on many treatments including Diane 35 for 10 years and two courses of Roaccutane. I have developed rosacea in the past two years or so.I find the problem extremely distressing and am very self contious - I do not want to go out if my face is flushed and even get nervous if the door bell or the phone rings. I am so afraid that someone is going to ask me what is wrong,. and not know what to say in reply.I find the burning sensation in my cheeks unbearable at times. I am also afraid of getting upset, angry, laughing, crying, etc as all these emotions seem to trigger it off. I am getting desperate now as I don't know how to treat the problem, I have been to a Dermatologist but he told me that he doesn't think that I have rosacea.I then went to a general practitioner who said that I definately have rosacea and gave me face wash which burnt my skin.He also gave me a tetracyline called Cyclimycin-50mg which I take two tablets a day - I find that this helps a little with the acne vulgaris but the rosacea is out of control, it is controlling my life and I get very depressed when I wake up in the morning with a bright red face. I am getting large red lumps especially on my cheeks, they are not really pimples but are obviously part of having this problem, which I read about on your website after getting advice from my pharmacist - he has been more helpfull than the doctors, in whom I now have no faith at all.

Please can you help me with advice on how I can order your products and also how much it will cost in rands. I also need to know how I can get the money to you for the products - I wish to purchase the aloe vera gel 128g, vit e moisturiser 200ml - (does this contain a sunscreen as I have VERY fair skin? ) and the soap free cleanser 237ml.

Thank you for your very interesting and informative website, I have enjoyed reading other peoples testimonials and feel a little more positive about being able to get this problem under control. I anxiously await your reply as this problem seems to be mind boggling to the South African people - very little is known about it and it's treatment and as you can imagine this is VERY frustrating. Lastly I must just add how encouraging it is to read how many other people suffer from this, as you feel like a freak and all alone in your "RED ZONE" of misery.

Regards

Anne - from sunny South Africa !

Hi Anne
It never ceases to amaze me of the similarity of us all from all over the world and the treatment or lack of it we receive from the medical proffesion. I've included the literature I send with orders below Ann I do hope it is of help. You may need to hit refresh on your web browser as the Aloe Vera products are now slightly different, improved and even more popular, having said that there is no guarantee's of course so don't get your hopes too high yet. There is no sun screen in the products. I'll have credit card online ordering running in about 3 weeks time until then you can send me a personal bankers cheque as follows the price includes a UKP5.00 surcharge the bank makes as you will be my only South African customer I'm afraid:

For the gel, moisturiser and cleanser, please send a cheque made payable to "acne vulgaris-rosacea.co.uk" for the amount of South African Rands 331.00 and send to:
acne vulgaris-rosacea.co.uk
PO Box 190
Carlisle
CA3 9GT
United Kingdom

 

 

 

Thanks for your site. I've just been reading the tips. Mine is perhaps too obvious, but a few years ago I started using Dove bars instead of soap, and the difference is amazing - having very oily skin, I need to wash my face two or three times a day, but with rosacea it just gets too sore and dry - with normal soap that is. With Dove, you don't have to choose between having a greasy, black-headed skin, and being sore. And your skin gets moisturized and smoother...
Best wishes to all,
cathy

Hi yes of course very interesting and thank you for writing I shall put you
letter on the next readers email page, I'm getting behind at the moment due
to technical problems!!! but I hope to catch up soon.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

 

Dear Webmaster,

I wondered if you could put my message on your readers' E-mails list, as
an encouragement to those people with rosacea who wish to try alternative
therapies?

As I mentioned to you before, I first got rosacea 2 years ago when I was
pregnant. It was quite severe, with flushing, constant redness, papules,
pustules, and burning sensations. After I gave birth, I started taking
antibiotics, which cleared my rosacea to some extent. However, I knew
that this wasn't a long-term solution as I wanted to have another baby at some
point.

So in March I went to see a Nutritional Therapist. She identified various
food intolerances, and told me to completely cut these foods out (wheat,
milk, tomatoes, mushrooms, yeast). She also gave me various supplements
to help strengthen my skin - zinc, flaxseed oil, evening primrose oil, fish
oils, B-vitamins (without niacin), selenium - and digestive enzymes to
take before lunch and evening meals.

I was fairly sceptical about the therapist being able to help me, but I'm
pleased to say that my rosacea has almost completely cleared up. I came
off the antibiotics 3 months ago, and my skin is better now than when I was
taking antibiotics. The papules and pustules have completely gone, as
well as the burning sensations and constant redness. I occasionally get a
small red patch under one of my eyes, but this disappears if I moisterize it
well. I used to flush over 10 times a day, whereas I now flush 2-3 times a week
(and I don't stay red for nearly as long). My husband says that no-one
would ever guess that I have a skin disorder.

I know that Nutritional Therapy can't help everyone with rosacea, but I
certainly think it's worth a try, and could prevent a life-time of having
to take antibiotics.

Best wishes,

Jan

 

Dear Webmaster,
Thanks for your reply - I won't expect miracles from the nutritional
therapist, but it's worth a try. Interesting thought about baby
names - I think Webbie Rossington would be quite a sweet name.... I'm not
ignoring your comments about Aloe Vera, but I'd like to order some. We won't be
trying for a baby for at least six months, and in the meantime I'llfind out
from my GP if it's OK to take during pregnancy. I'll send you my order in
the post tomorrow.

Best wishes,

Jan

Yes that is a very nice name indeed hehe.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

Dear Webmaster,

I have read all your reader E-mails, and found them very
interesting, and reassuring to know that there are lots of other people out
there with rosacea. It's a great idea to put the E-mails on your Web site.

I was diagnosed with rosacea a year ago, and have been on
Oxytetracycline since then. However, I have to come off the tablets in the next
few months so that my husband and I can start trying for our second baby.
I've been looking at alternative therapies, and have decided to see a
Nutritional Therapist. I notice that Sharon (week 10) had success with a
Naturopath, which is encouraging.

I'll let you know how I get on. My GP has warned me that as soon
as I come off the antibiotics, my rosacea will come back, and will be as bad
as it was before. It's a shame that conventional medicine doesn't treat the
cause of rosacea, and doesn't seem to be able to offer a long-term
solution. I wondered if anyone else has had success with Nutritional
Therapy?

Could I please join your mailing-list,too?

Thanks,

Jan

 

Ahh so your the one whos read the emails hehe. Be warned I went to
see a naturapath and she prescribed hot and cold washes!!!! the worst
thing she could have done and she further prescribed a multi vitamin with
niacin!!! ouch. I shall look forward to your update however. I wouldn't even
try Aloe Vera if you intend getting pregnant I have not heard of
complications for the unborn but Aloe Vera works which makes it a drug in my book
and best avoided if you are trying to get pregnant. Hey a good name for a
baby is "webmaster", very trendy you know - no - oh well worth a try! hehe.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

here's a list of instructions I hand out with orders it may be of
help when you come off the antibiotics.

 

I have had now for a period of about 6 months swelling of the blood cells
on
my left cheek principally around the cheekbone area and also, although to
a
lesser extent, on the right. No weals or spots just redness, i.e a
tightening of the blood cells. My face often feels hot but the flushes
seem
to have gone. I`m 23 years old and this is causing severe lack of self
esteem and most definitely depression. I¬m already retreating into a shell
keen to avoid socialising at all costs. This suddenly reclusiveness has
been
noticed by my friends and well lets just say life is far from fun down
here.

Despite haviong spent a fortune on medications and in seeing a private
dermitologist no-one could come up with any concrete diagnosis of the
problem other than its dermagraphics and I`m sorry the problem is getting
you down but 'I guess we won't fing out what the problem is until we find
a
remedy.' As you can imagine this is hardly helpful. I have been on a
combination of acne vulgaris based antibiotics, currently erythromicine and have
also
been told to take anti histamines to combat the redness. IN all honesty
nothing really seems to be working. I appreciate that you are not a doctor
and just a fellow suffered like me but will anti histamines help, is there
anyone who has had any proven success or relief through taking the acne vulgaris
antibiotics. I`m due to see an NHS doctor within the next 4-6 weeks, yes
they have finally managed to squeeze me in and would just like to go in
knowing all the facts and especially what other treatments fellow
sufferers
have found unhelpful or worse still have irritated the problem. I am
sending
for one of your aloe vera kits today and hope that the gel especially may
lead to a lestening in the redness. Meanwhile I`ll just go on avoiding
every
potential trigger I can think off. Is the hot drink thing true by the way?
I
really can`t imagine life without tea.

Writing this has been surprisingly conforting. I thought it would be
harder.
Its good to talk, that I know just that few people even doctors (!!) seem
to
understand.

Yours trying at least in someway to maintain a sense of humour

M

Hi I understand exactly how you feel and so do 10's of thousands of others,
we all share your feelings the following info may be of some help to you I
hope so. Of course treatment will depend on what problem you have, I didn't
find anti histamines helped with my rosacea, your Doctors probably think you
are too young for rosacea. Have a look at the info below and see if the
triggers ring any bells with you. If you do have rosacea you must give up
tea and coffee, I've replaced them with herbal teas it takes a bit of
getting used to but there is so many varieties they are really quite
pleasant. I understand exactly about your lack of socialising, don't beat
your self up about it and if depression does become a problem with symptoms
such as loss of weight, tearfullness, feeling down for more than a week,
disturbed sleep or waking early with feelings of dread, fatigue,
irritability see your Doctor explain what is happening (tell your
dermatologist as well they will take you more seriously).
Remember I am here if you need to chat or why not reply to some on the
penpal page or put your own message on. Don't give up and keep up the
battle!

best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

Hello

I have been diagnosed with rosacea since April 01 by a Dermatologist and have been given Oxytetracyline tablets to take twice a day. I have been taking them more or less regularly since then.

The diagnosis was based on a redness round my nose and a few red "pimples" on my upper lip.

Things were under control until a few days ago when I noticed red blotches on my neck. A couple of days later my ckeeks were swollen, very red and painfully burning hot, my skin rough and very dry, my eys dry and gritty.

I thought it was a reaction to the antibiotics and stopped taking them, expecting my skin to go back to normal within a couple of days. It did not, so I went to my GP who said I had an infection and prescribed more antibiotics (Flucloxacillin). I am not at all convinced!

I am certain that I have a bad case of rosacea and having accessed your web site, I am rmore optimistic about my skin ( I will order some of your products), but extremely worried about my eys. My sight is not very good in any case and I am terrified at the thought of blindness.

Can you please give me some information on Ocular rosacea.

I appreciate that you are not a doctor but a fellow sufferer. Any help will be welcome.

Many thanks

Maryse Banks

Hi Maryse
I'm afraid or thankfull that I don't have a lot of experience of Ocular rosacea but loss of sight is extremely rare so keep pestering your Doctor but don't worry yourself sick, I've read that tetracycline antibiotics can indeed help with the inflammation that aggravates the eyes, also you could ask your doctor about loteprednol eye drops (more info at www.medscape.com, www.rxlist.com, www.gsm.com . I will be very interested to see if using the Aloe Vera products helps you eyes in anyway so let me know. The following info may help you have a look and see if it rings any bells with you.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

Hi,
I wrote to you in January of this year about my acne vulgaris I am 16 years old
from the UK. I had been to my dermotologist once and was taking
Erythromicin when i last wrote, I have been several times now and have
been
on Roaccutane about 4 months, my skin has cleared up alot, but some spots
still remain. I have had extremely dry lips and have nose bleeds
occassionally, so far they are the only side effects I have experienced
and
I am hoping i dont experience any more. I just thought I would email and
let
you know.
Katherine

Hi Katherine
great to hear off you again and thank you so much for keeping in touch, you
information will go a long way to helping and encouraging others who need
help. Lipsease is good for dry lips I've found. I hope everything works
out ok for you and stay positive!
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

I am new to this sight. I have bought and recieved the gel, cleanser, and
moisturiser. I am taking some chinese herbal medicine that I have discovered
on the internet. It really has cleared up my rosacea remarkably. They say not
to use gels or anything that might affect the healing process. I can use your
soap free cleanser. So my question is , can I just purchase the cleanser
alone in the future or do I have to always have to order all three in order
to get the cleanser ?

Thank you,

Michele

Hi Michelle
I will be pleased to receive any order from you for a single item or any combination. I am pleased your chinese medicine is working for you and of course I don't know what is in it but please be aware that steroids are present in some chinese medicine preparations which as you will know may not be good long term for you skin or rosacea, I'm sorry if this is confusing and as I say I don't know what is in your preparation but I have to point out the possibility, let me know how you get on with it will you please - , an article I read about it is at www.medscape.com you will need to perform a search.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

hello i purchased your aloe vera products gel
moisturizer and cleanser. I have a problem with
reddness and blushing, but not with acne vulgaris blemishes.
i have been using the aloe vera products for less than
aweek and i don't know if they are working? when i put
on the gel it decreases reddness then i wash it off
and it is fine how ever towards the end of the week my
face seemed somewhat red. At times muy face seems like
it is improving and other times it is not? should i
continue treatment. i don't know if this will worsen
my condition since aloe increases capillary size to
promote healing. I however have noticed a large
improvement when i exercise, not much reddness, it
seems like the areas that blush during exercise sweat
more and cools me off. May be i need to continue to
see more results after 2-3 weeks of use. Please give
me some recomendations, if you could tell me your
initial experience with the aloe products. Thanks Luke.

Hi Luke I'm surprised by the number of people who find such quick
beneficial results after only a week and write and tell me. I think 3 weeks
to a month is more typical to see good results that is my experience
(remember there is no guarantee the products do work for many but not all,
and they are not a "miracle cure" but can help to alleviate the symptoms of
the chronic condition of rosacea). The fact you can excercise without so
much redness is a good sign. If flushing is still a problem consider asking
your Doctor about Dixarit/Clonidine.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

Do you know of any way to reduce the appearance of
scarring from acne vulgaris? I've had adult acne vulgaris for over ten
years and I'm noticing that as my skin ages (I'm 30)
I'm developing pits and pock marks (pox marks? you
know what I mean) on my face.

Thanks for any input you can provide. Thanks also for
the very informative and well-researched site.

Take care,

Jenni McKenzie

Hi Jenni
the usual treatments are laser treatment, dermabrasion or collagen
injections - you will need to see a dermatologist for all these. I have
read an article about vitamin C cream being useful www.medscape.com and
perhaps vitamin e too. Perhaps you may want to have a look at the tests
mentioned on the acne vulgaris treatments page on the site for acne vulgaris vulgaris or the
following info may help for rosacea.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

i have another question.. read this so you can recall the question i asked
and your answer.

Hi not at all,
you can get spots anywhere on the body, but mainly the areas with the most
active sebaceous glands are affected ie the face, chest, back. The usual
gentle treatments for facial acne vulgaris may help, topical antibiotics etc but I
wouldn't use benzoyl peroxide etc ouch! My Aloe Vera gel may be of benefit.
best wishes and take care
kcn.

 

 

I am recently diagnoised as suffering from a mild form of rosacea
and a number of my female collagues also suffer from it. I am
thrilled to read your testimonials and I would love to order Complete
Regimen for £21.85 so I can try it out.
However, I am somewhat sceptical about sending money to a PO
Box Number especially as there is no contact telephone number
given and no credit card facility.
Any chance that you would please send me the products by return
and I promise to immediately forward you a cheque or bank draft for
£21.85?
My details are as follows:
Clare

Best regards

Hi Clare
Thank you very much for your contact. I work from home and for my family's
security I use a PO Box. There is not a telephone number because doing it
all myself I certainly would not have time to answer it! Postage to Dublin
is the same as Europe so for the 3 products of cleanser, moisturiser and gel
the price is UK£23.85

I had two cheques returned to me yesterday that have bounced wiping out one
weeks earnings (I will of course be pursuing for payment) , so I feel I carry the greater risk in these mail order
transactions and for the small amount of profit I make on the products I
certainly am not willing to take a risk and send them out without payment
sorry. I will have credit card ordering in about 3 weeks NatWest is
processing it now.

best wishes and take care
kcn..