identifying triggers and solutions

April 11, 2002

For irritants or triggers, how quickly do you generally react? For solutions,

how long do you generally give something (like tomatoes, say)/ or add something

(like oral Vit. E) before evaluating differences?

So for those of you who have a lot of experience in identifying irritants and

triggers, what is the time frame in which you generally react? Last night, I

had a major flushing incident -- the first in several weeks. I had gone

swimming in a chlorinated pool for the first time since diagnosis. I put an

extra layer of Zinco on before going in, then rinsed and re-applied afterwards.

When I left the gym, my face was cool and paler than usual, so I don't think

chlorine was the problem. Would I have known right away? When I got home, I

washed my face and used the Cetaphil cream. Later, I had dinner which included a

couple of potential triggers -- dairy and tomatoes -- as well as some red wine

(I do this pretty regularly and it is seems that it is only a problem when

combined with other irritants). At some point after dinner, I started flushing.

I put on some more Cetaphil cream but it only got worse -- definite burning. I

would say it is absolutely the cream, except that I used it in the past (before

I educated myself about bad ingredients) without problems. Maybe

psychosomatic? Either way, I think I will pitch it.

I ultimately re-washed, metrogelled and used some Sy lotion, took an aspirin,

put a cool damp cloth over my face, drank some ice water and went to bed. I

still have one hot spot this morning.

Lynn

---------------------------------

April 12, 2002

I have no idea, Lynn, but here's a thought: your face sounds like it

went through a lot of manual manipulation and ingredient-exposure

yesterday: first lots of zinc oxide, then the chlorine, then washing

and more zinc oxide, then more washing and Cetaphil, and then more

Cetaphil...I totally understand your logic, I'm just looking at it

viewed as a whole.

I'm not a swimmer so I don't know the best way to protect oneself

from chlorine, or if chlorine is a direct irritant.

As you suggested, a combination of triggers, none powerful enough to

do something in itself but together behave synergistically,

especially on a face that experienced increased skin cleansing and

ingredients may well be the explanation. I have a gut feeling that's

the case for lots of rosaceans.

Regarding the time frame of these things: by definition a trigger is

usually right away, within minutes; to call something a trigger

implies a direct real-time cause-effect relationship. Direct

irritations or other kinds of intolerances can be triggers in that

they can cause problems right away. But others take days to manifest,

even weeks, and result in more chronic problems. Hard to call those

triggers when the cause-effect is not easily defined, but that

doesn't mean they don't wreck as much if no more havoc.

Good luck.

Marjorie

Marjorie Lazoff, MD

> For irritants or triggers, how quickly do you generally react? For

solutions, how long do you generally give something (like tomatoes,

say)/ or add something (like oral Vit. E) before evaluating

differences?

> So for those of you who have a lot of experience in identifying

irritants and triggers, what is the time frame in which you generally

react? Last night, I had a major flushing incident -- the first in

several weeks. I had gone swimming in a chlorinated pool for the

first time since diagnosis. I put an extra layer of Zinco on before

going in, then rinsed and re-applied afterwards. When I left the

gym, my face was cool and paler than usual, so I don't think chlorine

was the problem. Would I have known right away? When I got home, I

washed my face and used the Cetaphil cream. Later, I had dinner which

included a couple of potential triggers -- dairy and tomatoes -- as

well as some red wine (I do this pretty regularly and it is seems

that it is only a problem when combined with other irritants). At

some point after dinner, I started flushing. I put on some more

Cetaphil cream but it only got worse -- definite burning. I would

say it is absolutely the cream, except that I used it in the past

(before I educated myself about bad ingredients) without problems.

Maybe psychosomatic? Either way, I think I will pitch it.

> I ultimately re-washed, metrogelled and used some Sy lotion, took

an aspirin, put a cool damp cloth over my face, drank some ice water

and went to bed. I still have one hot spot this morning.

> Lynn

>

> ---------------------------------

>

April 12, 2002