Rosacea - what kind do you have, what doc treats it, and what's worked?

[Anonymous]

Mine was triggered by face mites.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine was triggered by face mites.

What? Like an overgrowth of them? (I had to look this up - had no idea face mites live in our pores...yikes.)

[Anonymous]

I've had reasonable success with 50 mg of doxycycline daily. I've taken it for years.

[Anonymous]

SIBO

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.

You probably got it due to surgery, because abdominal surgery can cause SIBO, which can cause rosacea.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/small-intestinal-bacterial-overgrowth/symptoms-causes/syc-20370168

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I developed rosacea after a sinus infection that required 3 courses of antibiotics. It took me about a year to figure out what triggers my face and neck to turn bright red/itchy/bumpy. I now avoid those triggers with a passion and that controls 80% of my flare ups. When my face starts to get tingly and hot I do cold compresses and a Benadryl to slow it down. I only wash my face with Dove Sensitive skin. I can only use Aveno lotion. I can't use any makeup. The only lip balm I can use is Chapstick, Burts Bees, Carmex and Blixtex tinted with spf. Figuring all of this out was a painful and frustrating process. I also can no longer drink beer or wine. I can drink hard alcohol once in a while. My dermatologist suggested I take a Pepcid Complete 1 hour before a drink to help the flare up and it usually does help. During the winter I have a humidifier going 24/7 in our house to help as well.

You probably also have SIBO.

See a GI doctor. Consider Rifaximin. You need to kill the bacteria that has gotten into your small intestine, most likely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I developed rosacea after a sinus infection that required 3 courses of antibiotics. It took me about a year to figure out what triggers my face and neck to turn bright red/itchy/bumpy. I now avoid those triggers with a passion and that controls 80% of my flare ups. When my face starts to get tingly and hot I do cold compresses and a Benadryl to slow it down. I only wash my face with Dove Sensitive skin. I can only use Aveno lotion. I can't use any makeup. The only lip balm I can use is Chapstick, Burts Bees, Carmex and Blixtex tinted with spf. Figuring all of this out was a painful and frustrating process. I also can no longer drink beer or wine. I can drink hard alcohol once in a while. My dermatologist suggested I take a Pepcid Complete 1 hour before a drink to help the flare up and it usually does help. During the winter I have a humidifier going 24/7 in our house to help as well.

OP here - antibiotics could have triggered mine - I was at the ER with peritonitis and had emergency surgery. So, I had IV antibiotics followed by a week of two different antibiotics. Rosacea flushing started during this recovery process and it pops up at random times - no obvious/consistent triggers so far.

Pp here- I forgot about the sun...I can no longer handle it at all. I have to wear long sleeves and a big brimmed hat. So far Aveeno sunscreen works ok for me but avoidance is really my best bet. My kids laugh about my ugly floppy hats but they have also seen what happens if mom goes in the sun without it and always make sure I have one available. Im the mom up in the stands with the big umbrella trying to cheer while staying in the shade.

[Anonymous]

I have mild rosacea. I try really hard to keep my skin barrier entact. I use cleanser, azelaic acid and mineral sunscreen with zinc everyday (links below). I also change my sheets and pillow cases every week and run a humidifier. I take low dose antibiodics during flares and fish oil every day. It really bothered me for a while when I first got it--now it's more manageable and I almost forget I have it most of the time. For me, the worst triggers for me are skiing-related (cold/wind/sun on the slopes, drinks apres ski and soak in a hot tub).

https://www.dermstore.com/product_Effaclar+Purifying+Foaming+Gel+Cleanser+for+Oily+Skin_72087.htm?utm_egbu=Dermstore-US_Google-Shopping_Core_Multi_CONV_SSC-DTM-tROAS&%3Butm_egb=Multi&%3Butm_ega=CONV&%3Butm_egc=Core%20-%20SSC&%3Bgclid=Cj0KCQjwi7yCBhDJARIsAMWFScNiMldDnEIr377u-24PyQqtN6iLFlKNbs313GPnWZXOiA8VQLKgPZYaAsBbEALw_wcB&%3Bgclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.dermstore.com/product_UV+Clear+BroadSpectrum+SPF+46_20567.htm

https://www.dermstore.com/product_10+Azelaic+Acid+Booster_77340.htm

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine was triggered by face mites.

Did you find a way to kill/control them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine was triggered by face mites.

Did you find a way to kill/control them?

Different poster, but Soolantra (prescription cream) is used to treat rosacea. It seemed to help for me, and after a while I no longer needed it.

Now I use only a sulfur cleanser.

I actually think there is something to the face mites (demodex) theory as causing rosacea. I don’t think all rosacea is this, but for me it seems to fit. Since it has largely resolved.

Also, I also have lots of other allergies including to dust mites - get hives etc. whenever My face flushed it felt very similar.

Just a theory, but would recommend trying the Soolantra & sulfur cleanser (also Rx but inexpensive)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I developed rosacea after a sinus infection that required 3 courses of antibiotics. It took me about a year to figure out what triggers my face and neck to turn bright red/itchy/bumpy. I now avoid those triggers with a passion and that controls 80% of my flare ups. When my face starts to get tingly and hot I do cold compresses and a Benadryl to slow it down. I only wash my face with Dove Sensitive skin. I can only use Aveno lotion. I can't use any makeup. The only lip balm I can use is Chapstick, Burts Bees, Carmex and Blixtex tinted with spf. Figuring all of this out was a painful and frustrating process. I also can no longer drink beer or wine. I can drink hard alcohol once in a while. My dermatologist suggested I take a Pepcid Complete 1 hour before a drink to help the flare up and it usually does help. During the winter I have a humidifier going 24/7 in our house to help as well.

You probably also have SIBO.

See a GI doctor. Consider Rifaximin. You need to kill the bacteria that has gotten into your small intestine, most likely.

The SIBO idea is interesting, but I don't have the symptoms listed in the above post. Hmm..I'll ask my doctor, though. The timing after my surgery and antibiotics and ER visit are all too weird.

[Anonymous]

So, if face mites was the cause, wouldn't my face be red/flushed at all times (as opposed to coming and going)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, if face mites was the cause, wouldn't my face be red/flushed at all times (as opposed to coming and going)?

NP. I don't know, but Soolantra pretty much cleared up my rosacea (meaning mites were the likely cause), and it used to come and go quite a bit. It's definitely worth a try.

[Anonymous]

I have had redness and flushing for years, as well as ocular rosacea. A couple years ago, I developed two itchy spots on my cheeks with red bumps/pimples. I bought a tube of ivermectin for horses (green apple flavored) and applied it topically for a month. Within the first week, the red bumps and itchiness were gone and have never returned.

I still have the redness and flushing and ocular rosacea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, if face mites was the cause, wouldn't my face be red/flushed at all times (as opposed to coming and going)?

NP. I don't know, but Soolantra pretty much cleared up my rosacea (meaning mites were the likely cause), and it used to come and go quite a bit. It's definitely worth a try.

Thanks - I've got an appointment with a dermatologist and am definitely going to ask!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks - so, does it always start out this way (just redness/feeling hot and tingly) and continue to get worse?

Also, do you have other inflammatory conditions? I wonder about co-morbidities.

I think you were asking me this - so I had this type of rosacea from about 18-33 and then it transformed into just cystic pimples every now and then.

When it was the red, rash like rosacea, yes, I would always feel it starting with hot skin.