Rosacea in Australia
Most of the members of the rosacea-support mailing list are based in North America. Thus much of the discussion is about treatments available there. This page aims to collect information about treatments that are available locally in Australia. This may still mean using the internet to order products though.
On this page you will find information about how to find a dermatologist in Australia, how to find a local IPL or photoderm clinic, a few ideas for cleansers and other rosacea topicals.
Photoderm IPL Centres
It is important to find an experienced practitioner when seeking photoderm treatment for Rosacea. I have no information about how experienced these clinics are, so buyer beware: do your research.
The list of IPL machines in Australia has grown and is now on its own page. Last updated 8/7/2005.
- Photoderm IPL Australia
- Photoderm IPL Canberra ACT
- Photoderm IPL Sydney New South Wales
- Photoderm IPL Brisbane Queensland
- Photoderm IPL Adelaide South Australia
- Photoderm IPL Hobart Tasmania
- Photoderm IPL Melbourne Victoria
- Photoderm IPL Perth Western Australia
Dermatologists in Australia
The Australasian College of Dermatologists has a list of Dermatologists in Australia.
You will need to get a referal from your G.P. to visit a dermatologist.
- Dermatologists Sydney, New South Wales
- Dermatologists Melbourne, Victoria
- Dermatologists Brisbane, Queensland
- Dermatologists Perth, Western Australia
- Dermatologists Adelaide, South Australia
- Dermatologists Hobart, Tasmania
- Dermatologists Darwin, Northern Territory
The College has produced quite a nice introductory pamphlet on Rosacea (also available as a pdf file).
Metronidazole Treatments
- Metrogel is called Rozex
- Metrocream is unavailable
- Metrolotion is unavailable
- Noritate is unavailable
Rozex (see US link to Metrogel, or a N.Z link to Rozex) is available on prescription only. It is expensive, but some private health schemes list it under their subsidised pharmaceuticals.
Sodium Sulfacetamide Treatments
Unfortunately the Sodium Sulfacetamide based treatments like Klaron and Plexion are not available on prescription in Australia. If you find a way of getting them here in OZ, please let me know.
Cleansers
Cetaphil
A gentle cleanser is the Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar, (see US link at Galderma for more information) which is available from pharmacists, at around $11 a bar.
Ego
Ego `Wash’ is a liquid cleanser and seems to be quite gentle, and not overpriced. Only available from pharmacies.
Linda Sy
You can now order on the net from www.lindasy.com, air mail is expensive so be warned. Her oils, sunscreens and moisturisers have been instrumental in healing my Rosacea. I currently use her Unscented Superfatted Soap for Dry Sensitive Skin, Vita Oil, Moisture lotion for Dry Skin and ZincO cream. The Mosturising Oil for Face and Body is a nice choice also as it cheaper than the vita oil. The ZincO cream is reasonably priced at $29 USD a tube, it will last for many months. I really recommend this sunscreen/protectant as it helps soothe and protect as well as cover the redness. When I am too ruddy for the ZincO cream I reach for Linda Sy’s Acne Cover Lotion - what a boost for self esteem this has been. See the list highlights for more messages about her products. This paragraph sounds like a big commercial for Linda Sy, but don’t be put off, she offers cheap samples for you to try.
Zia Fresh Cleansing Gel
You can order Zia Fresh Cleansing Gel on the net. An Australian found the following when ordering ;
$15.50 Fresh cleansing gel $19.95 Daily moisture screen ------ $35.45 $11.05 Air Mail ------ $46.50 USD, (converted to $74.76 AUD)
The freight wasn’t as bad as I expected, and I ordered on 26/11, card was credited on 2/12, received 7/12, seems OK service to me, and they tossed in a few samples of their toner as well.
Rosacure
Rosacure is available cheaply in Australia from pharmacydirect.com.au and pharmacyonline.com.au.
Rosacure is a “a cosmetic product which may be useful for improving the appearance of reddened skin”. The makers only make gentle claims about its effectiveness. It has received an ok review as a moisturiser from group members. The Australian distributors offer a free sample to Australian residents if you email contact@aurorapharm.com
Antihistamines
You can get Zyrtec and Clarityne (note different spelling to the U.S.) without a prescription from pharmacies. They are expensive to buy a whole month’s worth, but are far cheaper than available in the U.S, where they are prescription only.
Rosacea-LTD Disks
You can order the Rosacea-LTD disks using your credit card and faxing Bass and Boney Inc. They will air-mail them the next day. This product is now is in its 3rd generation, called Rosacea-LTD III. They have worked well for me.
Hyperhidrosis
People who suffer hyperhidrosis have an overactive involuntary nervous system, which makes them sweat excessively or blush in even the most relaxed social situations. It can seriously disrupt their lives.
Following is a list of information that might be useful in your search for treatment for hyperhidrosis. Please do your research carefully, here is just information I have gathered, you need to decide how to proceed - by finding the best treatment for you.
Drug Treatments
It may be worth looking at the usefulness of treating with monoxidine or clonidine. They have been used to reduce flushing with some success. You will need to do your own research on the efficacy, safety and availability of esp. monoxidine which has not yet gained FDA approval in the U.S. but is available in Europe. Geoffrey Nase’s book has a small section with references on this topic.
Known ETS Surgeons.
Dr. Greg Self Suite 1.4 173 Lennox Street RICHMOND 3121 PH. 03 9429 1176
Email: selfvasc@hyp.com.aus
Web: http://www.hyp.com.au/users/selfvasc/index.htm
Dr. Lord, Sydney, Phone (02) 8382 6640
Dr. Nathanson Brisbane, Phone (07) 3870 7172
Dr Chris Hensman: operates out of Valley Private Hospital, Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9795 7700
see http://www.surgicalteam.com/hyperhidrosis/dr_hensman.htm
Perth ETS Contacts
Frank Prendergast, Subiaco
Michael Lawrence-Brown
Marcel Goodman, North Perth
Steve Baker, South Perth
Some Background Web Sites
Usual disclaimers: buyer beware ! These contain a mix of medical, patient
support information.
46 comments ↓
Rosex is available in Australia, so I am not sure how old this information is, you can get both the gel and cream. For me the cream works better, but both are a great alternative to taking medication for the rest of your life.
hi…just wanted to know if the treatments from ‘Zenmed’ work or are just as effective as the ‘disks’ from Rosacea-LTD?
regards cherie
I really need some advice - and would like to attend a help group but can’t find any information. All the websites seem to say the same thing - which isn’t a lot. I have had lazer treatment and it didnt work. Would really like to meet other people in Australia who flush uncontrollably and find out their mechanisms for dealing with it!
Hi Briony,
Last time I looked there were no rosacea support groups registered with the self help registries in any part of Australia. So I registered this one so at least people find something !
It can be hard trying to cope on your own. Rest assured that there are plenty of other rosacea sufferers out there and some good helpful sites on the internet are a great place to get info and learn more.
davidp.
Hi, I am an international student in Australia and also suffer from Rosacea for at least more 10 years. I am going crazy, I cant remember how many products I have tried, none of them worked.The even worse thing is that my skin is not only red all the time, but quite oily, no matter what product I use, they all easily cause irritation…
I have been using Rozex, seems that it is the only product I can use for a longer time.
sometimes i feel life is ruined by this uncurable desease in some way.
So if anyone know any good doctors for treating rosacea in Sydney area, or any product, please let me/us know.
my email is yfsun@gmail.com
Thanks
yifeng
by the way, i found the Jurlique’s Hydrator/Toner Gel for Ultra Sensitive Skin is not bad. It can be used as a toner and wont cause irritation.
just put little amount of gel on figertips and PRESS onto skin gentally
I was prescribed Rosex by my doctor but found that it helped by only about 50%. Then I came across a cream called hydrozole this has been great for me and worked better than the rosex and you can buy it over the counter. I also changed my moisturiser over to Olay NIGHT cream it has been the only moisturiser that hasn’t made my skin flare up and it has improved the dry look I was starting to get.
Ang, please be careful with hydrozole as it is a 1% cortisone. Prolonged use will make your rosacea worse. See http://rosacea-support.org/over-counter-steroids-can-cause.html
for more information.
Hi Yifeng, maybe you could view this website because they say they could cure rosacea completely. I once called this Lady Qian, she told me that it takes around 1 month time to stay at her salon to cure rosacea, and it cost around 1500 USD. For more information just call her.
titi
the link is http://www.yuhuakj.com/
I visited my doctor today and took along a tube of rosacure and he rubbished it for not listing the ingredients on the tube. He has prescribed rozex which I hope does wonders as I’ve used Rosacure for 18 months on recommendation from a pharmacist, and though it worked well initially (more like a non-irritable moisturiser however), it hasn’t been very effective long-term ie I’m still red around the nose.
Please consider that surgery should be an absolute last resort. Do your research very, very carefully. There can be irreversible side-effects from sugery (the main one is compensatory sweating from the ‘nupple line’ down), and these side-effects can be far worse than the original problem. My research indicates that ETS surgery for blushing is more prone to side effects than ETS surgery for hyperhidrosis. Oh, and by the way, I should know how devastating the side effects can be - I had ETS for blushing and my life is quite honestly horrible because of compensatory sweating. Most doctors will downplay this fact, so don’t overlook it - doctors cannot predict the severity of the side effects - it is on a patient-by-patient case, and your life may never be the same.
Hi, I’ve suffered with Rosacea for 2 years now. Initially it was acute and I was prescribed a course of antibiotics to reduce the severe inflamation for about 6 weeks. After that I was prescribed Dapsone (used to treat leprosy!) 50mg daily together with Rosex cream and have beem taking the Dapsone for about 18 months now. My skin is almost back to normal with only slight redness which is easily concealed with light make up. I don’t really need to use the Rosex cream at all anymore. Just wondered if anyone else is using Dapsone and what their comments are?
New Rosacea Treatments:
Dapsone Cream . It comes in pill form, but you need a cream. It was being used for other treatments like Leper’s. Not sure where u get it. Either try that or V -beam. You need 3 -4 treatments to get a good result. Either that or wait for SansRosa. Good luck to all.
southerngulfhome@embarqmail.com
There is aczone, an acne treatment that is 5% dapsone gel. There is not a lot of information out there about using it as a rosacea treatment, sadly.
http://rosacea-support.org/aczone-gel-5-dapsone-gets-fda-approval.html
davidp.
Has anyone heard of Zenmed as a treatment for Rosacea? It is US$64.95 for a tratment pack of 3 items plus shipping of course. the website sounds good, but does anyone know?
Irene
Hi Irene, it seems that only a few rosacea sufferers that have posted online are happy with Zenmed. You might find it works, but from my search of the archives I don’t think your chances are great.
davidp.
Lets face it. There is not a single over the counter product that will come close to treating Rosacea. It’s all a scam. We all hope for it! And pray it works! But they never stand up to the promises!
SO….lets face it. Real treatments may work for some. Like V-beam, or IPL, with Oracea and Azelex cream. And a very long wait for Sans Rosa Col-118!
Good luck to all!
I am so over this rosacea thing and looking up websites and always trying to find the “answer”. Now that I have lumps and bumps - pustopapular rosacea or whatever I actually wish all I had was blushing and flushing. I think I’ve tried everything and feel like trying nothing, but then remember that things will get worse if I do nothing! It is so frustrating. Can’t sombody find a cure already…
I know this moaning isn’t helping anyone out there but sometimes you just have to get it off your chest to people that are going through the same thing.
Back to my search for answers…Has anyone had success with Azelex cream?
Hi JR,
It seems to me that there are actually more effective treatments for the papules and pustules of rosacea - compared to the treatments for the blushing and flushing and pain of rosacea. So from that point of view it might be considered to be easier to treat. Azelex is a good option for many rosacea sufferers - although it is too harsh for some. If you can tolerate it, you should do better using it. Metrogel ought to be able to make a noticeable dent, and systemic antibiotics are normally a reasonable option as well.
davidp.
I’ve had Roseacea for over 10 years and the acne associated with it since the birth of my second child 4 years ago. At times it has been really bad and has effected me emotionally. I tried anti-biotics but skin flared up as soon as i stopped. I’m very oppossed to that idea now. Finacea seems to make a real difference to me. Doesn’t eradicate it completely but definately clears it up a lot. Zenmed was a complete waste of money for me. Didn’t make any difference at all.
I’ve been reading alot about - yeast overgrowth so have cut all yeast/refined sugars from my diet and within a week skin is looking very improved. Am also wanting more info on Demodex mite and whether killing it will cure me ! Good luck to all.
Dear Angelique,
There is some so called treatment with “seabuck thorn oil” that has been used for treating Demodex mite. But you should make sure that is what you have. Most people don’t have that. I’ll say it again….Over the Counter products rarely ever help! Your on the right track with the diet. It always helps to clean up your in-take. But after 10 years of this. I have tried it all. I’m going for my second treatment with “Genisis Laser”. I had 3 treatments with V-beam. And it helped for a short time. Then ..BAM..it was back! So.I called every laser place on earth, and even called the Manufacture of the different laser companies to speak with a rep. So..after speaking with a woman who had stage 1 Rosacea. She had 3 -4 treatments with this laser. And it has worked well. She didn’t work for the laser companies. She was working in one of the Doctors offices up north. So I couldn’t visit there if I wanted to! It was not a sell job she was given me. LOL
E me..if you have any questions at all.
Good luck to all!
southerngulfhome@embarqmail.com
Hi everyone
Just wondering about the colloidal oatmel products Aveeno, we have it in Australia in the body lotion creams and washes. Elsewhere in the world you get purchase facial products Aveeno. They have calming feverfew and suitable sun protection in them for rosacea. I use the body lotion on my face it is really soothing, but I would much prefer the proper face product. Why cant we have up to date products in Australia I contacted Johnsons and Johnson who make
Aveeno and the notified me that they would not supply this product in Aust. in the forseeable future. Anyone know of anything similar.
Hi everyone,
we run an acne/rosacea clinic at westside dermatology in taringa, brisbane. 2 of our specialists ( Dr Davin Lim and Dr Belle Cominos) have a special interest in rosacea.
Hi Gayle,
It sure is frustrating that we feel like second class citizens way all that way down under. Even ordering stuff via the post is not that satisfying because postage is expensive. We can only hope that good sales in the US encourages companies to expand their worldwide reach. In the end though, the whole Australian economy is only the size of that of California - so we are a small fish.
davidp.
yes, it is frustrating for both dermatologist and patients in australia due to both TGA and drug company interests ( or lack there of). Sometimes we get around it by compounding formulations, otherwise internet orders for the good gear from the States is another solution.
Davin Lim
Dermatologist
Hi,
Has anyone tried any of these Australian products for Rosacea? I have been searching for new products to help my rosacea but they all seem to be located in US and have to be bought over the net. Please let me know your thoughts if you have tried these.
Thanks - Jodie
http://www.alize.com.au/1-rosacea-sensitive-skin-care-treatment.php
Hi All, I too have been suffering on and off since my first pregnancy…7 years ago and then after my second pregnancy 4 years ago it never went away…I moved from Canada to Australia and the heat has made it go berserk…I need help…I find a try something and it works for awhile and then stops…Pure Aloe vera gel really helps sooth it when at it’s worst…It also gets worst at “that” time of the month…I would like to get in touch with an actual dermatologist…Or get in touch with Dr Lim or Cominos…as mentioned above…I have heard several people mention mites…what are demodex mites and how would I know if that is what the cause maybe and has anyone tried environ and vitamin A treatments…that is what the estheticians here in Australia seem to have faith in…I appreciate reading that others are in the same boat…looking forward to any comments…Thanks
An indirect comment from Gayle;
Hi Vicki,
Your rosacea sounds like it really reacts to your hormones I dont know if I had any symptoms while pregnant, I was always a person that went red but I thought I was always getting sunburnt or embarassed, I had never heard of bloody rosacea until about 4 years ago, I am now 47. I wish I had not heard of it even now, it really is a pain, but it does respond positively to different things for different people.
The worst thing is it takes so long to find out what works for you and what doesnt. I think the change of temperatures for me is the most reactive eg. going from a hot enviroment artifically or naturally to cold or vice versa. If you can keep a more even temp.the better, this is hard to do but things like running the car aircoditioner a bit before you go in the car, having cold water to sip when start feeling a flush coming on, keeping in the shade and sunscreen, sunscreen, sunsreen. I found the biggest challenge for me is the changes I need to recognise at the start of each season. But once I start dealing with the new conditions it does calm down. Alchol is no no for me, but sometimes you just have to live, drink cold water while drinking alchol definetly helps, with the hangover too.
I cant drink hot drinks or soup in a heated room in the winter. When I was first diagnosed with IT! I was prescribed doryx antibiotic/antiinflammatory for 6 months, that cleared up the swellings/pimple things, then rosex cream twice a day for flare ups. I have kept it fairly under control for the past 2 years, but I still have my flushing moments. I use clinique city sun block SPF 25 every morning. cleanse with cetaphil cleanser, and garnier day cream in the purple jar for moisturiser in the day and garnier night cream at night. I also had laser treatment for the redness left by all my flushing and blushing, I found it had good results, but was very expensive and I live 4 hours away from any reputable clinics and it did not last long enough for me to keep going. I just try and treat each day as it comes and dont get to down with the bad ones, when I first was diagnosed I became obsessed with IT! and it basically ruled my life, cos Hell its your face, your calling card to the world.
I hope I havent go on to long, this is the first time I have put this down on paper and I cant seem to stop. I hope some of this helps and when I think of some other things I will write back. I find the dermatologists basically just prescribe antibiotics and give you a very broad instructions. eg dont drink alcohol, find out your triggers and keep cool. (they are well paid for giving these brilliant ideas)
Good Luck. gayle
Hi Gayle,
Thanks for the reply…Okay, so going to a dermatologist might just confirm what I already know and you have added…
Next step…I am currently in the middle of a course of lazer genesis treatments…due for my third…it is a last ditch effort…
I have been doing some reading and it appears there may be some help but it is very difficult to get the money for research and to do clinical studies is very expensive…
I came across a Canadian Dr who has a theory based on some of her personal research because she too is a sufferer of rosacea…I would appreciate some input…if anyone has tried this or heard of solutions like it…rosacea-support.org/demodex-mites-treatment
I appreciate your input and look forward to hearing from others as well. It seems it can be very individual but definitely has similarities…
Good luck to all…
Cheers
Vicki
Comment via email:
Dear Vicki,
Finish the treatments..and let things settle down for a week or so. The normal time fram is a treatment every 3-4 weeks apart. But check with the doctor. Many people like you . Experience a flare up..and the redness doesn’t go away. It happened to me. My DOC….perscribed a steriod to clam the flare up! YEA..I know!! Many people claim this causes a rebound affect. And..I must say I was worried. But I had no choice. So I did it for 5 days..and then got off using it! I switched to a moisturizer..that was organic..Like Coconut oil. And then I used Eurcine ( For redness ). It have licorice extract with a green tint. If that doesn’t work..TRy the “PERFECTA” laser. It’s a newer version of the V-beam.
Good Luck
Regards
southerngulfhome@embarqmail.com
Hi there
Nice to know I’m not the only frustrated pink faced one around.
We arrived in Australia about ten months ago and I’m desperate to find a dermatologist who does IPL treatment in Perth. My dermatologist in South Africa treated my rosacea with IPL and Rozex gel. He also put me onto NeoStrata products (available from Pharmacy Online) and it really does the trick for me. Sunblock by Bioderma also works well.
I’d appreciate any recommendations regarding the IPL treatment.
Thanks
Karen
HI Karen,
I feel for you…IPL is readily available through many beauty salons…However, they are not all created equally…You need to find out what kind of IPL your dermatologist used so you can find the same here…Otherwise you could end up worse off…Thanks for the input…I am continueing with Lazer genesis and a product line called skin ceuticals…I will keep you posted…
Has anyone ever tried treating for Demodex mites? Still wondering about that?
It appears that it is a case of trial and error and everyone has a personal solution…eventually…it is just a matter of finding out what works…more research has to be done…
Cheers,
Vicki
I have found that Neurofen gel is very effective. I can put it on at night and in the morning all the red bumps on my nose have disappeared.
I combine this with MooGoo to moisturise.
http://www.moogoo.com.au
I hope this helps.
James
Hi James, we use the MooGoo products here to bath our toddler, I never even thought of trying them myself.
Hi everyone
Just wondering if anyone has any experience, having facial surgery with rosacea. I need to have upper eyelid surgery to help correct droopy lids which is hindering my eyesight. I was wondering if the incisions etc will make my skin react badly, my rosacea is currently under control. thanks gayle
Hi folks
My Rosacea has almost completely disappeared due to the fact that I’ve been taking yoghurt. I read in recent reports that SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) has been identified as a causative factor and that one way of controlling these bacteria is by rebalancing your system with ‘good’ bacteria’ such as the Shirota strain.
I noticed a difference in my skin within a few days so I can certainly recommend this to everyone.
There’s also progress being made with the drug Rifaximin, so I get the feeling that there’s a cure just around the corner.
Cheers
Hi all, I’m a newbie to this forum and have been reading with great interest all the comments regarding various treatments for the dreaded rosacea.
I am a 38 year old woman from Australia and have been suffering from rosacea for the last 5 years or so. The latest episode being more than 2 years solid. I’ve tried the oral antibiotic Doxcyclene, initially worked well, but lately to no avail, but trying again. I’ve also tried Rosex cream, again worked ok first time, but now useless!
I am so frustrated by this painful and embarassing condition that I even have to wear makeup IN MY OWN HOME so as not to scare my family! I have it all over my face, all red and dry and scaly.
Well, I am throwing down the gauntlet! I will be visiting a naturopath in the next couple of weeks to totally overhaul my lifestyle. I will be detoxing myself of this Western diet and starting afresh. No alcohol, cigarettes, coffee, massively reducing red meat, dairy and anything with yeast, drinking bucket loads of water and getting daily exercise.
Stay tuned. I’ll keep you all posted on my progress.
Oh, and on a side note…I’m getting married in April 09, and I am 100% determined to beat this MONSTER before I say “I do”! :O)
I am of Asian background and live in Fiji and have had rosacea for about 9 years now. So much for the stereotype that only fair skinned Europeans get rosacea.
I noticed that my rosacea was mild initially but got really bad when I came to Australia to undertake post grad studies. It was the stress and sudden change in temperature. I had 6 IPLs with Dr Michael Szalay in Spring Hill but he was all talk. waste of money.
When I returned to Fiji my rosacea virtually disappeared after a year. Even though generally warm all year round, there was much less fluctuation in temperatures. And I used no medication at all. With the high humidity, my ocular rosacea also disappeared. I almost never flushed unless doing strenous exercise.
I have returned to Australia and when I came in June (mid winter) the fluctuating temperatures (indoor/outdoor) and cold nights and sunny Queensland days played havoc with my skin. My rosacea came back with a vengeance. I started flushing at the slightest cold breeze. My eyes would dry out and I would flush away.
I now use nothing on my skin, drinks heaps of water and manage my stress levels. Rosacea is much improved but I am dreading the heat of Queensland summer.
My advise to those recently diagnosed, manage your stress level amongst other things.
Hi Cassy,
I know how you feel. I was prescribed Aropax(an antidepressant) by my dermatologist about a year before I got married as I had decided I wanted to be on top of it for my special day. This was great for reducing blushing and flushing as it helps to regulate body temperature, it was wonderful for that period of time to not have to think about my skin. There were side effects though. It made me very tired and I feel I started to put on weight after a while but have later read that reducing carb. intake can reduce this symptom. I got sick of these side affects which is why I no longer take them, but I am grateful to have had them around the time of my wedding. It might be worth considering if you don’t have success with other alternatives.
I too am starting to reduce intake of sugars and carbs in my diet to see if that has an affect. I wear makeup every day and while I hate having to always put it on, I think it reduces my flushing a bit by making me less worried about my red face. I don’t think it helps with lumps and bumps though.
Anyway hope this info is of use to you and let us know how you go with the natropath.
All the best and good luck for your wedding.
Gidday Irene
Good to see yr out of Bogga Road,again.
The medication yr talkin about is now available in Australia and retails around AUD$29.75
Hope this helps and it addresses ya problem.
Margaret
Hi Guys,
I came across this forum/support group quite recenlty and just thought I’d post here to try and get some information.
For about the last month or so now the condition of my facial skin has been gradually deteriorating.
I know the internet and second-hand information is never good for a diagnosis but just looking for some info.
I have slight redness across my nose and cheeks. The skin in this area is very dry and scaly and also quite sensitive. There are also numerous broken capillaries and strange small red ‘bumps’.
I don’t flush and never have but the the skin in this area feels….strange. It burns without becoming red but also constantly feels like it is pulsating deep down, not superficially. This strange feeling is also across my forehead and under my chin.
I have been to my GP about it twice in the last couple of weeks and initially was told that is was just dry skin and to moisturise 3-4 times a day with sorbolene. This did not help so I returned and she prescribed a steriod creme to use. At the time I asked about Rosacea and was told that is was simply not ‘red’ enough. I have not tried the steriod creme because from what I can gather if it is Rosacea it will only make it worse long time.
Although nobody can diagnose first hand, do these symptoms sound similar to anybody elses?? I live in Brisbane and was wondering if anybody here can recommend a good dermatologist or even a GP that might have knowledge about Rosacea as from my reading it seems to be an extremely variable disorder and treatment is the best way to slow the progression of it.
Thanks Kindly.
Comment via email:
From Gayle Grixti;
Hi Dragon Ash
Dont know if this will help, but I have rosacea and I do flush and burn, with certain triggers, but I find when the weather is very humid, which is not very often here I live in Victoria, my skin behaves the same way you are describing also with no flushing at all, but with the swelling and pulsating feeling mainly in my nose and sides of my nose, as you say it does feel very weird and being a person with mainstream rosacea, none of the things I do to usually control my flushing work in this instance. I think you are wise in not using the steroid cream. Maybe you should suggest to your GP being prescribed low dose antibiotic, eg doryx for the releif of the swelling and spots maybe before things really get going. Because rosacea is really much more than skin deep. This probably will not be of much help to you. I must be honest my skin really feels the most comfortable in the humidity even with the swelling feeling. Being red really sucks. Good Luck and keep as informed and of top of things as you can. PS some laser treatment might help.
Gayle
To Gayle Grixti,
Thanks kindly for your reply.
I have been reading heaps of forums and internet sites about this condition and most of the signs of it seem to be a good description of what I’m currently dealing with.
I will see my GP again soon and try to get a referral for a Dermatologist in the area and to discuss what treatment options are available in the meantime because I’m guessing the Dermatologist will have a long waiting period.
To be honest I really don’t know how to go about controlling it as in terms of avoiding triggers I have no idea since none of the things that are usual triggers have ever caused me to flush or burn before. In saying that, is it once you develop the condition you start to respond to things like alcohol and hot rooms etc???
As there is so much information on the internet and seems to an endless myriad of treatments and triggers etc it’s kind of doing my head in.
Hi ,
Hope you don’t mind me joining in…I personally believe from my research and experience with rosacea that there are a lot of problems out there being called rosacea that are not in fact rosacea…that being said it is important to get a good diagnosis from a professional.
Rosacea can involve a lot of different factors, what you eat, where you live, your general health, stress levels etc…
I have spent a lot of time and energy and money on all different “cures” However, nothing I tried seemed to really make a difference alone…
I did however, find that a combination of things really helped and once it was under control…I could “cheat” a little here and there…
I had lazer treatments, stopped drinking alcohol, use only Cetaphil (inexpensive, quality, over the counter cleanser and moisturizer without perfumes etc)…avoided spicy foods, reduced caffeine intact, started drinking way more water…I also find swimming in salt water helped…I wonder if any one else has experienced a benefit from salt water???…
I started by doing it all…now I can keep it under control and have a drink…or a spicy meal…or an extra coffee as long as I don’t try doing it all at once and moderate…
I don’t know if this will be helpful…I know there is a lot of information out there that is really misleading and confusing…Unfortunately, there is no quick fix and you will have to experiment to find what works for you.
Wishing you love and laughter on your journey
Vicki
PS Still wondering if anyone has anything to say about dimodex mites??
Hi, I have been suffering from rosacea for about 5 years now, and have a constant battle with pustules and redness. Now I have further complications and I am wondering if anyone else has suffered from inflammation and redness on the actual whites of your eyes. I have been prescribed fluorometholone eye drops short term as there are complications, unfortunately it comes back within a week! Can anyone suggest a way to save my eyes?
Many thanks…Karen
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