The One Thing I Wish I Was Told About Treating Rosacea

150 Comments over 4 pages ↓

#88743 Carolyn on January 31, 2012 at 3:33 AM

Thanks JJ, it’s very interesting; will check the site out…it makes sense…

#88744 JJ on January 31, 2012 at 4:05 AM

You are very welcome Carolyn! I should have posted more about what it stated. It’s not the easiest website to navigate through.

I also forgot to say that Dr’s are finding that some skin cancers (basal cell carcinoma and another one) are caused by FUNGUS. The iodine kills fungus. Isn’t it odd that fungus keeps coming up, especially with Rosacea. Some people even have candida problems along with the rosacea. A highly acidic body caused by too many simple carbs and other acidic foods is the culprit again.

I also read another article somewhere that Rosacea is more common in the England and Ireland area because of the high incident of humidity along with other ocean areas.

#88749 JJ on January 31, 2012 at 4:35 AM

I have posted on here before how beneficial taking a bath in 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide is for healing the body. On the new website I found that explains so much more about disease, here are a few comments:

Hydrogen peroxide “has a stimulatory and regulatory effect on the immune system and may either directly or indirectly kill viruses, bacteria, parasites, yeast, fungi, and a variety of other harmful organisms. Our studies demonstrate a positive metabolic effect of an intravenous infusion of hydrogen peroxide.” – Charles H. Farr, M.D., PhD. in Altman, page XI.

“The use of (intravenous) hydrogen peroxide was reported in 1920 during the influenza epidemic. Although excellent response was noted, there was no follow-up…I started primarily because I felt this was the perfect answer for Systemic Candidiasis, a condition which has resisted the best drugs and diets ever devised…All viruses are inhibited by a high oxygen environment.” – Dr. Donsbach, pages 31, 42.

“We’re just beginning to learn exactly how H2O2 works. It has been reported to work as far back as 1920. The English medical journal Lancet then reported that intravenous infusion was used successfully to treat pneumonia in the epidemic following World War I. In the 1940′s, Father Richard Willhelm, the pioneer in promoting peroxide use, reported on the compound being used extensively to treat everything from bacterial-related mental illness, to skin disease and polio. [Father Willhelm is the founder of "Educational Concern for Hydrogen Peroxide" (ECHO), an non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public on the safe use and therapeutic benefits of hydrogen peroxide.]” – Dr. David Williams.

In 1920, intravenous hydrogen peroxide cut the death rate from pneumonia in half. – McCabe, page 41.

3% H2O2 can be used full strength as a foot bath for athlete’s foot. Diabetics have found relief from circulation problems by soaking their feet in 1 pint of 3% peroxide mixed with 1 gallon of warm, non-chlorinated water for 30 minutes nightly. – Dr. David Williams.

Hydrogen peroxide has been used in the treatment of heart and blood vessel diseases (including arrhythmias, stoppage, heart disease, stroke and memory loss, angina, gangrene, inflammation, vascular and cluster headaches), pulmonary diseases (asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, pneumonia), infectious diseases (acute and chronic viral infections, bacterial infections, chronic fatigue syndrome, herpes, shingles, influenza, parasitic infections, candida), immune disorders (adult onset diabetes, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, hypersensitivity reactions), and other diseases (Alzheimer’s, cancers, chronic pain, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease). – Altman, page 18 – 19. Editor’s note: Some cancers may be caused by infections, including fungal infection. Oxygen is a treatment for fungal infection.

#88754 JJ on January 31, 2012 at 5:30 AM

Some of us have talked about how important meditation is and how bad stress is – here’s another interesting quote from that website:

Learn and practice Transcendental Meditation (TM). TM is a non-dietary way to increase the alkalinity of your body. TM gives a level of rest twice as deep as sleep and is an effective antidote to stress.
Stress is insidious because it affects us 24 hours each day. Stress causes the heart to beat too fast, the muscles to be too tense, the entire metabolism to be too fast. Metabolic waste products are acids (lactic acid, uric acid, etc.), which is one reason why dissolving stress increases the alkalinity of the body. The effectiveness of TM is evidenced by a 53% reduction in overall health care costs and a 55% reduction in cancer (Psychosomatic Medicine 49 (1987): 493-507, American Journal of Managed Care Volume 3, Number 1, (1997): 135-144).

#88755 JJ on January 31, 2012 at 5:45 AM

Some of us know we have allergies and that’s a sign in itself that our immune system is weak and toxic. Some have also mentioned concern about leaky gut. Another reason to cut out dairy and grains until our skin heals.

All foods contain lectins. Most are safe, some are beneficial and some are toxic. A toxic lectin is a protein that can damage the cells lining the gut.

Foods that contain toxic lectins include dairy products from cows (goat dairy is safe), eggs, grains (wheat, rye, barley, oats), legumes (including soy and peanuts), and nightshade plants (peppers, tomatoes, potatoes). Since dairy, grains and legumes are missing from the Paleolithic diet, this diet may be helpful for people sensitive to toxic lectins. Or simply cut down on them by not eating the high toxic lectin foods every day.
White rice is virtually toxin-free and is also gluten free, making it probably the best of the grains to eat on a daily basis. Alternatively, you can eat starchy vegetables such as carrots, squash and perhaps even potatoes.

Toxic lectins create a leaky gut that admits to the bloodstream substances that should not enter. The result can be the creation or aggravation of many health problems and diseases. Toxic lectins cause red blood cells to agglutinate (clump together), and can cause other cells throughout the body to agglutinate. One common toxic lectin is wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) found in whole wheat flour but not in white flour.

Some people are sensitive and some are not. A healthy immune system will react to small quantities of toxic lectins by producing antigens. Sensitivity to toxic lectins can increase or decrease depending on diet, the presence of infections, the use of drugs, and other factors. Sensitivity can be determined through an elimination diet which begins with a simple diet free of toxic lectins and foods are added one at a time to see if there is a reaction.

Soaking the seeds overnight and then throwing away the soak water removes some of the lectins. Cooking may reduce the toxicity of lectins. Beneficial bacteria in fermented foods such as sauerkraut and yoghurt work to repair the gut.

A useful table listing foods and their tendency to cause agglutination is found here.

Do an Internet search for “toxic lectins” to learn more.

#88757 JJ on January 31, 2012 at 6:41 AM

If increasing your oxygen level can keep cancer away, it surely can help heal our skin, so here’s to deep breathing & the use of hydrogen peroxide and healthy foods to heal our bodies and skin.

Dr. Otto Warburg received the Nobel prize in 1931 for the discovery that unlike all other cells in the human body, cancer cells do not breathe oxygen. Cancer cells are anaerobic, which means that they derive their energy without needing oxygen. For more information regarding cancer metabolism, please see our oxygen page. It turns out that cancer cells cannot survive in the presence of high levels of oxygen and this has given rise to a variety of successful treatments based on oxygenating the tissues, such as intravenous hydrogen peroxide, hyperbaric oxygen tank, and blood ozonation (Diamond, pages 912-927).

Dietary supplementation with DMG (Dimethylglycine) increases oxygen utilization in hypoxic tissues, helping to prevent cancer and many other problems.

“The great advantage of knowing the prime cause of a disease is that it can then be attacked logically and over a broad front. This is particularly important in the case of cancer, with its numerous secondary and remote causes, and because it is often stated that in man alone there are over one hundred well-known and quite different kinds of cancer, usually with the implication that therefore we will have to find one or several hundred bases for prevention and treatment, and usually without any realization that this need not necessarily be the case now that we know that all cancers studied have a characteristic metabolism in common, a prime cause.” – Dr. Otto Warburg, two time Nobel prize winner.

As a preventive and self-treatment, breathing exercises (such as pranayama) and an abundance of fresh air provide a starting point. Most people do not breathe deeply, so they lose the benefit of much of their lung capacity. Most indoor air is ten times more polluted than outdoor air, yet we spend up to 90% of our time indoors. Indoor air in every room needs to be constantly refreshed from the outside. Need we mention the importance of non-smoking? Aerobic exercise is useful to both oxygenate the tissues and move the lymph around.

Lymph is a colorless fluid that bathes every cell in the body. The body has two circulatory systems, one for blood and the other for lymph. Blood is circulated by the heart, whereas the lymph is circulated by physical exercise. Many tissues depend on the lymph to provide nutrients (including oxygen) and carry off wastes. If the lymph does not circulate then the tissues suffocate while stewing in their own acidic waste products (uric acid, lactic acid, etc.).

Cancer and pH
To understand why some tissues in the body are deficient in oxygen and therefore prone to cancer, it is helpful to understand the nature of acidity and alkalinity. Cancerous tissues are acidic, whereas healthy tissues are alkaline. Water (H2O) decomposes into H+ and OH-. When a solution contains more H+ than OH- then it is said to be acid. When it contains more OH- than H+ then it is said to be alkaline.

When oxygen enters an acid solution it can combine with H+ ions to form water. Oxygen helps to neutralize the acid, while at the same time the acid prevents oxygen from reaching the tissues that need it. Acidic tissues are devoid of free oxygen.

An alkaline solution is just the reverse. Two hydroxyl ions (OH-) can combine to produce one water molecule and one oxygen atom. In other words, an alkaline solution can provide oxygen to the tissues.

The pH scale goes from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Below 7 is acid and above 7 is alkaline. The blood, lymph and cerebral spinal fluid in the human body are designed to be slightly alkaline at a pH of 7.4.

At a pH slightly above 7.4 cancer cells become dormant and at pH 8.5 cancer cells will die while healthy cells will live (Barefoot, pages 66-67).

This has given rise to a variety of treatments based on increasing the alkalinity of the tissues such as vegetarian diet, the drinking of fresh fruit and vegetable juices, and dietary supplementation with alkaline minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, cesium and rubidium.

#88758 JJ on January 31, 2012 at 6:54 AM

Another great quote concerning acidity and the liver.

It is necessary to remove excess acidity and toxic chemicals from the body before health can be restored. To remove excess acidity from the tissues it is necessary to build up a reserve of alkalinity through an alkaline (vegetarian) diet, supplemented with fresh fruit and vegetable juices and alkaline minerals. Then this alkalinity must be moved around the body by any technique that works, such as exercise, massage, yoga asanas, Surya Namaskara (sun salutations), manual lymph drainage, etc. Vigorous exercise such as on the rebound mini-trampoline is reported to increase lymph flow by 15 to 30 times.

6. Bile is a liquid produced by the liver. Bile is stored in the gallbladder until you eat a meal, and then it flows into the small intestine where it digests fats. Bile is an important avenue for detoxification of the body. Toxic chemicals removed from the blood by the liver flow out of the body via the bile and digestive tract. When your body produces more bile, your digestion improves and more toxins can be excreted via the bile. Inadequate bile flow allows toxins to build up in the body and results in liver disease, immune responses (allergies), skin problems, damaged arteries, arterial plaque, high blood pressure, chronic inflammation, arthritis, edema (fluid buildup), and cancer.

An acid condition in the body causes bile to thicken, eventually resulting in gallstones. An alkaline condition in the body results in bile that flows. Foods that help increase bile production and flow include beets, artichoke, lecithin, turmeric, and the herb milk thistle.

#88799 Carolyn on February 1, 2012 at 1:40 AM

While checking into the issue of acidy and ph levels, I came across some sites that state natural shea butter is beneficial for all types of skin problems including rosacea. My first instinct is to avoid putting anything oily on my face, that could hold heat in, but am trying it. So far, it does not cause a heating up feeling, and will help a bit of dryness from the selsun blue washes (which is well worth the few minutes in the morning; somewhat less redness, and flatter, smoother skin)…have not tried iodine, but my husband is trying it on his eczema on his hand…

#88801 JJ on February 1, 2012 at 2:25 AM

Carolyn, Please keep us posted how your husband does with the iodine, I really hope it works. Since OTC iodine is not very strong, it says to apply it 10-20 times a day with a q-tip.

I would not use any oil that is solid like shea butter, that has to plug pores, but I hope you have good results. Shea butter is nice for the skin, but I would still use Jojoba on the face over anything else since it is already declared non-comeogenic, anti-inflammatory and most like our own skin oil.

If you are interested, search under “benefits of iodine-providine” and you will see many sites with doctors essays and comments about how iodine is still used in surgeries and for healing wounds. Of course the hospitals probably have stronger iodine. The alkalize for health.net website has good info on iodine too, discusses how important it is for our bodies and how to paint a patch and wait 24 hours and if the color is gone, then your body is low in iodine, etc.

Good luck!

#88802 Carolyn on February 1, 2012 at 2:38 AM

Thanks JJ, wow this is complex stuff…I will try the sites you are suggesting…it is a whole different angle from the usual ” avoid hot spicy things and stress” …thanks for the info :]

#88804 JJ on February 1, 2012 at 4:08 AM

I had health problems my whole life, so I have been researching for a long time and know a lot about the holistic approach, which really helped me. Most of this is just confirmation again and it was great to have a lot of the basic facts on one website, which I have no attachment to.

I think also from being older, I remember that nobody in high school had rosacea and it makes me wonder how much this epidemic disease is from the rise and increase of fast food and easy, frozen, and low energy food consumption. I am a “white food” junkie, I could live off of pasta and bread, but it has taken a toll on my skin and so has all the harsh chemicals I used on my face.

I think our ph becomes unbalanced, even more so on our skin, and that’s when fungus and bacteria take over. I think that website is excellent at explaining how important it is to keep alkaline and how oxygen in our blood cells keeps us healthy, which we are deprived of when eating poorly and not exercising.

If our body isn’t properly alkaline, then eating hot spicy things will send it over the deep end instead of just reducing our alkalinity. I think that’s why there are trigger foods for some, their bodies are probably even more acidic. If we at least increase our alkalinity, then maybe nobody will have trigger foods anymore.

There is also an epidemic of celiac disease caused by gluten and wheat. That can’t be normal either and I bet has to do with too much fungus in the body from too many simple carbs.

I really hope posting all of this helps, it’s no fun having skin problems.

Carolyn, I really hope you try even just on one cheek the iodine for 15 mins and see if it helps. I’m not sure how long is necessary for complete results, but I bet it helps. Iodine is not drying but it’s not moisturizing either and it might depend on what else you are already using on your face for good or better results. The Selsun Blue has a lot of chemicals in it.

#88805 Carolyn on February 1, 2012 at 4:23 AM

Well, I’ll try it – was hating the idea of anything that would stain, but I should find out , as the more simple and natural I can go the better..thnx

#88808 JJ on February 1, 2012 at 5:04 AM

Hi Carolyn!

I don’t think iodine stains the skin permanently, I only used water to rinse it off and I don’t think it left any residue, I used toilet paper to dry my skin to see if any color would show up on the white tp and it didn’t, but that’s only my experience so far. Test a spot elsewhere and see how you do before you use on your face, that might help. The skin absorbs iodine, so it has to heal below the surface too, which is a good thing!

My best suggestion would be to try it first thing in the morning, don’t use anything else. It actually made my face feel clean and clear without even washing with anything else. I know in hospitals they Don’t prep you with anything else but iodine, and like an open wound, it takes a while to heal, that might be the key in how effective and how soon the iodine works. I noticed right away the difference in my skin tone and color, but my rosacea is minimum and from using TTO, I have mostly just the redness on the cheeks.

I’ll try to do some more research and post for you.

#88810 JJ on February 1, 2012 at 5:36 AM

Some more info about iodine-providine (PVP) and another interesting website “nursingtimes.net”:

A number of published clinical trials on the use of PVP-I and cadexomer iodine support the use of iodine products, but much of this research has been carried out in laboratories or on animals and all of the studies involved use a wide variety of different preparations.

However, it appears that the latest, low-concentration, slow-release iodine formulations that are now in use in clinical practice are effective and non-toxic. Previous concerns about iodine were based on the toxicity of older formulations that contained elemental iodine.

(It states iodine may be irritating, maybe that’s why I had better results not washing my face or doing anything else to my face).

…cutaneous reactions are rare, but nurses should always stop using iodine if they occur. There is no strong evidence that products that contain PVP-I pose any hazard to wound healing, but because of its broad antimicrobial properties it appears that it may play an important role in the prevention and treatment of wound infection (Mayer and Tsapogas, 1993).

It states “the benefits last for a few hours” which is all it should take it kill the crap on our face.

(For my skin cancer on my leg, I’m reapplying the iodine at least 10 times, and so far no irritation at all. The other website explains a lot more about iodine and its benefits, but it’s more about skin cancer).

(There’s more to the article, including cautions if you have thyroid problems, but I’m sure using only once a day shouldn’t be as harmful as some of the chemicals the other products have in them).

#88819 JJ on February 1, 2012 at 9:07 AM

This article is from “emedicine.medscape.com/article…” and is more about demodex on the **eyelashes** for those of you that are looking for relief. It is written by Manolette R Roque, MD, MBA; Chief Editor: Hampton Roy Sr, MD….

Accumulation of waste material of the follicle mite may occur in affected follicles or sebaceous glands. Electron micrographs of the mite surface and “feces show bacterial, viral, and rickettsial elements.” (probably why our skin becomes infected & plugged).

Demodex species-induced pathologic changes have been implicated in dry eye conditions. … Lid infestation by the Demodex species may or may not accompany dermatologic changes of the nose, the cheek, or the forehead.

“This dermal inflammation manifests itself as a diffuse erythema of the affected areas; scaly, dry skin; and, in certain cases, rosacealike lesions.” The dry skin cycle described by Ayres is initiated when the demodectic mite plugs the follicle and reduces the sebaceous outflow, which leads to scaling as well as rough and dry skin texture.[2] Sebaceous outflow is further reduced when patients inadvertently decide to apply facial cream. **The mite flourishes in this environment of oily additives, leading to an increase in the population of the mites and a continuation of the dry skin cycle.

The TREATMENT regimen is divided into in-office care and at-home care.

In the office, D folliculorum can be lured to the follicle surface with the use of volatile fluids, such as ether (not allowed in the U.S.), brushed vigorously across the external lid margin, following 0.5% proparacaine instillation. Five minutes later, a solution of 70% alcohol is applied in a similar manner. This regimen is reported to successfully reduce both the symptoms and the observed number of mites by the end of 3 weekly visits. Ether and alcohol should be used with caution, and corneal contact should be prevented.

A combination of this in-office treatment with a home regimen is suggested. The home regimen includes scrubbing the eyelids twice daily with baby shampoo diluted with water to yield a 50% dilution and applying an antibiotic ointment at night until resolution of symptoms.
Various treatments have been used to control Demodex mites. Most treatments involve spreading an ointment at the base of the eyelashes at night to trap mites as they emerge from their burrow and/or move from one follicle to another.

Mercury oxide 1% ointment is frequently used.
Pilocarpine gel reduced the number of mites and alleviated the symptom of itching in 11 patients in a nursing home. Celerio et al hypothesized that pilocarpine was directly toxic to the mites because its muscarinic action impedes respiration and motility.[6]

The latest popular treatment regimen includes the use of 50% tea tree oil with Macadamia nut oil, applied with cotton tip applicators, after one drop of tetracaine.[7, 8, 9]

Aggressively debride the lashes and the lash roots first with scrubs. Try to get the oil into the lash roots and along the lashes to kill any eggs. Treat the eyebrows as well. Three applications, 10 minutes apart, per visit are recommended; treatment is completed with compounded 20% tea tree ointment. Repeat for 3 visits, each one week apart.

Home regimen includes the following:
Use tea tree shampoo on hair and eye lashes every day.
Use tea tree soap or face wash every day.
Buy new makeup and discard old makeup; do not use makeup for 1 week.
Clean sheets and buy new pillows.
Check spouse; if both have this problem, both need to be treated.
Check pets.

For the first few weeks, use the ointment at night after tea tree shampoo scrubs.
This is then replaced with a pure antibiotic ointment or with compounded 10% tea tree ointment.

**THE ARTICLE is very long and in different sections, I copied what I thought was most important. It is listed under: Demodicosis

#88854 Carolyn on February 2, 2012 at 2:25 AM

I have not yet tried iodine on the skin, but I did buy “Jason” 98% aloe vera gel (also says no parabens SLS or Phthalates) on my somewhat dry skin from a few uses of selsun blue…it’s great; instant cooling and soothing and slight decrease in redness. This product has great reviews and is quite inexpenasive (Cdn $5.99 for a 227g pump bottle) much more studying to be done, but I definitely recommend good ol’ aloe vera for simple moisture and soothing…

#88861 JJ on February 2, 2012 at 3:38 AM

Aloe is excellent and very healing. Aloe is also excellent to take internally, one tsp in a glass of water. I only use organic aloe juice that has no other added ingredients. The aloe could also be mixed with a drop of jojoba oil if the aloe doesn’t cure the dryness or redness enough. It is more healing than moisturizing.

My rosacea started when I damaged my skin with a bacterial wash that had triclosan in it. It burned, I should have known better.

It might help to alternate days with the Selsun Blue with a 2% salicylic acid wash, mine also has chamomille and aloe in it, alcohol free and oil free. I think getting rid of dead skin cell build up is a must, and clears out the pours.

#88874 Carolyn on February 2, 2012 at 6:24 AM

thanks JJ, I am still trying to assimilate this whole way of thinking…to think that all this time ( a decade or so) I thought the gentlist thing was just to quickly wash with cool water….!

#88911 JJ on February 3, 2012 at 3:46 AM

Hi Carolyn – Until our body is out of balance, we usually don’t realize how much we have taken it for granted. I think something is going on in your environment that both you and your husband are having skin problems, that might be worth exploring too.

I also forgot about honey, pure unfiltered honey is excellent and healing for your skin and is used as a mask. It might help your dryness without any use of oils or chemicals. I still hope the aloe works and that you consider drinking some too. It heals the stomach and intestinal system. They say our colon is 80% of our immune system, that if we are sick, so is our colon. Since all our food is processed through our intestinal system, that makes sense.

A decade ago I was still enjoying getting a tan – ha!

#88912 Carolyn on February 3, 2012 at 4:23 AM

That’s right! (about the honey) – I had forgotten about that remedy…I have a book about home remedies which I will go throught and comment on what I find…I have considered rosacea so much of an internal problem that I didn’t even think of “surface” remedies…thanks

#88943 Carolyn on February 4, 2012 at 2:39 AM

According to my book, oats (as a facial scrub) witch hazel , and cucumber juice are either anti -inflamatory, soothing or astringent..

Tried iodine, but it was hard to remove afterwards…my husband put prescription cream on his eczema, so hard to know which one helped more.

Will try tea tree soap, or oil (amazing things being said about helping the body rid the fungus on the skin) as an alternative to selsun blue (which really works but is quite drying) Will also try 1:1 hydrogen peroxide and baking soda paste as a cleanser.

Oddly enough, after a day of no coffee or tea I had no “extra heat” flare up on my cheeks. To answer the original question about what I wish I had been told…I wish I had been told there are various things which help – drug store, AND home remedy – not just various things that irritate…

#88945 JJ on February 4, 2012 at 5:01 AM

Coffee and regular tea are very acidic to the body, even too much herbal tea can be. I’m glad you found relief from cutting them out!

There are great home remedies, but if you have a bacterial or mite infection, they are not enough, but can be soothing from overdrying of medicated washes.

I think TTO washes and creams are the best. I think another problem is that it takes more than 5 mins to kills the bugs or inflammation, so washing isn’t enough, it’s what’s left on the skin afterwards too.

Honey is antibacterial so there are many benefits for that. Aloe is very healing, that would still be #1 on my list, including to drink a teaspoon a day in a glass of water.

Mashing an avocado is very good for a facial, but it might have too many oils. The oatmeal is good & especially cucumbers.

Witch Hazel is excellent but I would not use it for your face, it would dry you out more and is never sold without extra alcohol in it.

I’m sorry to hear you didn’t have good luck with the iodine.

Baking soda and hydrogen P. is way too drying and irritating. But I have had excellent results with taking a bath with 1 cup of HP in the water. It also oxygenates your whole body, which is very healing. For the face, I would use one capful in a glass of water, then apply with a cotton ball to kill bacteria, bugs, etc, but it still won’t be moisturizing.

Some people have had good luck with apple cidar vinegar diluted and applied with a cotton ball to the face. It also has antibacterial properties, but can sting.

Rosacea is more than one problem; it’s skin sensitivity, ph imbalance in body and on face, mites, bacterial and fungul infections and inflammation, and can’t be solved with just one solution.

#88946 JJ on February 4, 2012 at 5:21 AM

I looked thru my notes and here’s some more ideas that might help, I hope you find them helpful:

Banana mask – anti-aging, and one of the most nourishing and alkaline fruits.

Aloe – most hydrating for face; anti-viral, anti-bact., anti-inflammatory

Yogurt mask – softening, hydrating, has enzymes.

Cucumber – same ph as skin; very softening

Neem powder helps acne

Apple C. Vinegar – antiseptic

Calendula – highly emollient, antibactrial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory

Iodine – valuable bacterialcidal, fungicidal, virucidal

Zinc – helps heal skin.

Sea Salt – anti-viral bath

#88949 carolyn on February 4, 2012 at 10:21 AM

JJ thanks for the info, sounds like you’ve been through a lot and have learned a lot on this unpleasant journey …bought some tea tree oil soap (the oil was sold out where I went) which seems good, and bought non-coffee (chicory, barley, beet root) and another day of no extremes in temperature….this is quite a learning experience…

#88962 JJ on February 5, 2012 at 5:01 AM

You’re welcome Carolyn! I’ve always been sensitive, so I have done a lot of research on my own and my holistic dr was a really big help.

I hope the TTO soap works for you. What brand you are using can be important, the more organic, the better. Organic isn’t always more expensive and then you aren’t putting pesticides and chemicals on your face, which will always aggravate sensitive skin.

The straight TTO is very concentrated, but I have found it useful to lather up my soap and add a drop to it to make it more effective. I would also put a few drops in your shampoo for your hair, the mites are there too.

Wheat and grains cause a lot of allergy problems; I would stay away from the barley for now, even though I love home-made barley soup!

I wish both you and your husband success with your skin problems; the older we get, it doesn’t seem to get easier either.

Some health nuts say “if you can’t eat it, don’t put it on your face or skin.” There’s some truth to that!

#89807 Carolyn on February 16, 2012 at 9:23 PM

Apart from avoiding triggers like high-sugar foods, and carbs (like donuts! etc.) just wanted to share that I have found it really helpful to reduce hot drinks like coffee and tea and have found that after dealing with the mites each morning with tea tree oil soap (from “soap works”-all veg. oil soaps) using rose water (100% distilled used for cooking usually) is great. It is anti-septic, anti-inflammatory, soothing and even has vitamin k in it for the broken capillaries) It really feels cool on the face, rather like witch hazel, only better….

#89824 g g on February 17, 2012 at 6:47 AM

Thanks Carolyn

The Rosewater sounds great! Where can you buy it?

#89828 carolyn on February 17, 2012 at 11:05 AM

Hi gg, well not sure where you live, but here in Ontario (Canada) I found it at Loblaws in the water/pop section, and it’s in any middle eastern-type store. It’s in a small clear glass bottle, and it is also clear. I hope it works for you – I find it really cools the skin down. But the most progress I’ve made has come from the cleansing with anti-fungal things like tea tree soap or occasionally with selsun blue shampoo. Good luck!

#89829 g g on February 17, 2012 at 11:24 AM

Hey Carolyn

Thanks for the reply. I am in Victoria – Australia, but I will look out for some ethnic stores! Cheers!

#89830 carolyn on February 17, 2012 at 11:36 AM

gg, you’re very welcome!

#90429 Maggie on February 25, 2012 at 2:32 AM

I see the CeraVe is advertised on this site. The ingredients on the bottle list hyalauronic acid. My dermatologist has advised me to steer clear of any cosmetics that contain any kind of acid. Will this product make my rosacea worse? Thank you.

#90449 David Pascoe on February 25, 2012 at 6:31 AM

Hi Maggie,

Hyaluronic acid is not an acid as you might think. Whilst it still might be something that you might react to, just seeing acid in a name doesn’t automatically mean it is by-definition more irritating. Ingredients called acid might just be because of the structure of the chemical. Skin products are often balanced to match the pH of skin, meaning that there is likely no acidic or alkali effect seen.

Unfortunately no-one could say for sure whether CeraVe will cause a problem for a particular person. The nature of rosacea is that there is still plenty of trial and error required.

all the best,
dp.

#96111 Den on April 10, 2012 at 12:10 AM

Up to about 10 years ago I used to get dandruff in several places on my scalp particularly on the hairline to the back of my neck. I found Nizoral anti-dandruff shampoo very effective – it sorted the problem long term and I now only need to use the shampoo about twice a year. It was also very effective at dealing with redness and itching on the skin near the sites. The active ingredient is ketoconazole.

I probably also had rosecea without realising it.

Since then I have developed rosecea to my nose, forehead and cheeks. I was prescribed the usual Rozex which worked well for perhaps two months but is now ineffective. I remembered other posts discussing the possible causes of the condion such as fungals, yeasts, infections ect. Some of this seemed pretty close to what causes dandfuff so I bought some Nizoral and tried it on my face. I used it neat on a wet face and left it on for five minutes before rinsing and patting dry and moisturising with Simple Kind To Skin hydrating moisturizer. After a mild burning sensation and an initial increase in redness by the next day all my symptoms had dimished. I then did this twice a week and found it very effective at controlling the redness, itching, scaling, scabs and white pustules. Now I leave it until the itching and burning sets in again before using the Nizoral and leaving it on for 3 minutes.

It is now 6 months since I began this and it still seems to be working.

#96117 carolyn on April 10, 2012 at 12:48 AM

That’s great – sounds like you have luck with these experiements. I found that selsun blue 1% also works on the skin (it’s the sulfer). What I mostly use now though, it tea tree oil soap in the morning for the mites, yeast etc.( whatever it is that also causes dandruff) and rose water (100% in middle east section mostly used for dessert making) several times a day. There is a bit of redness from the cottonball wiping, but is very refreshing, anti-inflammatory, calming to the skin, which of course results in less redness. I never had a problem with the rosacea – type acne, and still have rosy cheeks to some extent (I’m afraid my Irish-English heritage has decided that one), but MUCH less due to keeping the face clean of the fungal aspect. Any improvement is good right?

#96139 Den on April 10, 2012 at 3:22 AM

Thank you for your comments Carolyn. I am very keen to find non pharma/chemical solutions. I have tried tea tree oil with little success but I was working long shifts in front of a cathode ray type computer monitor at the time. It fried my face turning it a burning red. That is when I saw a doctor and got the Rozex which did work for a while.
Cold dry air has the same effect on me as does any sun which reminds me of my little girlfriend at junior school. She was Irish with blue eyes, sooty dark eyelashes and bright ginger hair with freckles. Pure Central Casting. Her skin was white like vellum and she had your rosy cheeks. She was not allowed out to play if it was sunny without a large straw hat and gloves. I hope your skin is not as sensitive as hers but I can imagine what you have to cope with.

#96141 Den on April 10, 2012 at 3:35 AM

Also I like the idea of rose water. Do you think it would work as well if we stuffed ourselves with Turkish Delight?

#96144 Carolyn on April 10, 2012 at 3:57 AM

Hi Den,
no problem – I agree that the milder the better. I have mostly dry skin, so thought I could get away with mostly just rinsing and avoiding any and all soaps…well after reading posts here about the mites we all have in our pillow cases and beds, I realised that my cheeks were so very read when I woke up because I hadn’t cleaned well enough and the mites in the bed like that!! having them live on your skin and consume the oils causes redness (yes – yuck!)… so I went from only rinsing to putting selsun blue on my face! instant results…then I tried pure tea-tree oil which burned. Then I found tea tree oil soap, which dries a bit, but works. I know my genetic make up will never release me from rosy cheeks (at least I’m not ultra sensitive to the sun), but it is a lot better. There is also an acid/alkaline component that increases our yeasty make-up (ie. too much carbs, not enough fruit and veggies) .I have never heard of Rosex ( maybe we don’t have it in Canada). I find that one of the worst triggers for me is going from a cold windy setting to inside where the heat is turned up high. Anyway good luck with your searches.

#96146 Carolyn on April 10, 2012 at 3:58 AM

Good idea – I wouldn’t mind trying! :]

#96510 Den on April 12, 2012 at 6:16 AM

Thank you for your suggestions Carolyn. Rozex is I believe called Metrogel in the US and Canada. The active ingredient is metronidazole. Getting away from chemicals I started to think about my favourite proper herbalist, Baldwins in South London. It used to be the most wonderful original Victorian shop (founded 1844) with high wooden counters and shelves crammed with glass jars full of every herb imaginable. The only place in London where you could still find gaslight and fog. The smell from generations of herbal nostrums exuding from the woodwork would cure most things as soon as you stepped through the door.

Sadly the old shop is no more but Baldwins is still there and has a very interesting website http://www.baldwins.co.uk. They are good and helpful people. I talked to them about what they would recommend to try for the condition and Tom Phillips (tom@baldwins.co.uk) their marketing manager suggested rosehip oil.

That makes sense given your use of rose water. I imagine rosehip oil will be more concentrated and the oil component will make it more soothing.

I shall try both

#96527 terry on April 12, 2012 at 7:27 AM

It’s now 4 months since my diagnosis, which I discussed here. I have to say that my skin looks better than it has in years. Like David, it has been all about finding the regimen that works for me. And it’s now down to a gentle cleanser, metronidazole gel, and MOISTURIZER! That was really key to keeping everything under control. I use Eurcerin “calming lotion”, which has made all the difference. (I had to give up on the oral doxycycline because of GI distress.)

Remember: moisturize!

#96541 carolyn on April 12, 2012 at 8:53 AM

Hi Den -no problem! I think you must love “Victorian Pharmacy”; fascinating series. I read that the metronidazole is anti-fungal, and yes rose-hip oil is supposed to be ideal, according to my ” home remedies” book…. :]

#96634 andy on April 12, 2012 at 8:54 PM

Hi, I just read terry’s post and agree whole heartedly, it’s similar to my original post last year.
I use Rozex metro (cream) having had problems with the gel and my condition is in great form at the moment touch wood. I’d give it a 1 -2 on a ten point scale of severity 0 being normal and cured. I have reduced my dose and use it sparingly now.

I use E45 cream as a base layer, I know some posters dislike it but I’ve used it for years and hae never had any reaction from it even when at my worst, no other cream for me provides the same level of moisturisation without the tight feeling of dry skin, I have tried everything and this works as a foundation layer so to speak. I have found that eucerins anti redness day fluid with spf is good for me. I apply this after the E45 to calm my skin.

However I recently came back from a month holiday to malaysia, and I forgot my eucerin cream. I decided to buy Dermalogica’s redness relief spf20. I now use this to cover redness, a little goes along way and you have to be carefull to rub it in to avoid that hulk look.

I seem to respond well to anything with licorice extract, zinc and oat which the two anti redness creams have. This links well with other posters and studies on here. So if I was looking for a business I would create a soothing cream with colloidal oat, zinc and licorice.

#96638 andy on April 12, 2012 at 9:21 PM

P.s to other posters and David Pascoe…I’ve been reading up about prostaglandins or (PG)D2 and the role they play in inflammation. I Understand drugs are coming to the forefront of research in terms of anti flushing andanti inflamatories in asthma.

Prostaglandins have come into the news again because they may be a large contributing factor in male pattern baldness.

Niacin is good for cholesterol but promotes facial flushing an effect caused by the release of a fat, this is called prostaglandin and is the primary cause of facial flushing. Apparently It’s formed by an enzyme called COX-2 and is released by immune and skin cells, this acts on a muscle cell-surface receptor called DP1 to cause the flushing. Asprin counter acts the dialation and drugs that have a heart and cholesterol effect without the flushing are being developed.
I hear colloidal oatmeal is a good suppressor of prostaglandins and many good fats are anti prostaglandin…just a thought

#96641 carolyn on April 12, 2012 at 9:41 PM

Thanks Andy, this is very interesting….there must be a lot of connections not yet confirmed…

#96686 JJ on April 13, 2012 at 3:06 AM

I agree with C, great post Andy – the inflammation definitely needs to be cured one way or another.

I bet some of our processed foods with added nutrients can have “niacin” in them, something else to consider and stay away from.

I might have to look harder for a good c-oatmeal soap – I don’t like Aveeno’s, it’s not oil free and makes me break out.

Maybe this is also why the Omega’s are anti-inflammatory and good for the skin. I wish somebody wld take it every day and let us know if it helps the redness.

#97889 Christina on April 20, 2012 at 4:59 AM

I’m so glad I’ve come across this site just to day. I feel so ill-informed by my doctor but am afraid to delve to much into the internet world as it usually leaves me depressed and basically freaked out.
I have been dealing with problem skin, face only, for about 10years. I am not fair skinned I would say I am sallow and tan easily, my problem has never been connected with flushing. At 15 my doctor advised me I had acne and I was given a topical gel. This really did nothing for me (as I infact had acne rosacea) and it was only when a few years later, I, by chance, happened to be taking a medication steroid for something unrelated and suddenly the shape of my nose began to change. My whole family noticed it. I revisited my doctor who sent me to a specialist and I was finally diagnosed with Rosacea. Being so young, I think it is really only now, at 25 that I have started to care for my skin.
Over the years I have had a terrible diet, I don’t drink that often but when I do it’s binge drinking on a night out, I wear a lot of make up which I guess is as a result of years of the condition. My specialist started me on tetracycline and after that minocycline,
I wish I gave natural treatments a chance first but I was 21 and very self conscious so it seemed like the best option. The minocycline did change my skin for the better as in the sore painful spots all along the sides of my nose disappeared and the redness reduced (although still very red, always…).
I just gave myself a 6month break from all medication and everything was fine for about 4 months, then I randomly decided to apply a LUSH face mask and BAM- one blemish appeared, then 3, and now I have a full flair up of painful spots that get flakey yet are oily.

I returned to the specialist yesterday and he has advised that minocyline has a max timeframe to be on of 5yrs and has now prescribed Doxycycline.

Reading all your posts has made me come face to face with the fact that I need to make some life changes and not just pop pills and give out that my skin is so bad. I love hot showers and baths so I will try to reduce the temperature greatly. I am also going to have a good look at my diet and make some big changes.

I see a lot of posts refer to benefits of Dairy free diets. Does anybody know the main harms that dairy causes? I may try to eliminate this also.

#97909 David Pascoe on April 20, 2012 at 5:50 PM

comment via email from Liza

“Hello,

Dairy free diet is definitely the thing. I haven’t had any cow milk for two years now and my rosacea only just occasionnally flaires up one day or two before my periods, the rest of the time I am happy with my skin. Sheep products are ok but I have some every other day and only at lunch.

Good luck,

Liza”

#97914 Carolyn on April 20, 2012 at 8:28 PM

I am no expert, but the dry-yet flaky skin does sound like sebbacious dermatitis, which has been mentionned here a few times…I did know I had it, as it is quite mild, but to avoid increasing redness I had stopped scrubbing or cleansing well for quite a long time…well this let the fungal component (living in our pillows, beds etc.) pretty much live on my face! they consume oils and cause more redness. Using Selsun blue, once for 3-4 minutes reduced redness and now I use it only occasionally and clean my face better morning and night. It is the sulfur inthe selsun blue. I find that also using rose water on cotton balls really soothing, cleansing, and softening on my face. DIet apparently plays a large role also the the fungal element in our bodies (from the inside). Good luck and think about trying a quick wash-leave on- rinse with 1% selsun blue :]

#99159 Pat on May 11, 2012 at 5:31 AM

Does anyone know how long you can take doxycycline?

#100736 Kitty on May 21, 2012 at 8:07 PM

Six years ago my husband and I left the tropical December heat of North Queensland, to go to the northern hemisphere winter to live and work in the UK. We returned to Australia ten months later, both suffering from rosacea. Since then, we have seen numerous doctors, gone down the rozex and doxycycline path, consulted naturopaths and modified our diets etc, all with varied results. Suffice to say, we still wake every day with the redness and spots, and for me, depending on the point in my cycle, it can be a good day or not. Hopefully some of these suggestions here will provide a solution. Thanks:-)