You don’t have to look too far on the internet to find grand claims about sea buckthorn oil and rosacea. One vendor selling sea buckthorn products has a research page that
makes claims using words like `breakthrough’, `dramatically reduces redness’ and `Seabuckthorn kills mites that cause Rosacea’. Another rosacea website touts sea buckthorn being as able to kill demodex mites and the bacteria that they produce.
It seems to be a good marketing story – play on our fears that demodex mites cause rosacea and try to sell us a natural product to clear the mites and our rosacea.
Are these press releases and unproven promotional pages supported by published research ? Further, does the rosacea community echo this confidence ?
The list of research on sea buckthorn products – its oil, pulp, seeds and all of the active constituents is growing rapidly. The following paper from 2004 looks to be a good summary of where research is heading. As far as applicability to skin, this paper describes studies related to skin burning, atopic dermatitis and `other skin diseases’ in humans and rats.
Another paper describes how SBT taken systemically may be useful in treating atopic dermatitis.
This list is as good as it gets ; I was not able to find any published research linking either sea buckthorn and rosacea, nor sea buckthorn and demodex mites. So it would appear that that association between sea buckthorn and rosacea is fairly light. So be careful out there, read websites carefully. Don’t let your search for rosacea relief taint your critical thinking.
I would be happy to be proven wrong, but it is clear to me that there is no proof of any kind that sea buckthorn oil has any effect on either demodex mites or directly on rosacea.
Sea Buckthorn may be good for you and good for your skin, but cure your rosacea – I doubt it.
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Sea Buckthorn oil in the form of face docter soap has been great for my skin … it has not even come close to curing my rosacea although it seemed to for about a week
So oral antibotics and metro gel are a better alternative? Some of these “products” offer a money back guarantee by the way…and they work! There are studies and research to back this up. Besides the best studies are an individual’s personal eperience and when one has a condition for a long period of time,
Andrea if you can point us to some published studies that can link sea buckthorn to either elimintating demodex or helping inflammatory skin disease then please do let us know. Unfortunately until either papers get published or the weight of user reviews is convincing, sea buckthorn will find it hard to live up to much of the online hype.
Well, the face doctor soap cured my rosacea. That’s proof enough for me.
There is some research out there that looks solid from the University of Wisconsin. If you search sea buckthorn, University of Wisconsin there is a PDF article entitled Dispelling the Mystery of Demodex.
Hi schraufie, I tried looking as you described but could only find a very general description of sea buckthorn – it didn’t mention rosacea or demodex. Perhaps you can give us link to the study itself.
davidp.
I was excited about a promotional article in a women’s magazine about seabuckthorn curing rosacea. But the instructions on the company’s website for use of the products was confusing and inconsistent. When I emailed them for clarification, I received a rude reply that said “why don’t you just do more research, and you can do even more research, and then make a decision for yourself: either try it or don’t.”
That was enough to convince me they’re only peddling hope in a bottle.
I am finding this all rather confusing yes,no, maybe so. The research that I have done on rosacea some believe that there are no such thing as mites so I would like to see the concrete evidence on that. All I know is that every product seems to work for about a week than it is back to flaring up again. Of course I refuse to stop consuming spicy food maybe that is why. So if this redness is caused by mites why does eating spicy foods worsen the condition?
Over 20 years ago, before I was diagnosed as having rosacea, I went to a dermatologist for my dry feeling skin. After looking at scapings under the microscope, he told me that I had some kind of bacteria on my face. I went back to him a couple of times and then stopped. It was years later that a dermatologist told me I had rosacea just by looking at me. No on has ever mentioned anything about mites, but from what that first doctor told me, it suddenly makes sense. Have any of your doctors looked at your skin that closely? My experience with dermo’s is that that look at your skin from across the room and make a diagnosis and give you a prescription for one of th 5-10 creams they prescribe. These days, I use pure glycerine soap, Neutragena moisturiser with copper and my skin is smooth and soft. I do have some redness, but I cover that with mineral concealer. Just my two cents worth.
YEARS AGO WHEN i WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ROSACEA, MY DR TOLD ME IT WAS BELIEVED THAT IT COULD POSSIBLY BE FROM A BACTERIA AND THAT TREATING IT WITH AN ANTIBIOTIC MIGHT HELP. I OPTED TO TAKE THE ANTIBIOTICS ,PLUS I USED THE METRO GEL AS WELL. I STILL THINK THAT TAKING THE ANTIBIOTICS RIGHT AWAY ARRESTED IT BECUASE I STILL GET RED SOMETIMES BUT NEVER HAD ANOTHER ACNE FLARE UP . ALSO I HAVE READ THAT ROSACEA USUALLY ATTACKS PEOPLE WITH FAIR AND NICE SKIN AS WELL AS DRY SKIN. SEEMS THAT PEOPLE WHO DO NOT USE SOAP ON THEIR SKIN (USUALLY ONLY CREAMS BECUASE OF DRYNESS) ARE ALSO MORE PRONE WHICH SSEEMS TO SUBSTANTIATE THE MITE THEORY. JUST SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
I have been using SBT wash for 3 weeks. Amazingly in the first week my skin changed remarkably. My Rosacea is still there, but it can hardly be seen or the big thing felt. I went to the website after reading the article about it and thought I might get it. It was very expensive and I just couldn’t swing it right now. A few days later, I was at the drug store and saw some SBT Creamy Body wash for $12.00. I thought what the heck, what do I have to lose, considering it is winter and I am usually bright red, really dry and my face burns horribly. Within a few days to a week, my face was no longer dry, my chin and forhead cleared up, and no pain. My nose isn’t bright red anymore and my cheeks are only slightly pink, but the biggest change for me was the pain, I have none. My youngest daughter even made a comment one night wondering why I was wearing makeup before bed and I told her I wasn’t and she said why isn’t your face red. So far, I am sold and plan on continuing the use of it because it is the only thing I have ever used that actually helped me have relief and a calm looking face where I am not constantly wanting to cover it up. I would suggest anyone trying it just to see if it works for them, but I would look for a brand that isn’t so expensive. I found my SBT Wash at Walgreens by the Burts Bee Stuff and some other organic facial products. If you are like me and have tried everything this one thing wouldn’t be any different.
I have been looking for a product for my red face for a long time. I tried Metrogel and Metrocream but it didn’t seem to relieve my itching acne that wouldn’t heal for weeks. Tetracycline made me very sick as it upset my stomach and took several weeks to regain a normal PH level in my stomach and bowels. I also tried the face doctor soap that was good but I didn’t stick with it as my skin still was dry at times and itchy.
I have been using Sea Buckthorn oil by Weleda. As soon as you apply it to your skin it feels relieved and sound. Within 5 min. you see the redness fade.
I love the product and my dry skin and acne are treated in one step. There is also a liquid pill form of Sea Buckthorn that is used to heal mucous membranes. Which helps with the irritated eyes and stomach. I haven’t tried the pill yet but with the excellent results with the oil I am willing to give it a try.
I bought the oil at my local health food store. For 10ml or 0.34 fl oz I paid $2.99 CAN. That was great for a trial size. It is also available in larger quantities.
If you are red there is hope and sea buckthorn seems to be the answer for me. Let me know if it works for you too!
Annemarie,
I went to my local health food store and found the sea buckthorn oil by weleda that you mentioned. I first apply Eucerin Cream(jar form) and then apply the sea buckthorn oil over the top. It’s been working great for me!
I have been a rosacea sufferer for over 10 years, and I think I finally have found some help here from your posting. Thanks so much!
My dr. tried to put me on docycycline again recently for a major flareup I had (rosacea also with perioral dermatitis)and I resisted. He mentioned the Eucerin cream, and I started that 3 days ago with the sea buckthorn oil over the top. Sure am glad I didn’t go on the antibiotics!!! Even though he was almost insisting that’s all that works…
Thanks-
Jen,
That’s great that you are trying both. I have been using sea buckthorn by itself and it does the whole job. My pores seem to be opened and clear. I am very happy with this product. Not to mention that my skin feels sound without itchy irritation. I find that my skin is moisturized and comfortable. I used to have lots of oily area on my skin especially around my nose that would be red and itchy often in dry scaly patches. Strange enough the sea buckthorn oil has not made the oily area worse it actually has improved it!
I have found that antibiotics work well for clearing the face but often mess up the rest of the body, that is if you can handle the dose. I found that the antibiotic I was recommended cleared my face a week or two after using the med and stayed clear for while after. I was not able to finish the course prescribed by the doctor as the dose made me quite ill.
What I absolutely love about the sea buckthorn oil is that it deals directly with the irritation and also deals with the source of the problem. I believe it is possible to have a parasite in the skin, the irritation itself is enough to drive you crazy.
Teresa! I could not agree more about your experiences with dermatologist. And the metro gel/stuff….. no help
Then googling one day, saw blurb about demodex mites and a bell went off…. Saw about the permethrin cream, used it and the intensity of the redness and burning/itching from summer sun and heat, stopped!!!
I think people think mites and get so grossed out about the thought of them, that they won’t even consider that there are mites already living in our eyelash/brow hair follicles. yes, they are…. 2 plus 2
I have relatively mild rosacea, as well as ocular rosacea. I have been using “the original seabuckthorn company’s” seabuckthorn seed oil (as opposed to the fruit oil) off and on for a couple of years now – I went off it to try another product but ended up going back.
I don’t have intense flareups, but am quite prone to acne and oily skin. I’ve found the SBT oil to be very effective in reducing both issues, as well as keeping redness at bay.
Apparantly the SBT “fruit oil” is even more effective, and is recommended for nighttime use, due to the fact that it can leave a slightly orange tinge to your skin, but I’ve opted not to use for this reason (since it apparantly can also stain clothing, bedding, etc.).
I have had excellent results with face doctor’s soap & cream. I didn’t have any problems with flare ups after a week or so. It seems to handle my Rosacea, which is not severe, very well. My problem is, that I can’t find it anywhere in the Portland, OR area any more. Does anyone know where I can buy anything with sea buckthorn oil in it over the counter. I don’t like buying over the internet.
Also, forgot to tell you that face doctor makes a shampoo for anyone who breaks out on their scalp.
Just in case anyone wants to try something containing Seabuckthorn Oil, RosaceaCare, one of the site sponsors (i.e. they advertise here) is now offering a night cream that contains Sea Buckthorn Oil.
http://rosaceacare.com/products/nightcream.html
It smells great !
Let us know how you get on with it.
davidp.
I read that tea tree oil works on the skin for an anti-microbial like the STB but I have not tried the STB. The tea tree oil is cheap. I buy it at Target or Walmart for a little over $7.00.
I’m inclined to suspect that sea buckthorn retailers have capitalized on the demodex mite, a normally harmless parasite that can be found on most human skin. Still, I’m an optimist, and I’m willing to try any new treatment for Rosacea. I used Face Doctor soap for a week. The perfume is overwhelming, and it dried out my skin. I moved on to Blue Sage products because they contain a much greater concentration of sea buckthorn oil with no fragrance. I have to admit that Blue Sage makes a great cleansing soap for sensitive skin, but still no dramatic reduction of redness or pustules. I had better luck with Face Surgeon, a formula created by Face Doctor that is medicated with Borax instead of sea buckthorn oil. Surprisingly, the Borax formula vaporized my pustules overnight, but it didn’t reduce redness and left my skin dry. To counteract the dryness, I use Triderma redness repair formula. I’ve been using Triderma for a couple months now, and no other cream seems to reduce redness like this one. No matter what facial cleanser you prefer, a true Rosacean is still going to need a good facial cream that is hypoallergenic, noncomedogenic and fragrance free. I urge you to give Triderma a shot. (No, I don’t sell the stuff. As far as I know, it can only be found at Walgreens.) I would also like to encourage women to pay more careful attention to cosmetic ingredients! I recently began using Physician’s Formula foundation and tinted moisturizer. I get better coverage and no breakouts. (Most makeup brands cause me to break out within one hour of application!) Before you spend money on a new treatment, be sure that your makeup isn’t sabotaging ongoing efforts to keep your skin clear. We all want a magic formula that doesn’t involve lifestyle changes, but nothing works better than the reduction of simple carbohydrates and saturated fats. I hate to sound like a broken record, but be sure to drink eight glasses of water a day. It’s free, and it helps more than any piece of advice you’ll encounter. Another tip: I’ve become addicted to low acid coffee enriched with energy herbs instead of caffeine. It satisfies my cravings for a rich cup of coffee and doesn’t aggravate my skin. ( http://www.ganobrand.com/energy ) I’ve learned that it’s not just the temperature of hot drinks that aggravates my rosacea. It’s the acid and caffeine in coffee, tea and hot chocolate. (Caffeine constricts blood vessels, casuing more redness.) By incorporating all of the lifestyle changes mentioned above, I have finally gained control over a horrible condition that once kept me from leaving the house. I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has stumbled upon a product or lifestyle change that REALLY HELPS. I lost faith in dermatologists long ago. I’m more apt to listen to a random person who has suffered and experimented as I have.
This is just to say I find Face Doctor soap effective for my mild to moderate rosacea. It was recommended to me by someone who also suffers from rosacea. I have used it for 3 years, I find I only need to buy one bar per year, use it up, and it seems to settle my skin for a while. I’d definitely consider using other sea buckthorn oil products. I also suffer from hormonal acne, so I tend to use a medicated face wash before i use the Face Doctor soap. I’m still looking for a perfect nice moisturiser, I’m using a basic Johnson’s moisuriser for combination skin.
Face Doctor and Face Surgeon saved my life! I suffered with acne rosacea for approximately 5 years (beginning in my early 50’s). Absolutely NOTHING topical would control the outbreak of papules and pustules, etc. Consequently, over the next 5 years, I alternated between Doxycycline (which eventually ruined my stomach) and Accutane (which eventually dried out my eyes). My internist implored me to get off of both. Out of desperation, my eye caught a small paragraph in an alternative newsletter published by Dr. David Williams to the effect that great results had been achieved for Rosacea sufferers from a soap from China that contained Sea Buckthorn. I began to use it, and I can attest that 7 years later I have not had a single breakout (unless I forget to use the soaps, which doesn’t happen often). I am asked repeatedly (at least once a week) at the ripe ole age of 64 what I do to have such magnificent skin. Can you imagine??? If you do nothing else, you owe it to yourself to immediately order Face Doctor and Face Surgeon soaps (just Google them). You will be AMAZED. It was THE miracle of my life. Leslie Brooks P.S. Was my dermatologist interested? Absolutely not. He was making too much money from lasering and prescribing drugs. His comment to me was, “Leslie, most of my patients don’t want to hear they have mites!”
Great to read more and more good reviews about seabuckthorn oil and peoples’ experiences – good and bad.
I have been using a night cream (yes I’m male and willing to admit that !) that contains Seabuckthorn Oil and it seems to be working well for me. I can see a little less redness each morning which is a bonus.
I have been using Seabuckthorn oil for over a year now. I have rosacea, though I have no symptoms and have not had any for as long as I have been using SBT. Metrogel was really not helpful at all. I use the seed oil vs. the berry oil as it stains less than the berry oil. Good source for the seed oil is Blue Sage Naturals. I also take a teaspoon of the berry oil internally every day. Good, reasonable source for the berry oil is Mountain Rose Herbs.
You would think my dermatologist would be interested in why I am asymtomatic, but she wasn’t. Western medicine would prefer antibiotics and expensive prescriptions vs. exploring natural remedies. A shame, given that this is a remedy that would make a difference for so many who have to deal with what is a condition that effects well-being in such a dramatic way– if they only knew about it.
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