The New York Times has an article today keenly titled Natural Remedies for Rosacea?. The question is one that many rosacea sufferer seek answered – are there any effective treatments for rosacea that don’t include the use of antibiotics or prescription potions and lotions ? The answer comes from one of the premier rosacea experts – Dr. Frank C. Powell. Here is an extract where Dr. Powell comes closest to offering a direct answer.
The roles of complementary and alternative medications in the management of rosacea have yet to be established, so it’s hard to offer any “natural” remedies for the condition. Cucumber was mentioned as early as 1649 as a treatment for facial redness in a text on herbal remedies by Nicholas Culpepper, an English botanist and physician, but cucumber has not been studied scientifically. Some rosacea sufferers, especially those prone to frequent flushing, report benefit from relaxation and stress management techniques.
Self-care and dietary measures may also aid in the management of rosacea, but there are different forms of the disease, and each may require different treatments.
It is great to see more and more articles on rosacea in a publication like the New York Times. It is also encouraging that they have access to the best minds in rosacea research and treatment. Having said that, it is a bit discouraging to find an unsatisfying answer to such an important question. Surely there are good natural rosacea treatments out there somewhere ?
We do know that in this year’s AAD meeting in SFO, one presenter Dr. Downie suggested that natural ingredients do have a role in the treatment of rosacea. Dr. Downie suggested feverfew, green tea and licorice as worth investigating.
Hi,
please check out earthclininc.com for natural cures for rosacea and dermatitis. Its a really great site and contains loads of testimonies from sufferers and what they used in order to cure (yes cure!!) the condition.
Best of luck!!!
My Rosacea is the direct result of having to take the steroid Prednisilone. I have it my eyes & can’t watch tv for longer than 20 mins at a time because my face turns almost purple & feels as though someone has thrown scalding water on it, the pain is intense. The same goes for the use of this computer tablet & any form of heat. I hate the winter because of the central heating & i hate the summer. I have very fair skinned & kept my blonde hair until after my 5th child at the age of 30, childbirth darkens all naturally blonde women, that’s why you see lots of natural blonde men but not the natural blonde women unless they’ve not had children. I digress, I have seen a dermatologist here in England by means of the NHS as I cannot afford to go private. His advice was to sit with cold flannels pressed to my face at all times. Very helpful don’t you think ? I have to take really like warm showers, even in winter as my face is too painful otherwise. I’m now 64 & at my wits end. I also have Reynauds since I was a child, so the two conditions don’t sit easily with each other. The Prednisone has caused my once porcelain complexion to become very reactive. I can’t really moisturise as the heat of my face makes it feel as though it’s frying. After many years & much money lost I now find that I can tolerate on occasion Aveeno ultra calming nourishing night cream. This is only available from 3rd parties on the Internet, so their prices are exorbitant. I have complained to both Aveeno & Amazon about this profiteering, but to no avail. The 1st signs that something was amiss was the skin under my eyes & on the cheekbones thinned so much I feared they’d burst. They were like huge water blisters in which I could see the small scilla swimming about. This isn’t ‘t as bad now, though the swelling & stretching of the skin is still apparent. I have to be careful with this area as the skin is wafer thin & feels as though it will tear very easily.
I don’t have the spots or pustules associated with Rosacea, but my skin is ruined & turns angry & livid at most things & my eyes often feel as if they’re melting. All of this has ruined my life, foods don’t play a part in this as in other Rosacea sufferers. Nobody over here in the UK seems to be able to help, my GPS has admitted that he’s at a loss. Laser treatment has been suggested, but the laser clinic is at the other side of the country & because the NHS is in Trust form, I would have to pay for it & i can’t afford it. After once speaking to the Laser Clinic they informed me that if I lived within the bounds of their Trust, treatment would be free as my condition was medically induced. My Trust area will not pay for it, even though it was medically induced. This really angers me as my husband & i have paid into the NHS all our working lives. It smacks a bit like the creatures in George Orwell’s book Animal Farm, seems we’re under the impression that we’re all equal but some are more equal than others. At one time in this country, before the introduction of Local Trusts we all got the same treatment across the board, but definitely not now. I’m sorry about the length of this missive, but I’ve had to do it in 3 parts due to this reactive skin. Can someone, anyone, give me hope that this nightmare can be helped, even reduction in symptoms would be beneficial as I can’t explain the misery & depths of despair & depression that is controlling my every waking moment ?
As a long time sufferer, I’ve found Tetracycline antibiotics (Minocycline, Doxycycline, et al.) along with Metronidazole topical ointment work the best for me.
Minocycline is easier on my stomach — tetracycline has GI side effects.