Redness, Redness, Go Away and Don't Come Back...EVER!

[Guest guest]

The main component of rosacea for me (a 20-something male) is

blushing and the progressive redness and telang..oh whatever it's

called--increased noticeability of facial capillaries.

There has only been ONE treatment that has helped diminish these two

symptoms significantly (by this, I mean I could look at myself in

the mirror and say, 'I definitely look better'). This was a series

of 6 photoderm treatments last summer with one (and coming soon-two)

touch-up session(s). It's clear, however, that this can AT BEST only

regress rosacea's progression--in effect returning you to a previous

stage of the disease--but rosacea will and has come back with its

usual vengenace.

I'm kind of out of ideas about what to do to SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE

the redness and blushing components. I avoid triggers as best I can,

and I use cold, soothing Aloe Vera to calm things down (though

perhaps it only makes me feel like i'm doing this). I use gentle

moisturizers etc. I'm on Noritate but that hasn't done much probably

because I don't get many rosacea-induced pimples, and Noritate can't

do a lot about erythema. In the past I've been on minocycline and a

course of doxycycline. The minocin worked a bit better, but neither

helped me significantly.

Besides continuing to get laser/photoderm treatments--the cost

really adds up--the only thing left for me to try w.r.t. redness is,

I think, a course of very low-dose Accutane. A couple Q's about it

(your thoughts would be very much appreciated): (1) How

willing/unwilling are derms to prescribe it for rosacea maintenance?

(2) Cost-what's it like compared to photoderm treatment (for me this

amounted to $1000 for 5 zapping sessions and $300 for touch-ups)?

Finally and MOST IMPORTANTLY, has anyone found any other treatment

protocal that they believe (not guess/speculate etc.) significantly

reduced their redness and/or blushing?

And I wonder like the rest of us: What is Dr. Nase's current

condition? It's been 4 months since his operation now. Is he able to

get out of bed? Type? Walk around? Someone must know more than I do.

Unlike some other, perhaps more seasoned R sufferers, I feel very

strongly that rosacea can and will be cured before the next decade

begins (one can only hope). Meanwhile, better ways of trying to

control the big R will pop-up now and again.

Is there some munificent rosacea sufferer out there (maybe stopping

to read this group's post from time to time) who is as frustrated

with R as the rest of us, and who is willing to donate thousands of

dollars for better/continuing rosacea research? That's what I pray

for.

bye for now,

drummond