Re: Basic Questions on Care and Feeding of cean Skin

July 7, 2002

Gee, Martha, I could have written your post! I have the same

questions. <g>

I can't help you much with cleansers or moisturizers, but I've

mentioned in several posts that I use Clinique's Super Block spf 25,

which I find even less irritating that their City Block formulation.

Others have commented too about these products. Check out the

archives.

Good luck!

Marjorie

Marjorie Lazoff, MD

> Is there any consensus on products that work well for rosacean skin?

>

> I've seen the light on using sunblock every day (mineral only, as I

> had reactions to some of the chemical ones I tried) and that seems

to

> be helping. I don't *love* any of the ones I use - Neutrogena

> Sensitive Skin, Roth Titanium Dioxide, Mustela 30+ -

but

> they seem to do an adequate job of protecting my skin from the sun

w/o

> irritating it. I've got some others ordered, but I'm always

interested

> in suggestions.

>

> I mostly don't use any cleansing products for my face. Unless I'm

> wearing makeup, I find that cool water (I used to use as warm as I

> could stand) on a washcloth actually cleans my face reasonably well.

> However, some of the sunblocks don't rinse off all the well in just

> plain water (I suppose they're not really meant to) and when I do

wear

> makeup I definitely need something to dissolve the makeup. Any

> suggestions for non-irritating cleansers?

>

> I also mostly don't use post-cleaning or night or day creams, but

> sometimes my skin does feel very dry and irritated. I would love to

> have something that I could smoothe on to make my skin feel better

> without feeling like I have to worry about whether it's going to

sting

> or be irritating. I've got some moisturizers from H2O+, that I

> tolerate reasonably well, but I always feel a little bit as if it's

on

> the borderline of irritating my skin.

>

> I'm not on a search for the holy grail of rosacean skin, but if

there

> is any consensus on products that are well tolerated, I would be

most

> grateful for that information. When I walk through skin care stores

I

> feel like there is probably something there that would make my skin

a

> little bit happier, but I don't know which it is - or isn't.

>

> Finally, is there anything I should or shouldn't be doing in order

to

> keep my skin in the best condition possible?

>

> Thanks,

> Martha

July 7, 2002

Gee, Martha, I could have written your post! I have the same

questions. <g>

I can't help you much with cleansers or moisturizers, but I've

mentioned in several posts that I use Clinique's Super Block spf 25,

which I find even less irritating that their City Block formulation.

Others have commented too about these products. Check out the

archives.

Good luck!

Marjorie

Marjorie Lazoff, MD

> Is there any consensus on products that work well for rosacean skin?

>

> I've seen the light on using sunblock every day (mineral only, as I

> had reactions to some of the chemical ones I tried) and that seems

to

> be helping. I don't *love* any of the ones I use - Neutrogena

> Sensitive Skin, Roth Titanium Dioxide, Mustela 30+ -

but

> they seem to do an adequate job of protecting my skin from the sun

w/o

> irritating it. I've got some others ordered, but I'm always

interested

> in suggestions.

>

> I mostly don't use any cleansing products for my face. Unless I'm

> wearing makeup, I find that cool water (I used to use as warm as I

> could stand) on a washcloth actually cleans my face reasonably well.

> However, some of the sunblocks don't rinse off all the well in just

> plain water (I suppose they're not really meant to) and when I do

wear

> makeup I definitely need something to dissolve the makeup. Any

> suggestions for non-irritating cleansers?

>

> I also mostly don't use post-cleaning or night or day creams, but

> sometimes my skin does feel very dry and irritated. I would love to

> have something that I could smoothe on to make my skin feel better

> without feeling like I have to worry about whether it's going to

sting

> or be irritating. I've got some moisturizers from H2O+, that I

> tolerate reasonably well, but I always feel a little bit as if it's

on

> the borderline of irritating my skin.

>

> I'm not on a search for the holy grail of rosacean skin, but if

there

> is any consensus on products that are well tolerated, I would be

most

> grateful for that information. When I walk through skin care stores

I

> feel like there is probably something there that would make my skin

a

> little bit happier, but I don't know which it is - or isn't.

>

> Finally, is there anything I should or shouldn't be doing in order

to

> keep my skin in the best condition possible?

>

> Thanks,

> Martha

July 8, 2002

Of course, rosacean skin can vary from rosacean to rosacean. I did ok

with the old formulation of Clinique City Block spf 15 (except it was

hard as heck to remove) but my skin got irritated by the Super City

Block spf 25. I don't know why. Super City Block was also difficult

to remove at the end of the day.

Some of the cleansers mentioned that people have used without much

irritation are Zia Fresh Cleansing Gel (wasn't great about taking off

all my makeup), Oil of Olay Sensitive Skin Cleanser (I hear this

might be discontinued), and Aveeno Creamy Baby Cleanser, which is my

personal favorite.

For cleansers, as a rule it's usually good to stay away from those

that have alcohol, witch hazel, Alpha Hydroxy Acids (this is open to

debate) or menthol in them. The National cea Society

http://www.rosacea.org has a complete list of the nos-nos. I have

acne, bump prone skin so I stay away from cetyl alcohol (which is a

deriative of palm/coconut oil), petrolatum, most mineral oil, shea

butter, avocado oil.

For moisturizers, I basically use a few drops of oil on a freshly

washed face because all commercial moisturizers made me red and

bumpy. I can use extra virgin olive oil, jojoba oil, and hemp oil (of

all things). These seem to soothe my skin without causing breakouts.

I also like to use a product by Dr. Sy called vita oil which is

great for soothing inflammation and redness. It is mostly jojoba oil

and is available on her site http://www.lindasy.com . It is a little

pricey though. She does have samples for $2.00 that last you for a

few weeks so you can see how you like it. Also, Dr. Sy has an spf 20

sunblock called ZincO Cream. It comes in tinted and untinted. It's

easy to remove and is soothing for my skin. Some people on the group

have had problems tolerating it though. Some have said that the olive

oil made them break out while others had problems with the zinc oxide

irritating. Again, you could try a sample of it for $2.00 to see if

it agrees with you.

Another sunblock that I've used in the past and it has been ok for me

(except I can look like a mime if I add too much of it) is Vanicream

spf 15. It's all non-chemical and is fairly easy for me to remove. A

company called Pharmaceutical Specialities makes it. This company

specializes in making skin care and hair care products for those of

us who are very sensitive to most skin care products out there. They

just released a foaming cleanser. I haven't tried it yet, but I do

want to get a sample of it. Their website is http://www.psico.com .

Hope that helps and hope you find some products that are non

irritating!

Matija

> > Is there any consensus on products that work well for rosacean

skin?

> >

> > I've seen the light on using sunblock every day (mineral only, as

I

> > had reactions to some of the chemical ones I tried) and that

seems

> to

> > be helping. I don't *love* any of the ones I use - Neutrogena

> > Sensitive Skin, Roth Titanium Dioxide, Mustela 30+ -

> but

> > they seem to do an adequate job of protecting my skin from the

sun

> w/o

> > irritating it. I've got some others ordered, but I'm always

> interested

> > in suggestions.

> >

> > I mostly don't use any cleansing products for my face. Unless I'm

> > wearing makeup, I find that cool water (I used to use as warm as I

> > could stand) on a washcloth actually cleans my face reasonably

well.

> > However, some of the sunblocks don't rinse off all the well in

just

> > plain water (I suppose they're not really meant to) and when I do

> wear

> > makeup I definitely need something to dissolve the makeup. Any

> > suggestions for non-irritating cleansers?

> >

> > I also mostly don't use post-cleaning or night or day creams, but

> > sometimes my skin does feel very dry and irritated. I would love

to

> > have something that I could smoothe on to make my skin feel better

> > without feeling like I have to worry about whether it's going to

> sting

> > or be irritating. I've got some moisturizers from H2O+, that I

> > tolerate reasonably well, but I always feel a little bit as if

it's

> on

> > the borderline of irritating my skin.

> >

> > I'm not on a search for the holy grail of rosacean skin, but if

> there

> > is any consensus on products that are well tolerated, I would be

> most

> > grateful for that information. When I walk through skin care

stores

> I

> > feel like there is probably something there that would make my

skin

> a

> > little bit happier, but I don't know which it is - or isn't.

> >

> > Finally, is there anything I should or shouldn't be doing in

order

> to

> > keep my skin in the best condition possible?

> >

> > Thanks,

> > Martha

July 8, 2002