Sometimes, we need a little help with Rosacea.
Sometimes, a healthy, steady diet and good skincare just isn't enough.
I have, so far, tried, Tetracycline, Doxycycline, Rozex, Zineryt, Metronidazole and Intense pulsed light (IPL) treatments.
Whilst I am HUGE advocate of great skincare, they sometimes don't have enough strength to get to the root of the problem. Skincare can help manage day to day, it can help to mask Rosacea and nourish the skin, but when a flare up happens medication is sometimes the only way to go.
Here is what I've used so far, and my experience with it.
Doxycycline
Doxy, is a tablet form of medication, (which generally contains lactose, so look out for that on the label!) I don't take Doxy everyday, as I don't like taking tablets everyday but for when my skincare routine just isn't enough and I need good skin fast, doxy is the one I turn too.
Whilst on doxy it is important to remember your SPF, as it makes the skin sensitive to sunlight, I generally only take this in the winter as I improve over the summer months anyway, but for those who live in hotter climates, SPF is ridiculously important. Rosacea is know being understood as an autoimmune condition, the way Doxy works is by inhibiting protein synthesis, and ultimately bacterial growth.
Doxy is used for a wide range of things, from STIs to Malaria, and is part of the Tetracycline family and is best taken on an empty stomach. For me, this is the quickest option, I have a normal skin type (aside from the Rosacea) it's not oily, or dry, it just is and I can usually see a dramatic improvement within 3 weeks, and 5-6 weeks later I'm pretty much back to lightly pink, rather than postbox red.
Tetracycline,
I was only on this for a month a while back, and found that whilst it was effective, I got better results with Doxy.
Rozex,
I was put on Rozex as one of the first topical treatments, and I liked it. I found it soothed the skin during flare ups but it wasn't successful for me, at making the redness go away. Minimising redness for me, is a priority.
Zineryt,
Another topical solution which I did get along with. Whilst i wasn't overly fond of the strong medicated scent, I was fond of the way it cleared up the red bumps. Containing Erythromycin, Zineryt is a two part product, with a powder and a liquid which are mixed together, a new applicator top is applied to the bottle (a bit like a bingo dabber) which is used to apply the product evenly to the affected areas. When applying Zineryt you have to be careful as it is strong to only apply to areas of concern or the skin may become irritated.
Metronidazole
By far, the most effective topical for me. I prefer this during the evening, as during the day I do feel that my make-up doesn't sit right on top of it.
squeezing our enough to cover the areas of concern and massaging in, the cooling gel calms flare ups, especially if you experience heat and tingling with your flare ups and leaves skin less red. It is unknown how Metronidazole helps Rosacea, but it it is thought that it assists with calming the inflammatory aspect of the condition, so combining a topical and an oral treatment seems to me the best way forward.
IPL.
Intense Pulsed Light, or IPL has been around for a while, and is frequently used for Hair removal, skin rejuvenation and prominent veins, such as varicose veins.
I had a course of treatments in 2013, a few months after my diagnosis, when I found that oral and topical solutions worked but as soon as I came off, I was right back to the beginning, and IPL was an option for longer term benefits.
IPL works by treating the blood vessels, and is effective at reducing the redness and the flushing aspect of Rosacea.
For me, I found IPL the most beneficial, whilst I didn't see an instant benefit, results are seen 4 weeks after the first treatment and only keeps getting better and the results of a full course can last up to 1 year, sometimes longer, the fairer your skin is the better candidate you are for IPL, which in my case was ideal because I one shade up from Caspar the friendly ghost. Once a course is completed, it's wise to return for yearly, or twice yearly touch ups. The overall texture of my skin improved, the colour was more even and a lot less red. Redness was reduced by over 50% in 4 treatments, and the added bonus of the skin rejuvenation too, meaning my skin was positively radiant by the end. The worse your Rosacea is, the more treatments you may need.
IPL is unfortunately on the expensive side of treatments, but I would recommend going for a consultation just to see if it is right for you.
What works for you? Have you tried any of the above?
X TWC
For NHS help with Rosacea, visit, http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Rosacea/Pages/Introduction.aspx also take a look athttp://www.rosacea.org/index.php the National Rosacea Society.
If you think you may be suffering with Rosacea, please see a doctor, or a dermatologist.
2 comments
Hi
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to say thank you!I really appreciate your time effort and information. I am learning so much now.Thanks for sharing such a valuable information it was very helpful
Regards,
Rosacea clinic near me
Very interesting blog! I like to read it. Please visit my blog as well. Rosacea treatment in Islamabad Pakistan
ReplyDelete