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I think I have Rosacea

Posted , 8 users are following.

Beetle1965
Beetle1965

Hello - I have had a problem with my skin for a while and three different Gp's have previously said it was dermatitis, hives and then a swelling type of hives and I am pretty sure it is the start of Rosacea.  I asked one of them, but they said no, it has pustules and you don't!

But, I have major flushing of my face like sunburn and this was the major reason I went to the GP.  Never had sensitive skin, dermatitis or allergies but I do suffer from anxiety and chronic stress/fatigue.

In January I bought a new face cream and exfoliated - this is not usual for me, I came out in a red rash where I had done it and a week later started with flushing episodes that looked like sunburn and stayed for ages.  I noticed it was connected with the sunshine or with heat, it got worse in the evening and when stressed - it feels like I am overheating and the redness is just like sunburn.  My melasma also got worse where the heat had been.

This pattern continued for a few months - I think I only flushed badly maybe 3 times, but the redness was always there a little bit.  My skin also changed, the balance of it.  Where I had normal skin before, I started to feel a rough sandpaper texture on my forehead and cheeks. pores were opening near by nose, my nose felt almost greasy and with black heads. I definately had minor swelling.  Eventually in early April it all calmed down and appart from a little redness over my nose and cheeks all was well - no more burning.

Then, last week I started sneezing and felt dehydrated, we had painters in the house and it was quite stressfull.  My lips felt very dry and became very red - like very bad chapped lips.  They were a little swollen, then my face felt puffy and again the flushing of my face happened and I had a panic attack!  I called the doctor the next day and was advised this was similar to hives, take antihistamine and it would calm down.  The swelling of my lips did go after a few days but the sensation of burning on my face has come and gone ever since, very mild but all I can say, is my skin feels 'active' or 'reactive'.

Just now the flush happened again - like sunburn and lasted about 20 minutes with burning and heat in my whole face.  It has cooled down now and is just red.

My sister developed Rosacea a few years ago - she had pustules and remembers it started with getting red in the face after being in the sun - hers is now clear.  I am suspecting I have the start of Rosacea.

My questions are about the flushing - it is really freaking me out - can it really cover almost all the face (mainly forehead, nose, cheeks and slightly on my chin) and burn and feel very hot? 

My other question from reading info is about flares - what exactly is this?  Does it mean that episodes of flushing and sensitivity come and go - as they have done for me and that avoiding triggers might stop this?

When this happened earlier in the year, I treated it as if I had damaged my skin from the facial product and used Avene face products to basically let me skin rebalance - not sure how to treat this now. Should I assume my skin is sensitive type?  I went back to using normal products before this recent event, Any ideas?

I don't feel like going to the doctor again - they cannot see anything unless I am in the middle of this flush and seem to take no notice of my comments that I am burning on the inside - mainly on my cheeks after the flushing.

I would appreciate any reassurance or info you can give.  Thanks you

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • sleew
    sleew Beetle1965

    Posted

    Hi Rightside, sorry you're going through all this, I know how upsetting it is.  I can't say if you have Rosacea or not but you certainly have many of the symptoms I have had with my Rosacea, and also the same triggers.  Heat and stress are the big ones for me.    Mine also started with crazy flushing.  My cheeks and nose (almost my whole face) would be so bright red it was almost purple, and it burned like hell.  I have tried a bunch of drugs but what I believe helps me the most is calamine lotion.  I tell fellow sufferers whenever I can because it has saved my life (okay, a bit dramatic but it kind of feels that way).  As soon as I start to blush I put calamine lotion on my face and it immediately takes away the heat and the redness.  If I'm at home I slather it on, but even if I have to go out in public I can rub on just a little.  It looks kind of white at first but if I put on just a bit and rub it in, it actually masks the red and it still helps to take away the burning feeling.  I did get the pustules about a year ago and I don't know for sure but maybe by keeping the blushing under control (with the calamine and also avoiding the triggers) is the reason why I haven't had the pustules since then.  Please let me know if you try the calamine lotion and if it works for you.  I rarely see it mentioned on these forums, which surprises me as it has worked so well for me, and I just want everyone to know.  Good luck! 
    • Beetle1965
      Beetle1965 sleew

      Posted

      Thank you - I went to the GP again today and she doesn't think it is Rosacea or at least the signs aren't prominant yet.  She felt my face and said it wasn't as hot as I feel it to be and the redness not that obvious.

      I am confused as I am definately flushing and my skin is several shades pinker/darker than it used to be.

  • sleew
    sleew Beetle1965

    Posted

    I don't have a lot of faith in the GP's really knowing much about Rosacea, but maybe, if you do have it, you have caught it early and can keep it from getting bad.  I really think if I had done something earlier I could have avoided the worst of it.  I haven't had it really bad again (it's been a year) but still definitely flush more than I'd like.  Now I try to avoid my triggers and when I do flush I try to stop it as soon as possible.  (cool water on my face, eating ice cream or a popsicle, calamine lotion...)  
    • Beetle1965
      Beetle1965 sleew

      Posted

      Yes, I still think it might be.  My sister had it and has managed to control it, she thinks it started with a sensitivity to sun and flushing which came and went for a while.

      So is the idea to stop the flushing which then warms the skin and changes it somehow.  This is what feels like happens - I get the flushing bright red and very hot, then it fades but is still pink and internally hot.  It sort of stays this way for a few days sometimes and feel super sensitive to heat changes during this time.  The skin on my cheeks near my nose almost changes texture with more open pores and looks slightly puffy, the rest becomes really dry. 

      I am sure this is Rosacea or at least a warning but GP's dont really investigate much unless there is something obvious I guess - she did say there is nothing there to treat at the moment in any case.

      My triggers seem to be linked to temperature changes within me, if I feel slightly run down, this last episode followed a bit of a cold, or if I have been stressed.  I am suffering from anxiety right now and the last thing I needed was strange flushing and warm face to understand, so I am sure stress is also a trigger.

      I will take your advise and try to cool the skin as soon as I feel the flush - although I tend to just get anxious right now. smile

    • Beetle1965
      Beetle1965

      Posted

      I also wanted to ask if you have changed your skincare at all?  My skin feels so dry and I feel so dehydrated in general when this heat arrives, it feels like I need more moisturiser, but at the same time the nose area looks greasy.  I only use very gently cleanser and moisturiser and it doesnt seem to react to this - soon after a flush my face will be super sensitive if I wipe it though, so I am very gentle.

      My redness is almost all over with the flush, not lower cheeks, but across nose, the part between my eyebrows, forehead and slightly on my chin, it dies down and only across the nose, cheeks and forehead stay red and eventually it all calms down, but doesnt go back to completely 'non reactive' for a while.  All I can say is it's a nightmare feeling it is so sensitive and about to burn.  Puts you on edge

  • sleew
    sleew Beetle1965

    Posted

    Your symptoms sound very similar to mine.  A year ago, when it first flared up (although I had been having major flushing prior to that for months) the skin on my face did change, it was always red and got puffy and I did get those lovely pimples that took half a year to go away.  It was 3 months before I could see a dermatologist and it was gradually getting better on its own so I don't really know if the doyxycylcline she put me on helped or if it just continuted to get better anyway. I think, like you, that it is an internal problem, not a skin problem, but the constant flushing of the face eventually creates the skin problems.  I read about an overactive sympathetic nervous system and that sounds spot on to me.  Anything that causes "normal" people to flush such as overheating, stress, anxiety, alchohol, is ramped up in me.  Yesterday I was riding my bike and almost hit a squirrel.  I felt, in literally one second, my face immediately get hot...fight or flight response.   
  • sleew
    sleew Beetle1965

    Posted

    Your symptoms sound very similar to mine.  A year ago, when it first flared up (although I had been having major flushing prior to that for months) the skin on my face did change, it was always red and got puffy and I did get those lovely pimples that took half a year to go away.  It was 3 months before I could see a dermatologist and it was gradually getting better on its own so I don't really know if the doyxycylcline she put me on helped or if it just continuted to get better anyway. I think, like you, that it is an internal problem, not a skin problem, but the constant flushing of the face eventually creates the skin problems.  I read about an overactive sympathetic nervous system and that sounds spot on to me.  Anything that causes "normal" people to flush such as overheating, stress, anxiety, alchohol, is ramped up in me.  Yesterday I was riding my bike and almost hit a squirrel.  I felt, in literally one second, my face immediately get hot...fight or flight response.   So I try to stop the flushing immediately witht the methods I told you previously.  When it was really bad I would put ice on my face but I haven't had to do that in almost a year.  I don't want to jinx myself but I think I have it pretty much under control now. Now that the heat is starting to kick on I have to be really on top of it again.  My face used to be really dry and I just used Cetaphil moisturizer.  I rarely use that now as my face is no longer dry.  I don't know if it has to do with the Calamine lotion I use now or not.  Have you tried the Calamine yet?  It's still what I swear by but the funny thing is, I only heard one person, from a similar forum to this, that said she used it.  That was a year ago and that was the reason I tried it.  I am anxious to know if others have the same luck I did and surprised I don't hear about it more often.  So all I do is wash my face with, believe it or not Selsun Blue with aloe (I wash my hair with it in the shower and just wash my face at the same time, it has selenium sulfide in it), I don't wear makeup but I use Clinique redness relief powder when I am looking red, and then the calamine lotion when I am having a flush and also before I go to bed at night.  I quite taking the doxycycline but when I got some bumps a few months ago I took them again for a few months, just in case.  Those bumps eventually went away but it took several months and again, not sure if they would have gone away even without the doxycycline.
    • Beetle1965
      Beetle1965 sleew

      Posted

      Thank you - I will try some of the things you suggest and hopefully it will subside.  I have developed a redder nose and a little bit on my cheeks though that doesn't seem to entirely disappear every.  The doctor isn't that bothered to help, so I will try the calamine. 
  • Nene777
    Nene777 Beetle1965

    Posted

    Are you still having issues? Curious because I'm having the same symptoms and have been on doxycycline for 2 months- the flushing is the worst part.
    • sleew
      sleew Nene777

      Posted

      I woud love to hear if you try the calamine lotion.  I never see anything about it on these sites and have not gotten feedback from anyone who I've recommended it to.  I can't believe that something that has literally solved my rosacea problem, when nothing else did, including medication, is unique to me. 
  • sleew
    sleew Beetle1965

    Posted

    I can't believe it's been over a year since I last replied to you.  I would love to hear how things are going and if the calamine lotion helped.  I still swear by it, it has given me my life back.
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