thanks a ton shantelle

your advice is always very helpful

 

Nick,

 

I didn't go back and look at your posts, but were you using BP after Accutane or Minocycline? If Accutane, I definitely second Shantelle's advice about scrapping it. Actually, I'd scrap it even if you weren't ever on Accutane if you're dealing with flushing issues.

 

yeah, i started using it after accutane lol

I had no idea, but once i ran out of the bp and didnt use any for a few days, i noticed i wasnt flushing as mush, so i just stopped it.

I was also using with hazel on my face after shaving, but again, when i ran out and didnt use it for a few days, i was flushing much less than i used to.

In regards to your above post, i just started supplementing omega 3s and vitamin d a few weeks ago, and i do believe they help a bit.

Again, it has only been a few weeks, but i think i see an overall improvment to both my acne and skin tone.

Its nothing immediate, but i think it does help in the long term

thanks a ton shantelle

your advice is always very helpful

 

Nick,

 

I didn't go back and look at your posts, but were you using BP after Accutane or Minocycline? If Accutane, I definitely second Shantelle's advice about scrapping it. Actually, I'd scrap it even if you weren't ever on Accutane if you're dealing with flushing issues.

 

yeah, i started using it after accutane lol

I had no idea, but once i ran out of the bp and didnt use any for a few days, i noticed i wasnt flushing as mush, so i just stopped it.

I was also using with hazel on my face after shaving, but again, when i ran out and didnt use it for a few days, i was flushing much less than i used to.

 

In regards to your above post, i just started supplementing omega 3s and vitamin d a few weeks ago, and i do believe they help a bit.

Again, it has only been a few weeks, but i think i see an overall improvment to both my acne and skin tone.

Its nothing immediate, but i think it does help in the long term

 

What cleanser are you using now nick? Also, are you using a moisturizer afterward? If you are having any troubles with break outs still I would recommend Klaron lotion (I prefer the generic if you can get it) as a spot treatment. Its super gentle and I have found that it responds well to my post tane skin. I had used it prior to tane, but i found it pretty much useless on my oily skin. It also is anti inflammatory so it won't increase your flushing/redness and may even reduce them somewhat, although that wasn't the case for me unfortunately haha...

Jack,

Agree that you shouldn't automatically point to accutane for anything health related post tane, but it wouldn't really make a difference either way as it shouldn't alter the way you look for treatment as we do not fully understand what accutane has done to us anyways haha. I would be highly surprised if anyone who took both mino and tane found out that their flushing was caused by mino and not tane though. I took mino pre and post tane and I just don't really believe that its strong enough to have this kind of effect, especially once treatment has been stopped.

I would encourage you to read the entire thread, if you have not done so, because other symptoms are discussed as well and its too much to summarize haha. I know its quite large at this point, but try reading like a page a day or something. I think it would be worth it. I know it seems like a mainly flushing page, but you would be surprised how many other symptoms are discussed haha.

Would you say your main problem is inflammation? I would say that it is definitely mine. I have made peace with my flushing for the time being. I am unwilling to take pills that will treat my entire body in the attempt to treat basically my cheeks. I got into this mess in the first place by thinking that way.

Back to the inflammation though. I really heal very, very poorly post tane. I just can't seem to recover even from the slightest muscle sprains, etc. I have had x-rays, mris, etc. done and nothing is structurally wrong with my body so I'm left thinking that its soft tissue.

I don't completely go out of my way to avoid omega-3s or vitamin a, but if I can make a simple choice to avoid them then I do so. For example, I use to eat carrots every day and since carrots main nutritional value is vitamin a, I stopped eating them as they would not be providing me the benefit that makes them worthwhile.

Its nothing like an allergic reaction. Its more of an increase in the same symptoms that you would normally get if you continually get higher levels of omega-3 or vitamin a in your system.

One thing that I can say for certain is that I get way more muscle spasms if I were to eat carrots every day for a week than I would if I had not. I know its kind of weird, but I get muscle spasms now post tane. It was kind of crazy at first and I still get them to this day, but nowhere near the level I did when I wasn't trying to avoid getting high doses of a.

Personally I haven't used any omega-3 supplements. I know Oli Girl and Lamarr can speak better/more on them than I can. I don't really worry about 3s because I don't eat very much fish in general and am allergic to walnuts haha so I don't think i'm in too much danger of getting high doses. The main problem though is the way our bodies absorb them post tane. Vitamin a is a no brainer as tane is a derivative of a so we basically consistently overdosed on vitamin a while we were on tane. Sounds so stupid in retrospect haha.

I concur that you should get baseline tests to be sure, but I have gone far beyond baseline and nothing (other than vitamin d) even came back outside what the doctors considered to be the normal range. I corrected the vitamin d deficiency through supplementation and now have above average levels, but I haven't noticed any difference at all. I still supplement with vitamin d every couple of days as, even though it wasn't the problem, its still important to keep my levels up for future health.

Feel free to ask any other questions. I and others that check occasionally here have been dealing with this for years (since 2007 for me).

Cheers

Jack,

 

Agree that you shouldn't automatically point to accutane for anything health related post tane, but it wouldn't really make a difference either way as it shouldn't alter the way you look for treatment as we do not fully understand what accutane has done to us anyways haha. I would be highly surprised if anyone who took both mino and tane found out that their flushing was caused by mino and not tane though. I took mino pre and post tane and I just don't really believe that its strong enough to have this kind of effect, especially once treatment has been stopped.

 

I would encourage you to read the entire thread, if you have not done so, because other symptoms are discussed as well and its too much to summarize haha. I know its quite large at this point, but try reading like a page a day or something. I think it would be worth it. I know it seems like a mainly flushing page, but you would be surprised how many other symptoms are discussed haha.

 

Would you say your main problem is inflammation? I would say that it is definitely mine. I have made peace with my flushing for the time being. I am unwilling to take pills that will treat my entire body in the attempt to treat basically my cheeks. I got into this mess in the first place by thinking that way.

 

Back to the inflammation though. I really heal very, very poorly post tane. I just can't seem to recover even from the slightest muscle sprains, etc. I have had x-rays, mris, etc. done and nothing is structurally wrong with my body so I'm left thinking that its soft tissue.

I don't completely go out of my way to avoid omega-3s or vitamin a, but if I can make a simple choice to avoid them then I do so. For example, I use to eat carrots every day and since carrots main nutritional value is vitamin a, I stopped eating them as they would not be providing me the benefit that makes them worthwhile.

 

Its nothing like an allergic reaction. Its more of an increase in the same symptoms that you would normally get if you continually get higher levels of omega-3 or vitamin a in your system.

 

One thing that I can say for certain is that I get way more muscle spasms if I were to eat carrots every day for a week than I would if I had not. I know its kind of weird, but I get muscle spasms now post tane. It was kind of crazy at first and I still get them to this day, but nowhere near the level I did when I wasn't trying to avoid getting high doses of a.

 

Personally I haven't used any omega-3 supplements. I know Oli Girl and Lamarr can speak better/more on them than I can. I don't really worry about 3s because I don't eat very much fish in general and am allergic to walnuts haha so I don't think i'm in too much danger of getting high doses. The main problem though is the way our bodies absorb them post tane. Vitamin a is a no brainer as tane is a derivative of a so we basically consistently overdosed on vitamin a while we were on tane. Sounds so stupid in retrospect haha.

 

I concur that you should get baseline tests to be sure, but I have gone far beyond baseline and nothing (other than vitamin d) even came back outside what the doctors considered to be the normal range. I corrected the vitamin d deficiency through supplementation and now have above average levels, but I haven't noticed any difference at all. I still supplement with vitamin d every couple of days as, even though it wasn't the problem, its still important to keep my levels up for future health.

 

Feel free to ask any other questions. I and others that check occasionally here have been dealing with this for years (since 2007 for me).

 

Cheers

Hi!

I have a few questions for a veteran flusher such as yourself...

I basically have flushing, spontaneous indents on my face, and some broken caps (from the flushing)

My flushing started out as an occasional happening - but now it occurs every evening without fail!

So;

- what is the best treatment recommendations? (I've read the whole tread, just want your general opinion)

- I feel that although it may be lifelong rosacea ( ) I've hopefully caught it early enough to halt its progression. I think I need to stop the flushing completely (through medication) for at least 6 months (which will give the capillaries enough time to heal) and during this 6 months period undergo v-beam treatment to help the capillaries in the recovery process. Seems logical. What do you think?

- Any tips for working out with our flushing condition? I am an avid lifter but feel bad each day I work out (because I always flush, and I feel like each flush is worsening my condition)

- I went for a consultation at the baywood clinic in Toronto, and the practitioner recommended smoothbeam + v-beam X 5. She probably recommended this because I also have some random indents (spontaneous scarring - no one believes me though), large pores, and oily skin. I haven't heard much about smoothbeam for our flushing skin, is it beneficial? Or should I just go with the v-beam and forget the smoothbeam?

Thanks!

Not sure if this is really possible in your area, but you should really try to go to the best derm in your area and, more importantly, at least find a derm that will consider that accutane caused your problems. You may want to forgo derms all together (overall not the best doctors) and consider working with an internal general practitioner, especially if you're looking to combine meds. You definitely do not want to make things worse. I would agree with shantelle though that, at 15 months, its unlikely that it will completely abate on its own anytime soon so might as well get proactive if you think something will work...

hey dude, i didnt see this post when you posted it.

Ive been to a derm many times, and he keeps saying it isnt rosacea.

I dont really know what to think.

He makes a compelling argument because he says that i dont have any dilated blood vessels in my face and he says i dont have any "rosacea acne".

What should i talk to my GP about?

How would he be able to treat me?

so i was finally able to get some pics of my face when it was flushed, and when i wasnt in public lol

They are of me after working out. Please ignore the grotesque greasiness that is my face.

What do you guys think?

Rosacea flushing?

EDIT: I forgot to mention that i recently found out that i have extremely high levels of both testosterone and estradiol (estrogen)

Could those results be an indicator as to why i flush so often?

EDIT: Damn the pics dont show.

I have posted pics in here though:

http://www.acne.org/messageboard/finally-p...st-t288276.html

thanks

Can't open attachments.....

hey dude, i didnt see this post when you posted it.

Ive been to a derm many times, and he keeps saying it isnt rosacea.

I dont really know what to think.

He makes a compelling argument because he says that i dont have any dilated blood vessels in my face and he says i dont have any "rosacea acne".

 

What should i talk to my GP about?

How would he be able to treat me?

Hi Nick

Your Derm is really not up with the latest knowledge about Rosacea if he thinks all Rosaceans have to have the papules and pustules.. that's just one subtype of Rosacea (Subtype 2) - infact overall there are four subtypes! http://www.rosacea.org/patients/faces.php Post-Accutane flushing that does not cease post-treatment is essentially treated in the same way and diagnosed as Rosacea Type 1.

Broken capillaries/visable blood vessels come when Rosacea progresses, i.e. over time the inflammation causes them to appear. Also, anyone who has a flusing issue as seen in Subtype 1 clearly has a hyperactive dilating blood vessel issue going on - that's why the flusing can become so debilatating for some if it isn't effectively controlled.

Best, Shantelle

 

Can't open attachments.....

 

man, acne.org isnt really helpful in regards to posting pics

Anyway, here is another thread i made with my pics:

http://www.acne.org/messageboard/finally-p...st-t288276.html

Im not sure if you have read other posts of mine, but i have very high testosterone and estradiol levels, so do you think those could be any reason for the flushing?

thanks in advance

Hi Nick

Ok well first thing that I thought when viewed the pics was that your case visually looks like a mild case of Rosacea, so that is very good news. Especially as your Derm is unconvinced, then it tells me also that maybe it is not at the moderate stage and more the mild stage.

Based on your Accutane medication history, I would say hormones are very unlikely to be the culprit causing the flushing. My advice would be to try and wait it out as long as you can and see if the flushing decreases over the next 3 or so months by avoiding flusing triggers as much as possible and wearing sunscreen and a hat religiously when outdoors- if no change, seeing you cannot take Clonidine or Propranolol, if you reach your wits end it would be an option to seek out advice from an experienced, reputable Derm and ask about Vbeam non-purpuric laser- but ensure that you get a test patch done first before commencing full treatment if you decide to go down that road because you don't want to make things worse in any way.

Best, Shantelle

Hi Nick

 

Ok well first thing that I thought when viewed the pics was that your case visually looks like a mild case of Rosacea, so that is very good news. Especially as your Derm is unconvinced, then it tells me also that maybe it is not at the moderate stage and more the mild stage.

 

Based on your Accutane medication history, I would say hormones are very unlikely to be the culprit causing the flushing. My advice would be to try and wait it out as long as you can and see if the flushing decreases over the next 3 or so months by avoiding flusing triggers as much as possible and wearing sunscreen and a hat religiously when outdoors- if no change, seeing you cannot take Clonidine or Propranolol, if you reach your wits end it would be an option to seek out advice from an experienced, reputable Derm and ask about Vbeam non-purpuric laser- but ensure that you get a test patch done first before commencing full treatment if you decide to go down that road because you don't want to make things worse in any way.

 

Best, Shantelle

Wow, my case is mild?

But then again, i think it looks worse in real life....

My psychiatrist is actually recommending that i take a blood pressure med to control the flushing. He said it is used frequently to help women with hot flashes.

What do you think?

Thanks a ton Shantelle

So as far as treating my actual acne, what should i use, and what should i avoid?

A lot of people keep telling me to use anti biotics or to use retin-a/tazorac.

Are these bad options?

I have also been told to try the acne.org message and even proactive. What do you guys think about these?

Im also trying to heal my face, so what do you guys think about using jojoba or emu oil?

Would it be good?

And as far as a face wash goes, what do you guys think about neutrogena?

i know that i have been making posts like a crazy person, but why does accutane cause facial flushing/rosacea anyway?

I know we have all condemned it to be the cause of our rosacea, but what exactly causes it?

Thanks

Shantelle- How are you doing????

Nick1990- What are they doing about the high hormones you mentioned??? Shantelle is spot on!

Compared to others yes I believe your only 'looks' like a mild case, i.e. if you have to sit in front of a fan 24/7 then you'd have a severe case.

 

Clondine is a BP med and can be used low-dose for hot flashes. Propranolol is also a blood pressure lowering medication called a beta-Blocker. These have a good track record in helping post-Accutane flushers. It depends what BP med she is thinking of letting you try... as long as you let her know about any other medication you are taking and there are no interactions, it could be worth a shot going with his suggestion.

 

For the acne, remember to keep away from any harsh cleansers, especially if they contain BP. BP is known to induce Rosacea symptoms, particulary redness. So, in treating the acne you have to make a decision whether you want to add another oral med to the mix or just bare with it and ride it out. Is your acne severe still? or?? Doxycycline antibiotic is ok, but it is not a longterm solution.

 

Isotretinoin is derived from retinol/Vit A. Retinol has a history of inducing redness, sensitivity, dryness, photosensitivity etc, hence why Accutane, especially at high doses, can induce Rosacea type 1 symptoms of redness and flushing, burning sensations, and blood vessel hypersensitivity to stimuli.

 

Best, Shantelle

Yeah, hopefully either one works...

He is also suggesting that i try Flax oil. I told him that i am already taking fish oil, at pretty high doses mind you, but he said that flax oil has ALA that would help the redness significantly.

He also recommended that i try a vitamin K cream.

Ive looked into both of the above mentioned substances, and they both seem like they might be able to really help.

What do you think?

I dont use any BP cleansers just cetaphi. I actually only use cetaphil, and nothing else.

This is gonna sound so stupid, but my derm keeps trying to get me back on accutane because he says my acne is pretty bad. He keeps telling me that he would put me on low doses for a longer course than that with higher doses.

I keep saying that it was the accutane that gave me the facial flushing, but he refuses to believe it.

He just keeps saying how sure he is that i dont have rosacea, and that how accutane doesnt cause any facial flushing at all.

I just dont know what to believe.

thanks

Shantelle- How are you doing????

 

Nick1990- What are they doing about the high hormones you mentioned??? Shantelle is spot on!

well, they arent doing anything lol

Ive been told that my high testosterone levels arent doing anything bad to me.

I lift weights a lot as well, so high test is sort of a good thing haha.

As far as the estradiol goes, no one has done anything. I can take aromatase inhibitors, but those are sort of risky for me to take because i already have a thyroid problem, and they dont want to go screwing around with my hormones now.

One of my doctors has actually suggested that it might be the estradiol that gives me "hot flashes" and is what is causing my facial flushing.

The aromatase inhibitors would help with this, and possibly the blood pressure medication.

No offense intended, but i find it very hard to write off as coincidence that so many of us, in various stages of life, have all experienced the same flushing condition after the use of accutane when none of us had any experience of flushing pre tane. If i knew exactly how to deal with this then none of us would be in this predicament, but I agree with oli girl about omega 3s. I know that it can seem counter intuitive that we would get flushing from a drug that is used to treat flushing, but its not that simple. Rosacea is a lump sum term like cancer. Just like cancer, not all rosacea is the same. I think that is one of the main problems we face. Accutane induced flushing doesn't respond to treatments that people with regular rosacea may find to work very effectively.

 

I would argue the biggest obstacle that we face is the fact that there is literally no research on post accutane side effects and most doctors you interact with will have no experience with it so how can they possibly come up with a viable solution? I totally agree with you about long term NSAID use. Its not something that should be taken lightly.

 

Overall though, trying different diets is pretty harmless and worth trying if you think certain things are increasing your symptoms. For me personally I don't notice a big difference when it comes to vitamins/minerals other than trying to avoid vitamin a as much as possible.

 

 

No problem. I understand completely. And I certainly didn't mean to question Accutane's role regarding anyone's symptoms. Part of it is being in denial about what the drug may have done to ME. But I would encourage everyone to be careful about automatically linking up problems after Accutane with the drug simply because one followed the other. You may overlook other causes - and therefore solutions - by doing so. I admit that flushing, strictly speaking, is probably directly tied to Accutane (or Minocycline), and many other problems may be as well.

 

My problems are less obviously Accutane's fault - though I haven't ruled that out. That is why I'm interested in chronic inflammation and omega-3/6 ratios. It MAY explain some of my symptoms, so I'd like to eliminate that as a possibility, especially since you are right about the paucity of Accutane research regarding side effects.

 

Because I would like to figure out if my own side effects are made worse by including certain nutrients in my diet, I have some quick questions about omega-3s and Vitamin A:

 

1. Does intake (of either) create an immediate and observable response? If so, what exactly does it look like? Is it just flushing or are there accompanying symptoms?

 

2. How do you avoid Vitamin A? Oli girl says she can handle spinach, but other stuff causes problems. Do you go out of your way to avoid vegetables?

 

3. What kind of omega-3s were you taking that caused issues? Was it pure fish oil capsules (I assume they weren't liver oil) or maybe flaxseed? Do you avoid omega-3s such as walnuts, cold-water fish, scallops, tofu, or other omega-3 fats in your regular diet?

 

If anyone has any input, I'd love to hear it. I know this thread is mostly about facial flushing, but I couldn't find an all-purpose Accutane side effects thread.

 

Regarding the bolded portion of your post...I agree. I encourage people to get baseline medical tests done to maybe pinpoint the underlying cause of their problems if they extend beyond flushing. Even if Accutane-induced, there may be clues as to what has gone wrong functionally in your own body. For instance, many Accutane users experience Vitamin D deficiencies (of course, so does the general population) which can predispose people to autoimmune diseases. So maybe Vit. D supplementation will help. It can't hurt to pinpoint problems at their most basic level and try to build solutions from that point rather than trying fix after fix if it's not working.

 

Sorry for the long post.

 

Okay, I am gonna try and keep this short....

1. You know when something isn't right and I can honestly say Accupoison caused my problems, It's a little ironic when you start reading similar stories as yourself.

2. On Omega's, I believe ratio of 3/6 is important, however what is good for someone not damaged by accutane may not be good for one who has been! I would suggest staying away from omega 3 supplements and flaxseed in any form. I do eat salmon and walnuts...I would tread very carefully if you decide to take fish oil, even if doesn't have Vit A, or is not cod liver oil form.

3. Gla- Gamma Liolenic Acid has acutally benifited many accutane suffers. Especially thoose who suffer from Rhuematoid, Sjorgens and Raynaud symptoms. In fact there are studies on it in people who have been dx w/ theese and my Rhuem told me I could try it along w/ plaquenil. It is a omega 6, but a diffrent form. You can read up on it.

4. I don't know if I would say I am lucky, some never have answers, but I have had numerous tests and have had many answers. Some of my problems, bring on other issues in itself, but all in all Accutane started it all.

5. It was proven accutane made me shrink, I gained 1/2 in back, and the other 1inch was caused by bone changes in my lower spine. Vit d, Iron/ferritin, b12,L-Car, cortisol and some other labs all wacked. I have gotten theese levels back up and still no change in my joint, flushing, dryness etc issues. did help energy, memory.

I have other things that were dx, but I won't go in to that on this thread.

6. Ex: If I have flaxseed my palpatations and flushing start up full force and my joints hurt, eyes get severely dry, same thing happens w/ certian Vit A foods or items. Do I go out of my way to avoid all vegtables NO, I just prepare my self for what lies ahead, as it is hard to avoid all Vit A, but not hard for omega's.

Some suffers had sucess w/ fish oil to begin w/ and then shortly after only to have thier symptoms worsen. I myself have a immediate response.

Question do you still have knee tendonitis? I would suggest if you suffer from allergies or senstivites to see a naturopathic doctor or a allergist? Have you had tests??? What exactly have you done for your issues??? Are you sure you have dermatitis/eczema that is just on your face???

All and All it just depends on what you are suffering from on what will help, say some who have osteoarthritis symptoms benifit from Hyulronic Acid, where I don't!

Hope this all made sense!

Shantelle- How are you doing????

 

Nick1990- What are they doing about the high hormones you mentioned??? Shantelle is spot on!

 

well, they arent doing anything lol

 

Ive been told that my high testosterone levels arent doing anything bad to me.

I lift weights a lot as well, so high test is sort of a good thing haha.

 

As far as the estradiol goes, no one has done anything. I can take aromatase inhibitors, but those are sort of risky for me to take because i already have a thyroid problem, and they dont want to go screwing around with my hormones now.

One of my doctors has actually suggested that it might be the estradiol that gives me "hot flashes" and is what is causing my facial flushing.

The aromatase inhibitors would help with this, and possibly the blood pressure medication.

 

What type of thyroid problem do you have??? Graves or hypothyroid???

Shantelle- How are you doing????

 

Nick1990- What are they doing about the high hormones you mentioned??? Shantelle is spot on!

 

well, they arent doing anything lol

 

Ive been told that my high testosterone levels arent doing anything bad to me.

I lift weights a lot as well, so high test is sort of a good thing haha.

 

As far as the estradiol goes, no one has done anything. I can take aromatase inhibitors, but those are sort of risky for me to take because i already have a thyroid problem, and they dont want to go screwing around with my hormones now.

One of my doctors has actually suggested that it might be the estradiol that gives me "hot flashes" and is what is causing my facial flushing.

The aromatase inhibitors would help with this, and possibly the blood pressure medication.

 

What type of thyroid problem do you have??? Graves or Hypo??? If you had a thyroid problem prior to taking accutane your derm is wack for giving it to you. Also, I would tread lightly on taking the flax and high dose of fish oil??? I assume the fish oil doesn't have Vit A and no cod liver oil in small print??? Maybe cutting back or stopping the fish oil might help w/ some of the flushing.

Shantelle- How are you doing????

 

Nick1990- What are they doing about the high hormones you mentioned??? Shantelle is spot on!

 

well, they arent doing anything lol

 

Ive been told that my high testosterone levels arent doing anything bad to me.

I lift weights a lot as well, so high test is sort of a good thing haha.

 

As far as the estradiol goes, no one has done anything. I can take aromatase inhibitors, but those are sort of risky for me to take because i already have a thyroid problem, and they dont want to go screwing around with my hormones now.

One of my doctors has actually suggested that it might be the estradiol that gives me "hot flashes" and is what is causing my facial flushing.

The aromatase inhibitors would help with this, and possibly the blood pressure medication.

 

 

What type of thyroid problem do you have??? Graves or Hypo??? If you had a thyroid problem prior to taking accutane your derm is wack for giving it to you. Also, I would tread lightly on taking the flax and high dose of fish oil??? I assume the fish oil doesn't have Vit A and no cod liver oil in small print??? Maybe cutting back or stopping the fish oil might help w/ some of the flushing.

 

well, its hypo. Im on 2 grains of armour thyroid a day right now. It has really helped. All my levels are back to normal and i feel pretty good.

Why would a thyroid problem and accutane be a bad mix?

DOes it interfere with the medication?

Wait, why no flax or fish oil?

I thought both were great for skin and facial flushing?

The fish oil doesnt have vit a, and it is a very reputable brand; nordic naturals.

They have about the purest fish oil you can buy.

WHy would cutting the fish oil stop the flushing?!?!?!! That is really sort of confusing to me....

What do you think about the vitamin k cream that i mentioned earlier?

I have read a good amount of reviews that it really help calm the skin

Nick,

Sorry for the delay, but I don't check all that frequently. Looks like Shantelle and Oli Girl answered your questions, but I'll throw in my two cents as well. How long have you had a thyroid condition? That is intriguing to me because that alone can lead to flushing so I'm curious on how if you had that pre accutane. If you're inclined to try Vitamin K cream then I would just recommend doing a test patch for like a week, otherwise you should be fine. In regards to Fish Oil and Flax seed. I would recommend stopping them one at a time for a couple of weeks and just seeing if you notice any difference. But then again I would recommend that you do that for everything that you currently are using as you never know what could be causing/increasing problems. Personally, I was taking a vitamin C sup years ago and realized that it was intensifying my flushing so I cut it out, pretty strange.

Accutane can lead to thyroid problems is what Oli Girl is referencing. I'm also intrigued by your high hormone levels. That could be throwing your body out of whack as well. If your acne is still bad its a tough call. Dealing with both acne and flushing is no picnic and really complicates what you can do for treatments. Personally, I would not waste my time with antibiotics. They don't actually correct/heal your acne problem, but just merely mask it and since you have to ingest it that means that you are treating your entire body for an acne problem while also decreasing the effectiveness of antibiotics overall, if when, you actually need them for medical reasons. Did your skin change pre/post tane? As in did you used to have oily skin and now have dry etc.? That makes a difference as far as treatments go as well. From looking at your pictures it looks like your acne is worse than your flushing from an aesthetic perspective.

I wouldn't let flushing get in the way of working out. If it all possible you should try to work out in the morning because that's when the gym will be coolest, temperature wise, and therefore should limit your flush. I would dump the derm if I were you. It sounds like hes not open minded at all so it has to be frustrating interacting with him/her. The reason I recommend a GP to focus your efforts with is because, quite honestly, they are significantly better doctors than derms (in general) so if there isn't a world class derm in your relative area then I would switch to a good gp. They are more likely willing to spend the time with you in an attempt to figure out your problems and especially in your case as you have thyorid/hormone considerations as well so you really should have one doctor for everything so that no mistakes are made that lead to two different treatments counteracting each other etc.

I wish that I could be more helpful about your acne, but I would like to know more about your specific skin type before offering any advice, and even then I'm no expert as I resorted to using accutane (sigh) as well.

Hey Oil King,

Sorry for the delay. I'm going to end up asking you more questions than I answer, but once you respond then I can be more helpful haha. Do you only flush in the evening? How long ago did you start flushing? Did you take accutane or did you just start developing rosacea naturally? How long do the flushing episodes last? Is it only your cheeks or can it spread to your temple, neck, other parts of your body? What triggers your flushing (temperature, stress, spicy foods, etc)?

In regards to working out the best advice I can give you is to work out in the morning when possible so at least the two weekend days as I know it can be hard to get motivated to work out pre work during the week. I can't do it myself haha. The reason why the morning is best is two fold. One because gyms, as all buildings, tend to be coolest in the morning, and two because there are less people in a gym before noon than later in the day so its a more relaxed environment overall. I wouldn't worry about flushing too much while your lifting. You can't control your flushing at this time so don't think its the end of the world when you have a bad flush. Its not like having a muscle injury where re aggravating it leads to a more severe injury. Same goes with running/cardio. Don't derail your overall health because your scared that it will make your flushing worse.

Best treatment really depends on your individual rosacea so I'll hold off on that now. If you decide to try v-beam then I would recommend a test patch for sure. I'm not aware of smoothbeam for flushing so I think that's probably for your scarring. Its tough for me to recommend v-beam one way or another as I know people that have had success with it, no effect, and negative effects so that's why I definitely recommend a test patch if you decide to get it as that should tell you what it would do to your skin. I'm going to read up on smoothbeam and get back to you.

Nick,

 

Sorry for the delay, but I don't check all that frequently. Looks like Shantelle and Oli Girl answered your questions, but I'll throw in my two cents as well. How long have you had a thyroid condition? That is intriguing to me because that alone can lead to flushing so I'm curious on how if you had that pre accutane. If you're inclined to try Vitamin K cream then I would just recommend doing a test patch for like a week, otherwise you should be fine. In regards to Fish Oil and Flax seed. I would recommend stopping them one at a time for a couple of weeks and just seeing if you notice any difference. But then again I would recommend that you do that for everything that you currently are using as you never know what could be causing/increasing problems. Personally, I was taking a vitamin C sup years ago and realized that it was intensifying my flushing so I cut it out, pretty strange.

 

Accutane can lead to thyroid problems is what Oli Girl is referencing. I'm also intrigued by your high hormone levels. That could be throwing your body out of whack as well. If your acne is still bad its a tough call. Dealing with both acne and flushing is no picnic and really complicates what you can do for treatments. Personally, I would not waste my time with antibiotics. They don't actually correct/heal your acne problem, but just merely mask it and since you have to ingest it that means that you are treating your entire body for an acne problem while also decreasing the effectiveness of antibiotics overall, if when, you actually need them for medical reasons. Did your skin change pre/post tane? As in did you used to have oily skin and now have dry etc.? That makes a difference as far as treatments go as well. From looking at your pictures it looks like your acne is worse than your flushing from an aesthetic perspective.

 

I wouldn't let flushing get in the way of working out. If it all possible you should try to work out in the morning because that's when the gym will be coolest, temperature wise, and therefore should limit your flush. I would dump the derm if I were you. It sounds like hes not open minded at all so it has to be frustrating interacting with him/her. The reason I recommend a GP to focus your efforts with is because, quite honestly, they are significantly better doctors than derms (in general) so if there isn't a world class derm in your relative area then I would switch to a good gp. They are more likely willing to spend the time with you in an attempt to figure out your problems and especially in your case as you have thyorid/hormone considerations as well so you really should have one doctor for everything so that no mistakes are made that lead to two different treatments counteracting each other etc.

 

I wish that I could be more helpful about your acne, but I would like to know more about your specific skin type before offering any advice, and even then I'm no expert as I resorted to using accutane (sigh) as well.

Hey Seattle, thanks for replying.

I have no idea how long ive had the thyroid condition, buts ive been getting it treated for about a year now. I was diagnosed as being hypothyroid well before my course of accutane.

Looking back at pictures of myself, i actually do see a lot of the same redness i have now. I have pics of myself about 3 years ago when my family went to Cancun for vacation, and in most every picture, my cheeks are pretty red.

The only thing that bothers me is that, i dont remember feeling like my face was on fire and i dont remember the sweating. Im not really sure what to think now about my flushing since i have seen those pics. What do you guys think?

I just went to my derm yesterday and he prescribed me antibiotics lolz. He also prescribed me using retin-a and acanya gel, which is like a benzoyl peroxide gel.

The problems with those are that, doesnt retin-a make your skin thinner, which results in more facial flushing? Another thing is that, benzoyl peroxide washes make me flush pretty badly, but do you guys think the gel will have the same effects? The BP washes also lost their effectiveness after about a month as well, so im not sure what to think about this gel.

I know i should have asked him these questions, but i get pretty shy around other people, and there was this really cute nurse in the room while he was talking to me, so i was even more flustered than normal haha.

My derm also says that if these antibiotics dont work, then he wants to put me on another course of accutane. I mentioned my concerns about the flushing, but again, he didnt believe that it was the problem.

This is gonna sound crazy, but would another course be so horrible? I already feel like all hope is lost for my flushing, and my acne is about the worst its ever been. It just doesnt seem fair that accutane didnt help with my acne AND i still have bad acne.

I just dont know what to do....

My skin didnt change at all pre to post accutane. It is as oily as it always has been.

My derm actually recommended going to my GP to talk about the flushing. Im not sure what they will be able to do, but im already on tons of medication as it is.

Im on armour thyroid, Trileptal, and Wellbutrin, and im not sure if adding more meds would be a good idea?

I just feel like there isnt much point in trying anymore.

Feels so horrible

Nick,

 

Sorry for the delay, but I don't check all that frequently. Looks like Shantelle and Oli Girl answered your questions, but I'll throw in my two cents as well. How long have you had a thyroid condition? That is intriguing to me because that alone can lead to flushing so I'm curious on how if you had that pre accutane. If you're inclined to try Vitamin K cream then I would just recommend doing a test patch for like a week, otherwise you should be fine. In regards to Fish Oil and Flax seed. I would recommend stopping them one at a time for a couple of weeks and just seeing if you notice any difference. But then again I would recommend that you do that for everything that you currently are using as you never know what could be causing/increasing problems. Personally, I was taking a vitamin C sup years ago and realized that it was intensifying my flushing so I cut it out, pretty strange.

 

Accutane can lead to thyroid problems is what Oli Girl is referencing. I'm also intrigued by your high hormone levels. That could be throwing your body out of whack as well. If your acne is still bad its a tough call. Dealing with both acne and flushing is no picnic and really complicates what you can do for treatments. Personally, I would not waste my time with antibiotics. They don't actually correct/heal your acne problem, but just merely mask it and since you have to ingest it that means that you are treating your entire body for an acne problem while also decreasing the effectiveness of antibiotics overall, if when, you actually need them for medical reasons. Did your skin change pre/post tane? As in did you used to have oily skin and now have dry etc.? That makes a difference as far as treatments go as well. From looking at your pictures it looks like your acne is worse than your flushing from an aesthetic perspective.

 

I wouldn't let flushing get in the way of working out. If it all possible you should try to work out in the morning because that's when the gym will be coolest, temperature wise, and therefore should limit your flush. I would dump the derm if I were you. It sounds like hes not open minded at all so it has to be frustrating interacting with him/her. The reason I recommend a GP to focus your efforts with is because, quite honestly, they are significantly better doctors than derms (in general) so if there isn't a world class derm in your relative area then I would switch to a good gp. They are more likely willing to spend the time with you in an attempt to figure out your problems and especially in your case as you have thyorid/hormone considerations as well so you really should have one doctor for everything so that no mistakes are made that lead to two different treatments counteracting each other etc.

 

I wish that I could be more helpful about your acne, but I would like to know more about your specific skin type before offering any advice, and even then I'm no expert as I resorted to using accutane (sigh) as well.

 

Hey Seattle, thanks for replying.

I have no idea how long ive had the thyroid condition, buts ive been getting it treated for about a year now. I was diagnosed as being hypothyroid well before my course of accutane.

Looking back at pictures of myself, i actually do see a lot of the same redness i have now. I have pics of myself about 3 years ago when my family went to Cancun for vacation, and in most every picture, my cheeks are pretty red.

The only thing that bothers me is that, i dont remember feeling like my face was on fire and i dont remember the sweating. Im not really sure what to think now about my flushing since i have seen those pics. What do you guys think?

 

I just went to my derm yesterday and he prescribed me antibiotics lolz. He also prescribed me using retin-a and acanya gel, which is like a benzoyl peroxide gel.

The problems with those are that, doesnt retin-a make your skin thinner, which results in more facial flushing? Another thing is that, benzoyl peroxide washes make me flush pretty badly, but do you guys think the gel will have the same effects? The BP washes also lost their effectiveness after about a month as well, so im not sure what to think about this gel.

I know i should have asked him these questions, but i get pretty shy around other people, and there was this really cute nurse in the room while he was talking to me, so i was even more flustered than normal haha.

My derm also says that if these antibiotics dont work, then he wants to put me on another course of accutane. I mentioned my concerns about the flushing, but again, he didnt believe that it was the problem.

This is gonna sound crazy, but would another course be so horrible? I already feel like all hope is lost for my flushing, and my acne is about the worst its ever been. It just doesnt seem fair that accutane didnt help with my acne AND i still have bad acne.

I just dont know what to do....

 

My skin didnt change at all pre to post accutane. It is as oily as it always has been.

 

My derm actually recommended going to my GP to talk about the flushing. Im not sure what they will be able to do, but im already on tons of medication as it is.

Im on armour thyroid, Trileptal, and Wellbutrin, and im not sure if adding more meds would be a good idea?

I just feel like there isnt much point in trying anymore.

Feels so horrible

 

Do Not go back on Accutane if you have flushing, yes the retin-a and Benzo could make your redness and flushing increase and worse. I think it is time for you to maybe find a new derm.

As for a thyroid veteran myself Graves, ( Accutane Related long story) give me a couple days and I will send you some info on retnoids and thyroid. I will send you a link on a good thyroid support group w/ info. I agree w/Seattle regarding your hormones etc... Not to say Accutane wasn't the culprit of your worsening of redness and flushing, however fixing other things can help.

As I and Seattle stated please try and stop the fish oil and flax seed, one must remember that what is good for a normal person is not always good for one who has been damaged by Accutane.

Hope this all made sense - Jen