For I knew I wouldn’t know you, but I got under your skin
For those who have seen me IRL recently (or not, as there haven’t been many photos of myself on here either) may have noticed something strange going on with my skin. For the last 4 months I have been suffering from unsightly break outs, red lumps and sore skin. I have tried every lotion and potion going, from spot creams to changing my moisturiser, none of which has made one iota of difference. The spots may come and go, but they are always there.
(Although I have discovered the amazing DHC deep cleansing oil in the process – even if I have spots, my face is squeaky clean)
With 5 months to go to the wedding and a fear of looking like this on the day, I finally plucked up the courage to take my spots to the doctor. I felt such a fraud, taking something so trivial in a surgery full of coughs and bad backs, but I was starting to get depressed just looking in the mirror, and my confidence? Shot to pieces. Having terrible skin is dehabilitating, as all those teenagers know. To get it in your 30s, well, sometimes I must admit I don’t want to leave the house and face the world.
I was expecting to get laughed out of the surgery with a lecture on cleanse, tone, moisturiser, but instead the lovely lady locum peered at me closely, sympathised wildly, and did not diagnose a dose of adult acne as expected. Instead I have a skin condition called Rosacea (although it is often called acne-rosacea it isn’t actually spots) probably brought on by stress and a sensitivity to sunlight.
Luckily, mine is just breakouts, flushing and my favourite – a dry burning feeling – and I haven’t got the permanent redness, broken blood vessels and the brandy nose that old men with rosacea get – you know, the long term drinker look – yet. Although it may still develop – rosacea while harmless generally is progressive.
So, I’ve been given a high dose antibiotic to take for the next 3 months (oxytetracycline – which I noted is also used to treat bubonic plague!) and have been told to try azelaic acid (I actually got a sample of this in a beauty box, but I never noticed much difference I must admit, but i’ll give it another go) and to wear a high factor sunscreen on my face (sunlight can make it worse, plus the creams can make you burn more easily) and to try and keep myself cool.
So, finger’s crossed the antibiotics work, as well, I am sick of looking like a spotty 16 year old! Anyone else got any experience of rosacea? Any suggestions about how to get it under control?
Miss S x
I’d say maybe go into a health shop or natural remedy place and see what they have, often a bit nicer on your body in general than stuff the doctors will give xx
I’m impressed that you wrote about this – it’s something which is both embarrasing and yet, somehow, maybe trivial in a way.
I can pinpoint the day – actually I can pinpoint the phone call – which led to me suffering the same way. After almost a year of trying things to deal with it I went to my GP and was prescribed Oxytetracycline. It helped, but not a lot. Proper sunshine made more of a difference, tbh, not that we’ve had much of that.
I was also referred to the Dermatology unit at Lauriston. When I went for a consultation I, like you, said that I felt a bit of a fraud because there had to be patients with more pressing needs. I was assured that that was not the case.
A sensible, reassuring and careful consultation followed – and there were a couple of pointers:
- I was put onto Tetralysal which I was told is a more modern (and more expensive) treatment which GPs don’t prescribe at first (impliedly because of budget concerns. It has made a huge difference and the symptoms have almost completely disappeared. I feel a lot better for it.
- They do a liver function test because both Oxytetracycline and Tetralysal can have a negative impact on liver function. I was reassured by attention being paid to this.
The liver function test interested me, in passingk, because I, like you, associate rosacea with alcohol intake as well as with stress.
So – I know that you will have some stress this year and I also know that you will want to deal with this condition without delay, so I’d say if it hasn’t cleared-up soon go back to your GP and ask for a referral to Dermatology and/or a review of the medication.
Hope you GWS!!
PS – I tried Blue Flag and Burdock Root and they maybe helped a little bit but didn’t clear up the condition for me. A.