Is it normal to randomly have rosacea?

[BoAFriend]

Hey all

I was wondering whether it is normal or not because I've never had facial rashes or scab-like patches on my face before. The only facial skin problem I've dealt with is acne. However, in recent months, I've on and off been getting what I first thought were allergies/rashes on my face. After a lot of searching online, I've come to the conclusion that I probably have what is known as rosacea.

I have yet to go to a dermatologist to officially get word (I hate dermatologists and tend to stay away from them if at all possible). I asked my mom about my face and she guessed maybe it was rosacea and she told me that she also has rosacea, but only around her nose. She gave me these two random creams (econazolate nitrate 1% cream and emolet cream) that she said were prescribed to her for rosacea and I've been using the econazolate nirate 1% cream for the second day so far. Of course results don't come by Day 2 but I'm going mad over how crappy this rosacea is making me look. I don't understand why I would suddenly out of nowhere have this skin problem. Is it normal to have it out of nowhere?

Also, for those of you who have rosacea, what over the counter/prescription ointments/creams have you used? Can rosacea be hereditary? I looked online and saw that supposedly rosacea affects women a lot more than men and also that usually people from their 30's onward get it. WTF

NOTE: I know about over half of you who reply will tell me to just see a dermatologist and I will, but I just wanted to ask here first to get some ideas/thoughts.

Thanks

[BoAFriend]

Could someone please help?

[Guest Imboredthatsnotfun]

Although you may THINK it is rosacea, you may be wrong. So, I knew you didn't want to hear this, but it is important to go to a dermatologist. Or even a GP, just to check it isn't anything more serious.

The reason I am sceptical about you having rosacea is because women, fair-skinned people between the ages of 30 and 60 are more likely to be affected.

Since you do not have any of these... It is unsure whether or not you really DO have rosacea.

Some help I found from a website, you could try these at home if you are certain you have rosacea and don't want to do to a dermatologist just yet. I picked the easiest ones out.

B Vitamins

Inadequate riboflavin, caused by insufficient dietary intake or poor absorption in the digestive tract, may be associated with rosacea.

One study found that Demodex folliculorum mites, which are normally found on the skin but more in larger numbers on the skin of rosacea patients, are more likely to affect the skin of animals in riboflavin. An increased number of mites may cause blockage of the pores from inflammation or may allow for the growth of bacteria on the skin.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar taken orally is used as a home remedy for rosacea. It is thought to stimulate the release of digestive enzymes and help normalize the bacterial balance in the intestines. Consult a health practitioner before trying apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is available in liquid and tablet form. There have been reports linking use of the tablets with esophageal injury.

[Guest sadisticsnorlax]

My friend has rosacea only sometimes. Or perhaps other times, it's just not noticeable. He gets it more during harsh, dry, wintery seasons, and after he exercises.

Some treatments you can try at home are eating a more alkaline (less acidic) diet. You can also avoid extended exposure to the wind/sun, and wear moisturizer & sunscreen if you do. Different things trigger rosacea episodes in different people. A dermatologist may help tell you exactly what you need to do to help your skin condition.

Sorry man, I know you hate docs, but I'd recommend you to contact your family physician & get him/her to schedule you an appointment with a skincare specialist. it usually takes weeks/months to get one. Sooo if you hate them that much, you can still back out.

[Guest Ramsan]

My best friend has rosacea so I know a little about it. According too her doctor it is fairly common about 10% of all grownups has it although the severity differs a lot. I don’t know if that number represents how it is in America because I live in Scandinavia where most people have very fair skin. If your skin is sensitive too sun and burns easily you have a bigger risk of getting it. It is not certain how hereditary it is but in certain families they have noticed that several people has it.

Things she has been told too avoid are things that can irritate the skin like:

Too much sun or heat.

Cold and harsh weather

Sweat left on the face after working out(be sure too wash your face with some medium temperature water directly after working out.)

Strong foods and hot beverages like tea.

Strong ointments or facial washes( be careful of what you put on your skin!)

Last but definitely not least stress.

To be honest my friend looked really bad when she first got it, her face got more red after each day and it took some long convincing from my side before she visited a doctor. And by that time it was so bad that people turned around to look. But after she did and started following these advices her skin got a lot better. She also started using facial cleansing products from a company called Mary kay, who apparently specialises in sensitive skin. Anyways her skin got so much better and today you can’t see any sign that she has rosacea except from certain occasions when she gets really stressed then it can break out a little. In her case the stress is the most major factor so be sure to not stress:P

This got very long I’m sorry if I bored you but I hope you can get some advice from this at least=)

[Guest Jnn]

I used The Face Doctor face soap for my rosacea. It was also a very random outbreak and hasn't happened again since. I got it at Wal-mart for ~$20; you can google it...I recall it is developed for skin conditions such as rosacea.

[beboo]

I had rosacea like a year ago too out of no where. it was like a on and off thing. id have it one week and another week my face would be clear and it comes again. My derm prescribed me desonide. it worked really great for me when i had it. cause i can put it on and the next day it will kinda lessen it. but it still comes back . so like i don't know what happened but i stopped using it and i don't hve it anymore o.o

[BoAFriend]

Thanks a lot for the input, guys.

And yeah many of you were right about dermatologists. My mom tried getting me appointments for 2 well recommended derms in the area, only to find that these 2 are fully booked until APRIL. Absolutely ridiculous. I obviously am not going to wait until April - I need my face fixed NOW. It's making me feel deformed and ugly.

My parents are both going to try finding a legit derm for me tomorrow. What sucks is I may have to resort to a Chinese derm/doctor and I frankly don't like these kinds because all they do (from my past experience for visits regarding acne) is make me wait over an hour, then spend only 5 minutes with me inside the doctor's room, slapping down a 16 family member worth's grocery list of foods that I cannot eat. Or they prescribe me some funky, very nasty herbal medicine that won't do anything for me. I've had much experience in the past. Ugh

If not a derm, maybe I will have to see my family doctor, mainly because I've noticed that I've been getting these rough dry patches on my thighs as well (the thighs started before my face). So yeahh

I'll let you guys know what happens

And Jnn, you found those soaps at WAL-MART?? Seriously? I've heard of them in the past but thought they were only available via online. How long ago was this?

[Guest ms.brown]

I'm not sure if my condition is rosacea but when I'm exposed to the outside, ie to the sun or heat (although it's tolerable) or when i laugh (not laughing too hard or anything), my face will start to have red blotches and every part of my arm that is exposed will start to have red clotches and turn red. Once, a skincare promoter told me I have sensitive skin but I'm not too sure about it. Is my condition similar to yours? =/

[BoAFriend]

Well I'm going to have to wait until Monday because for some ludicrous reason, many derms in my area are closed on weekends now. >_>

And ms.brown, I think your case may be rosacea. You easily flush in the cheeks and turn red when exposed to sunlight. But for me, I don't flush when I laugh or turn red due to sun exposure..so my condition may be an allergy. I don't know. If only the damn derms were open on weekends, I would know by now

[Guest Auzora]

I think i've gone through what you're describing and it's something called eczema. You may know what this is but if you don't it's a common skin condition and eventually goes away. (mine took a few months)

I also thought for a while that I had rosacea.

This is on the sheet that the doctor gave me:

"What is Dermatitis?

Dermatitis, also called eczema, is a skin inflammation that affects about 20% of people at some time. It can be long lasting or shortlived but recurrent. It causes red, itchy, crusted skin that can become swollen or blistered. It can be controlled with medications and flare up can be prevented by looking after your skin and avoiding irritants or substances that cause allergy.

What does healthy skin do?

..The outer layers consist of skin cells, certain lipids, [oils and fats] and water. Sometimes, the skin barrier can break down or be damaged, often simply through 'wear and tear' such as from wind [chapping], frequent washing or contact with irritant substances. If this happens, lipids and water are lost from the skin causing dryness and scratching, which is just one possible cause of skin inflammation [dermatitis]"

Theres more info than this. If you want I can type the whole thing out for you.

But the thing is that I can't say for certain that what you have is dermatitis/ezcema because I don't know enough about your condition.

All i know is that it's much more likely you have this than rosacea, which is a much more serious skin condition.

mainly cause rosacea is really uncommon for asians. (i'm assuming you're asian here)

I say that you could try going to a doctor first.

Last year i had a lot of different problems with my skin (it was really bad), Started off with red patches on my face then rashes on my arms and neck but they all turned out to be ezcema.

I won't recommend you any products cause everyone is different but a really important thing is not to over cleanse your face (2 times a day is enough) and pat dry don't rub. Also it's possible you may be allergic to some food like eggs, milk etc. Some people flare up from those.

Good luck and don't worry it will be over

[Guest yangxx2]

What kind of redness is it?

Are you sure it's rosacea?

It's been really cold lately, a sudden drop in humidity/moisture could cause your skin to turn really red and itchy (mine does that)

If it's flaking, I agree with Auzora and it might be eczema. Rosacea isn't raised, and it's usually consistent, whereas eczema tends to be on and off. Also, if you found them on your thighs, eczema is found throughout the body as well. Rosacea is usually face only.

And relax on hating the derms..they have lives too, they don't only live to help people with skin conditions. It's frustrating, but there's no need to curse them out.

[BoAFriend]

Yeah thanks for the help and encouragement, guys. I really appreciate it.

I'm going to a medical doctor (not a derm) tomorrow morning. My mom arranged this because 1) All well known derms in the area are booked until April at earliest and 2) She thinks it's better to see a regular doctor first to make sure I don't have a health problem causing this.

I'll keep you guys updated

[BoAFriend]

Okay so the doctor I went to was a "multi purpose", if you will, kind of doctor. Meaning she pretty much treats anything.

Turns out the redness/rash on my face (according to her) is due to my skin being too dry. I told her I moisturized daily, but she said even at that, sometimes it's internally that the skin is not hydrated. And also she said I'm suffering from vitamin/mineral deficiency, mainly because I don't eat enough vegetables.

I was prescribed a hydrocortisone cream USP 2.5%. Also the doctor said the cream that my mom gave me to use on my face (econazole nitrate cream 1%) wasn't even appropriate for facial usage - it was used for athlete's foot. -__- I had researched it online and all I got was that it was suitable for fungul treatment and I thought my facial rash/redness was due to some fungul infection, but yeah - guess not.

My doctor also said these rashes/ruptures of the skin often are related to any kind of imbalance in the body (I'm sure we've all heard this many times). So yeah

Well that's my update. Thanks to everyone who helped or contributed. I really appreciate it!

[Guest MISSxSHAMPOO]

I was prescribed a hydrocortisone cream USP 2.5%. Also the doctor said the cream that my mom gave me to use on my face (econazole nitrate cream 1%) wasn't even appropriate for facial usage - it was used for athlete's foot. -__- I had researched it online and all I got was that it was suitable for fungul treatment and I thought my facial rash/redness was due to some fungul infection, but yeah - guess not.

LOL athlete's foot? must of been a shocker.

[BoAFriend]

LOL athlete's foot? must of been a shocker.

Ok this is gonna make me look real dumb but I looked up econazole nitrate 1% cream before using it and I did come across that it was okay for athlete's foot, but it also stated that it was suitable for any fungul infection of the skin. I was desperate and assumed that my face problem was fungal related. Who would've thought...

My doctor almost laughed when she told me that the cream was used for athlete's foot and not suitable for facial usage. Yes, FML