talkrosacea

I have been on antibiotics for over seven years due to this problem.  Im allergic to daylight which effects my arm and face I go very patchy and its embarrassing. After tests it was also ascertained than im allergic to office lighting which has the same conclusion.

Ive found a make up that helps cover it up (Jerome Alexander) but im still very conscious of it and sometimes when I look in the mirror I shudder. My complexion was always so clear before I got this in my 30s im now 60 and still suffering.  I also find that putting something cold on the affected area helps.

I was diagnosed by gp as having rosacea 2 years ago after the birth of my son, was told it'll take years for treatment to work and not given much support or hope.

My triggers are warm dry environments such as my work in a call centre and caffeine, so no coffee to wake me up on a long shift.

I've managed to keep flushing to a minimum by having decaff coffee and sitting away from windows but, now it seems a bad customers call can start my flushing with stress.

At first colleagues thought I was drunk from the night before still and I had to explain but, its soon passed and I ignore the looks I get when I go shopping.I'm constantly searching for the perfect cream to calm the redness to no avail, as soon as I use one my skin gets used to it.

Although I am probably not the worst sufferer of rosacea, it certainly has an adverse effect on my life and if my story can help others, that will be good.  I seem to have an adverse reaction to temperature and anything other than "normal temperature" makes my face and neck flare up in a red colour which feels hot and uncomfortable.

It’s not very sore but definitely uncomfortable, prickly, hyper sensitive and feels tight and dry and like my skin has been stretched.  Although the feeling is not great, it’s the physical look I hate most.  I look completely, obviously abnormal with bright red skin, particularly the cheeks and nose.  I also get a blotchy neck.  My nose also appears rather purple and stands out.  It seems to have an association with a hardened boozer and I know people are staring and thinking all sorts of possibilities as to why I have this ridiculously red flushed face.

Having suffered for years, my cheeks and nose are permanently red/purple with lots of  little veins and recently I have started to get little white pustules which I am dreading is the onset of the bulbous look.  My skin looks permanently weathered, tired and stressed, and nothing has ever helped calm it.  I have tried all sorts of products ranging from £5 to £50 including specialist rosacea products and professional creams, but nothing has helped.  Camouflage products have been useless and only served to make my skin’s abnormal colour more obvious. 

I am getting more and more depressed/anxious about it, which only makes it worse and redder.  I often avoid social events if it’s bad and can never relax as I am aware people are looking at my face. Currently I am pessimistic as I do not see a cure and at only 45 I am worried that it will be intolerable soon. Does anyone have any advice/products that work?  I do not want to give up  spicy food/alcohol as my life is difficult enough without sacrificing food I love.  But if it works I suppose I might have to…

I am pleased to say that my rosacea is not a massive issue for me – I tend to have flare ups every now and then, i.e. I start to develop a few spots which go away after a few days, but are always replaced by others!  When I get to that stage, I take prescribed lymecycline antibiotics and they have an amazing effect – my skin clears with a few days.  I can then go another 6 months or so without any problems, then something will trigger the spots again and the pattern continues.  I have always had “rosy cheeks” and if I get hot, my face does go quite red but it isn’t a continuous problem for me.  One major effect I do have though is when I drink wine.  I just need to have one sip and the effect is almost instant.  I start to get an ache in my shoulders, then I get a terrible, itchy flush over my entire face, down my neck and onto my chest.  It’s almost as if I have a huge allergic reaction and I am not even sure if it is the rosacea that causes it, or whether in fact I do have an intolerance/allergy to alcohol.  Luckily, I have never been a drinker so going without is not an issue for me at all, although occasionally I do wish I could relax over dinner with a couple of glasses of wine!