rosacea & acne vulgaris readers emails
I feel so unhappy.. I'm 16 going on 17 and have had acne vulgaris for the last 2 years, I'm quite lucky in a way that my acne vulgaris is not half as bad as some peoples. Yet it is bad anogth to upset me from time-to-time.
I think the thing that gets me teary eyed most of the time is when I go out with my mates and they bring along the girlfriends, and I'm just sat there on my own. When I go out to a night-club I can sometimes get a girl and this is yet again another annoying thing. (why you ask)
Its good to get with a girl but its annoying because you cant see my acne vulgaris in the dark, but you can see what I look like. So what this says to me is that I'm obviously not PIG ugly so if I dint have the acne vulgaris I could get a girl during the day!
I want to know if there is anything like a skin graft us acne vulgaris sufferers could get done
Hi
I know exactly how you feel. Have you seen your Doctor? what sort of medications have you tried? let me know and I'll try to think of further things to suggest.
Best wishes
kcn.
Hi,
I am a rosacea sufferer. Can you please tell me what daily cleanser &
moisturizer would be best to use, that has been successful for others?
Thank you, Linda.
Please anyone if you have a favourite moisturiser,cleanser, sun block, makeup for rosacea let us know!. kcn.
Hello kcn,
Thank you for the information in your email. This kind of information regarding drugs could have taken me months to find out as I don't seem to be having any luck with doctors. Have you tried these drugs in turn? Or do you use a combination? How long have you found it takes to notice a response?
You seem to have a helpful GP, good luck with the referral. I will watch the website to see how you get on.
All the best,Gareth
.
Hello,
I'm 15 years of old and suffering form what I would say moderate acne vulgaris(it's
a on my forehead and mostly on my cheeks)I have had it since I was 12. Since
then it just seems to be getting worse and worse. It's very hard to face
the world each day feeling depressed and self conscious. It makes me agitated
and usual in a bad mood!!! I find food affects it greatly!!!! Everything
that I eat bothers it!!! The only thing that makes it better is eating
tuna and drinking water ONLY!!! Even then it takes about 3-4 weeks to see a
difference!! And I'm drained by then to keep up the schedule. I've seen
doctors about it and they give me medications that don't help. It
irritakes it even more!! Burning, peeling, and leaving scares!!!! It doesn't
help!!! I've tried stuff off the internet and television,,.. doesn't help either!!
I would just like to go outside and feel confident and pleased about
myself!! I'm not looking for a cure but just to be able to keep it under control!!
Teen years are tough but teen years are horrible when living with acne vulgaris!!!
I would appreciate it greatly if you may give me some advice concerning this
topic!!!
Thanks so much,
Sincerely Eva
Dear Eva
Different foods are not generally implicated in aggravating acne vulgaris but many
foods ARE implicated in rosacea. rosacea can commonly have acne vulgaris like spots
and be mistaken even by Doctors for acne vulgaris. I don't know what sort of
medications you have been taking but I know acne vulgaris preparations would cause
burning sensations and irritation on my rosacea prone skin - do you think
rosacea is a possibility? Avoiding foods can be dangerous - missing out on
minerals, vitamins fats and proteins is not good - do you get a flushed
feeling on your face is their redness - do you find the sun or wind, steam,
hot drink, a hot bath makes your face red and causes more spots - get back
to me - I look forward to hearing from you soon.
P.S. If you think rosacea may be a possibility avoid the trigger factors
mentioned on the site and ask your Doctor for some Metronidazole cream
(metrocream) and see if there is any improvement. Let me know what you
think.
Best wishes
kcn.
Congratulations! Great site! Having suffered from acne vulgaris for 10 years, it is
really heartening to know that there are other non-teenagers facing the
same
problems I am. One thing I have discovered is that doing something about
it - even if it doesn't work! - always makes me feel better! At the moment I am
seeing a homeopath and am making progress. All the best to fellow
sufferers,
I hope you find a cure that suits you soon.
Anne (Scotland)
Dear Anne
thank you very much for your kind comments. I found hearing of others trial
and tribulations, successes and failures was the most reassuring therapy
imaginable and that is what prompted me to start the site. I hope you will
be a regular contributor - interested in the penpals page or contributing a
page? Where are you in Scotland I'm in Carlisle 10miles from the Border, we
always take our camping holidays in bonny Scotland - the beautiful dumfries
and galloway coastline is to be compared with anywhere in the world, it's
quiet, peacefull and I'll recommend it to anyone.
best wishes
kcn.
Hello,
I'm a 31 year old male looking for some advice. I had moderate - severe
acne vulgaris
as a teen. And then for nearly 10 years, my skin was fine. Over the past
year, I've been diagnosed with rosacea. The frequency and severity has
increased. I have seen two dermatologists, have tried oral and topical
treatments and still have constant redness, blemishes, and blotchy skin.
This has been socially debilitating. I get to the point where I want to
stay
home and hide all the time. Right now I am taking doxycycline which
doesn't
seem to be working. I've tried metro cream, lotion, noritate, sulfacet R
to
cover blemishes. As well as many over the counter creams, i.e. benzyol
peroxide. It seems anything I put on topically irritates the skin and
makes
it worst instead of better. Both dermatologists I've seen are very busy
and
to them my condition is somewhat mild? To me it is not, it's constant
redness and blemishes to deal with every day. Please advise. Thank you.
Hi Randy
I know exactly how you feel, I still feel socially debilitated by my rosacea
even though it is under control. When you say you tried Metronidazole cream
did you put it on as recommended, I find it very effective for the spots
associated with rosacea - were you putting anything else on at the same
time. Benzoyl peroxide and other such acne vulgaris preparations are definately not
indicated for rosacea - acne vulgaris and rosacea are two completely different skin
disorders! Are you making sure you avoid all the trigger factors including
as far as you can stress? Have you tried a covering makeup such as
dermablend. I look forward to hearing from you.
best wishes
kcn.
Dear kcn
I made a mistake on my original email - the actual dosage required is
actually 5 grams. This means that in order to get the 5 grams a day you
would have to take 10 500mg tablets a day - the bottle I have bought
advises
one tablet a day. You mentioned in your email that you were taking this
supplement for stress - how much do you take? Are you aware of any dangers
in taking excessive doses of the acid?
It all seems a bit too good to be true to me, but if there are no dangers
in
taking such a large dose it certainly seems worth a try.
Any comments would be really appreciated - in the meantime thanks for all
your help and take care.
Regards
Nick
Hi Nick
bloody hell that's a lot! My multi vitamin Solgar VM2000 has 100mg/day of the b complex vitamin pantothenic acid,
which it says is 1667% of the EU recommended dosage. There was talk from
the government last year of banning the sale of B complex vitamins over a
certain strength. Many people take them for stress and women take them for
PMT (b6&b12 being thought to be beneficial) the government was worried about
nerve damage and possible other side effects - further than that I can't
comment really - have you checked on our drug info page that website seems
good although I haven't had time to explore it yet. What is the name of
this other website - I usually find if something seems to good to be true -
it IS too good to be true. If they are selling stuff for a lot of money my
advice is to have a chat with your local health food shop.
best wishes
kcn.
Hello WB,
Firstly, I would like to thank you for acknowloging my questions in
the e-mail. It is greatly appreciated.
I do beleive rosacea is possiblilty because my mother has it.
However I was told by doctor that it only occurs in adults. Is that accurate
information? I know food is definately the trigger in my case. Also
showers make it red but mostly I found that if I'm out in the sun in the summer it
breaks out and the cold causes it to become dry leading to more breakouts.
One thing that I know to stay away from is chocolate and coffee. Is it the
cafeine??? I also wear makeup every time I go out. I don't find it makes
it any worse but is it keeping it from getting better??? Exercising regularly
makes a little bit of a difference. If it is rosacea and I use cream to
treat it will I notice difference right away?? Do I still need to eat
right and exercise while using the medication??? Is rosacea something that I
will always have or is it curable??
I hope you will be able to answer some of my questions..
Thank you!!!!
Sincerely, Eva
Hi Eva
well it sounds more likely to be rosacea than acne vulgaris to me. As you can see
from the emails I get Doctors have got it all wrong when they say that only
the 30-50 age group get rosacea - I wish they would WAKE UP for pity's sake.
Caffeine is a definate trigger factor, others are mentioned on the site.
Some people do experience spontaneous remission of symptoms, the rest of us
have to control the condition through a combination of medication and
avoiding trigger factors. If your make up doesn't aggravate your rosacea
that's good, take excercise as you think best. Let me know how you get on.
best wishes
kcn.
Yes, i think that acne vulgaris is really sad. and i hate it when ppl keep telling
me to try new methods to ease the condition. My friends often tell me off
for not taking care of my skin. This is ridiculous as i have been the one
doing all the work and paying all the money and yet there is no result.
Well, i just wanted to vent my anger.
Hi Stephanie
your friends want a kick up the rear end - don't they know it is a skin
disease? - it is a great shame that misinformation is perpertrated by
companies who produce spot treatments in their adverts that give people like
your friends the wrong idea. In the UK a tv ad campaign is on at the moment
by a well known company producing a useless spot treatment - all my life
they have had such ad campaigns that make you cringe, but more importantly
as you say give the impression to others that those of us with the skin
disease acne vulgaris can easily do something about it if only we weren't so lazy!!!
well I'd like to tell them to %^$£ *&&
best wishes
kcn.
I am eighteen years of age writing from Ireland.
I have acne vulgaris rosacea now for many years.I have
told by my doctor that i have chronic rosacea.
I am about to attend another dermattoligist
for more advice thats it i have not got much
more to say
robert
Hi Robert
Thank you for your email, it's great to hear off you, I hope you will stay in contact and let me know how you get on at your dermatologists. To control rosacea make sure that as well as medication you are avoiding the trigger factors as much as you can.
take care - I look forward to hearing off you soon.
kcn.
Hi! Thanks for the great website. I can't believe there are so many
people
out there effected by rosacea. (and some so young). It's nice to know
your not alone. I actually emailed you earlier about the "Mystic of the
Orient" soap? Received information via email today and wondered if anyone had
tried it. I would like to think with a seemingly growing problem eventually
they will find a cure. Possible?? (Squeaky wheel gets the oil) Is there any
research being done presently. Well, just wait until someone famous gets
diagnosed with rosacea and I promise a cure will not be far behind.
Joanna
Hello again
recovered from your run? I'll see if anyone else has tried the soap.
Research is going on all the time for acne vulgaris and rosacea and treatments do
improve - with the mapping of the human genome and genetic engineering the
future is VERY promising. I read Bill Clinton has rosacea and he's quite
famous.
take care
kcn.
I live in the US near San Francisco. My dermatologist just treated my
facial rosacea with a lasar. I went in for lasar treatment of the
recurrent spider veins by my nose, and came out with the entire rosacea
area treated - nose and cheeks. He said his new lasar with a wide area
spray works in one or two treatments on rosacea and should last a year
or two.
I have read little about this other than advertising. I hope it works.
Marie
Dear Marie
thank you for your information. can you tell us more about your experiences
with laser with as much detail as possible it will be of great benefit to
other readers. I look forward to hearing off you again.
best wishes
kcn.
I sufer form mild to severe acne vulgaris , but lets say that for now it's more of
a mild contidion I feel that the darn thing is running my life and I want
to put an end to it , but I do feel the embarsment of going to the doctor
for this I was wondering in your opining what is the best medication for this
type of problem , I really can't contrl it anymore I eat properly I clean
my face very well I just can't figure it out I can't wait that long for
things to get better with my face what can I do . Will
Hi Will
I know what you mean about being embarrassed to go to the Doctors. When I
was in my teens I only used to be able to get enough courage up to see my
Doc when my skin had improved! mmn not the best strategy! The best option
for you is to go to your Doctors and ask him/her about antibiotics oral or
topical, benzamycin is a combination of benzoyl peroxide and the antibiotic
erythromycin it is the most popular acne vulgaris treatment in the states - for more
severe acne vulgaris a retinoid and anti-inflammatory antibiotic may be indicated
such as isotrexin. acne vulgaris is not down to a dirty face (no matter what the
adverts on TV say) it is a skin disease. Obviously cleansing is important
as is keeping irritating substances away from the skin such as oils found in
makeup's or from the working environment, similarly food has little effect
as long as you are eating a healthy and balanced diet. So pluck up the
courage and let us know what your Doc says - we'll be thinking of you.
best wishes
kcn.
Hello,
I'm a 31 year old male looking for some advice. I had moderate -
severe acne vulgaris as a teen. And then for nearly 10 years, my skin was fine. Over
the past year, I've been diagnosed with rosacea. The frequency and
severity has increased. I have seen two dermatologists, have tried oral and
topical treatmets and still have constant redness, blemishes, and
blotchy skin.
This has been socially debilitating. I get to the point where I
want to stay home and hide all the time. Right now I am taking doxycycline
which doesn't seem to be working. I've tried metro cream, lotion, noritate,
sulfacet R to cover blemishes. As well as many over the counter creams, i.e.
benzyol peroxide. It seems anything I put on topically irritates the
skin and makes it worst instead of better. Both dermatologists I've seen are
very busy and to them my condition is somewhat mild? To me it is not, it's
constant redness and blemishes to deal with every day. Please advise.
Thank you.
Hi Randy
I know exactly how you feel, I still feel socially debilitated by
my rosacea even though it is under control. When you say you tried
Metronidazole cream did you put it on as recommended, I find it very effective for the
spots associated with rosacea - were you putting anything else on at the
same time. Benzoyl peroxide and other such acne vulgaris preparations are
definately not indicated for rosacea - acne vulgaris and rosacea are two completely
different skin disorders! Are you making sure you avoid all the trigger factors
including as far as you can stress? Have you tried a covering makeup such
as dermablend. I look forward to hearing from you.
best wishes
kcn.
Thanks for getting back to me!!
I have been using noritate again and it seems to be working
better. Iapply to the spots that are red, blemished and just lightly rub in a
smallamount. Should I not rub it in and keep it wet, so it will self-dry?? I
have avoided the trigger factors. Things that I enjoy, I've gone
without, i.e. caffeine, alcohol... What is dermablend? Is that over the counter
or is a prescription needed. I tried a Sulfacet R, but that seemed to
irritate my skin even more.
Each morning when I get up, I never know how bad it's going to be.
Andthen I'm literally avoiding people all day long. When it appears that
my skin is improving, I'll have a few more blemishes. It's not only the
redness (rosacea) that has gotten worst, but it's constant breakouts of
pimples. I'll try just about anything right now. Please advise.
Thanks, Randy
Hi Randy
Rubbing should be avoided in rosacea as that will bring blood to the
surface and can be aggravating. I don't know if your noritate is alcohol or
water based but when you renew your prescription ask for metrocream which
is water based - obviously alcohol can be an irritant for rosacea (don't ask
why they put it in!) It's a bugger giving up things but when you get your
skin under control you should be able to indulge in moderation again - but stay
of the caffeine! Dermablend is a make up you can get it on our shopping
page at beauty jungle our readers have recommended it. Do you have a
problem with flushing there are drugs that can help with that? Have you
considered stress management such as meditation or hyphotherapy I've found them
useful, stress can be a big trigger in skin conditions. Keep in touch.
best wishes
kcn.
What is the web site to order dermablend? And I do have a problem with
flushing. But I don't feel like I'm under much stress. So I should have
decaffeinated coffee then. In all honesty I'm still not sure what exactly my
triggers are. It seems I could drink only water, eat well and I still get
blemishes. I've tried metrocream as well as metro lotion, but haven't had
much luck with those either.
kcn,
I assume the lasar desicates the small, unseen blood vessels that get
inflamed with rosacea. Those blood vessels can grow back but it takes
time. The doctor says they usually grow back in smaller numbers.
Tetracycline did not work that well for me and I had to take it all the
time. My rosacea was mostly on my nose.
It doesn't really hurt. The lasar shoots out a numbing agent. The
doctor says he sets a dial for the intensity of the lasar treatment.
Some people choose a strong one time treatment but it leaves a purplish,
ugly bruise that takes two weeks to phase.
The treatment itself is strange. You put on an eye shield, but every
pulse of the lasar gives you intense, colorful light blasts. Its a
little alarming.
My face was very red and blotchy when I left the office but it has faded
a little since.
Marie
Thank you very much for that Marie it is very much appreciated and will be of great interest to our other readers.
I am a 34yr old married mother of two. Last year I was diagonised with rosacea. I am blonde and very fair skinned. My symtoms included the red face (everyone always thought I was tanning and got burned in the face) and very bad nodule acne vulgaris. I always had acne vulgaris in my teens but the acne vulgaris got worse, deep pimples that hurt and the redness never went away. I weet to a dermatologist for the acne vulgaris and after several trips and changing to another derma. I was finally diagnosed. It took changing the medication from tetrocyline, doxycline, minocycline and then finally Accutane which then helped tremondously with the acne vulgaris. I was on it for a couple of months and my skin never looked better. Well as of today, I have to be put back on Accutane because after being off of it for 8 months my condition seems to be coming back. Some people need a second dose months later. I have tried metrocream for the redness and it does work alittle. I use a moisturizer on my face at night and under my makeup (Cornsilk Foundation). I love spicy food but hate what it does to my face (REDNESS) and drinking alcohol, I look like a lobster but I still enjoy myself. I have found that alot of people have this and don't know it. I can say that the Accutane has helped alot. It is very serious stuff though. I have to have pregnacy test and blood work done and my skin dries up and my lips crack but it is all work it. I had a healthy glow. But I am disappointed that today I must start back up on it again. But the results in the end are fabulous
Thank you very much for writing,
Sometimes I get so frustrated with my red face. People year 'round
always say "You've gotten some sun haven't you?" It bugs!
Anyway, I am using the Metro gel and when I use it twice a day like I'm
supposed to it does get better. However, it is quite expensive at
$15.00 an ounce and that is with health insurance! Well, life goes on and
I know it could be worse....out.....Tim .....
A feature in "Style" magazine, Sunday times Oct 15th included an item on acne vulgaris rosacea. An American doctor, also a sufferer, recommends taking a form of antioxidant vitamin C called Ester-C, plus grape-seed extract. Apparently this combination has great anti-inflammatory properties. He suggests dosage according to your weight .
Whilst trying to find further information on his remedies I came upon your page. Does anyone have experience of this vitamin and extract as a remedy?
I am 34 years old and I have diagnosed with rosacea. I found out that I
did not suffer too much from this disease while I was preagnant ( I gave birth
4 months ago). However, now I feel terrible again; my doctor told me there
is nothing I can do about it. My skin feels dry and in some parts oily tooa
and it itches. I leave in Mexico, but I was planning to go to Houston to find
out if there is any treatment for me. Please give me some advise
Hi great to hear off you.
Of course there is plenty you can do! Usual treatments are tetracycline
antibiotics and metronidazole creams. You will need to learn about rosacea
and what are your trigger factors, if you have a good read of my site
www.acne vulgaris-rosacea.co.uk , you should find what you need, any questions write
again to me.
take care and best wishes
kcn.
Dear Whoever,
I am a 22 year old male from Kent. When I was 13 I started to suffer with severe acne vulgaris! I was fortunate in some way's as the acne vulgaris never affected my face, no I used to suffer with it on my back & shoulders.
I first went to the doctors when I was 17, I had finally had enough, I had scars all over my back & the acne vulgaris had got worse and spread all over my chest as well, and up until now I had been too embarrassed to seek medical advise.
When I finally went to the doctors he took one look and sent me straight to a specialist. The specialist told me that it was the worst case of acne vulgaris he had ever seen in over 30 years of medicine.
By this time the acne vulgaris had got worse, I no longer had spots, I was starting to develop large pustules, huge painful lumps!
After 6 wasted months of useless anti-biotic my specialist decided that the only treatment that could work was a medicine called Roacatane. I took this for just over six months, the acne vulgaris had improved but the drug was making me very ill, skin on my face was peeling off, and sore to touch!
I decided that the medicine had cleared the acne vulgaris slightly, but enough to make me feel comfortable again! I could now go on holiday lay in the sun without feeling ashamed of spots!
Up until April this year I'd only had the occasional spot here and there. Then in February I had an operation on my spine, after coming out of hospital I started getting big painful lumps appear on my chest, just one at a time but nevertheless I had been here before!
I went straight to the doctors and explained the problems I had had in the past, he dismissed me out of hand with a prescription for some if****go anti-biotic drug, even though I had explained that they didn't work!!
I'm sitting here this morning feeling as though I could cry. Even after 9 years of suffering with this terrible skin infection I'm still too embarrassed to tell anyone what it is! acne vulgaris is seen as a trivial thing by so many, but to the people who suffer from it, sever or moderate, acne vulgaris is a confidence killer. And what annoys me most of all is that there is treatment out there for it, but trying to find a doctor to understand, that's the hard part!!
Steve
Kent
Dear Steve
thank you very much for your very brave email. Your experiences will be an all too familiar tale to thousands of others who will read it. It does depend on your Doctor what sort of treatment you get and how seriously they take your condition. We all know the depths of despair, pain, suffering and humiliation skin diseases can cause, your Doctor should too. My only advice is to print out your email and go back to your Doctor with it, tell him/her how acne vulgaris is affecting your life causing emotional and phsycological damage, insist on being refered to a Dermatologist again, if your Doctor is non-compliant make an appointment with another Doctor in the pracitise - go to a different group of Doctors if necessary but keep fighting until you feel you are getting the attention and treatment you deserve. We all look forward to hearing positive news off you soon Steve.
take care and best wishes.
kcn.
Hi there, this is Jason from Singapore. And I am jealous about people with
smooth skins. Well, I got acne vulgaris problems for nearly 2 years. It keeps on to me and I feel very irritated about it. I hate it very much, I just can't seems to get rid of it. After using serveral cleasner and tonners, it's still there in my skin. I hope that I really can get back to my baby face.I really hope it. I am very stress about having this kind of face. It partly on my forehead, and the sides of my face. It keeps
on growing on the same spots. I am afraid that I can't face the world if
it worsten, or it will heal. I got serveral questions. Can I wash my faces with cleanser more than 3times? About 4 is the most. And when I dry my face, should I pet it very softly? And when I use cottons to clean of the dirt and oil, must I rub it with a bit of strenght to remove dirt or to gentlely pet it?
Worried lad.
_ Hi great to hear off you.
I wouldn't put too much hope in cleansers and such like no matter how much
they spend on advertising. Go and see your Doctor and ask him about
benzamycin a combination of benzoyl peroxide and erythromycin antibiotic,
he/she may prescribe oral antibiotics, there are also many other treatments,
have a good look at the site and read the emails of others experiences, you
will need to learn about acne vulgaris as a skin disease to have the best chance of
fighting it successfully.
take care and best wishes
kcn.
hi their my name is jim and iv'e had roscea for 3 years now,
i got to the point where nothing seemed to work, antibiotics
make it worse, used metro jel all kinds of creams i dont think theirs anything i havn't used, at the present time im useing
sulfacet-r, i dont no how long a person can use this but right now it is helping, but boy do i get depressed with this thing, i find myself not wanting to go anywere, i seams like you have to explain to people what you have,, im 71 years old,
a friend told me he heard of a new treatment for this do you no what it is, anyway thank you
yours truly jim
Hi!
My name is Gordan. I am from the former Yugoslavia. I moved to Canada 5 years ago.I am 24 years old. My mother was diagnosed with rosacea last year.
Past couple of days, however, I started experiencing the very same symptoms my mother had last year. My cheeks are incredibly pink, my nose, too, is pink. When I come closer to the mirror, I can see that the redness on the cheeks is not my usual redness, but looks like millions of little, miniature pimples. In addition, my eyes are wattery and a couple of days ago I had three well-defined pimples on my eye-lid. My facial skin became incredibly dry for no reason.
Is there any chance in the world that this is not rosacea? All the symptoms seem to be rosacea symptoms to me, but I am only 24...
Another question: If I start treating what seems to be rosacea on time (during its early stage) am I going to be able to treat it forever, or is it going to worsen someday anyway?
Thank you in advance!
Gordan
Hi Gordon great to hear off you . (your email address doesn’t work! Gordon)
You may have rosacea or perhaps a touch of Dermatitis (daktarin indicated). Early intervention is best if it is rosacea and it does NOT neccessarily worsen over time, you may find you have periods of flare ups and remissions, If it is rosacea try some of the medications mentioned on the site and avoid the trigger factors. Although there is probably a genetic link with your parents the severity of your parents rosacea is NOT an indication of how you will be affected. For instance I am the only one in my family with it. See your Doctor armed with the information off the site and let us know what he/she says.
best wishes and take care
kcn.
Hi,
I am wondering if you can help me with my problem
which sounds as if it might be rosacea. I have quite
a reddish nose and red patches either side. I've had
them for years and used to get a sort of weeping red
rash on my forehead which went when I gave up dairy
products, the redness on the face and nose remained.
The worst problem came about a few years ago. I
constantly seem to get two hot, swollen patches just
under my eyes, more or less on the top of my cheeks.
When they appear my eyes feel very swollen, although
they don't look it, and get very red and feel weak.
There is a constant feeling of slight pressure on my
cheeks and either side of my nose. I also get a
tremendous feeling of fatigue and distress. I get
depressed, but not because of the redness which I
cover up with make-up, just the feeling of debility
when the cheeks swell and get very hot, and the eyes
feel swollen. I have been to countless doctors,
alternative practitioners, had all the allergy tests
currently available and food intolerance tests - all
negative. No one can imagine the misery I currently
feel. I've had to take six months leave from work to
try and sort myself out.
When I saw your web-site I was so pleased, as it seems
this might be the answer. Could you tell my if my
symptoms match rosacea? I would do anything to get
rid of this problem and hope you can advise me.
Thank you,
Wendy
Hi Wendy
Redness on the cheeks and nose is a rosacea symptom as are spots. Swelling
on the face, under the eyes for instance can be a symptom of rosacea also.
rosacea can interfere with the lymphatic drainage system causing swelling,
also the feeling of heat on the cheeks and your eye irritation can also be
symptoms of rosacea. Your feelings of fatigue and distress are an
understandable emotional reaction to the despair you feel with you problems,
I've been exactly the same way myself. When my rosacea was at it's worst I
only had to go outside for 10mins (and this is the North of England where we
get little sun) and I could feel fluid beginning to run under my skin, red
wheals and patches of redness, spots etc appeared and avoiding all triggers
thereafter it took 3 weeks for my skin to get back to normal (unless another
trigger set it off of coursejwhich it always did) - now my rosacea is under
control - why? how? well firstly I am not in the stressful job I was in
(which was also shift work and disturbed sleep patterns) I was at a period
in my life of great stress, pregnancy (my girlfriend, now my wife),
bereavement (my Dad), house purchase then redundancy and it is no
coincidence that my skin was at it's worst in that period. STRESS is a huge
trigger and to be avoided in my opinion, of course your thinking but MY
rosacea IS STRESSFUL and your right. Early intervention with tetracycline
antibiotics can avoid eye trouble, metronidazole should help any spots, one
of the drugs mentioned on the site for treating flushing will help with that
and as long as you avoid the trigger factors your skin should settle down
and become more resilient to the odd digressions (I get through a generous
amount of wine at the weekend with no ill effects now!). So read as much as
you can learn about rosacea try different treatments - insist on seeing a
Dermatologist - try hypnotherapy (or our relaxation tape - excellent even
though I say so myself), or meditation. Why not correspond with someone on
our penpal page Paula is really nice and noone has replied to anyone yet!!!!
It's great comfort to talk to someone in the same predicament. Stay in
touch and take care.
best wishes
kcn.
Just a few questions regarding rosacea. I'm not sure if I have it. I do
flush very easily; especially when I talk to people or even laugh. I had
bad acne vulgaris and continue to have acne vulgaris till this day. Will I get rosacea
because of my acne vulgaris? And does the blushing trigger rosacea. I have also
gone for several micropeels and they really don't seem to work all that
well.
I do have a few broken vessels around my upper cheek area. Not too bad. I
am worried if I either have or if I am going to get it. Please respond.
Hi Nicole
acne vulgaris and rosacea are two completely different skin diseases. People who
blush easily do not have to get rosacea (although they may be statistically
more likely). rosacea can have acne vulgaris like spots. You may not have acne vulgaris you
may have rosacea, or dare I say both (not unlikely) - ask your Doctor and let us know what he/she says. Can
you give us some details of the micropeels you had - it may be of use to
other readers who are suffering the same distress of skin disease that you
are.
I look forward to hearing off you again, take care and best wishes
kcn.
i am 52 years old. I have had bad skin all my life and now in my older years i have rosacea. for the last several months, i have had problems with bloodshot and itchy eyes. i thought it was allergies but aftter reading your web page , i think it is from the rosaceai. Question: do i see a deramatologist or eye dr. about 3 years ago, i went to a dermato. and got put on the topical creme. after 2 months, i saw no improvemtn so stoppped and have done notheing since then.. but since now i beleive that is affecting my eyes, i nneed to do something. thanks for your web page. sandra
Dear Sandra
Hi great to hear off you. It's bloody great is'nt it just as you get over acne vulgaris (I presume) you're hit with rosacea. Early intervention with tetracycline can help eye trouble. Do you see an eye doctor or dermatologist? that depends which one knows her job and can prescribe the correct treatment, I afraid as we say "you pays your money and makes your choice". Unfortunately as thousands of readers will agree with, finding a competent and willing Doctor to treat skin conditions is something of a lottery. You'll let us know how you get on won't you?
take care and best wishes
kcn.
Thank you for having answered.
I have an appointment on December 27 to visit Dr. John Wolf at the Methodist
Hospital in Houston. Do you ahve any references on him? As I told you I leave
in Mexico City and I want to be sure that he knows as much as possible about
this problem.
Thank you.
Anyone? kcn.
Hi,
thanks for your reply.
As I expected, my doctor told me that he couldn't tell anything now. He prescribed me ELOCON which I am supposed to put on my face twice a day. It doesn't seem to be doing much good. As I understand, it is a medication agaist allergies and is not used for rosacea.
I bombarded him with the information yesterday. I told him that my skin was dry, that I had redness on cheeks, nose, forehead... I told him about little pimples on my eyes, I told him about my very irritated eyes... I asked him to be sincere with me, even my mother was there... He told me that I shouldn't worry so much, that it didn't seem like rosacea to him at the moment, that I should use ELOCON for 7 days, and that if it doesn't help he will send me to another doctor for a second opinion.
I don't know what to think after this. I guess I will listen to him and hope that this is some sort of a strange allergy that will go away (I am hoping that it is an allergy to dust, because I started working at a bookstore about 2 months ago). Anyway, I am a bit afraid to wait, and at the same time I am still glad that I'm not officialy diagnosed with rosacea.
What worries me most is the fact that if it is rosacea, my nose is going to be affected. Every page I go to I see pictures of that bloody comedian that scares sh**t out of me. I just wish there were more positive examples, and some kind of hope that not everybody will end up with a big, red nose.
I also wanted to ask for your opinion in regard to my mother. Her rosacea worsened when she tried the traditional rosacea pills (The one that begins with "T" in particular). She positively responded to ELOCON. Her doctor (which is my doctor too) told her that it wasn't rosacea, but now that symptoms are constantly present (pimples on cheeks, red nose) he says that it might be rosacea influnced by her hormonal changes (she is 52).
I am confused and I don't want to bother you anymore. It's just that we don't know what is best for us. If you have any opinions, please respond. I enormously appreciate any help.
Thank you,
Gordan
Hi Gordon don't worry about contacting me if I can be of any help to anyone it makes my Day! I pulled off this information about Elocon from the drug info page on my website……..
As you can see Gordon Elocon is a Corticosteroid which may make rosacea appear better in the short term but in the long term can thin the skin and make rosacea worse. As your Doctor says give Elocon a try for 7 days, if there is no improvement then go and see the other Doctor who is hopefully a qualified Dermatologist and he or she will make a correct diagnosis and prescribe suitable treatment. Don't be worried about nose enlargement - it is a very rare complication, I have only had 2 emails about it! Tetracycline can sometimes make people more sensitive to the sun and exposure to the sun can cause rosacea flare ups, the answer in that case is to use a non-irritating sun block. I personally found metronidazole cream better for me than tetracycline. If your mother has been on corticosteroids for some time, she may find her skin thinning and patients find when coming off the steroids that there rosacea is worse than it was in the beginning, this should settle down in time with correct treatment. Don't PANIC if you have rosacea you can control it! keep reading the site about trigger factors and drugs for flushing etc and let me know how you get on at the end of the week and if you have any further questions I can help you with.
take care and best wishes to your mum
kcn.
Hello there,
Thank you so much for replying. I will certainly
follow your advice and hope for some relief. You are
right about stress. I did have a stressful job, from
which I am now on leave, it has all left me feeling a
bit downcast. I did enjoy reading your reply, it's
left me feeling not quite so hopeless. I would say to
anyone with this condition that getting anyone in the
traditional or alternative medical profession to
understand what you're trying to describe is
absolutely impossible and if I hadn't found your
website I would be no nearer knowing anything myself.
As I said, the worst of the condition I can control by
not using dairy products, but the redness is still
there and I hadn't realised how much it could cause
the problem of the eye swelling which I find worst of
all.
Thanks for your time,
Wendy.
Pleasure kcn.
Hi. I am a 15 year old female and i don't know if i
have rosacea or not. i could and not even know it. I
am currently on accutane for acne vulgaris b/c i know i have
that and my skin is like clear now but i do get red a
lot like when i'm embarassed or am talking to someone
i like and stuff. the redness goes away when i just
calm down but i still don't know whether or not it
could be rosacea. i have a dermatology appointment on
like November 3 or something, should I ask her?
thanks a lot,
stacey
Hi!
I don't know if you replied to my second letter. My computer crushed yesterday and all the messages were deleted. So, if you have it saved, I would really appreciate it if you could send it again.
I am really sorry to bother you all the time, but I REALLY need help now. I am terribly depressed, which seems to be a good reason for my condition to worsen.
I went to my doctor yesterday again and asked him to make an appointment with a dermatologist for me. He is going to do that, but it will take several weeks before I am able to see one.
I am ready to deal with rosacea, but my concern is my eyes. They are irritated every morning when I wake up. The eye-lids are sometimes more irritated and sometimes less. But, they are often bloody red inside. They are itching and feel dry. Can this be a symptom of a regular rosacea, or is it certain that I have OCULAR rosacea too? If it IS ocular rosacea, what do I do? Is it progressive? Will I have to deal with it for the rest of my life? Can it be treated effectively? It is more irritating and frightening than my face. My face is red, and I will learn to deal with it, but what about my eyes? Yesterday I cried a lot, so it may be another reason for such a strong irritation.
What surprises me most is the fact that I have very strong symptoms all of a sudden. I read on many pages that rosacea first appears as a simple redness, blah, blah...But why do I have such strong symptoms in only 5 days? I am only 24. I am ready to be ugly by the age of 50, but I am not ready, not ready at all to be blind. I just applied for Master's Degree in Film Studies, I had excellent marks in my undergraduate degree. But, I am so depressed now that I think I won't be able to continue my studies. I am afraid that I will become blind and that I won't be able to enjoy visual culture that I decided to dedicate my life to.
I am happy, however, that I have a very understanding girlfriend and extremely supportive parents. While I am writing you this, I am crying again and my eyes are becoming more irritated. I should stop. I guess it is much easier to deal with rosacea when you are 40 than when you are 24. Again, I am terribly sorry to bother you, but I desperately need somebody who can give me a good advice, or a word of comfort.
Again, I received only one e-mail from you so far. I will appreciate it a lot if you write to me. I am depressed and extremely terrified. I guess my biggest fear is OCULAR rosacea. My eyes feel very bad in the morning. Does all of this sound like a very difficult case to you? As for my face, I still do not have pimples, but my redness is ever present. It doesn't really go away, but it calms down and errupts on my cheeks and my nose (does that indicate a big possiblity for rhyno-something?).
Please, please, please reply to my letter. I am very emotional and I think that doctors don't care too much so I don't know whom to talk to. If you want, please reply to me at
Do not reply to this address!
Thank you so much in advance!
Gordan
Dear Gordon, my messages to you keep coming back so I hope you see this!.
I am sure you are not going to be ugly, blind or have rhinophyma. I think you are worrying unneccessarily, if irritation has only appeared in your eyes in the last 5 days it is probably nothing to do with rosacea. There is NO reason to suppose your rosacea - if you have it - will get any worse than it is today. I have had rosacea since I was a teenager I am now 40 and if anything it's improved!!!! Having a red nose is NOT a precursor to Rhinophyma, I think perhaps you have been frightened by the pictures of worse cases that are on some sites - they are NOT typical. If you have (and until you see your dermatologist it is IF) rosacea and it effects your eyes a gritty and irritated feeling will be all you feel without it getting worse until your 84 and get run over by a bus. You are doing the correct thing in seeing your Dermatologist he/she is best placed for diagnosis and prescribing medication. Go back to your Doctors and ask him to prescibe metrocream to use until you see you Dermatologist and I would recommend you take an antidepressant called Zispin it can help with the flushing of rosacea and may help with your feelings of depression. Don't worry everything will work out ok. You are in a difficult time don't fall into the trap of thinking that things will not improve they will!! Get back to me again if I can help further, let me know what your Doctors says, and again when you go to the Dermatologist, and let me know how you feel anyway, I'm very concerned for you.
take care
kcn..