Would you consider wearing a tinted moisturizer or other light makeup? Redness is caused by a bunch of blood flushing to your face.

i might i guess... theres nothing i can do to fix this? nothing at all?! does it EVER go away or at least decrease? i really hate seeing everyone else with perfect skin, not fucking fair.

It could be caused by irritation from a product/sun/anything really. You can try calming it down with aloe or another calming moisturizer.

i want it to be more even throughout my face... what do you suggest? the drinking pic is terrible... in situations like those i want to look normal lol.

wait ill add the pic

Are you thinking that maybe you have rosacea?

i dont think so.

Heya

Sounds like Type 1 Rosacea. Alcohol, stress, exhaustion, strenuous exercise are some of the most common triggers. You can find info via these links:

http://www.rosacea.org/patients/faces.php

www.rosaceagroup.org

http://dermnetnz.org/acne/rosacea.html

Could also potentially be Seborrheic dermatitis. Nizoral cream from the Pharmacy might help if it is. It is also possible for both conditions to co-exist together sometimes.

See a Dermatologist and once you have a correct diagnosis you will be better able to control it.

Best, Shantelle

ive seen my derm multiple times but not once has he talked about rosacea, which should be clearly visible to him, right? i started using a cream to lessen redness a couple days ago (he prescribed it to me for my prom and graduation, you take it for 10 days up until your event, and it lessens redness), here it is - mometasone furoate cream, corticosteroid (0.1%)

im not sure if the way it works is that it needs the 10 days or that im using too much. im using a bit more than i would with my other acne creams, but what do you guys think?

this is also hard to explain, i was prescribed this on monday, because thats when my appointment was, but my graduation was on wednesday, so i used it up until wednesday night (didnt get the full 10 days, only 3), but i think ill start again 10 days from prom (22nd of june).

bump

It definitely sounds like you might have rosacea. Ask your derm or GP next time you're in. Describe everything to him that you did to us, and he'll be able to give you some more info.

* This is an edit. Mrs. Grape doesn't live here anymore.

Cya, the Org.

so is there any way to fix or improve this? im not going to use creams anymore, thats for sure. theyve only always irritated my face.

if i do, ill apply them veryyyy lightly. but yeah, what else can i do? i can relax and take deep breath at times when i feel my head getting hotter, but how about in general?

so is there any way to fix or improve this? im not going to use creams anymore, thats for sure. theyve only always irritated my face.

 

if i do, ill apply them veryyyy lightly. but yeah, what else can i do? i can relax and take deep breath at times when i feel my head getting hotter, but how about in general?

Hi Max

Once you have a correct/confirmed diagnosis you can then look into treatments, but until then (and you might like to get a second opinion fro another Derm if you feel the need), conduct your own research and look at the treatment info noted on the reputable websites i've posted links for in my previous post. Key treatments for Type 1 Rosacea are Vbeam laser, IPL light treatments, oral Clonidine. these help lessen redness and significantly help reduce flushing.

I haven't heard of that cream however note that steroid creams don't actually fix anything in the long-run, because they are anti-inflammatory they just temporarilly mask the issue, and symptoms comes back once the cream is stopped. If you do hjave Rosacea, if you go to www.rosaceagroup.org and conduct research on steroids you will see it is one of the worst things you could use for it. Up-to-date Derms know this.

Ashley- Just so you are aware, every single symptom you describe is classic Rosacea. It just might be that you/your family members have a very mild case that doesn't give you/your family discomfort/issues. Rosacea is well known to run in families, Rosacea mostly often effects those with fair skin, skin looks pink/red/fushed due to blood vessels/sensitive skin/thin skin, skin reacts to extreme temperatures, skin reacts/flares to exercise, alcohol. You don't have to have the associated pustules/papules to have Rosacea- there are different subtypes and there are different levels/stages mild, moderate and severe cases. I had your very mild symptoms for quite some time in my 20s thinking exactly what you thought, until it hit me hard late 20s during/after Accutane. I am now wiser and know alot about Rosacea having suffered from it rather badly since early 2010 and then reaching remission late last year.

Best, Shantelle

Thank you very much for the response Shantelle, now that you explained the steroid cream having a possibility to induce rosacea to my skin, i think I do have it.

i know they dont fix anything in the long run, it was only for a special occasion. but i realize now that i shouldnt even use it as itll probably only irritate my skin and bring out the redness/flushing.

yeah, ill look into it, but for now just stopping the steroid cream and not starting up any other acne creams that my derm suggested me to use should really put the rosacea to rest. i only started noticing it recently after i started using the creams again, so they must be the problem. the problem with creams is that the redness stays with you, as opposed to reactions due to exercise that only last a little while.

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blump

* This is an edit. Mrs. Grape doesn't live here anymore.

Cya, the Org.

Laser

Woah, this thread really relates to me. Same gender and age as you. I have the EXCACT same problem, and I pretty much get the same level of redness as you do.

I didn't have this problem before. It was after I did Dan's regimen that it all started. Not saying it doesn't work, but for my sensetive skin, it did not work.

Going in to a hot room from cold weather, and then drinking alcohol and THEN getting embarassed over something would be a nightmare for my skin, to make an example. Pretty much the same factors as people above have mentioned.

Anyways, I have also stopped using creams, because I do too have very sensetive skin. I have found a moisturizer I am comfortable with, but I still get red face after showers and shaving sometimes (quite randomly).

When I'm stressed out or in a pressured situation, it's like my blood flow stops, and my head is about to explode. I have also suffered - and still do to some degree - from anxiety, which has worsened my problem. By going to a shrink, I have learned to deal with negative remarks, so I don't mind that much anymore. When someone makes a remark, I would say: "I know right! I look so good in red!" or maybe "I know! Doesn't it look good on me?", and just joke it of. But I still admit it's a problem, and after all that is why I am looking for a way of keeping it away.

What I can say, for the both of us actually, is that our faces aren't that red. It feels like it's burning, and sometimes yes it will get really red, but for most of the time, it's just an "illusion". Sometimes, people even say that I have "a nice tan".

And for your alcohol picture, it could easily be mistaken for a nice tan.

I'll follow this topic, keep posting interesting results and links, people!

thanks for the responses. i definitely think it was that steroid cream that made my skin uber red. sometimes im not sure exactly what causes it. of course getting embarrassed in front of everyone makes it happen to me, but that happens so much less nowadays compared to lets say 2 years ago. im much more confident and hardly get embarrassed as i have quick responses to people.

alcohol is a bit of a problem, cold weather extremes as well, same for heat (more like party hot; many people close together)

but whatever. im enjoying life, and when im not under pressure or drinking or in extreme temperatures, i have a completely normal complexion, or i look like im tanned.

this was a bit of a ramble - too lazy to be proper, but ye, things are fine, nothing i can do cept control myself and my body.

At least your redness, if you can call it that, is all over your head and down your neck, i.e blends in easily. Mine is right, slap bang in the centre of both cheeks that genuinely looks like I am a clown. If you weren't born with a red face, go to your doctor, get a blood test and go from there. Dont go to a dermatologist first because they will treat it like a skin care issue when in reality its probably an immune system issue such as teenagers catching 'Fifth disease' from a child.

If you google the Rosacea Research and Development Institute you will find a lot of helpful information on rosacea. It sounds like Max_Yeah_True may need to rule out rosacea in a differential diagnosis. There are so many other rosacea mimics, to numerous to mention, that should also be considered by a dermatologist.

Max_Yeah_True, have you been diagnosed by a dermatologist for your problem? If not, it would be a good idea to get a diagnosis. The other thing you should know is that generally speaking acne products particularly Benzoyl peroxide, alcohol based treatments, witch hazel, Salicylic acid, and other acne treatments tend to irritate rosacea. Flushing usually is the differential diagnosis that differentiates rosacea from acne, but not all rosacea sufferers flush. Generally if acne treatment irritates a patient the dermatologist may use rosacea treatment to see if the patient responds and improves.

I have basically the exact same thing, but slightly worse and blotchy and paired with acne. really really annoying and all my friends have ridiculously perfect skin. I think my redness was caused by treating my skin quite harshly with acne products like proactiv. Im a guy and luckily i have sisters so i managed to steal so makeup which i use to cover up the redness and acne. Ive decided to go on accutane for my acne but i am having laser treatment for my facial redness in a few days which apparently works amazingly for rosacea and facial redness/flushing so ill let you know how the treatment goes. Im likely to have 2-3 treatments which are 100 bucks each, nothing for a permanent fix + the results are instant !!

So would you consider laser? Also ive heard ZENMED is really good for reducing redness

I have basically the exact same thing, but slightly worse and blotchy and paired with acne. really really annoying and all my friends have ridiculously perfect skin. I think my redness was caused by treating my skin quite harshly with acne products like proactiv. Im a guy and luckily i have sisters so i managed to steal so makeup which i use to cover up the redness and acne. Ive decided to go on accutane for my acne but i am having laser treatment for my facial redness in a few days which apparently works amazingly for rosacea and facial redness/flushing so ill let you know how the treatment goes. Im likely to have 2-3 treatments which are 100 bucks each, nothing for a permanent fix + the results are instant !!

 

So would you consider laser? Also ive heard ZENMED is really good for reducing redness

I think he won't be checking this few months old topic but I'd still be interested in hearing your results since I've got a similar problem to you, facial redness all across the face except for under the eyes, paired with some acne and dark spots on the skin. Do take pictures of before/after the laser if you can! That would be greatly appreciated.

Strangest thing about my redness is that when I JUST wake up, there's barely ANY redness at all, however after staying up for a while it starts becoming more red. I don't know whats up with that, even if I don't wash or touch my face, however if I do wash and apply moisturizer it becomes instantly red-ish quicker. And it's not the moisturizer I use.