The One Thing I Wish I Was Told About Treating Rosacea

130 Comments over 3 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!