Metronidazole (most commonly used as metrogel) is a prescription drug that is available in several formulations. As an oral treatment it is known as flagyl. Topical metronidazole is available as noritate, metrogel, rozex, metrogel 1%, metrolotion and metrocream.
What is metronidazole ? well scientifically it is a white to pale yellow crystalline powder. Metronidazole is a member of the imidazole class of anti-bacterial agents and is classified as an antiprotozoal and anti-bacterial agent.
When taken orally, metronidazole is known as flagyl. Flagyl is used for a wide variety of infections including those in the adbomen, bones, joints, nervous system, respiratory tract, skin, as well as vaginal and intestinal infections.
A bit of history
Curatek Pharmaceuticals developed and submitted the New Drug Application for Metrogel in 1988. Since its introduction by Curatek, MetroGel has become the most widely prescribed therapy in the United States for rosacea. In 1993 Curatek Pharmaceuticals sold metrogel to Galderma Laboratories. Galderma has since introduced other variants of Metrogel, namely MetroLotion and MetroCream. Galderma is also an interesting company for rosacea sufferers because they have purchased Collagenex, who are developing a product we know as sansrosa.
Curatek, continued to market MetroGel-Vaginal (metronidazole vaginal gel, 0.75 percent) for bacterial vaginosis. MetroGel-Vaginal was introduced in the U.S. in 1992.
How does metrogel work ? well amazingly after all these products have been marketed and many studies done, the mechanisms by which metronidazole acts in reducing the inflammatory lesions of rosacea are in the main unknown.
Dermik markets a 1%, once a day formulation of metronidzole called Noritate.
Metrogel was responsible for generating sales of about $75 million in 2004.
The patent on the branded product by Galderma expired on June 6, 2006. Fougera is poised to make generic metrogel available, having had tentative approval to produce a generic metrogel.
In July of 2005 Galderma announced that 1 percent metrogel had gained FDA approval. The vehicle is a water-based formulation and contains no alcohol. The formulation was `enhanced with HSA-3′. HSA-3 is described as a combination of ingredients including betadex, niacinamide (vitamin B3), and propylene glycol.”
So Why all the Metro-products ?
Despite quite a lot of activity in the marketing and development of the metronidazole treatments (lotion, cream, gel, generic equivalents, nortitate 1%, metrogel 1%, once per day, twice per day etc) this particular research paper Metronidazole in the treatment of rosacea: do formulation, dosing, and concentration matter? suggests that the available formulations and treatment frequency make little difference to the treatment outcome.
Thus if you are already using one formulation of metronidazole, changing to another vehicle doesn’t appear to be able to offer any additional benefits.
Interesting Research
Some of the more interesting published papers on rosacea and metrogel, and other metronidazole treatments include ;
Topical Metronidazole Maintains Remissions of Rosacea
Topical metronidazole therapy for rosacea.
The efficacy of topical metronidazole in the treatment of ocular rosacea.
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131 comments ↓
My skin looks like so red, itchy and with pimples.
The doctor said I am suffering from Roseca and the treatment will be for 6-8 weeks.
I have medicine of :
Doxycline (twice a day)
Flagyl (4 times a day)
Rozex tropical gel (night use)
Cetaphil moisturing cream (morning use)
Did anyone try that before ?
Hi Winnie,
What you describe is a normal well-know treatment regime for rosacea. It is quite common to be prescribed antibiotics and rozex/metrogel together. Many people find this form of treatment quite successful, so we are hoping that you do too.
davidp.
Is metrogel-vaginal the same stuff as the topical used for rosacea? It’s much cheaper
Jamey,
Metrogel as a treatment for rosacea was discovered accidentally when Metrogel Vaginal was used and a benefit was seen. I would think that it is quite safe to apply it to your facial skin.
davidp.
I used rozex gel and minocycline together for a long time last year. Since then I only use Rozex and am glad to say the complaints are reduced to something I can live with. Is it safe to stop using the gel? Anyone who has experience with that. And is it ok to use Rozex lets say, permanently?
Regards,
Martijn
Hi and thanks for this website. I have just been dianosed with Rosacea and am very upset. I just thought I had really dry skin! When I was told it will never go away, I was distraught. I had spent about 20 years on antibiotics to make acne scars fade away and it worked. Now I have to deal with this, I am quite overwhelmed. So, thank you again for this website, I don’t feel so alone and ugly anymore. My first treatment is the Rozex gel, but am finding it makes my skin even worse at times? Has anyone else found that?
Hi Skye, unfortunately rozex can cause a reaction in some users, especially those with sensitive skin. For those who can tolerate it, it can work reasonably well. Good luck with working out the best way to use it, or not at all.
Hi Digital Davo, thank you for responding. I will read some more info that is on your site and then I shall discuss other options with my dermatologist.
May I please ask another question?? I also have the tiny white cysts that can go with this condition. Do you or anyone else have that? What can I expect?? Just wanting a truthful answer from someone who is suffering and not the usual medical mumbo jumbo. I am sure you understand.
Thank you very much.
Hi Skye.
Sounds like you mean the pustules that are common for rosacea sufferers. When my rosacea was at its worst, yes I had those white/clear fluid filled pustules that looked a little bit like acne. I don’t have a photo of one as such, but there is a general idea of the papules and redness here ;
http://rosacea-support.org/photos-of-red-nose-papules-pustules-acne-like-rosacea
These are just one more symptom from the inflammation that comes with rosacea. As you reduce the inflammation you will find that the papules and pustules do go away.
As for an alternative to rozex, you might try rozex cream or noritate if you can get it. It is not guaranteed to work if rozex doesn’t, but it at least gives you an option. If there isn’t irritation, stick at it for at least 4 weeks to see if you are going to see a benefit.
davidp.
Thank you Davo!
hi, after many years ( 12 infact ) of being told by my then doctor that i had psoriasis of the face and it just getting worst as the years went on ,i changed doctors and she told me she thought i may have ROSACEA. The thing is i have the redness and burning feeling of Rosacea but the scaleing of the scin as of Psoriasis ( is this what happens with Rosacea ? ) . My doctor put me on Oxytetracycline which were fantastic but i am now trying for a baby so i stopped taken them and the Rosacea has come back worst stan ever so she has put me on ROZEX. The question is i have been using it for only 4 days but i seem to of had a headache ever since and my skin has gone really dry and what looks like Psoriasis has gone worst to. so any ideas would be a great help
Hi Tracy,
The Metrogel PI says “Pregnancy: Teratogenic Effects: Pregnancy Category B. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies with the use of METROGEL® (metronidazole gel), 1% in pregnant women.
Metronidazole crosses the placental barrier and enters the fetal circulation rapidly. No fetotoxicity was observed after oral administration of metronidazole in rats or mice at 200 and 20 times, respectively, the expected clinical dose. However, oral metronidazole has shown carcinogenic activity in rodents. Because animal reproduction studies are not always predictive of human response, METROGEL® (metronidazole gel), 1% should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed” – so you may want to discuss this with your doctor.
As far as headaches are concerned, about 2.2% of the trialists reported this as a side effect.
all the best,
davidp.
When Galderma came out with its 1% metrogel in 2006, my doctor switched me to it. I’d been pustule-free for years. Suddenly the pustules were back in force, like boring relatives at Thanksgiving.
To give them credit, a pharmacist at Galderma was very helpful when I contacted them. They recommended I go back to the .75 formula but didn’t say why. When I did, the pustules vanished again. I wonder which of the additional ingredients was the culprit for me? (thanks Davo for the clues above). Anyone have a similar experience?
Hey everyone who has this awful rosacea, I know how you all feel. I use the rozex gel which works really well for me, when my skin gets really dry which would be the only side affect from it I use QV moisturiser for sensitive skin, this works too. I have narrowed it down what flares my rosacea and that is tomato based sauces, and red wine, my two favourite loves of life. I once went on this low GI diet and for the first 4 days we had this soup to eat which was full of tomato base of tins of tomatoes well within a few days one side of my face was completely red and the other side was starting, my eyes were really irritated and swollen. That’s how I found out. Everynow and then it just flares up and sometimes I endulge in a glass of red which I regret for the next week. Hope that helps some of you out there, really check your diet.
Good luck
Trish
hi everyone, this question is for the ladies (sorry all you men ) . I find that around my monthly cycle my Rosacea gets twice as worse also when i was pregnant 4yrs ago the Rosacea fanished completely, so iam wondering whether it might be a hormonal inbalance.
has anyone had the same experiance?
Hello to Davo, Tracey, Trish and Robin.
Thank you for participating in this site. Your info is very valuable to the rest of us and makes me feel more ‘normal’ if you know what I mean. Well, I am talking to my Dermatologist this week and will try to get more answers.
I am going ask about the hormonal imbalance Tracy…When I find out anything, I will post it here.
Trish, I am really glad the rozex gel is working for you and that you have been able to hunt down some causes of aggravation of the condition. If you have any other info, no matter how trivial you may think it may be, please write it here!
Thanks for your informative yet light-hearted message Robin. Very interesting. As Davo pointed out to me, the sensitivity range of our skin has a big bearing. Unfortunately I have had major probs with the rozex gel….but like I said before, I am talking with my Doc this week and will get back to you all with whatever I find out!!
Bye for now,
Skye.
Hi Everyone,
I was diagnosed with Rosacea about 15 years ago. My doctor sent me to a dermatologist who prescribed a course of tetracycline and Rosasol (metronidazole with SFP 15 sunscreen in it). It works beautifully. My skin cleared up quickly and I use it to this day. She also told me to track the times it was worse. I found that I definitely have a real spike in occurances about three days before my period and is pretty bad for about a week regardless of what I do, so hormones must have an effect. I use Oil of Olay Classic as a moisturizer and use a gentle oatmeal scrub about once a week to keep the flaking skin to a minimum. I wear a broad-brimmed hat in the summer and extra sunscreen. A couple of the sunscreens that I tried made the rosacea worse. I am not really happy with the one I have now. Come the summery weather, I will start looking and testing again. It can get pretty expensive trying different sunscreens! If anyone has one that works well, let us know!
Hi Tracy and Terry.
I probably have had Rosacea since being in my thirties. I always flushed easily and thought I just had ‘highly coloured’ skin. (I had never heard of Rosacea back then).
Over the past year and half or so my skin became more ‘ruddier’ and blotchy with lots of broken capillaries staring to show over the nose and cheeks. Again I thought this was down to ageing, (I’m now 45). It wasn’t until I finally started breaking out in the red spots, which trurned out to be P&P’s, that I finally went to the doctor. I found this phase quite distressing as I could count on one hand how many spots I have had on my face throughout my entire life.
The doctor told me that my age and approach to menopause was the likely cause of the worsening of the condition as Rosacea can get more progressive with the perimenopause and menopausal periods of your life.
Incidently, when I look back, when my condition started to worsen it co-incided with me stopping taking hormonal based contraception and I have had problems with irregular bleeding and stuff over the past year.
I have looked around other forums on the internet and have read several postings by women who had a worsening of flare ups around ‘the time of the month’ and some have reported that this stopped when they took oral contraception.
So I too beleive that, with women anyway, hormonal imbalances can play a big role in the ups and downs in the severity of this condition.
I have been on a high dose oral antibiotic for 3 months which has left me 100% P&P free, at the moment anyway. I have now been given Metrogel with the advice just to keep it on standby and use as a ‘spot-on’ type treatment if I start to have breakouts again, as it is a strong drug and unnecessary use should be avoided.
I have read about many of the side effects of Metrogel, including worsening the condition, irritation and dryness, that I am happy enough to only use it if needed, as my skin is in a reasonable state at the moment, (red but reasonable LOL). If anyone has any thoughts or experiences on this approach, I would be interested in listening to them.
I have been using Rosex cream twice a day, morning and night for some months now and have noticed a huge, massive improvment in the appearance of my nose. I never get papules and pustule flare ups any more, which is a god send… however it is still always a little bit red, and so feel the problem is only half solved?
I am planning on getting a referral from my GP to see a dermatologist soon but can anyone else advise what i could do/take on top of the rosex cream to beat the redness?
I use sensitive dermalogica products as it is, and always wear a sensitive sun screen… my diet is pretty good and I am doing yoga to help with stress etc.
Feel like I am almost there with beating this problem.. but not quite!!
Hi Davo, Trish, Tracey, Robin and everyone.
Sorry it has taken me so long to follow-up on my previous message, but my computer died and I have now got a new one up and running.
After I spoke to my dermatologist, I was not exactly jumping with joy, but realized I must accept this condition, it is not going away. So, all the symptoms, reactions etc all appear to stem from internal heat in varying sources. Exercise, stimulating foods, the sun, anxiety in all of its forms, periods, all produce an internal heat that sets off our rosacea. As you would have previously read from all the great info Dave has provided, it seems to be a mystery why we get it in the first place, but it must be lurking there within us from the very beginning and at some point, it just decides to show up. Mine is sort of under control at the moment, but my skin just doesn’t like that rozex gel unfortunately. So, if it works for you, that is super. I wish everyone the very best and I look forward to frequenting this page again!
WoW! I found an interesting website. I have Rosacea and have been annoyed by it for many years. It’s embarrassing and it has destroyed a lot of my face. I’m trying MetroGel at the moment to see if it has any effect. I believe that certain foods, stress, and hormones have a definate effect. Also, I’ve noticed that when I’m getting dehydrated, it really gets it going. So, I’m trying to drink half of my weight in ounces every day to see if that will help. I’m 45. Nice to read your posts.
Dorthea
Hi Dorthea, I am sorry about your condition, but am really glad you found this site, it has helped me a lot. Very interesting observation about dehydration, I am now going to watch out for it. Thank you, you are not alone.
Hi! My Dr. just prescrobed MetroGel for my Rosacea this past Monday but after just 3 days, I am noticing no differance at all. I was just wondering how long before it starts to make a noticeable differance?
Hi Hal,
It usually takes about 30 days for you to notice anything after a new skin regimen. My derm told me I would notice a decrease in redness in about 3 months with MetroGel- can’t wait! I too was just given a Rx for 1% MetroGel & picked it up today. I’ve been reading all these posts which is nice to know we all feel each other’s pain. Has anyone out there been on MetroGel for a while & if so, how do you like it?
Hi Everyone,
In response to Hal, I have been on Metrogel for over 15 years. Never heard of rosacea when I was diagnosed in 1993! My doctor sent me to a dermatologist, who nodded and said, “Yup, classic Rosacea.” With oral antibiotics and the Metrogel, it took about 2 weeks before I saw any improvement.
Funny that Allibear’s derm said that Metrogel was strong. My derm says just the opposite, that it is mild and okay to use it twice a day, every day when I’m having flare ups and then once a day to keep it in check.
It was interesting to note from Dorthea that dehydration caused a worsening of symtoms. I will also keep an eye on that – never thought of it. Thanks.
I have also found that any of the anti-aging ingredients in moisturizers really burn my skin (I am 55) Tried a whole bunch of them but with disasterous results, so I just stick to my Oil of Olay Classic. Whatever works best for each of us, eh?!
Terry
Is this metrogel useful for bacterial vaginosis?
And is it one of the natural cures for that disease??
I went to dermatologist, had cysts white pimples on face irritated skin and a rash, burning sensation, also flet burning sensation on head and body not shingles.
Queen of returns. He put me on desonide for face 0.05%, triamcinlone acetonide 0.1% or use fliocinonide 0.05% none did not work.
I tried la roache posay thermal water, rosaliac cleanser and I am trying rosalia cream, I do not know if it will work with makeup.
Sorry so long, so far so good. But my skin is still red and get very irritated with these products. I have stopped using them but what about metrogel and a cleanser. Skin is very dehydrated and dry and red.
Should I call dermmatologist back or make another appointment. Been there 5 times no answers to problen, he said try cetaphil, aquanil or cerave which does not agree.
Marcia
sorry so long this has been going on for 4 months, 50 yrs old, very frustrated.
Hi
Ive jus been prescribed Metrogel does it cause any nasty side effects like upset tummy- nausea anything like that??
Hi Marcia Montal, sorry to hear you have our problem, but don’t lose hope. I am so glad you found this site…
First, I had the same symptoms as you in the beginning and after being told it would increase dramatically, I can tell you it has not. Everyone is different.
Second, you can read from my previous postings above that I was put onto Rozex Gel with 7.5mg of metronidazole. My skins reaction was horrible, it went dry, like plastic, redder than ever etc. I stopped it. I have very sensitive skin, so that is no real surprise.
Thirdly, I managed to sooth my skin very well with – EGO QV intensive moisturizing cleanser for extremely dry skin and also EGO QV moisturizer for extremely dry skin; they come in two types, for either the face or the body, I use the body one because it is much more soothing. It helps the painful dryness and decreases the redness. I get it from the pharmacy. Perhaps it will work for you.
Fourth; I suggest you go out of your way to see another dermatologist, ask beforehand how much experience they have had with the rosacea skin condition, if not much, ask someone else. I am afraid if it really is rosacea it is not going away anytime soon. You deserve someone who will listen to you and take this condition seriously.
Fifth; I have now slowly introduced the rozex gel back onto my skin, and I mean only every third night I apply it and so far my skin is accepting it, thank goodness. Will see how it goes and will post updates about it here in the future.
Lastly; messages can be as long as you need them to be, no need to apologize. Stay tuned here to see if anyone else can offer you some advice. Take care.
I am very frustrated. I first over a year ago, started with a rash on both sides of my cheeks by my ears and behind my ears. I went to my MD he put me on a steroid cream. This made it better but not go away, I went to a dermatoligist and she took me off the steroid right away, then gave me antibiotics, cream, and dx me with rosacea acne, but ater months it did not go away, it would what I describe as yuk and yukier. I always had nice skin. So I went to another dermatoligist, he said rosacea too and put me on antibiotic and metrogel, I got the worst yeast infection, so I had to go to my gyn and get that taken care of (never had a yeast infection until this I am 47) Then I went to anotehr doctor after 1 year of not going away she stated to stop everything. She stated it was not Rosacea because it was not the classic flushing/red, it was on the sides of my face so she thought it was topical dermatitis or seborric dermatitis. To wash only with Dove on my privates, underarms and feet, and not use anything to wash my face, take off my eye makeup (only thing I use) with dove. This worked for a few works actually saw improvement, then it came back worse. Iam back to the minicycline pills and metro gel, hoping to live with yuk instead of yukier. All the pictures I see on Rosacea have the pimples and redness on the frontal part of the face, has anyone ever known of it to be on the very sides of the cheeks by the ears? Help!
I need to know how to work make-up foundation into this regime. Do I wash my face, apply toner, then metronidazole, then make-up? Thanks.
Hello Chris and Carol.
Firstly Chris, I was so sad to read your message and the drama you have been through, extremely frustrating. Especially when you have always previously had nice skin, I do understand. I am not a medical person but am simply like the rest of the good folk here who can give you some support.
It may seem obvious and I am not being flippant, but keep searching different websites and read as much as you can, and perhaps try yet another Dermatologist. Don’t settle for something you are not happy with, you deserve better………
Rosacea can appear on anyone at any time and I believe that no body has the full facts yet, especially doctors. So, just because they have not seen anyone with the condition on the ‘sides of the cheeks’ does not mean it is not rosacea.
I wish I could give you more, but all I can say is start from the very beginning, look at when you first noticed a change in your skin, what was happening in your life, what were you eating etc, push yourself to try another dermatologist who has a clue about this condition and don’t let them treat you like you are over-reacting, because you are not ! I will also have a look around for info in case I can find anything interesting for you to read…………
Hi Carol,
Good question. I wash my face gently with just cold/cool tap water (warm can stimulate the skin too much); I never use toner as it can be too stimulating as well, then the metro gel/cream, let it dry for about 10 mins, then I use a liquid makeup, even though I have oily skin. I found matt foundations or liquid that turned to matt was drying for my skin and then irritated it.
Plus, I would avoid the compact powder that ‘stops shine’ , you can just pat your face with a tissue during the day to control the real oily parts……Anyway, the shiny look is in these days, looks more youthful.
Hope that helps a bit Carol.
Carol, you have the order correct. After washing with a gentle cleanser (I use LaRoche Posay Toleriane or Replenix Green Tea cleanser), it’s good to use a mild, non-alcohol toner (if your skin will tolerate it – I use SkinCeuticals, which has aloe and witch hazel) because the toner helps the skin absorb active products. After the toner, apply your active product such as Metrogel or Finacea. Then I apply a light moisturizer (I use LaRoche Posay Toleriane, or Rosaliac when my skin is really dry). I also like to apply Replenix Green Tea Serum before the moisturizer…I’ve used it for many years and think it helps calm my skin. And don’t forget sunscreen! – it’s important to wear it EVERY day. It’s very difficult to find non-irritating sunscreens – I can’t tolerate chemical sunscreens so I stick with the mineral sunscreens (titanium oxide and zinc oxide) – the best I’ve found is SkinCeuticals Physical Defense; Solbar, Dermalogica, and DDF are also good. I’m 47 and developed rosacea about 15 months ago. I had to completely change my skin care products (except for the green tea serum) because what I had been using suddenly irritated my face. It’s an ongoing struggle to find the right products that will help my rosacea symptoms, not worsen them or create other problems. So many products will seem good, but have one or more ingredients that I can’t tolerate or I’m not sure about and don’t want to risk trying. And some products clearly don’t work at all, or make things worse. It’s definitely trial and error, and it can be hard to know what is causing a sudden flare-up. For me, the main triggers are stress, hot or cold temperatures, heated beverages…but sometimes I can’t figure out why I have red blotches and my face is tingling and burning. I’ve been using Metrogel and Finacea and taking Oracea, and they seem to help, but I’m not sure just how much they’re helping. I tried a prescription sulfer cleanser but it was way too harsh for me. I sure hope there are better rosacea treatments on the near horizon…they’re desperately needed.
I’ve just discovered this site and found that I’m not alone! I’m a 63 year old male who has had periodic bouts with acne since the age of 18 and have been taking antibiotics off and on since about the age of 25/26. Nothing ever seemed to work perfectly or for long until I had my first course of treatment with Roaccutane. It worked like a charm during the treatment and for about a year after finishing the treatment. Then the periodic outbursts started up all over again (talk about frustration – a 55 year old guy still breaking out!)
Anyway, about 8 years ago I started to get many of the classic symptoms of rosacea. I’ve gone the rozex and antibiotic route and they may control it to some extent but they definitely do not stop this stuff (for me, anyway!) My dermatologist (I live in France) has just put me on Flagyl, which is to be a short course of treatment starting with larger, daily doses and working down to smaller, less frequent doses over the course of the next two months or so. She virtually guarantees that this will work (although, unhappily, I can’t drink while taking this stuff), at least for the period that I’m taking it.
However, whatever the outcome with this treatment, I intend to start a new course of treatment with Roaccutane this fall (you can only use it when the sun is no longer strong – thus it’s strictly a winter treatment – and a winter wonder!) This stuff really does work. The last course of treatment that I had (two and a half years ago) kept me problem free for 18 months. Then gradually all the problems started in again. It’s not a cure apparently (again, for me at least), but it has given me some long periods of respite from these otherwise very unpleasant, very frustrating battles with both acne and rosacea.
Two questions please:
1) Has anybody else taken Flagyl (apparently the oral version of metronidazole) for rosacae and, if so, what have experiences been?
2) Has anyone else gone the Roaccutane route? I didn’t notice anyone commenting on that and many of you folks might want to give it try. It could, at least, give you a brief break from rosacae
Hi Patrick,
A few comments from people who have tried accutane can be found here.
http://rosacea-support.org/focus-on-low-dose-accutane.html
Flagyl doesn’t seem to get prescribed very often for rosacea. The side effects are pretty strong so I suspect that doctors prefer to prescribe simpler options.
davidp.
Hi David,
Many thanks for your comments. My most recent problems with rosacea include weeks of a burning sensation to my face that feels like a mild sunburn, yet no visible redness appears. I’ve never before had it for so long or so severely. Additionally, over the past few months the adult acne that had practically disappeared for about two years has returned and has started to drive me a little balmy. I know the the Flagyl is very powerful stuff and realize that alcohol is absolutely forbidden.
I’ve always tolerated antibiotics of all types very well up till now. Do you feel that there are serious side effects to even short term use?
My dermotologist has me on 500 mg. a day for two weeks, to be reduced (if working) to 250 mg a day for a month and then 250 mg every other day for another month. Eventually I hope to get through to October greatly improved, when I can start a new round of roaccutane. The last treatment (two and a half years ago) was extremely successful for two years. So now I figure I’ll just routinely start a new course of roaccutane every two years and dispense with antibiotics altogether (I’ve just read that some authorities think it might be a safer treatment than long term antibiotic treatment anyway – ?)
Thanks again. Your comments are very much appreciated.
I have rosacea, characterized by redness of my cheeks. I’ve been using metro gel for approximately 3 months. I have also been taking one-to-two B-complex vitamins daily, along with one-to-four hydrochloric acid tablets with my meals, as i have read that these two supplements can help clear rosacea. In addition, i take anywhere from 30-60mg of zinc citrate daily, at meal times. The results so far have been very positive, in that the redness has subsided considerably. For the past week, i have been taking 50mg of minocycline, once daily. Hopefully, this antibiotic, along with my other regime will finally clear my redness once and for all. Perhaps this regime can help others, like each of you. Goodluck.
Hi everyone. I am 24 and am 4 and a half months pregnant. After I stopped the contriceptive pill I came out in pimples over my face and it was very dry all the time(I usually had good skin) then I fell pregnant and have got red, dry, pimple looking things sometimes around the bottom of my nose and running down the lines to my mouth and on my chin. It can get very bad. I went to the doctor and he said I had perioral dermititis and prescribed me rozex gel after I am 16 weeks. Im now 18 weeks but still havent used it as I have read that I should really use it? If he had prescribed it should I use it? As the doctor said it probly came up because of hormones from being pregnant I was thinking it may clear up once I have the baby but now im thinking it may not. Should I use the rozex gel?
I find that rosex works quite well. I apply it twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. It might take some time to work, but after three months you should see some difference. My dietary supplement recommendations might also help greatly.
Hello, I have never encountered any kind of acne growing up until about 3 years ago. I’m now 30 years old, but I started noticing these “breakouts” on my forehead only. At first, I thought they were “heat pimples” or as my father said “prickly heat”However, I went and saw derms and my regular doc, first my derm gave me, a cream , which made me break out worse. So, I went to my regular doc, who told me I had Rosacea. He told me there is no cure, and just gave me Metro gel to put on at night, and Benzaclin to put on in the morning. Metro gel as never seemed to work (for me). I’ve been on it again, since August and yet i still have my good days and bad weeks. Is there a time table on when it should “kick in” and see the results. Also is there anything else I should try?
Hi Ben,
I would expect metrogel to take around 4-6 weeks to achieve any maximum benefit. Metrogel is often prescribed with oral antibiotics as well and many find this to be a quite effective combination. A gentle skin regime with a gentle cleanser and moisturizer and physical sunscreen daily is also a good start. Finacea is another topical that might work if metrogel is not effective.
Perhas try some of the links below to find some more suggested treatments.
davidp.
Some Rosacea is a skin response to and acid body. If you have frequent red blotches and sore in your face and you have sour stomach. you may just be suffering from too much acid. Try eliminating REd Meat including Pork and just eat chiken. Take a Omeprazole pill at wake up and reduce food and your face will clear up and the itching will go away.
great site. i too just got what i consider a roseacea “problem”. always have been “pink”, blushed easily as a child, always nice “color” to my cheeks, but the last couple of weeks, bam; red bumps, with small yellowish white heads, etc. everything got worse.
a doctor friend of mine emailed me and said that he didn’t mean to alarm me but i need treatment, and called in the doxycycline, and the metronidazole topical cream to the pharmacy. before taking anything i searched and found this site. i am wondering about taking anti-inflamatory tumeric/cumin supplements which are getting lots of attention for anti inflamatory conditions although i haven’t heard about it for rosacea per se. and then perhaps an anti bacterial supplement, perhaps olive leaf or grapefruit extract or something like that. i am so worried about getting on the anti-biotic train and never getting off. dehydration definately may be a factor, good suggestion to watch for, and i think the zinc supplement might be a good idea. this all has coincided with a yeast infection i just happen to be suffering from and i also have read about a connection with celiac disease and gluten intolerances. the homeopathic pharmacist here in santa monica said she also thought that dairy and gluten sensitivies are tied to the rosacea and that i should do a good cleanse for my liver and intestines. ughhh. well, i picked up my bag of goodies from the pharmacy but wonder what i should do. i am 50 as well, suffering from perimenapause! so definately a relationship i guess unless everything starts an accelerated downhill spiral as we all start getting older.
lol. am going to take a celiac comprehensive lab panel for blood testing per my doctor friend and see what that says.
anyway, best of luck to all, may the force be with us. and thanks so much for creating a great site!!!
Cara
California
to add to my last post i included a website about the type of tumeric that is having such success in double blind studies with all kinds of inflamation. apparently it is “curcumin/tumeric”. not all tumeric is the same. also since i last posted i discovered that there has been some success with other skin conditions as well. it just stands to reason that if the treatment is anti bacterial and anti inflamation drugs then using natural supplements should give the same results.
Hi Cara, I have a couple of paragraphs here about turmeric/circumin. Hope you find it useful.
natural anti-inflammatory therapies
davidp.
http://www.abigon.com/buyingturmeric.html – here is that article on tumeric, I heard the gentleman who runs that site, Christian Wilde, speak on the properties of tumeric and how exciting the effect on inflamation has bee. was unsure if the site was showing up in the post.
davidp – you’re an angel to put all this info up. thanks!!!!!!
cara
hi, i’ve developed roscea in the last two months and have just started using metrogel. i would like to use foundation to cover up some of the red. does anyone reccomend a good makeup that won’t make it worse?
Hi, I’ve been having problems on my chin only, only slightly red with some tiny bumps. the doctor at first told me to put Staticin lotion on it (erythromycin 5%) then, when that didn’t work, said it “might’ be rosacea or related and prescribed metrogel. as with other posters, after 5 days, I noticed no change at all. however, my husband had some Lotriderm cream (clotrimazole and betamethasone dipropionate) – a fungal cream for his feet – and in desperation I put that on it. for some reason it clears up my skin within hours. but if I don’t put it on every day, my skin gets irritated again. I haven’t put any on for several days b/c of holiday distractions, and my chin is the worst its been, quite red with lots of tiny, tiny “pimples”. does anyone have any thoughts? thanks.
After about 10 years living with this irritating rash, I was just diagnosed today with Rosacea. My doctor prescribed Metrogel. I’ve been using Fougera brand hydrocortisone over the past ten years to keep this rash in check. The last time I bought the hydrocortisone creme I didn’t need a prescription. When I went to buy it this time the pharmacist said “prescription only”. The weird thing is, years ago, through trial and error, I found the only thing that would keep this mystery rash under control was Fougera hydrocortisone. Any other brand and the rash took a stronghold. So when asking my doctor about it today he said he wanted to try me on the Metrogel (Fougera brand, no less, but still $70 a tube) and wean me off the hydrocortisone. I applied the gel this evening and am crossing my fingers. With the Fougera hydrocortisone, I could go up to a maximum of three days without cleansing my face and reapplying the hydrocortisone. Any longer than that and the Rosacea would have my face red and itching like mad. Like poison ivy on your face. Ack! So maybe in a while I will be rejoicing in the fact that I was made to get a prescription for my trusted Fougera creme. My Rosacea seems to only be concentrated under my eyes and on the lower part of my forehead, and of course on my nose. I have started to notice some red spots that don’t get any worse. One on the right ear lobe and the other on my face right in front of my right ear. These appeared just recently. Thanks Dave, for providing this resource!
Hi Brian,
Good luck with the Metrgel. The Fougera Metrogel is a generic copy of the Galderma metronidazole cream, so should give you as good response for less $$. If you start to experience any rebound problems from the hydrocortisone then here are a couple of good resources ;
treating steroid induced rosacea and over the counter steroids can cause steroid induced rosacea.
davidp.
I am 45 and have been diagnosed with Rosacea since I was in my mid -thirties. I have extremely oily and sensitive skin, with breakouts on my chest, back and occasional my face.
Acne and Rosacea flare ups always seem worse before my period. Everything is fine for couple of weeks with minimum effort on my part ( cleansing /moisturizing) and the whole cycle starts again. Redness, itchiness, irritation ,breakouts.
I am currently on ACCUTANE( CLARAVIS) 3 times a day ( 20mg). I started 10/08 and are planning on a 5-6 mo. treatment. I was given Metrogel 1% as well. It really dries out my skin and seems to irritate my face more when I use it. My acne has improved, however not the redness/irritation on my face. Some days are better than others. I have had the same experience with using Clotrimazole&Betamethasone Dipropionate Cream, originally prescribed to me for skin irritation on my body, as Shantal with Lodriderm. I used it on my face and it looked great with no irritation but as soon as I stop using it, I have had the same problems.
Sweating from exercising also seems to make redness worse. I would definitely recommend ACCUTANE for acne, not sure if it helps with the redness and irritation /itchines from Rosacea.
I use Estee Lauder Double Wear Make up mixed with my moisturizer since my skin is dry from using ACCUTANE. Sometimes I can tolerate it just fine other times not as well.
Cleansing, toning ( optional) , eye creme, gel/syrum, moisturizer and lastly foundation followed by a light dusting of powder.
I’m very confused. When I picked up the my prescription I wasnt informed very well as far as how to use it. I have the basics but if someone could help me that would be great.
So I’ve read a little of the passages about how to apply metronidazole. But to confirm.
I wash my face, then towel dry. Then apply metronidazole to the affected area, then its okay to apply make-up afterwards??
And if I do apply make-up afterwards, this mean I don’t wash the metronidazole off my face and this is for an all day wear?
Please explain
thanks,
I was diagnosed with rosacea about 8 months ago, I am 26. I suffer from p&p on both cheeks and redness. (I also have a very small patch at the edge of my cheek by my ear that reoccurs – hope that helps Chris McCormick, an earlier post).
I use metronidazole cream which controls the pustules but I still have a slight redness which gets worse with the usual triggers, alcohol, hot baths etc. I also have a cows milk intolerance which is my worse trigger.
My skin is extremely sensitive and I can only use aqueous cream with the metronidazole. For those of you who suffer from dry skin as well as extremely sensitive skin, I have found that using a pure facial oils like vitamin E with absolutely no additives really helps with the dryness but no aggravation. And I definitely find that drinking lots of water helps with the overall condition of my skin, it seems less angry when it is well hydrated.
For kristin, on how to use your metronidazole cream, apply to a clean, dry face on affected area then put on make-up etc as normal. If you find the cream a little strong, you can put your regular moisturizer on first before applying the metronidazole cream, to act as a kind of gentle barrier. Don’t expect miracles overnight, it can take months to see results. I really recommend identifying your own personal triggers to help you control the rosacea. Everybody seems to have slightly different triggers!
Hi,
I was just prescribed Metrogel 1% for my rosacea. My dermatologist’s prescription tells me to apply it twice a day, but the information that came with the product says to apply it once a day. A little confused! I have been applying it once a day for a week and a half with no change in my skin. What do other Metrogel 1% users do? Apply once or twice?
Thanks!
Hi Lee,
Metrogel 0.75% was officially tested to be used twice a day, and Metrogel 1% tested to be used once a day. Noritate which also contains metronidazole 1% is listed to be used once a day. If your dermatologist is happy for you to use it twice per day then that is probably ok. Metrogel doesn’t have long term dangers like say steroids, but it may cause irritation for some users. So go easy and keep an eye out for any adverse reactions.
davidp.
Does anyone know why it takes so long for Metrogel 1% to work? I have heard anywhere from 3 weeks to 9 weeks. What is happening to the epidermis that it takes so long to go away, if it even does? Mine was prescribed alone, once a day, at night. Thanks
Hi Jenny,
Rosacea is an inflammatory disease and metronidazole is thought to interrupt the inflammatory pathway. A one sentence summary is “metronidazole breaks down into a substance that kills the DNA of the cells of some particular bacteria and protozoa”.
I explore this idea further here: so just how does metrogel work ?.
It isn’t a simple process and it takes some time for any changes to be noticed.
davidp.
I am 68 and have never used any make -up except for lipstick. I have had rosacea for over 25 years. I have used Metronidazole o.75%, 45gm for the past 10 years. I apply it very sparingly on my face at bedtime. Otherwise all I do is keep my face clean with gentle face soap such as Olay several times a day. I still do not use make up.
The comment I hear over and over again is what beautiful skin I have. I might add that I have never smoked or used products with caffeine. I am careful about overexposure to the sun. All of these I am sure have contributed to my good skin.
Even aggressive treatment for advanced uterine cancer did not seem to affect my skin, for which I am very thankful.
Hello everyone,
I found this site by chance! and it was a great chance reading you all. Feels good
I will be 40 in september.
I’m not married, no children (maybe this could be a factor?).
In my 20s i encountered red flash-ups on my face and started appearing after my excessive sun-exposure. I had to treat with Avene anti-rougeur cream on my cheeks for several months, it used to decrease the intensity!
Years went by, and i rarely felt anything..
4 months ago i went through internal nose surgery: cloison nasale (could this be another factor?).
1 month ago:
I’ve gone through an intense emotional stress because i am living a longdistance passionate relationship but cannot meet my partner often!
I was during this period drinking around 5 cups of tea/day.
I am having irregularity in my periods (sometimes intense sometimes less).
And i suddenly changed the ambiant temperature of my place, increased the heating which i wasnt used to much in my indoor temp!
My face had reacted suddenly one morning when waking up! a concentrated redness and red bumps with little yellow heads. I was shocked!
my MD prescribed antibiotics 10mg + Topical solution Dalacin. i got better, but one week after end of antibiotics, i noticed my cheeks reacting to (emotional stress or even bad thoughts, chocolate, heat or dressed too warm).
My pharmacist told me to start Rosex Gel 0.75%.
I havent taken any step forward yet but i need to!
Would love to hear from you. Can you advise?
I strongly suggest you take a look at the Newbies section
under “community”. Many of us have taken the time to address our “new” condition and have shared our successes and our challenges. Personally, for me, it isn’t usually “one thing” that we have done, nor is it “one thing” that we can do to correct it. I also think that although Metrogel is working great on me, I also realize it’s my system that is not working right, and it is my system I want to get right. Cleansing my system with a juice fast, and paying attention to an “anti-inflamation” diet, per Dr. Perricone, has done wonders. Finding your triggers through an elimination diet, is nothing short of brilliant. Taking responsibility for your diet, your stress, your exercise program, etc is what it is about. Mind, body, soul! Eating a diet rich in living foods, staying away from sugar and starches, etc will all yield wonderful results. good luck!!!!!!!!!!!! (Cetaphil cleanser is GREAT too!)
I read that METROGEL (METRODINAZOLE ) 0,75 percent treat MEIBOMITIS ( posterior blefaritis) .
Can i have more information ?
Officially metrogel is not approved for ophthalmic use, but I believe that you can get formulation of metronidazole to use for the eye. I would definitely seek the advice of an opthamologist before using metronidazole for any eye symptoms.
I’ll keep an eye out (sorry) for any good information about using specific formulations of metronidazole for opthalmic conditions. Anyone have any good information they can share with us ?
davidp.
Thanks much Cara, i think you’re absolutely right about taking care of other factors like diet, stress, exercice etc. I especially think it’s a must for all of us to keep laughing as much as we can, i know this has a huge benefit on all our system!!
I am on Rozex Gel now from one week, and my rosacea is getting progressively better, but slowly..
I didn’t go to a dermatologist, but i had it from the pharmacy!
For how long you think i can still use Rozex on my cheeks?
Have a nice day!!!
Since I am not too familiar with Rozex I cannot answer that. Laughter is HUGE!! and juicing green juices is too!!
I went on a three day green juice fast and every bump on my face went away!!!!!!! I ate raw sprouts and raw veggies for a week and I was looking brand new. The minute I put sugar in my system the bumps (p’s & p’s)
came back. maybe some day i can have a little of the no no’s but i am not all that interested in getting back to the old way i ate. Plus I lost 8 pounds getting off the starches, sugar, and alcohol, and my old jeans pull right off over my hips. Best of luck, Tatiana!!! Cara
hehe thank you my friend…i will try the green juice a bit instead of orange juice each morning!!!
Keep LAUGHING you’all!!!
looking over your original post i see that you were drinking a lot of tea. i imagine that would be black tea, but even if it were not, it’s the heat of the tea probably giving you a reaction. and the diuretic effect of the tea dehydrating you. the same happened to me but i was doing healing herbs, 4 cups a day, but had a bad flare up. after my juice fast now i can have a cup of tea (i stopped the caffeinated tea, why not, after everything else i purged myself of !) now drink red roibus (sp?) from a south african plant, a very rich in anti oxidants and tasty tea. I put coconut milk in it and stevia. no more sugar or honey or agave like i use to.
also stay well hydrated. a good rule of thumb is half your body weight of water daily in ounces.
btw, blended greens, spinich and such with berries (green for life is the name of the book, botenko, i believe is the author) is a great way to get your green juice without it being tooo much to transitions too quickly into. you know, in a blender, instead of a juicer.
happy to be of service. i promised i would help others if i got relief!! cara
Hi.
I’m 28 years of age and have suffered from moderate rosacea on my nose for serveral years. I currently use a regimen which consists of:
Cetaphil non irritating cleanser
Finacea gel (azelaic acid)
Clinique daily relief cream
Moisturiser with SPF15
The above routine keeps the pustules & pupules under control however the redness is pretty much persistent and I also have a tendency to flush in reaction to food, anxiety, stress etc.
My dermatogolist has prescribed rosex, however I’m reluctant to try it because:
a) I have hyper sensitive skin (is rosex particularly harsh?)
b) I have read that Rosex is primarily for treating p&p as opposed to redness?
Can you advise if metronidazole is worth trying? Alternatively Id appreciate any advice on a superior treatment for the persistent redness, flushing which is making my my self esteem wither.
Many thanks
In response to red roy,
I also have hyper sensitive skin (my own sweat irritates my face) but find I can use metronidazole cream on my rosacea areas. There is the odd occasion where it can sting but that is usually if my skin is particularly irritated. You may find it doesn’t agree with the other creams you use so my advice would be trial and error. If your skin does get irritated, maybe leave it for a few days the try again.
I also find metronidazole does control the redness as well as the pustules. However, everyone is different but I would recommend giving it a try. Without it, my rosacea flares up very quickly- redness and pustules, but when I use it twice a day and avoid my triggers, you wouldn’t know I had it.
To help with the redness more, I have found that using a sunblock called Badger (all natural ingredients- no chemicals) before I go to bed really calms down any redness that seems to develop throughout the day. It contains zinc oxide which is not only really good for the skin but has a whitening effect. At first you’ll look like a ghost but through the night this wears off and just leaves non-red skin! May sound bizarre, but if it works, who cares! You could also try just putting the Badger sunblock on your nose and other affected ares throughout the day to help counter-act the redness, I just wouldn’t wear it everywhere as it can make you look very pale!
Good luck
Victoria, thanks a mill for the advice. Based on your positive experience I will give metronidazole a trial period and see how I go.
I will also have a look for that ‘Badger’ sunblock as it sounds most beneficial. Hopefully it can be obtained online as I doubt its available in Ireland.
Red Roy, Badger Sunblock can be obtained online, I bought mine from a website called beauty naturals but if you google it there are lots of places that sell it so shop around. Good luck with the metronidazole!
Hi Everyone. Has anyone ever used Zithromax for their skin problems? I used it for a severe sinus infection and it cleared my acne and reduced the redness from the rosacea. Everyone kept telling me how great my skin looked. I asked my dr. if it was possible to continue on the z-pack and she said it is prescribed for rosacea and acne on a pulsed regimen. I have never found anything that worked like this before. Any ideas? I also just started the metrogel this week.
Jills Journey.(42 yrs old).. i moved april 2007, beautiful skin until sept 2007 I got a red flat rash on face and blephtis (sp). Dr. gave me script for presidone, said it was contact allergy and eye doctor gave me eye drops. Dr also gave me 2.5% hydrocortisone for face.everything cleared up… Then it came back and stayed. went on predisone again. she said Nope ,it not allergy,its ezcema but no bumpy rash.presidone nasty medicine. i did feel like a superhero -makes you feel great but i had insomnia and gained weight, also put little blond hairs on my face so now i resemble a catcus.lol. tested for lupus TWICE, negative. went to allergist, test neg for everything, Got the patch testing on back (worse week ever.no shower) nothing really came up there.many days i would wake up swollen eyes and after showering in am, washing face,putting moisturizer on my face would burn and be beet red all day!( i have pictures in case it was clearing by the time i went to dermy) back for more presidsone. it wasnt a typical rash, it was a flat burn It burned on my cheeks and felt chapped. went to ANOTHER dermy.said i had rosacea. gave me sulfur medicine. did not like it. irritated it and smelled horrible. threw all my products away. used nothing.still red. got a humifier, got a air cleaner (still thinking allergy)had my water tested by the water dept. All clear there.Got blephitis again.Back to eye doctor. All the first dermy would do is to continue to give me hydrocortisone which is BAD for face. I stopped going out. i became obsessed with looking in mirror to see if there was any teeny weeny improvement from this pain burned face.I couldnt stop.day to day things like even eating were a chore since my face hurt so much. I bought rocacea care products online,This week i went and had IPL laser. not sure if it was the right idea. my face is still beet red and swollen up to my eyes that are now slits. I did get obaji rosacea care which is cleanser, metrogel .75%, moisturizer but i dont think its strong/thick enough since my face is very dry. and i puchased clinque sunscreen for rosacea.I have never used sunscreen.my bad. not sure of the order to put all this stuff on.If my face gets to normal size, i will try these products to see if they work or its BACK to the dermy who really doesnt know and throws things out there. I am afraid to take antibiotic cause i would not want to get pregnant my age but that still has not been offered to me.and accutane is prob not an option, i have high cholesterol and slight osteo from the depo shot.ugh more issues….. i think all the steriods i took over this year has given my steriod induced rosacea.Never have i had senstive skin before. i could do microderabrasions with the best of them,used any product., nothing bothered me till sept 2007 and its been a daily nightmare ever since. Triggers? no clue except the major stress/aniexty i have over this. i dont really drink or eat spicy foods, do have a small coffee twice a week. I can feel the burn crawling across my face anywhere, anytime.there is no pattern. very depressing since this basically has “taken over my life”
I would like to have a facial done and I am worried the possible side effects would be or concerns I need to be aware of?
I am currently using Metrogel and Oracea.
Are there any concerns.
thank you
Just started Metrogel and an oral antibiotic for Rosacea. I mainly have mild redness and the monthly breakouts. Since i started the Metrogel (6 days ago) I am getting these zit like things on my lower cheeks and forehead like crazy! Is this like a skin purge caused by the metrogel that will go away eventually or just a bad reaction to it?
Hi Maren,
Did you figure anything out? I also just started metrogel and had a similar question–if you seem to have a reaction to it, how long should you wait (if at all) to see if you’ll adapt to it before concluding it doesn’t agree with you?
I used the cream (twice daily, .75) for 2 months (I was diagnosed 2 months ago). I asked to try the gel because I’m on the oily side and the cream felt heavy/greasy. Dr. prescribed the 1% (brand name), once daily metrogel. Tonight was my 2nd night using it. The papules are seeming improved, but I’m having a return of stinging and some redness which I hadn’t had in a couple of months.
Thanks, Sarah
A follow up–looks like I’m adapting to the metrogel. Only the third day and my skin is less irritated and looking pretty clear. I think it’s working pretty well. It must have been a temporary adjustment flare-up.
I do find, surprisingly, that I ideally need to use a moisturizer with it (surprisingly because I’m reasonably oily and found the metronidazole cream too heavy).
I am 40 years old and have always had sensitive skin. The skin on my cheeks became very red and irritable after an unexpected day in the sun without sufficient sunscreen. It started as odd spots and then quickly progressed to red, angry blothches on my cheeks. The first visit to my GP (not my regular GP) said I had acne and gave me some Panoxyl which I decided not to use as it it can bleach clothes as it said in the instructions, what on earth can it do to your face. I went to see my regular GP a couple of days later who suspects Rosacea and has given me a strong course of antibiotics and metrogel cream. I am on day 3 and so far I see no sign of improvement, in fact I think its worse. Does anyone know how long you should continue and how long it takes to see any sign of improvent.
hi,there..its been two years after i got this tiny red bumps in my face and constant red face dilemna,i am a softball player whose supposed to be enjoying my last years in university… turn out to be a disaster,after graduation i moved here in United Arab Emirates,(one of the hottest place maybe) in here i found out that its a rosacea.(by dermatologist of course).. she gave me
DUMOZOL(topical)(2X A DAY) and VIBRAMYCIN 100 (oral),two hours after dinner(once)..its freaking hot in here,humid is so bad,foods are usually spicy..so dehydrating,but i’m coping up.. i’ve been using it for almost a month,and its almost gone, the problem is it’s hard to find in the market…..
one more thing,i just got married few months ago,and i want to get pregnant by next year.. i want to stop my oral medication,any suggestion for antibiotics that has no side effects for pregnant
i had mild rosacea a few papules here n there….i used this for a week it broke me out bad….i stopped it…my skin calmed down and the cream went into the garbage….and no, i’m not gonna find out if it gets worse before it gets better
Every time I use anything prescribed by my dermatologist the end result is that it always ends up making my rosacea worse. I recently started using Metronidazole and it appears to be making my rosacea worse, but recently it has been more severe and relentless for longer periods of time than ever. I had a question about the progression of this disease. Have I entered a new phase of severity as before if I had a breakout, the S/S would subside after a couple of days. Now it seems that instead of just getting better that it will get sort of better and then bam I can not get back to what was “baseline” before. (Just marginal redness in my eyebrows, which is where this whole thing started in the first place.)
The only thing that has ever worked in calming my rosacea is Aveeno soap. Unfortunately, it appears to be losing its effect. I don’t understand this condition, according to Wiki, the disease is somehow connected to intestinal bacteria? I should clarify that I used an ATB cream for a while that worked and when it stopped working, it only made it worse. Since then, the Aveeno is the only thing that has helped and all prescription drugs make it worse. Does this mean that the bacteria have developed a resistance to the drugs that worked initially?
The fact that ATBs worked makes me think something is wrong with my immune system. My dad is a doctor and pointed out that I have always had a low graunulocyte count on my CBC as a kid, but my overall WBC count is normal. Is this sig.? My aunt told me that she had rosacea of the eye and takes a steroid shot every year for it. If rosacea is a problem with the immune system, then this would seem to NOT be a good treatment. Perhaps, the problem is that the immune system does not recognize it as a problem. Although, from what I understand drugs that act to trigger the immune system often have bad side effects. Could it be hormonal as is one of the explanations for women who get multiple yeast inf.s. (improper balance of normal flora) At any rate, I wish there was a cure cause I don’t want to live like this…
I have answered questions for “newbies” extensively but I will try to keep this brief. I was alerted by a doctor friend that my “rosacea” took a turn for the worse and I needed treatment. While always pink, the bumps (p & p’s) were new. I tried the met. cream…and it continued to get worse. I finally put on my thinking cap and went on a complete cleanse, raw food for ten days, green juices for three days, weeks of cooked veggies, colonics, wheat grass….and every bit of bumps and redness disappeared. it must be intestinally related. back in the real world i find sugar, caffeine, sweet potato fries, starches generally cause a reaction with me. now i eat according to dr perricone’s inflammation diet which i find relevant for rosacea sufferers as well as acne, and when i don’t i see it in my face. now i can use the met cream to control since i am far from a saint with my diet, but knowing that i can counter balance with a good daily juice of cucumber, celery, spinach and lemon helps me stay in balance.
I also find that jojoba oil and glycerin for moisterizer along with cleansing with cetaphil is wonderful……rosaceans generally need good moisterizers and cetaphil has an excellent one…..
Also, I want to add that I was reluctant to get on the “antbiotic” train…for fear I’d never get off. And indeed, to this day I have not taken them.
My answer to the antibiotics was the Optimum Health Institute in Lemon Grove, California, a non profit cleansing and educational program, in business since the 1960′s and only word of mouth promotion. I did their program for a week and then did my own around the time I was going there and after.
I know the creams are expensive and so my doctor and I decided I would make my own. He gave me a prescription of metronidazole 500mg , I desolve one in a tiny bit of water and I put half of one in a jar of Alba face cream (its natural) The pills cost for fifteen is 4.00 and the jar of cream is 17.00 dollars. Im tired of getting jabbed by these companies that produce these drugs, so Im making my own. So you might want to try doing this.
after hours of skipping out of work to read article after article,….my head is spinning. I found out a year ago I have “a form of rosacea. I tried metrogel .75% but quickly gave up(i think due to impatience..not seeing immediate results) I then went to an Esthetician in 2/09 who recommended the new Clinique Medical line. I used the probiotic cleanser ($30)and the optimizing treatment cream as my moisturizer $80). although expensive, my skin transformed in under a week! To save $$, i realized during the summer i could get away with just using the cleanser and using cetaphil sensitive skin moisturizer. Now that the cold has set back in, my skin is back to being it’s normal pain in the you know what. my question? Can i use a darn cleanser and moisturizer that doesn’t total $100???I read some earlier posts talk about LaRoche Posay Toleriane products. I am definitely clear on the sunscreen front. we all MUST use it and it MUST contain zinc oxide and be PABA free. one that worked for my friend is by Neutrogena. here is the link. if anyone can tell me their “regimen” of what cleanser and hydrating moisturizer to use that would be great! http://www.neutrogena.com/econsumer/ntg/productdetail.browse?segment=women&catId=3&subCatId=9&productId=485&target=/products/sun/sensitive-skin-60-spf-sunblock-lotion.jsp
I am 18 years old now and went to the dermatologist for the first time. I have rosacea, and I hate it with a deep, firey, unexplainable passion! It has set me back in my life in so many ways. My face will get beet red all the time… in a warm room, when i exercise, when I’m embarrassed, when I’m stressed, when I’m dehydrated. Pretty much the tiniest thing will set it off. No one in my family has this.. how blessed am I? I eat extremely healthy and do not drink any alcohol, so i know it is not that. People have told me that I need to identify my “triggers”. Well, its not like I can just get up out of hot classroom just because my face is so so red (but I actually have had to do that before because I was so embarrassed by it. I avoid certain social events. I couldn’t enter into an end of the year speech competition even though I am great at it and love giving speeches, because I know this would trigger it. I can’t even begin to explain to people who don’t have rosacea the damage it does to my self-esteem. People tell me I’m a a beautiful girl, but I can’t believe them because I am so damaged by this skin problem. If I did not have this red, ugly skin, I would be extremely confident! This is so pathetic, but it really makes me want to cry a lot- and it’s only because I know I can be such a great person and do so many new things and meet so many new people, but no. I hate rosacea and if it were a living thing, I would hunt it down and kill it.
My doctor prescribed me tetracycline and metrogel 1%. I wil pray every night for improvement. I am sorry this is so long, but I don’t know anyone with rosacea so I have no one who understands the damper it puts on my life.
Not only did it take me a while to accept and love my white, fair skin in the middle of all these fake, tanning bed addict girls, but now with this, I just wish for different skin. People these days seem to see beauty in tan- not pale..or with the other half of my case, red. I am still going to follow my dreams and continue on, and not in any way am I depressed, but I will just have to continue on knowing I can’t do some of the things I want and I will live with the occassional hurt and embarrassment it puts on me.
Any support, advice, or understanding is much appreciated.
I’m not a “newby” really, except to this great website. Am 66 years old with a life time of worsening instead of improving skin. Every treatment has good and bad effects as my face and chest are so oily and dry and and sensitive. But, one question I can’t seem to find an answer to is, how can Obagi provide a 0.75% metrogel in their rosacea kit without a prescription? My dermatologist is surprised, but I bought it and really enjoy the immediate mostly good effects. The second question is what sunscreen has the least potential for breakouts and irritation? Hope it’s OK to ask 2 questions. Thanks for your time.
HI folks
I have had Rosacea for a few years now , on and off . I have found that chocolate really sets it off ( which is a real shame as I love it !) .
I use Rozex and tetracycline ,which did pretty much get rid of all the redness –I stopped using them about 4 years ago –then in the last 6 months I have been getting boils on my forehead and increased redness so I have gone back to my doc for a new script –heres hoping it works ….thanks for a great site , it really helps when you know your not alone
I just started using metronidazole. It says to use it in the evenings. I put it on around 8 or so and wake up with white flaking peeling stuff where I used it. Am I using too much? I can’t imagine putting it on in the morning. It also seems worse than when I started. Can I use a moisturizer during the day?
hi kristin,
from memory i thought the instructions said to put it on, wait five minutes and then use moisturizer. i do that, and then put on organic wear cover up from physicians formula and my moisturizer is just organic jojoba oil. i also wash with cetaphil and use cetaphil moisturizers as well, when i feel i need more. but better than anything i put on my skin is what i put into my mouth/system. if i eat foods too sweet, too starchy, too fried i have break outs. if i eat raw, lots of salads, if i juice green fresh juices i have clear beautiful skin. good luck!!
Hi,
I’ve just been diagnosed with Rosacea after many visits over a period of 6 months to various Chemists – where each one advised different hydrating creams – I finally sought the advice of my local G.P.
I’m devastated to learn that this will never go away but also confused because my G.P. said it was caused by a mite on my skin. I have read that it may be caused by stress – which is the right answer and should I avoid alcohol whilst using Rozex Gel?
Heya,
I have been diagnosed with Rosacea, just really red and dry skin, and have been using the topical gel for about a week now and I don’t really see a change – just wondering how long it would take to see results, if any at all. Thank you!
Hi Ashleigh,
I’m pleased to say that the Rozex gel I was prescribed is really doing it’s job. The difference in my skin in about a fortnight was remarkable. Hope you have as much success.
I hope I do as well.
And to answer one of your previous questions my dermatologist told me that they don’t exactly know what causes rosacea. I’ve had it for about 5-6 years now and just recently decided to do something about it. They prescribed me the gel and told me to come back in three months – that if it wasn’t working they’d put me on some pill for it. I just hate putting on foundation everyday as an attempt to cover the redness, and it really doesn’t make a difference. I’d rather take pills or rub gel on my face everyday than wear foundation for the rest of my life 
Thanks for your help!
I’ve been diagnosed with rosacea for about a year now…my adult acne (pimples only) suddenly has turned into rosacea (redness, irritation, etc)
It’s gone from occasional pimples and irritation to irritation almost all the time. Every moisturizer/make up item I use irritates it to no end. I’ve changed to bareminerals (all powder) make up, which has helped a lot, but still struggling to find a moisturizer with spf that won’t turn my face stinging into a massive red glow…
Any suggestions on moisturizers? I’ve also started using my metrogel again – any hints on if that will work any time soon to calm this down?
My face has always been so soft, now is just rough, dry and “thick” feeling – anyone experiencing that?
i use organic jojoba oil for moisturizing, it’s amazing. i wash with cetaphil which is great for those with rosacea. also cetaphil has nice morturizers……that don’t irritate. bare essential minerals is awesome as is organic wear make up from physicians formula. there is sunscreen from another company, eucerin, that is great, made to take out the redness.
just as important for me is controlling my diet. it’s sugar, fried foods, (sweet potato fries wreck my face) and carbs (white bread, potatoes, rice) that aggravate my skin. of course hot drinks one after the other doesn’t work for me, nor does alcohol. (a little with food is fine) honey in my tea (one cup after breakfast or at least with food in my stomach) doesn’t give me a problem but something like a mocha from a coffee shop is really bad. corn syrup is really bad. i see it immediately.
three days of a green juice fast (freshly squeezed cucumber, spinach, celery, lemon or something like that) plus colonics cleared everthing up. now i can see what in my diet aggravates my skin.
take responsibility and leave as little as possible to the pharma companies. i never took antibiotics, i was petrified to get on the train that never stops. good luck!
==
I first of all what to thank all of you for the support you have given me by reading your emails. I never realized that there was a support group out there for Rosacea sufferers until I started to search the web for more information about this disease. Everyone is going through what I have been dealing with for the passed year.
I was first diagnosed 1 year ago at the age of 62….yup!…you heard me 62. What surprised me is that I never wear make up and really don’t do much sun bathing other then working in the garden. I always did blush but I just thought that was because I am a fairly shy person [and a redhead] and I would turn red at the dumbest stuff. My friends would tease me just to get me to turn red. However, this time the redness didn’t go away and I was beginning to get a rash/blemishes. I heard about rosacea but I never thought that is what it would be at my age.
Since this rash did not go away, I immediately made a doctors appointment assuming that I may have rosacea. Unfortunately, my PCP confirmed my worse fear. I was totally bummed out. I knew this was going to be something I was going to have to deal with the rest of my life. The good side was at 62 how many more years do I have???? Also thank goodness I retired two years ago so I don’t have to deal with looking like this at work.
My doctor perscribed metrogel 1% and for awhile it worked great; however, lately it is not doing anything at all. I have not been able to clear my skin in months. I blame this last series of flare ups on the horrendous winter we have had this year. I have a little dog that I walk twice a day no matter what the weather condition. The cold air and wind worked havoc on my skin. I can’t seem to get the rosacea under control so tomorrow I am going to ask my doctor if she can give me something else along with metrogel 1% to see if I can get my skin to clear up just a little quicker.
I’m beginning to feel that I have to explain to everyone I see that I have rosacea…..I know they see this horrible rash when they look at me. It is on both cheeks, by my temples, on my nose, on my lips, on and under my chin…YUCK! I would start to wear makeup but to me that makes it look worse.
I have good days and bad days but I just keep telling myself that I could have been diagnosed with something a lot worse. At least rosacea is not life threatening (my best friend, mother and husband all passed away from CANCER) and that thought basically gets me through the day.
Again, thanks everyone for all your suggestions, it really helps. I will keep reading to learn more!
hi
i posted on here may 2009 originally about the horrible time i was having with my face and i want to tell how i got rid of my burn, the redness everywhere just like you Becky, ashleigh and Marie. I was in excruting pain with the redness and everything. My dermy kept saying rosacea or allergy that has a trigger..well people. I found it after spending all the time and money on doctors appt and metrogel etc.. I was my TAP WATER.The tap water was irritating my skin and giving me rosacea symptoms.yes i couldnt believe it. i never had a problem. BUT the nano second i stopped using tap water and started washing my face with spring water it has been perfect every since.Not one teeny red hot spot, cheeks are fine.. no bumps.NOTHING. I also stopped using facecloths since i was washing them in the same water with my towels. I use cetaphil and the makeup remover pads, the puffy ones with spring water and i have not once felt my face burning, redness all over or the really dry skin. I havent even had a pimple since. The dry red skin has vanished. and i do not use any scripts orally or on my face. I use a moisturizer called PCA skin hydrator. For too long was I seriously depressed over this and it effected my social life. Now i can look in the mirror and smile.
try it…even just a week. wash with spring water ( i keep a small bottle underneath sink and those cotton pads) it might be your trigger too.
and…
)
my skin is more beautiful than ever using the spring water to wash face. It took two years of trying everything that didnt work.and I would cry myself to sleep almost nightly and then it dawned on me to just try the spring water..couldnt hurt.
I am told i am beauiful constantly and i think its cause my skin looks soo much better.
I hope someone tries this and it helps them too.
READ my post from May 2009.. you will see the hell i was living before this and how serious it was.
I read my email first thing this morning and was excited to read Jill’s comments……thanks Jill.
I will head to the store today and purchase some Spring Water just for my rosacea. I must say though that I have been using Cetaphil since I have been diagnosed with rosacea….my sister turned me on to this. She suggested it since I told her how irritating my skin was. Cetaphil is a “soap-free cleanser” and especially created for sensitive skin. Also I just pat dry my skin after washing it. I never rub it with a towel.
Afterwards since the Metrogel 1% seems to dry out my skin a little, I use a therapeutic moisturizing lotion called Complex 15. It is hypoallergenic and not oily at all. I use this lotion (just a little goes a long way) all throughout the day to keep my skin from getting to dry. If my skin gets too dry I feel itchy. It like a never ending cycle.
HOWEVER, I NEVER TRIED USING SPRING WATER but I certainly will now. Thanks again, Jill. See…! I learn something every day. GREAT!
oh becky I hope it works for you. I never would have thought it was my tap water. I grew up in peabody ma, been here most of my year. i DO noticed the water is hard water (like toothpaste is flat when i brush my teeth) I tried everything else for two years.Did your read my original post? i wanted to jump off a bridge i was in such agony. I wish i could send you pictures to see the difference. I can not FEEL the burn crawling, there is no painful itch. My eyes have been fine. It was still irritating at first and noticed it was reddish when i was washing face but i looked down and looked at the facecloth in my hand and thought “Hmmmmmm i wash these in that same water” so i stopped using that and my face is glowing ever since.
Give it a week and let me know how it went.
Hello,
I suffer from very dry skin around my nose and eyebrows. I also have a red bump on my nose that has been there for as long as I can remember. My dads nose is more or less the same, bur his has spider like veins and is redder than mine. Are these the symptoms of this? If so, would anti biotics from my doctor help? And also, how long would it take to cure?
Regards,
Julie
Help – I was diagnosed with Rosacea in January and was given Rozex gel to use which made a huge difference to me within a fortnight.
Apart from the odd bit of face pain everything was going well until I started getting pain in my eyes. I thought it was conjunctivitis and bought some eye ointment over the counter to treat it. The pain didn’t get any better and I’ve been to the Doctor – apparently this is due to the Rosacea.
As usual, when I got home I start to think about questions that I should have asked, such as ‘is my eyesight in danger.’ Can anyone fill me in on this condition please.
Thanks
i am sure that must be worrisome and although i dont’ have that problem i have rosacea. what i always want to tell people though is to cleanse, and then take out of your diet the inflammation causing things that your body is reacting to (try an elimination diet, first cleanse then slowly introduce foods one at a time back into your diet).
cleansing involves either a juice or water fast, colonics, sauna, infared, etc. check dr perricone’s diet on acne for clues to inflammation causing foods. he has a section on rosacea and with trial and error you will be able to see what you are doing to cause the inflammation. starches, sugar, caffeine, fried foods, etc are some of the big ones.
too many people want a cure all in a medication, which frequently masks the symptoms and doesn’t address the cause. i was a mess with symptoms, obsessed with my face, it was awful. i tried everything as i was determined to beat it. i also promised i would tell others if i was successful. i avoided antibiotics from the get go though and although i use the creams from the doctor i know what causes the rosacea in my diet and do so at my own risk. i get back into balance by juicing regularly and cleansing twice a year or more.
good luck.
Well, its been a week since I took Jill’s suggestion to use only Spring Water to wash my face and I must say with all honesty it really, really works. I notice a significant difference in just two days and I felt the difference immediately. My face felt less drawn and tight after using the Spring Water. I have lost a lot of the redness and swelling. There still is some acne looking bumps and pimples but they too have decreased. I am very, very pleased and for the first time feel hopeful that I may get this stuff under control.
I was ready to ask my PCP for some type of internal medication I could take along with the Metrogel 1% to try and slow the progress of the Rosacea on my face but now I feel I don’t have to. My skin looks better every day by just using Spring Water for cleansing. THANK YOU SO MUCH JILL. This may not work for everyone but so far it has for me.
My regime now is to: wash my face with Spring Water, apply Metrogel 1% [only at night], wait a few minutes then apply Ceptaphil as a moisturizer. Also, I will NEVER go outside without applying SPF50 skin lotion. This goes for summer or winter both temps are terrible for my skin.
Maybe I’ll have even better news a month or two down the road but for now I couldn’t be happier!
OMG BECKY!!!!
)
i am soooooo happy for you. {{{big hug}}}.thats all I use.. i buy the puffy hypoallergic make up remover cotton pads at CVS (like an inch or two big) dab it with spring water and a drop of ceptaphil cleanser ( to remove makeup ,dirt) and then another little pad just spring water to cleanse it off. I do NOT use a washcloth since these are washed in the same tap water in my washing machine and was irritating to my face.once my face healed and stopped letting everything irritate it (even moisturizer) i added that moistuizer i mentioned. go it at skinstore web site. and once in a while use witch hazel.and that it.no more 2% hydrocorisone which thins your skin out and is only temporary and no need to take predisone or anything else. i keep a small water bottle under sink with ceptaohil so its not clutter in my bathroom. I spent two years in agony and many dermy appointments when this was all i had to do which i figured out on my own.and All my eyelid issues never happened again either.
and if you feel like you really need to wash your face.use the ceptaphil alone ,then rinse with spring water. your face will thank you. before this. i looked like I had a serious chemical burn on my face and it was very painful and my eyes were puffy and had to get topical steriod gel for THAT. its torture. Little did i know i was aggravting every time i put cool tap water on face trying to sooth it.
i am sooo glad it is working for you..
there is something in our water
Jill
this is my original post.before i took everything away and used spring water:
Jills Journey.(42 yrs old).. i moved april 2007, beautiful skin until sept 2007 I got a red flat rash on face and blephtis (sp). Dr. gave me script for presidone, said it was contact allergy and eye doctor gave me eye drops. Dr also gave me 2.5% hydrocortisone for face.everything cleared up… Then it came back and stayed. went on predisone again. she said Nope ,it not allergy,its ezcema but no bumpy rash.presidone nasty medicine. i did feel like a superhero -makes you feel great but i had insomnia and gained weight, also put little blond hairs on my face so now i resemble a catcus.lol. tested for lupus TWICE, negative. went to allergist, test neg for everything, Got the patch testing on back (worse week ever.no shower) nothing really came up there.many days i would wake up swollen eyes and after showering in am, washing face,putting moisturizer on my face would burn and be beet red all day!( i have pictures in case it was clearing by the time i went to dermy) back for more presidsone. it wasnt a typical rash, it was a flat burn It burned on my cheeks and felt chapped. went to ANOTHER dermy.said i had rosacea. gave me sulfur medicine. did not like it. irritated it and smelled horrible. threw all my products away. used nothing.still red. got a humifier, got a air cleaner (still thinking allergy)had my water tested by the water dept. All clear there.Got blephitis again.Back to eye doctor. All the first dermy would do is to continue to give me hydrocortisone which is BAD for face. I stopped going out. i became obsessed with looking in mirror to see if there was any teeny weeny improvement from this pain burned face.I couldnt stop.day to day things like even eating were a chore since my face hurt so much. I bought rocacea care products online,This week i went and had IPL laser. not sure if it was the right idea. my face is still beet red and swollen up to my eyes that are now slits. I did get obaji rosacea care which is cleanser, metrogel .75%, moisturizer but i dont think its strong/thick enough since my face is very dry. and i puchased clinque sunscreen for rosacea.I have never used sunscreen.my bad. not sure of the order to put all this stuff on.If my face gets to normal size, i will try these products to see if they work or its BACK to the dermy who really doesnt know and throws things out there. I am afraid to take antibiotic cause i would not want to get pregnant my age but that still has not been offered to me.and accutane is prob not an option, i have high cholesterol and slight osteo from the depo shot.ugh more issues….. i think all the steriods i took over this year has given my steriod induced rosacea.Never have i had senstive skin before. i could do microderabrasions with the best of them,used any product., nothing bothered me till sept 2007 and its been a daily nightmare ever since. Triggers? no clue except the major stress/aniexty i have over this. i dont really drink or eat spicy foods, do have a small coffee twice a week. I can feel the burn crawling across my face anywhere, anytime.there is no pattern. very depressing since this basically has “taken over my life”
Does anyone know whether gently popping those white pustules with a clean tissue (and then washing face) is a problem? I hate them. Thanks. BTW, I am using the generic metrogel product (metronidazole). Has anyone used that only 1x/day versus 2x/day?
Jill / Becky
Thank you for giving me a new light. I have been crying for the last 3 days because my redness is getting worse and worse. I lived in the UK for 4 years, and I think the water in there started to trigger my rosacea, which got worse in the last 6 months. I just relocated to Houston and I am really worried that with the sun in here it gets worse. I wake up every morning with the redness and the itching sensation.
I will buy the pads today and will start trying the spring water. One question: Which sun screen would you recommend? And, do you have any make up brand that you can recommend that doesn´t irritate you? I think if you can tell me about a sun screen that has some color in it, it would probably work for both functions.
Thanks again and will let you know.
Maria
Maria,
I sympathize with what you are going through. It’s really the pits (for the lack of a better word). Hot weather is not good for the skin….likewise, cold weather is just as bad but we certainly can’t be hermits and stay indoors all the time so we have to look for alternatives and that is what I have been doing lately. Especially since I have a pet and I also like to work out in my yard during the summer SO I AM ALWAYS OUTDOORS.
For the passed few weeks, I have been following Jill’s advise and cleansing my face with spring water and Cetaphil using only cotton makeup pads. I also went online at skin-one.com to purchase PCA Skin Hydrator Plus SPF 25 Jill uses as a moisturizer. It makes my face so soft and it is not greasy….plus it has a sunscreen of SPF 25 in it….CAN’T BEAT THAT.
I realize there is no cure for Rosacea…it won’t go away but I am doing my best to control it. What I have done so far has at least toned down the redness and burning sensation; however, I still have a rough feeling skin. To look at me you probably would not notice the Rosacea but if you feel my skin you can feel the bumps and roughness. That is what drives me crazy. I’ll try anything though that will help alleviate this as much as possible. It may take some time and a few experiments with different products but I’m willing to try anything. Oh yeah, I also still use the prescribed med..Metrogel 1%
As far as makeup, Maria, may I suggest going to the Bare Minerals or Bare Escentuals website and reading about their makeup. I talked to someone who has Rosacea and swears by it. It is a PURE MAKEUP no chemicals or additives. Two things you might look at and read about is BARE ESCENTUALS RARE MINERALS RENEW & REVEAL FACIAL CLEANSER and PRIME TIME FOUNDATION PRIMER (this would go on before you apply their makeup). I have their makeup already and today I ordered both myself. My sister just told me about these two new products in their makeup line. She uses them and loves it. This product line may help you when deciding on what kind of makeup to buy they have all shades to match your skin and they will help you to choose the right one for you. All their makeup has SPF sunscreen built in as well. I don’t mean to sound like a commercial… my family uses it and likes it that’s all.
Good luck Maria I hope I have been of some help. Don’t get discouraged.
Hi maria and becky
how goes the battle ??
Becky is everything helping you?? I am glad you are giving it time, i think you skin rebuilds every two weeks or something like that. i heard.
I use este lauder Light makeup. i use to use lancome but i find this Light makeup works just as good and not as heavy so it doesnt SIT on top of your skin.
I wish i could email you before and after pics. it is a HUGE difference. i dont know if they will take this out.but my email is Jillzii at aol..email me and i will send you pics of how bad it looked (chemical burn and painful) and now.
yes that moisturizer is very good.not cheap but last a long time and i do not feel it burning my face after i put it on.
PLEASE keep me posted.feel free to email me :0 i spent two years in hell with this.. it was almost crippling.
Jill
Jill / Becky
Thank you very much for all the comments and advice. My rosacea was very mild until I went to see a cosmetician and she did a facial and gave me a clay mask. ayyyayyy. after that, my skin got burned and it has been really difficult to get the redness out. It is as if I am wearing always a red mask!
The doctor prescribed Metrogel as well and that´s what I am trying at the moment. I was recommended by a natural products pharmacist, to take away the sugars, wheat, red meat and alcohol of my diet! I have been trying this for 2 days + washing my face with spring water (thanks Jill!) and it seems that the redness is a lot better. I will tell you in a week, if the diet is really worth it at least for your to try.
In the meantime, will buy the sunscreen that you recommended Jill, and the make up that you recommended Becky.
For the moment, I will keep trying, and any new good results will let you know.
Really, thank you for sharing the things that have worked out well for you.
Maria
yes maria mine was like a red mask.my whole face was burnt red and soooo painful. even my tears hurt my face.(except my nose didnt get too red funny) .
I tried the laser, predisone three times, hydrocortisone.everything.and then everything i put on my face just irritated it more since it was all inflammed and was just causing more damage. i even stopped using facecloths since those are washed in the washing machine with the evil tap water.. and i do NOTHING else.. i just wash face with spring water and cetaphil and put that moisturizer on and i am DONE. i even noticed the cracks under eys are gone. my eyelids are fine… and i use no medications or pills.
i swear by it and its something soooo simple…for two years i didnt realize it… i think once you CALM your irritation /redness down. let your skin heal. it will be easier to manage. i went from spending hundreds and hundreds or dollars (even rosacea products online, allergiest, dermys, nutritionists, moisturizers on top of moisturizers ) and nothing worked except this.
Let me know about diet. my diet is horrible (can you devil dogs. lol)
good luck
I think my rosacea onset happened after an inflammatory dermatological procedure. Is this possible? The derm says no, but I had beautiful skin prior. I don’t drink – never have and now when I eat one gumdrop, my face explodes.
It is now in my eyes.
I feel it is systemic and don’t even want to deal with topical creams. The derm said they usually don’t treat systemically which sounds ridiculous to me.
What should I try to get? Flagyl or tetracycline? It seems as though flagyl cuts to the chase with most bacteria. Does Diflucan help too? It seems as though I am yeasty all over as well.
I am really flipping out here. Thanks in advance.
Hi Lilly,
Unfortunately I can not help you with the medicines because I am trying the diet. I decided to focus on what I am eating and see what works and what don´t. (trying not sugars and wheat at the moment) Because I think definitely Rosacea is a result of something internal.
The other option is to see what Susan was promoting that worked for her: Moxxor. It is pure Omega 3 and I am planning to buy it.
I will let you know once I see more results.
Maria
Thanks Maria,
I also prefer natural treatments but I am at my wit’s end and am starting to worry about my eyesight. Are you also skipping fruit? And white flour? I will check out Moxxor as well. I may also see a Chinese herbalist tomorrow. I found something called berberine that kills h pylori that Chinese medicine uses and will see if my guy has it. Good luck!
hi im mae i have a some question in my mind here is it i take flagyl forte 500mg while im 5 months pregnant what is some side effects for my baby is it abnormal cos i take tablet while im pregnant
Hi Mae,
Please consult your doctor for advice about whether metronidazole / flagyl is suitable during pregnancy.
davidp.
Hello everyone,
wow! Thank you for this site!! About two years ago I was first diagnosed by a dermatologist with a combination of sebbrohic dermatitis and rosacea. I am in my early 20′s. dont remember what the name of the medicine they gave me at the time was but I do know that one was a steroid cream. The first one was a clear substance and I would apply a thin layer and then put on the white setroid cream. Within a few weeks my face was back to normal. But then my insurance got messed up so I couldnt go to the doctor for a long time until recently. Now the dermatoligist I am going to is telling me I have rosacea with some acne. I am currently taking Monocycline I think it is (some for of doxycycle) and using Benzaclin. It has been almost a month and my face isn’t getting better. The thing I am wondering about is my face is definitely very red but does anyone else experience a burning/itching feeling?? My rosacea is especially bad on the sides of my face and my cheeks. I also could use some advice on handling stress because I know thats not helping any. Thanks everyone.
Priscilla,
check back to my two posts.i had the burning itchy. and the skin felt heavy like it all of a sudden it weighed more/
i stopped washing face with tap water and washclothes that got washed in same water. and It worked. I still put moiturizer on..and this is after two years and1K of products, laser appts, predisone several times…everything.nothing worked.just the stopped the tap water. i was told i has roseaca, contact derm everythng..i stopped soothing brunt painful pace with tap water since it was making the inflammtion worse and it cleard up. thats the only thing worked for me .and for two year.not once did i think “tap water”
good luck. i know who frustrating it can be
Jill! .. I had beautiful peaches and cream skin before, and now I got this rosacea mess with blepharitis (the clogged ones one). I realized that toothpaste is a big trigger because I saw my eyelids/cheeks puff up when i finished brushing. You say tap water was your problem, maybe is mine too because toothpaste has fluoride as well!
What type of bleph do you have?
having suffered from bad breath for most of my adult life I have finally discovered the cure. Assuming there are no underlying medical or dental problems and the cause is anaerobic bacteria in the mouth then this is the ONLY cure that really works. It doesn’t mask odours it actually kills the bad odour producing bacteria.
Crush a 200mg flagyll tablet to a fine powder and mix with approx 50ml toothpaste and use once a day. Dont rinse with water afterwards and dont eat or drink for about half an hour after cleaning teeth.
Why doesn’t someone produce this medicated toothpaste for the millions of sufferers around the world!! its so easy and it works.
Could there be any adverse side effects to long term use of this medicated toothpaste. I would appreciate feedback.
i have been using Flagystain 500mg metronidazole for 4 nights now out of the 10 days recommended at bedtimes and when i have 8-12 hours of sleep and i wake up the cream seems to still seem out through.i was wondering if this was part of the side affects ?.
Hi there,
) with papules/ pustules and a bit of redness on my left cheek.
I suffer from what I think is a mild
case of rosacea( doctors think this is it but are confused themselves
I have just been experimenting those 2 products found on a French rosacea forum ( I’m a French native).
Those products seem to really soothe redness and diminish papules, been trying them now for 3 days, a lot of relief given to my face especially since my skin is super sensitive and rozex cream applied once a day does tend to irritate it.
I put rozex cream at night and let it dry.
Then I put Cicabio Creme on my whole cheek then I apply Cicabio lotion on top of the creme to dry up pustules/ pastules. Cicabio lotion dries up and leaves a whitish texture on top.
I am not sponsorised to advertise those creams, suffering also from eczema and ichtyosis , I have tried many a cream for many years and spent quite a budget.
Those 2 creams can be ordered online, they are fairly cheap ( around 6/ 10 euros each) but if you guys live In the US the package costs may be high.
I was desperate to find something antibacterial to speed up the drying and healing process of my papules/ pustules, hence this discovery on a rosacea forum.
Here are the 2 products:
1) Cicabio crème by Bioderma. Soothing repairing cream with a Copper Zinc complex ( anti bacterial).
2) Cicabio drying repairing lotion by Bioderma.
A combination of zinc oxide and silicates to dry up the wound.
Those 2 products are fragrance, préservative and paraben free. I am basically allergic to a lot if skin care products myself hence my use of products with as less chemicals as possible.
I do not believe those products are a miracle, I do think they will help soothe redness but won’t make it disappear , they seem to be very good ( in my case) to dry up pustules/ papules, soothe the skin and help it repair itself. Those products seem to be also used for eczema and atopic dermatitis sufferers, they contain no steroids whatsoever.
I hope this could help some if you!
Also, I have decided to detox my body , got rid of tomatoes as I seem to be allergic and started with hemp seed oil to help with omega 3 and 6 and my flaky dry skin. Anyone has tried hemp seed oil and happy with the results ? Any advice welcome.
Thanks again for this great website to help people share information about rosacea and how to fight it!
Thank you everyone for sharing your heart-felt stories…I too have just found I am officially carrying around Rosacea on my once smooth cheeks…I had suspected it when I saw the red blotches on my cheeks along with the pimple-like bumps three years ago at age 36 (shall I but part blame on the divorce I was going through?) Anyhow, I am 39 now, and have decided to have see my doctor about this “rash” that will not wash away…(3 years later) I was then prescribed Metronidazole .75% topical gel. I have only been on it for two days now. I haven’t seen any results yet. I sure do hope to!
Again, thank you everyone! I am greatful for your stories that you have shared. They have hit home. I felt quite alone when I was diagnosed.
Maria C/ Becky…..
Just checking in to see how your doing with your rosacea.
I STILL use only spring water/cetaphil to wash my face twice a day and have not experienced the red burning itchy painful face or swollen eyelids ONCE. People tell me i look 30 instead of 43 since my face is sooo clear and smooth. I can honestly say it WAS my tap water. I went to many doctors, dermys ( i had rosacea, no I had eczema, no I had allergy), allergists,eye doctors for bhephtis (sp?) tested for lupus twice, allergy patches on back, Predisone several times, sulfer medicine, Laser treatment, hydrocortisone, online rosacea products, metrogel, all new makeup, Hepa filter, humidifier and hundreds of dollars spent…and after all that……. all i did was buy a bottle of spring water and PRESTO…. it all went away after two years of hell. The red burn is gone, at the time I could FEEL my face it was sooo heavy and painful, I could barely see from my eyelids being puffy.. and now its like it never happened. I do not use any topical medicine or any pills. I do not have the small bumps and “hot spots” as i call them that were a small red spot on areas that would always come back in that same spot. The next time I saw my doctor I told them how i fixed this since they were SHOCKED in the difference of my face…not that i think they were really too concerned to begin with.grumble..just gave me predisone and sent me on my way. i may do a test and wash face with the water from the sink just to see if it will come back but that is not something i am ready to see.lol
hope you guys are doing well
Jill
Hi Jill and everyone out there!
Unfortunately, Jill, the spring water did not help me at all. I did notice a decrease in the redness on my face and I was very encouraged but then I developed a terrible case of acne. I had blemishes EVERYWHERE. I religiously washed my face with Cetaphil (and still do) as a cleanser, I used only spring water and I also used the cotton pads instead of a wash cloth but the acne appeared with a vengeance. Metrogel 1% stopped working for me as well. I did not have a clear spot on my face, it was horrible. It even hurt to wash my face with my hands. I couldn’t take it anymore so I made an appointment with a dermatologist to 1) confirm I had rosacea and 2) to see if she could prescribe the new capsule Oracea so that I could not only use a topical treatment but something to work from the inside out!
To cut to the chase, she confirmed that I had rosacea and she did wonders for me. It will be two weeks this coming Thursday that I made the appointment and my face has never looked so good. In fact, I think rosacea did me a favor. If it wasn’t for this illness, I wouldn’t have seen a dermatologist. My face is so soft and smooth, I have even had comments from friends. Here is my daily routine: Take 1 Oracea capsule in the morning, wash my face with Cetaphil, apply FINACEA GEL 15%, wash my face in the evening with Cetaphil, apply FINACEA GEL 15% and also apply Retrinal 0.1 (optional). The Retrinal is an anti aging cream that I could purchase if I wanted (why wouldn’t I?). It is only applied at night. I no longer use Metrogel 1%.
This works for me so far anyway. It may not work for everyone but I can honestly say that my complexion is smooth and pink. No redness or bumps…well maybe one or two but give it a few more weeks and I guarantee they will be gone. I AM A VERY HAPPY CAMPER.
I tried using the spring water Jill and I do appreciate the suggestion but it just wasn’t enough for me.
Good luck everyone. There is hope out there.
My wife started taking Metrogel for rosacea 2 days ago. She has been nausiated and has a headache. Is that a sider effect?
Hi Larry,
According the Flagyl Prescribing Information
“The most common adverse reactions reported have been referable to the gastrointestinal
tract, particularly nausea reported by about 12% of patients, sometimes accompanied by
headache, anorexia, and occasionally vomiting; diarrhea; epigastric distress; and
abdominal cramping. Constipation has also been reported”
all the best to your wife,
davidp.
Great information here!
I was recently prescribed Doxycycline and Metronidazole cream for my rosacea. I was taking the Doxycycline for 3 days before starting the cream on the 3rd day. I applied one dose to my face at night and a rash/hives broke out on my thighs the next day. I assumed it was the Doxycycline since I have had this issue with 4 other oral antibiotics. So I stopped it that day, but continued to use the cream twice a day. The rash/hives got considerably worse. So I stopped the cream a few days later and had to start a steroid pack for the rash that would not get better. I am suspecting it was the cream and not the Doxycycline. Any thoughts?
I am so relieved that i finally have the right diagnosis. I have been going to different doctors for many years and they told me i had contact dermatitis, eczema etc. The stuff they would give me would help for just a little bit and it got to the point that i would have to apply steroid cream 2x a day just to keep it from becoming really gross. I got lucky and saw another dr and finally got rosacea. After reading everyones thoughts i realize that he was right. I just turned 30 and i was really worried that i would never have clear skin again. i do believe there is a hormone related to this. I noticed when i was pregnant that i didnt have it as bad. also when its that time of the month it gets worst. i read that on someones elses post and absolutely agree with it. I’m not sure what my triggers are yet but I am determined to find what they are! Im surprised with the post about the spring water but Im going to try it. thanks everyone for your stories.
After wasting my time w/ one Derm who said I just have “dry irritated sensitive skin….I got a 2nd opinion. Within seconds of my new derm looking @me she siad..its rosacea. After trial&error, Finacea has done wonders for me!I also got off my $30 face wash by clinique medical&use Ceravae($12 for large bottle)however the ceravae moisturizer isn’t enough. I still use the $80 clinique medical…any suggestions? Also I want to share I get spray tanned 2-3x/week in a Mystic tanbooth (the brand). Its fabulous&showed ingredients to my derm. I don’t react to it&it hides the redness
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