Please help, it´s starting to affect me mentally...

Skin, nail and hair health
1

Hi all,

I was diagnosed with rosacea about a month ago. I never really had a bad skin, only lupus diagnosed but well controlled with spf 50 and hydroxycloroquine when needed. Always ate well, drank lots of water, normal skincare routine, although I reckon sometimes I have used some harsh products, but never did a dramatic treatment such as peelings, glycolyc acid, etc.

So suddenly, after Xmas and having used new products started to feel my skin itchy, irritated, like inflammated... then stopped using all of those products cause they contained alcohol, but I guess after years of use the damage was done. Suddenly, one day I woke up to rashes in my face, dry patches, irritation, redness, pustules and little bumps. Got rid of all my products with alcohol/fragrance and went for mild ones, but nothing changed. Went to my GP who told me it could be rosacea and prescribed Metrosa. After a month, it is not working. Actually, had a new rash today after a week feeling really itchy and dry. 

Can't concentrate at work, can´t sleep and it´s affecting my private life as well. Always felt confident with myself, now I can´t. I feel horrible and depressed. Have tried lots of mild products for sensitive skin (no alcohol, no fragrance), but actually I feel they have aggravated my condition. I don´t know what to do, to be honest. I am desperate. Scheduled another appoinment with the GP, but I don´t think he knows that much about it. And going to a dermatologist (clinic) is way expensive. Please help me. I really need it. Don't know at this point what to put on my face cause everything irritates me and causes me more red patches. Will probiotics help? Can´t live this way anymore.

Many thanks.

2

Hello Kosmikka,I have suffered from Rosacea for a number of years now, and have posted on this site on a number of occasions.Regarding Rosacea, I have learned that any product with alcohol, perfumes or harsh chemicals makes the appearance of affected skin worse. On most occasions, if possible only plain water is the best option. If I do use a soap on my face only very mild simple soap (simple is the brand name) is used, but this is used only occasionally and sparingly.As regard to your circumstances, having read about it, it may be that the Lupus you are suffering from is affecting your skin and complicating the issue. I would ask your doctor to refer you to a specialist as both Lupus and Rosacea are difficult conditions to control and may be beyond the ordinary General Practitioner.One thing to remember is that we are always our own worst critic. We always look closely at ourselves in the mirror and exaggerate problems in our own mind. Others won't notice the problems to the degree you do and wont be as concerned as you think they are.I am sure that with the right medical advice, and over time you will come to be able to manage your condition. Good luck, all of the people that read this forum know how you feel and wish you well. Peter

3

Dear Peter

Thank you very much for your kind words. I am aware of the own criticism, but it's difficult to manage . I'm a woman in my 30's and always have taken care of myself, eat well, exercise, etc. Good skincare and all that. I went through a hard time when I was diagnosed with lupus and it seems to be happening again. I know it will get better overtime, but is hard to look at yourself in the mirror like that when only 4 months ago I was quite alright.

I am going to take a blood test in regards to lupus and a possible development but to be honest, one knows herself better after dealing with that for years (as I'm sure you know) and I don't think this episode it's related to lupus. We will see.

I know water is the best option for cleansing (although is pretty hard here in London) but it's not possible for me cause I wear makeup daily, and I must wash my face. Will try and see if I can find a very mild cleanser for sensitive skin, as the brand you mention.

So having rosacea for so many years...do you always have the same condition or are there times you experience any remission? Do you think taking probiotics could help somehow?

Many thanks Peter

4

Hello Kosmikka,I have had Rosacea for a number of years, and from experience have found that it varies from bad to almost unnoticeable at times. There are various factors that affect the condition including the medication, diet, stress, ultraviolet light and your general well being. I have not tried probiotics, but others who have say they can be effective. In my own experience, Doxycycline tablets are the most effective treatment. It is an antibiotic that gets rid of (or reduces) the pustules, and it also reduces the redness associated with Rosacea giving a better appearance. If you go to your doctor, you may have to be insistent and explain the psychological effect that the condition is having on you as there is a reluctance to prescribe antibiotics as a long term treatment for Rosacea. The tablets take a number of weeks to become fully effective, so you have to stick with them.One thing I have learnt is that everyone is different and it takes time to find the best course of action for each individual. I'm sure you will find the best solution for you.Good luck.Peter

5

Calamine lotion saved my sanity.  It takes the redness out very quickly and is very soothing.  I still get blushing now and then and go to the calamine lotion (a very light coating if I'm going to be in public still helps but doesn't show).  I haven't had a break out of those awful red bumps for 6 months or more.  I swear it is because I quit eating gluten although my dermatologist says it is not the case.  All I know is nothing the dermatiologist gave me worked very well or for very long and my niece told me going off gluten cured her.  It took about 3 months of not eating gluten before I had real relief and over a year before I was completely free of the outbreaks.  It is a big commitment and tough to stick to without any guarantee but I was desperate and I do believe that's what did the trick.  I recommend at least trying the calamine lotion though, I still put it on almost every night before bed and it has helped tremendously.

6

Thank you so much for your answer.

Can't sleep right now looking at my skin pictures and how it was before

I have been using an alcohol free cleanser and moisturizer since being diagnosed, but the condition gets worse everyday. Don't know what to put on my skin and I've tried too many things lately ( one of the problems I think)

Have you ever tried Clinique Redness Solutions or Dermalex? Something to make my skin smoother, I am truly desperate. Going to the doctor in 2 weeks to see if he can give me some other medication, although I'm quite skeptical

Many thanks

7

So sorry for what you're going through Kosmikka.  I was in the same place about two years ago and I know how devestating it is.  I wash my face with a prescription from my Dr. that is sodium sulfacetamide 9% sulfur 4% wash.  Or I just wash it in the shower with my shampoo, selsun blue, which has sulfur in it.  Then I splash on some alchohol free witch hazel.  If I need a sunscreen I use Cetaphil Daily moisturizer which has an spf of 15.  That's it for my face.  I do use Clinique Redness Solution powder occasionally.  It really does cut down on the red and doesn't cause irritation but I rarely need it anymore.  I did use Doxycyline for a while and it may have helped.  Hard to tell because my face was getting better on it's own already, but it may have sped it up.  Can't hurt.  Please let me know if you try the Calamine lotion and how it worked.  I don't hear about it from others which surprises me because it really saved my sanity.  Good luck, you really will get better although it doesn't seem so now!

8

Hi Kosmikka

I am so sorry to hear your suffering. I hope my story can give you some hope.

I began to get Rosacea in my mid 30s. To be honest I didn’t really think that much of it, I had always had sensitive skin so thought it was just that. Then suddenly it became clear it was more. My GPs response varied, one looked at my face in horror and asked to take a photo as he ‘hadn’t seen anything so bad in years’ which was really helpful! Another told me I had acne and prescribed me a skin lotion that felt like it was melting me skin. On my last visit I walked into the doctors and burst into tears. By this point I had cut and styled my hair so that it hid as much of my face as possible, was only really leaving the house to go to work and began to suffer from anxiety and panic attacks.

This GP referred me to a dermatologist it took around six weeks to get an appointment and the first thing I did was burst into tears again. He was so understanding, I felt better immediately. He prescribed me tetracycline and sent me for a skin test. He also gave me a sound piece of advice which seems obvious now but in my near hysterical state had to be pointed out to me, calm down, look after yourself inside and out and talk to people, don’t just hide away. So with that in mind I made some changes.

Beauty Products

Firstly, I researched beauty products and made the decision to stop trying all sorts of products and not giving them a chance to work. Over a weekend I wore no make up and washed with water only. On Saturday my skin hurt and was redder than ever by Sunday the stinging was less and by Monday morning a little less red.

I then started new products which I still use now and have worked wonders for me.

Diet

Water and green tea and more water and green tea, I also make a green tea, leave to cool and use as a toner sometimes.

I made sure I had something green with every meal, and I mean every meal, avocados, spinach, broccoli, kale, cucumber were my friends. Loads of oily fish, I stank the office out with sardines for weeks! I also took green supplements and probiotics.

I try to eat healthily but indulge in my vices, I love coffee, with sugar and cheese, I still indulge and as long as I am looking after myself on the whole it doesn’t disrupt my skin or if it does it’s for a day a most.

Mentally

I made a massive effort to face this. I hated looking in the mirror, I would be in tears each morning but I forced myself to mention it to people. It helped, a lot. So many people were understanding and had advice for me. But best of all, when the tablets and the small changes began to work, they noticed and mentioned it which made me feel so happy.

As far as the tablets, I don’t take them anymore, I took them for four months then risked stopping and while I have a pink tinge most days I can live with that, for me I am happier knowing that I can control the condition mostly without them and if I have a really bad flair up they are there to help me get control again. I did this while still under the care of the dermatologist and it worked for me but I completely understand for some people it’s the medication that controls the condition.

For me the tablets gave me the kick start that I needed to get control, I can remember the first day I looked in the mirror and wasn’t bright red, I honestly didn’t recognise myself and then when I put my hair up, it was such a relief. Please don’t give up. There will be something that works for you, I know it feels like it is never ending but you will get control of this. It’s a mix of medication, what you put inside of yourself and mentally taking back control.

Good luck, we all know how you feel and wish you well.

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9

Hi Kosmikka, 

I have been where you've been. I suffered quite badly with rosacea myself and struggled to find a way to deal with it. And yes, you can avoid certain products, use creams and lotions and live your life a specifc way but I feel like if you ever want to get back to normal and really have a go at getting it to go away, seeing a dermatologist is the way to go. 

At first, I was really resisting, becuase you're totally right it can be pricy, but at the end of the day, I went, I paid and I do not regret a single penny I spent on it because my rosacea symptoms have really gone down and I feel so much better about the way I look and feel. It really can boost your confidence. I forgot what it felt like to walk around without worrying if people are looking at my skin.  

I was exactly like you, i couldn't go into work because I just felt horrendous looking at myself in the mirror every mornring, I felt like I couldnt make new friends becuase I felt too self concious and I was absolutely desperate to get my skin better. I just think that going to a dermatologist has to be done if you are desperate and feeling as bad as you do. 

I ended up going to one. They knew exactly how to help me and gave me all the right stuff to use. So friendly too and made me realise it was actually a common problem to have so I wouldnt feel too consious. I really reccomend going to see someone about it because it kinda has changed my life. 

I hope this helped!

J x

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10

Dear all,

Thank you so much for taking the time to write, you are all such a lovely crew.

At this point, I don't really know what's going on, but what I know is that this is not rosacea. I think I mentioned I was prescribed with Metrosa (a type of gel for rosacea flares), and after using it for 15 days, I realised it was making the condition worse. I stopped using it last weekend and decided to go for an old cream I kept for dermatitis, and so far the bumps and rash seem to be improving. That is a cortisone cream, obviously if it was rosacea my skin would be burning.

What I think I have is some kind of contact/ allergic dermatitis to something. Since I started having problems, I decided to get rid of all of my skin products with alcohol and perfume, and tried plain products. Can you believe all of those products caused me more irritation? Specially sunscreens. I tried one from Neutrogena for sensitive skin, and another one from Clinique. Both of them containing zinc dioxide and titanium dioxide, which is supposed to be safe for sensitive skin. Well, since using those my skin felt like burning. I can tell cause at night I use a hydrating cream (no alcohol, of course) and my skin feels good. But in the morning when I put on the sunscreen, I feel so uncomfortable the whole day. I decided to use an old sunscreen from Caudalie, it has perfume on it (small amount) but no zinc or titanium, and it seems to work better. I am wearing it today but I put on Clinique Redness Solutions make up which I believe it contains both ingredients (along with octinoxate, a pretty irritating ingredient. Yep, that's supposed to be used for sensitive skin), so I think that's causing me the irritation now. 

I'm going to the GP next Wednesday and will explain the situation. I will try and make him refer me to a dermatologist, cause I am sure I am allergic to some ingredient but not quite sure which one. I need a patch testing. I can't keep on trying products and spending money like that. To be honest, this happened to me years ago, when I was diagnosed with Lupus. I first visited 3 different dermatologists which dieagnosed me with rosacea, till one smart one decided to go for some blood test, and that's when they saw it was lupus. 

It's a tricky situation for me, I gladly would give up on sunscreens, but since I have lupus it is mandatory for me to wear it daily. But honestly, I don't seem to have the rosacea symptoms, don't have rosy cheeks, just the rashes. My skin has always been sensitive though. Hopefully will find a solution soon, cause this situation is quite discouraging. 

Thank you very much again for your answers and tips.