Those who have rosacea...
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Fri Jan 30, 2009 3:06 am

This is a great thread. Got all information I need. Will definitely try light therapy soon.

Personally, among all the products I tried, the new ATOPALM is really good for soothing redness, and relaxing the bumps. It's sold at skinstore.com. It's got some good reviews since it's been giving out as samples.

Wed Apr 15, 2009 2:41 pm

Yah unfortunately there is no cure and no one really knows what causes Rosacea either.
I have been properly diagnosed by a Dermatologist about 13 years ago, and have had 15 laser (cold Beam/$500 a session) treatments to remove broken red capillaries from my cheeks/chin/nose and it is NOT a permanent solution. You basically have to go back once a year for a treatment to keep the capillaries and redness in check.
As for the Rosacea my doc prescribed me a topical cream compound of 3%Salicylic Acid/2%Sulfate/1%Hydro-Cortizone & /Clinderm. This I put on my face only in the morning.It is too drying if I use it twice a day. However, I wash my face with Elizabeth Grant gentle cleanser apply the compound and then serum from EG skin care line and my face feels and looks really great!!Very important to moisturize especially when you go to bed. Don't be afraid to use a gentle, sensitive skin, no fragrance lotion or cream at bedtime, a well moisturized skin isn't prone to redness and sensitivity as much. I do use Elizabeth Grant skin care line cause it's very gentle yet effective and her night cream has a cooling effect.
I never leave my house without my minerals on, as this protects my skin from the sun and it also soothes my skin literally helping it to feel better and 'calmer'. I use Colorescience and have tried many other minerals (some leave my skin feeling itchy) so this is what I use right now. I plan to try Jane Iredale very soon as I hear it is the best!! I stay away from any makeup or skin care that contains oils such as lanolin and others, plus I don't use anything with fragrances either as this too irritates. When I use my minerals I get compliments all the time, so you can look good even if you suffer from Rosacea!!

free skin care · Thu Jun 25, 2009 4:58 am

Hi, RussianSunshine -
Yes, I am still using the finacea gel daily, and continue to get great results. Progress is slow for me, but still, I am seeing progress.

ETA: I just saw your pics of the cold sores. I don't think you should be experimenting with acids, given your condition. Aggravating your skin with acids could cause a cold-sore breakout.

I would like to point out that when we refer to "acids", I think we are talking about exfoliants, like alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) and and beta hydroxy acids (BHA). For that reason, I would not classify azelaic acid as an acid, in the same way that vit C (ascorbic acid) is not classified as an acid.

Ok, that being said:

I agree with Alien that acids are not recommended for rosacea. At one time, the National Rosacea Org recommended only AHAs, but when I went to find that on their website, I noticed they have updated the site to say they don't recommend any acids.

But way back when they did recommend AHA, I tried mandelic acid, both from Vivant and Garden of Wisdom. I loved how the mandelic evened out my skin tone, fading the hyperpigmentation. But, after several months of use, my skin seemed to become sensitized to it, especially my chin (where the rosacea is the worst). I backed off my usage, but finally had to give it up altogether. Then I spent two years looking for a dermatologist who could help me get rid of my dermatitis. Please understand, I am not blaming mandelic for the dermatitis. I still think it's a great product, just not for me right now. EDS sells Mama lotion, which is mandelic in a moisturizing form. Some people love it, because it's more gentle than the ones I listed above; others say the Mama causes break outs, which is why I avoided it.

Other acids I have tried:
lactic acid 10% - supposed to be very gentle, but found my skin could not tolerate it. It's deceptively gentle when applied - no stinging, and I've actually fallen asleep with it on! The result was the same whether I left it all night or washed off within a few minutes...skin looks great for a day, then becomes red and irritated.

fruit acids (very low %) - not supposed to be a good choice for sensitive skin, but found I could tolerate it better than LA. Other than slight improvement in hyperpigmentation, I didn't find it very useful in improving the rosacea. Not worth the expense, IMHO.

Exfol serum - This is a BHA in the form of salicylic acid in an aloe vera base. Although BHA are not advised for rosacea, this one is very gentle. If clogged pores are a problem, this will help. Unless you have extremely dry skin, I would say this one is a good choice for rosaceans to try. This one is so gentle, I don't think it would cause a cold-sore breakout, but please proceed with caution if you decide to try it.

Exfol cream - I prefer the serum to the cream, since the serum is "cleaner". But, hormones caused my skin to shift to the dry side, so I have been experimenting with the cream. It's okay, but I haven't used it regularly enough to say how effective it is.

Whew! So, after years of experimentation, I think I'm going with a non-acid approach. My plan is to try Karin Herzog for a while, then 302 is definitely on my radar!

I've also started a course of IPL treatments...I've had one TX so far. My esthy thinks I'll only need 3, but from reading on the rosacea forums, 5-6 tx is more like it.

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