Newbee needs advise - Look at pics

[Tristeza]

Hi all!
I'm visiting 4th dermatolog already and still dont have any diagnosis about what is it, what I have on my face.
This forum I found yesterday, today posting some pics of how Im looing right now
If U can advise me, tell me what is it looking like - seb derm, rosacea or st else?
Little details: Im 30 years old female. This "look" I got after stop using Elomet, 10 days pause and starting with Nizoral cream. (I was using topical steroid - Elomet- just on few pimples on my face, and not every day, but in total about 1 year). Before never had st like that!!!! even acne in my sweet 16
HEPL!!! Im really desperate.

[CrabbyCathy]

Hi all!
I'm visiting 4th dermatolog already and still dont have any diagnosis about what is it, what I have on my face.
This forum I found yesterday, today posting some pics of how Im looing right now
If U can advise me, tell me what is it looking like - seb derm, rosacea or st else?
Little details: Im 30 years old female. This "look" I got after stop using Elomet, 10 days pause and starting with Nizoral cream. (I was using topical steroid - Elomet- just on few pimples on my face, and not every day, but in total about 1 year). Before never had st like that!!!! even acne in my sweet 16
HEPL!!! Im really desperate.

Hello! Welcome!

I was going to say they look like pustules, common to rosacea, but....do you also have them on your lips? And they're inside your nostrils too? Not usually where rosacea sufferers get p&p's....

Elomet is usually for eczema and psoriasis, according to wiki ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mometasone_furoate ). It is quite strong, and should be used very sparingly only when needed, or a rebound effect, or "steroid rosacea", can occur. You say you were using it on pimples on your face--regular acne? All in the areas where you broke out now?

Mometasone furoate is used in the treatment of inflammatory skin disorders (such as eczema and psoriasis), allergic rhinitis (such as hay fever), and asthma[2][3] for patients unresponsive to less potent corticosteroids. In terms of steroid strength, it is more potent than hydrocortisone, and less potent than dexamethasone.

Nizoral is usually prescribed for fungal infections. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nizoral)

Have they considered perhaps a reaction to the Nizoral cream?

Nizoral Cream
All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Nizoral Cream:

Itching; mild irritation or stinging.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Nizoral Cream:
Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); reddening, blistering, peeling, itching, or burning of your skin.

I'm not quite sure why you were prescribed the Elomet to begin with (surely not for pimples?) and subsequently the Nizoral; did you have a pre-existing skin condition?

Sorry for all my questions, I just want to be sure I have the info correct. It is best for a derm to diagnose you, of course, and I'm sorry they're having so much trouble with it!

[Tristeza]

Hi Cathy, thank you for a fast reaction!
Here are some answers, I hope they will help you to help me in this self-diagnostic

I don't have any pustules on my lips neither inside my nostrils, just around them

Now I have to confesse about Elomet : no doctor prescribed me it. I did not have skin problems like akne atc. before. Sometime I got 1-2 strange pimples without puss, they were pink, and it always took them long time (2-3 weeks) to disappear. One relative recommended me Elomet as a miracle cream for any imperfection, so I tried and it worked well for those my pimples.
Location of my pimples: forehead, chin, temple. So I can say yes, they were in the same areas ..

Those pustules appeared after I start using the Nizoral cream, on 2d-3d day. But my condition worsened before, after I stop with Elomet. Instead of 1 pimple I got 3 etc. So Nizoral may be made it worse, may be it did nothing, and all this - is my reaction on give out Elomet (???)

About Nizoral: yes, my skin start itching after Nizoral. My face was just red, itchy and burning, and veeeery bumpy...And many pustules have some water drops in the centre. But I had no serious allergic reaction, Im not allergic at all (I think so)

It seems that my Doc has no idea what is that. Yesterday I was on consultation again, and didnt get any diagnosis. But received recipe for one cream, what contains Ichtamol, Aqua borici, Oleum helianthi and Pastae zinci oxydati, etc. Let's see what it will make with my skin. Im thinking about to change doctor, again

Thanks a lot! It is so good that exist places like this one, it is making me feel that Im not alone in this "war"

[CrabbyCathy]

Oh! Sorry, perhaps I saw incorrectly? My apologies! In the second picture, it looks like there is a tiny pustule in the nostril.

This really does sound like rosacea to me, perhaps worsened when you stopped the Elomet, which is a steroid cream, I'm sorry to say It works great, but if you use it too long and then stop, a rebound effect starts and things go haywire. I try to use it for a few days at a time, a few times a year only. I know it's hard not to use it all the time, but I made myself just stop.

The pink papules you got that took a long time to go away.....mine are like that too. Once a papule comes up, it takes forever to go away, unless it's a big one that I can dot with retin-a. Rosacea usually starts in the cheek area, but everyone is different!

You're right, you could either have a reaction to the Nizoral or it would have happened anyway, but I personally would stop the cream. Do they really not think it's rosacea, the doctors? Don't give up, you'll find a good doctor that listens and finally diagnoses you!

Are you in another country? I just googled the ingredients you mentioned and yahoo freaked out It sounds like an ingredient used in "drawing salves", boric acid, sunflower seed oil, and zinc oxide. Hmm! Test in a small area, I'd say.

To soothe, you can try a toner of green tea, or chamomile tea, and my new favorite: oatmeal "water". I put a big spoon of regular oatmeal (Quaker) in about a 1/4 cup or so of cold water, let it sit for about 10 minutes, swirl the cup, and dip a cotton ball in the liquid that's on top. Apply after washing, let sit a few seconds, rinse. It lasts about 3-4 days in the fridge. It cut down my itching and burning after eating something "bad".

[Tristeza]

Hi Cathy!

Those pimples are around my nostrils, but not inside, not on mucosa! just skin is involved.
Yes, I'm living in Czech Republic, in Prague
About this cream, with odd ingridients: it is special traditional recipe, in some pharmacies there are still departments where they can mix different creams, solutions ets. I found on internet some info and decoded its ingridients: Ichtamole is something for treating seb.derm, some rosacea symptoms too, etc, Aqua borici is antimicrobial, and zinci oxydati pastae is using for calm itching, other ingridients are supportive. This cream lasts just 1 month. BUT! I used it just 2 days and my face looks better now, not too red, and p&p start slowly disappear. I'm affraid to to say, is that really working, cos it is just 2 days, but it didn't make it worse, like nizoral did. Traditional recipe is working in my case
Problem is, that I still don't know what it is. I's difficult to treat it without diagnosis.
Thank you for your recipes (camomile, oat flakes ets.) Im going to try it all !!! Herbs and vitamins are better than antibiotics.

Just for comparation, you can look at my pics from this morning (without any cream).

[CrabbyCathy]

That's great! I know sometimes "home remedies" work quite well (although I still think we need some medical intervention, like low-dose antibiotics, or a prescription cream). It's nice that your pharmacies can mix up traditional and natural recipes; I'd be first in line, let me tell you

I'm still so confused that a doctor can't define what you have! That must be so frustrating for you. If your insurance lets you, just keep getting opinions and you will find a doctor who finally knows what it is and listens to what you are telling him. Sometimes they just don't listen and say "oh, it's this, use this" and you're left speechless.

[Tristeza]

I have no problems with my insurance, thanks Godness and Im not planning to give-up too. I will find what it is, for sure!
Now Im just happy that I can go out and dont feel myself as monster.

[Mike T]

I have seb derm + rosacea.

i used steroids for a while (6 months) till i found out the truth about them. I got real scared. I only use in bad flare ups now. (usually when i try new products and get redness/itching)

Try elidel if you are worried about redness. It is steroid free. This has worked the best for my redness. Research it please as it is black boxed as some believe it may cause cancer. It is only a very small % and not scientifically linked. Either way i only use it on small amount of my body (face) and try not to get burnt with it on or even a few days after using it. Getting burnt period is bad.

For the bumps they look similar to my rosace bumps i got recently. My first product i tried on them was Noritate topical cream (containing metronidazole). It got rid of the bumps overnight completely. But they return pretty quickly. Need to use daily or every other day. Although my bumps are only number around 20 or so around my nose. I am new to the P&P's of rosacea and this is only thing i have tried yet. I heard some oral meds can be good also.

All the best.

[Tristeza]

Hi all,
I finally got a diagnosis - it is Perioral dermatitis.
I already have problems with my eye lids so my doctor prescribed me oral medicine with metronidazole. Im going to try it next month.
Now Im using solution Eryfluid - antibiotic (4% of erytromycin, 96% - alcohols), and after it cream with metronidazole. So, I have less B&B now, but still have itching and burning, specially after using almost pure alcohol on my face. Don't like it at all!!!! I wanted to stop with it, but Doc says, that I have to give it the chance to cure me, and there is not medicine what can make my face clear in one day (((( So, Im suffering, but using all prescribed meds.
If it will not get better even after oral antibiotics, Im going to change doctor and clinic as well.

Good luck and strong nerves to all sufferers!

[Mike T]

Goodluck I really like the metronidazole cream I use noritate brand in Australia 0.75% strength for my rosacea bumps.

never heard of the alcohol stuff but hopefully if you do the hard yards now it will get easier later on.. Doesn't hurt to research though about the products he's got you on wether here or google and see if other people find them safe,effective and reccomended them for your condition.

All the best