Katy has cause for concern: I have clusters of dry, red raised bumps on either side of my chin. I’ve been using hydrocortisone that helps but doesn’t cure them. I also have a flush to my cheeks and am prone to blushing, which are two characteristics of Rosacea. Does this sound like Rosacea and do you know of any better remedies Hydrocortisone?
The Right Brain rambles on Rosacea:
Katy, based on your description you might have a form of Rosacea but you really should really check with a dermatologist for the best course of treatment. Your question prompted us to include Rosacea in our Cosmetic Diseases and Disorders Series so everyone gains a better understanding of this condition. Hopefully you’ll find this information helpful.
What is Rosacea
Rosacea is an inflammatory skin condition that causes the skin around your nose, cheeks, chin and eyes to become very red and flushed. Over 14 million Americans suffer from this neurovascular disorder, according to the National Rosacea Society. Why is this such a disturbing disorder? Because it’s more than just a simple case of being red-faced! The condition has psychological effects as well. The Society has done studies that show nearly 70 percent of Rosacea sufferers have lowered self-esteem, and 41 percent say that the condition causes them to avoid public contact or cancel social engagements.
What causes Rosacea?
No one knows for sure but there are several theories. It could be related to how facial blood vessels cope with being flushed and dilated. Or, it could be that it’s an over active inflammatory response to some unknown pathogen. Though the exact cause is unknown, we do know that it can be worsened by harsh skin treatments, strong acne medications, and even exposure to excessive sunlight.
How can you tell if you have Rosacea?
Again, you should consult your dermatologist to find out if your condition really is Rosacea. But here are some common symptoms you can look for. The redness associated with Rosacea primarily occurs in the flushing zone, the nose, cheeks, chin and forehead. Besides the reddening, you may see dilated blood vessels and facial swelling. You may also feel a slight burning sensation on your face. Inflammatory papules and pustules (the red bumps you described?) may develop as well.
You should also note that Rosacea starts as mild episodes of facial blushing or flushing which can turn into a permanently red face over time.
There is a special type of Rosacea, known as Ocular Rosacea, that affects both the eye surface and eyelid. This condition can cause redness, dry eyes, redness, crusting and even loss of eyelashes.
What does Rosacea look like?
You can see for yourself by checking out these links, but some of these are a bit disturbing so use your discretion.
What can you do about Rosacea?
We didn’t find any reference to using hydrocortisone to fight Rosacea, but there are other medications that are used to control the redness and reduce the number of papules and pustules.
The most commonly used drugs are oral antibiotics and topical metronidazole. Isotretinoin (Accutane) has also been shown to work against severe papopustular rosacea because it physically shrinks sebaceous glands and it has potent anti-inflammatory properties. And there has been some discussion that topical application of a drug called Finacea may be a promising treatment as well. You’ll need a prescription form your doctor for all of these though.
There are some things you can do without a prescription: according to the experts, you should use a gentle cleansing regime to avoid aggravating the condition. So make sure you’re using a mild facial cleanser and not scrubbing too much! You should also limit sun exposure by protecting your skin with a good non-irritating sunscreen everyday. You might find a product that uses physical sunblock ingredients like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide might be less aggravating than some of the reactive sunscreens.
For much, much more on this subject, visit the Rosacea Support Group or the excellent Rosacea Blog.
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most dermatologists would strongly recommend NOT using hydrocortisone if you suspect rosacea.
“4. My doctor prescribed over-the-counter hydrocortisone for my rosacea. Is this recommended for rosacea?
No. Absolutely not. Topical hydrocortisone at any strength will worsen rosacea symptoms over time. It causes rebound dilation, thinning of the epidermis, thinning of the blood vessel walls, and holes in the architecture of the dermis. ”
from http://www.drnase.com/patient_faq.htm
Cheryl: thanks for your confirming comments on hydrocortizone. Are you a sufferer?
that would be an affirmative and recently diagnosed. There is a cost to fair skin and acne free teen years, dang. I’d be delighted to share any of my resources for combating this pain in the face.
cheryl
A few additional issues for rosacea sufferers that you can perhaps address: how helpful is laser surgery for treating broken veins and patches of red skin that never settle down?
My esthetician advised against laser procedures. She found among her clients a failure rate of 3 out of 4. Meaning 3/4 of her clients ended up with a long healing time and little change in appearance of the skin. The best advice she gave me was to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. A good moisturizer that doesn’t contain irritating ingredients is your best friend. My skin has calmed down considerably since I’ve used a daily moisturizer and always wear non-chemical sun screen, even in the winter.
Re: laser for rosacea
Rosacea manifests itself differently in different people. In my case, I had extensive patches of broken blood vessels under the surface, and laser treatment did a very good job; the positive effects lasted for a couple of years each time. If you have pustules on the surface, pimple-like breakouts etc., I really can’t say what lasers will do, but for broken blood vessels it’s useful, though expensive.
i have a mild/medium case of rosacea and my dermatologist has prescribed MetroLotion from Galderma. MetroGel is for sufferers of adult acne, but MetroLotion helps especially for sufferers of rosacea because it moisturizes and calms your dry sensitive skin while simultaneously getting rid of zits. it has worked wonders for me and i would really recommend asking your dr about it.
Is rosacea by any chance hereditary?
My father I know has rosacea, and I’m starting to wonder if maybe I have it too. The skin on my nose, and around my nose is red and flairs up very easily(from using moisturizers, getting too hot, or too cold, washing my face, etc.) I’m starting to think using an exfoliating face wash is not the best choice.
yea i have rosacea and its hell sometimes, i’ve had it throughout my whole high school career and nw i’m 18 i wana meet new ppl nd go out with m8s but can’t because its some how embarasing! but!… i have tried ZENMED (and lots of other treatments) and i have to admit it has made a big difference in the redness and flushing! ne1 with rosacea i would very strongly recomend buyin it @ its cheap price on the internet!!! yea thnx
I have a product that may help with your rosacea, especially if you have extremely sensitive skin. I have testimonies of many people with rosacea and have had success with the products thru a very reputable company I am now working with. The company has been around since 1980. The products are formulated in Switzerland which has a higher standard than the US. They are botanical with NO chemicals, fragrances or dyes. No mineral oils or animal by-products. If you are interested in knowing more, please contact me by email. I don’t wish to give out too much info on this site, but if you or anyone else reading wants to know more, I will be glad to send you free samples, etc.
Sincerely,
Jennifer
Jennifer@rogersdirect.com
My skin went crazy…it felt like it was on fire. Raw and red and such pain!
I went to the dermatologist and he prescribed “MetroLotion” and all it did was burn my skin even more.( This started when I was about 48 years old—other strange health problems were happening at the same time).
I started using the Made from Earth Rosehip & Hibiscus Face Serum also – and my skin is under control. The hideous raw red skin flares occaisionally…I use it daily…
I suffered severe Rosacea symptoms and some other chronic skin ailments for over 10 years. My symptoms continued to worsen, although sometimes they would mysteriously subside. It was humiliating, and my condition was so severe that I thought I might not be able to continue working in my chosen career.
Like most rosacea sufferers, I did the whole routine with the doctors. They all diagnosed rosacea and prescribed various drugs – some worked, some didn’t. They were always careful to warn me that there was no cure – it was a chronic condition. I didn’t like introducing powerful drugs to my body, I also tried going chemical free in my home, becoming a vegetarian, refraining from eating sugar and gluten, and everything else I could think of. None of these things worked, although I was losing weight and getting pretty healthy in every other way.
Then my symptoms mysteriously evaporated…………
After relocating to a somewhat remote location in Colorado, my rosacea symptoms and other skin ailments began to subside. After a year or so, the symptoms were gone. No redness or bumps. I could go out side on sunny days, which I didn’t for years. I could drink or eat anything without concern. I could exercise, go to work, and do all the things I used to do without any concern for my face or skin. It was gone!
But, then I had a relapse, then more relapses…………
A new job required travel to several cities on a regular basis. Every time I traveled, the rosacea would return. Whenever I returned home, it would subside. It was disheartening because every time I would go to the home office or client meetings, I had redness and bumps on my forehead, cheeks, and chin. I am sure you can relate.
This continued until……………..
In an attempt to uncover the cause of the flare ups, I tried a number of experiements. For example, on several trips I packed and used my own pillow cases in case the hotels were using strong cleaning chemicals that would trigger the symtoms. Another experiment was to rinse my face after airline travel and several times a day when in the cities to rinse off any air borne pollutants that might be triggering the symptoms. This went on for several months to no avail.
Finally, on the verge of giving up, I tried purchasing bottled water and using it to wash my face instead of washing with city water. It worked! I remained almost symptom free while in the city. I could – and did while experimenting – amplify the symptoms simply by showering or washing my face with chlorinated water. And, I could – and did – reduce the symptoms by rinsing with chlorine free water. Now, when traveling I wash with bottled water. It is inconvenient, but my alternative is to trigger rosacea. The symptoms would recede but not disappear in larger cities due to ubiquitous chlorine exposure from numerous sources in all large cities. However, it was very mild without the direct exposure from water or shower steam.
I feel kind of slow for not figuring it out sooner, but now it obvious that my rosacea would subside when I was at my remote home because it has well water which contains no chlorine or any other chemicals. And, in a remote area, there are no sources of chlorine.
It turns out, after some follow up research, that I learned that millions of people are allergic to chlorine. Really, everyone is. It is one of the most toxic substances there is. Municipalities use it because it is very toxic to deadly microbes. But, in some of us, it causes rosacea. It is suspected as the cause for many other serious ailments, and after my experience, I don’t doubt it.
An important side point: I had to stop using soap or any chemicals on my face. Any chemical now causes irritation. It is possible that my facial skin will always be hyper-sensitive due to years of irritation from chemicals. All bets are off if you apply chemicals to your face.
Of course, not everyone’s rossacea is caused by chlorine. But, could it be possible that some, and possibly thousands of rosacea sufferer’s symptoms would evaporate if they were no longer exposed to chlorine? This is not speculation on my part. I proved that chlorine was causing – at least – my rosacea symptoms. I can make my rosacea flare and diminish – and did so several times – simply by using chlorinated or pure water. So, it seems very reasonable that the same cause and effect is occurring with other people. I was just lucky enough to move to a place with well water so that even I eventually stumbled on to the cause.
Your health and peace of mind is worth the minor investment of time and money to find out if you are also experiencing a reaction to chlorine. Buy some chlorine free bottled water and wash with it for a week. If the symptoms are still there, you are out a few dollars and some time. But, what if the symptoms go away? If they do, invest in relatively inexpensive chlorine filtering shower head and get your rosacea under control the healthy way.
This information will not help everyone, but I hope it helps you.
Jim