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Rosacea Remedies
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Rosacea is an inflammatory skin disease that causes facial redness. Rosacea affects mostly adults, usually people with fair skin, between the ages of 30 and 60. Approximately 14 million Americans have rosacea, which is more common in women. Left untreated, rosacea tends to worsen over time. However, in many sufferers, rosacea is cyclic, so your skin may flare up for a period of time and then lessen before flaring up again. Rosacea is frequently mistaken for acne, skin allergies and eczema.
DISCLAIMER
Our readers offer information and opinions on Earth Clinic, not as a substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any home remedies or supplements or following any treatment suggested by anyone on this site. Only your health care provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs or diagnose your particular medical history.
POPULAR REMEDIES:
| TED'S REMEDY READER FEEDBACK | 10 YEAS |
| APPLE CIDER VINEGAR | 7 YEAS |
TED'S REMEDIES
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand writes: "Consider taking borax. Some people believed the demodex mites are responsible for rosacea. They may be right. But, there are others too that are not yet identified. I prefer to lump all these insect issues to just one category: nanoinsects. These insects have several weakness that you can kill them, or at least weaken them. One obvious ones is borax. The treatment can be broken down to two things;
1. Taken internally: Try 1/8 teaspoon to 1/4 teaspoon of borax in one liter of water/day. You just drink this water throughout the day. If it runs out then drink just normal water, with some magnesium added if possible. Magnesium is found in certain seeds such as sunflower. They seem to be synergistic with the vitamin D as vitamin D promotes calcium and the body needs to balance both magnesium and calcium to an ideal amount.
2. Used externally: Dog mange is confirmed demodex mites and the only treatment that effectively cured of dog mange is 1% hydrogen peroxide and borax saturated solution applied topically. Many people believe the demodex mites is the cause of rosacea. What I am sure about is it is an insect issue. The method of killing them is external application of 1% hydrogen peroxide with borax saturated solution to the face, unrinsed. It tends to cause drying. So you can apply appropriate lotions to prevent drying, such as jojoba oil, aloe vera or lavender oil."
EC: *** Ted's Remedies Reader Feedback here. ***
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2 YEA
1 QUESTION
[QUESTION] 05/18/2009: Ian from Stockport, Cheshire, England writes: "Hi, I was diagnosed with rosacea many years ago, but wonder whether I really suffer from this as I don't have general reddening. After reading the postings here, I have my doubts, after years of using mynocycline I developed dark patches on my temples, confirmed as a side effect, and have stopped the treatment. my problem is small painful pustules mainly around the nose and centre of the face, and also seeming to home in on facial hairs which I have to remove with tweezers if I notice a slight swelling. I can go for a time without any problem but after 50 years I am unable to find a cure or preventative. Do I really have rosacea?"
05/19/2009: Andrew from Vancouver, Canada replies: "Sounds to me like you might have a problem with demodex mites, especially seeing as develop acne in and around hair follicles; supposedly these mites like to live in hair follicles. i recommend trying Ted's recommendation of applying wet borax powder to your face at night. i think this will help greatly. it has helped me with the similar problem."
[YEA] 10/05/2009: Anniea from Durban, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa replies: "ROSACEA / Anti-dandruff ShampooI am so excited! About 5 months ago, the skin on my forehead, upper cheeks & chin went bright red, began to dry, flake & peel as though thoroughly sun burnt. Coincidentally, I'd just changed my usual facial wash from Garnier to Neutrogena, so figured that, that was the cause & immediately stopped using the Neutrogena, but ALAS! the problem continued to worsen. I'd go the odd week or so with a fairly clear complexion, then BOOF! the redness & flaking would return. I tried Bio-Tissue Oil but that didn't work at all, in fact it made it worse. This past Saturday, after reading every comment on this forum pertaining to ROSACEA (which I have never had medically diagnosed - yet it sounds all too familiar to what other sufferers have mentioned here), I decided to try a remedy which a Swiss dermatologist had recommended to my son to remove some white fungal spots from his face.
Sebiprox an anti-dandruff shampoo - simply Google it - not available in the USA under this name, but by another. The main ingredient is 15mg Ciclopirox-Olamine.
VOILA! It worked. Just before bed, I rinsed my face with warm water & whilst wet, washed it with SEBIPROX & rinsed it off. I patted my face dry with a clean towel & reapplied a little SEBIPROX to my entire face (avoiding contact with my eyes), left it on for 5mins & then rinsed it off & went to sleep.
The following morning my face was clear & without any redness whatsoever. Really smooth & soft & my pores noticeably closed.
I cannot tell you how excited I am! Thank you for making me aware of a MITE issue, as I would never have thought of such myself. One of my pet birds has a mite problem around his neck, so maybe that's how I picked this up in the first place.
GOOD LUCK!
~@nnie~ Durban / South Africa"
11/08/2009: Annie from Durban, South Africa replies: "Annie back again to let you know that 1 month later & my Rosacea remains GONE ~ thanks to simple antidandruff shampoo! It obviously contains an ingredient that the mites loathe. HOORAY!"
04/14/2010: Leila from Beirut, Lebanon replies: "Hello Annie,
Thanks for sharing this valuable info. I have the same condition and was wondering for how many days you kept applying the shampoo to your face?
Regards,
Leila"
04/29/2010: Dane from Bellingham, Wa, Usa replies: "Dear Friends, I was hoping that some one might be able to tell me what I might have.I have a problem with my facial skin being red all the time. My nose is kind of a dark pinkish/reddish color and my cheeks are a pinkish/reddish color. My ears are also always red. I think I might have rosacea but I'm not sure. I'm also thinking it may be due to poor circulation, But I'm not sure either. anytime I do any physical activities my face lights up like a tomato. Its very frustrating and embarrassing. If any one knows what I might have and how to treat it, I would really appreciate your advice. Thank You And Best Wishes"
04/29/2010: Angie from Phenix City, Al, Usa replies: "To Dane from Bellingham, WA: It sounds like you may have Rosacea, as I have for over ten years now. There seems to be a correlation between "triggers" - either something taken into the body or environmental, and flare-ups. You may consider doing a "trigger diary" to find out what may cause it for you - everyone is different. Many common triggers are alcohol, caffeine, certain foods, extremes in temperatures (very hot to very cold), wind exposure...The Rosacea Society has a very good site with information, a list of possible triggers, and a diary that you can download and print to use. Their site is www.rosacea.org"
05/22/2010: Angela from Louisville, Ky replies: "I always wondered why havent they tried an anti-parasitic on rosacea patients, then I ran across a doctor who said she did and it worked. She tried treatment for scabbies. She noted case studies by other doctors in her blog, and asked anyone and everyone to try it and get back with her. I am going to try it as soon as I can get some scabbies lotion. For now I am trying sulfur ointment, it to is used for scabbies. I have severe rosacea and i want it gone!"
05/26/2010: Angela from Louisville, Ky replies: "Ok, so I went out and bought sulfur soap. It has been used to treat scabbies for YEARS. It is also a treatment for rosacea. I have been using it day and night for 3 days. I have SEVERE rosacea, and so far it has lessened it by HALF. Most all of the swelling is gone. My nose used to remind me of WC Fields, it is now returning to normal, and the redness has diminished considerably. I still use tea tree oil after i wash my face with soap. I will try to get some sulfur ointment, the pharmacist told me you can only get it with a prescription because it has to be mixed. I will see about maybe a health store. I really hope you try this. If rosacea is due to mites in the skin, sulfur kills them, thats why they use it for scabbies. I will keep you all updated."
05/26/2010: Pat from Athens, Al, Usa replies: "I have rosacea and just saw my dermatologist this week. I actually got him to talk about the very "possibility" of demodex mites! He suggested I try a popular lice shampoo a.k.a. RID or generic equivelent as a face wash and also perscribed the topical cream for scabies to be used just in the affected area at bedtime. Just getting a dermatologist to consider the very possibility of mites is big in itself let alone have one suggest an actual treatment! I had seen something on a message board for rosacea from a gal in the UK who couldn't think of the name of the shampoo, but it would probably be different in the UK than in the USA anyway, but the main ingredient was the same. Just a thought."
08/02/2010: Clare822 from Atlanta, Ga replies: "The name of the Ciclopirox shampoo in US is Loprox and it's available by prescription. Your doctor can give you a Medisave card so you only have to pay $10. for it. I got it for my seborrheic dermatitis on my scalp and am going to try it on my rosacea too!"
08/23/2010: Carol from Los Angeles, California replies: "I feel that I'm finally in control of my rosacea. It's not cured, but seems to be totally under control. The secret is "zinc oxide" which is available in products for sunscreen and baby diaper rash. I also use a face cleaning product with Salicylic acid that I feel is an additional help. The 2 specific products I use are reasonably priced and generally available. (1) CVS Pharmacy Sunscreen 45 with Zinc Oxide (goes on clear); and (2) Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleaner. Believe me, I stand waiting for a bus in the sun in the summer and I still don't have the return of full blown rosacea (or even light rosacea) that I suffered from for years -- so long as I use these 2 products once in the morning and once at night. Check it out and perhaps they (or a variant) will be as successful for you."
[YEA] 09/02/2010: Mellyone from North Vancouver, B.c., Canada replies: "I have noticed a huge difference in my skin using aloe vera plant on my face daily. I generally put it on after I get out of the shower and before I go to bed while putting an organic rose cream on my face on top. For me I get the little red bumps and severe dehydration. It has calmed down the redness, the red bumps and stopped the flaking. I generally have the worst reaction to chlorine and it has prevented any sort of reaction from swimming in the pool which is great. I'm definitely not cured but it has helped immensely. I have had several compliments on my skin in the last few weeks from clients and coworkers (while wearing no make up). Its worth a shot!"
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ANTI-DANDRUFF SHAMPOO, APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
[YEA] 04/08/2010: Mags from Cheshire, Uk writes: "I think i have finally managed to rid myself of this horror condition rosacea. Two weeks ago my face was red raw, full of red bumps and the itch drove me mad. I now take 2 apple cider vinegar tablets a day and 1 B complex. I wash my face with natural sulphur soap, i then wash a second time by using an anti dandruff shampoo / shampoo for flaky and dry scalp. This shampoo contains a chemical called ciclopirox olamine. Leave this shampoo neat on a wet face for no more than a minute then rinse. Do not use around the eyes. Wash your face morning and night following the above or more if you need to. Once your face has been washed then use a diluted tablespoon of ACV to swab on the red and bumpy areas of face with cotton wool, allow to dry and then moisturise with a natural chemical free and fragrance free cream. To wash and cleanse your face this way yes is a pain but to see the difference within 4 days, i couldnt believe it. My spots had cleared, the redness calmed and the very very dry skin i had was now soft and healthy. Worked for me. I had also read on the net that Lysine could help, i tried this by tablet form and this made my face swell so that was no good for me. It is finding something that suits you. I was diagnosed last year with this and given antiobiotics to clear it. It worked but after time the biotics gave me thrush and constant tummy ache. So the natural way i now use is much better and does not make me feel ill. The shampoo is use on face i cannot name but begins with an o. (uk)"
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7 YEA
2 NAY
1 BETTER BUT NOT CURED
[YEA] 04/29/2010: Mike from Yakima, Wa writes: "apple cider vinegar-rosacea
came across your site while looking for cure.they say there is none. have been mixing 1 tablespoon of acv with a glass of water 2 times a day. results have been incredible in the two plus weeks. skin on nose has smoothed out- no break outs. redness is gone. skin feels moist and smooth all over. always tried topical treatments, that would cause dryness. works for me, hope it helps others. mental outlook as well as overall physical has improved. thanks."
[YEA] 07/16/2010: Swquantum from Shelton, Ct replies: "Began using raw unfiltered organic apple cider vinegar on my face - two applications - one in the morning and one at bedtime. Within a few days, my rosacea was gone. I had tried using several expensive ointments recommended by my dermatologist but nothing provided more than only a temporary relief. I am delighted to say that raw unfiltered organic apple cider vinegar and I are now best friends. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!"
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[BETTER BUT NOT CURED] 08/09/2009: Janice from Utrecht, The Netherlands writes: "ACV externally inproved my rosacea 90%
lavender oil around the eyes inmproved my condition 90 %"
EC: Thanks for the feedback! Are you using lavender oil for dark circles or another condition?
[NAY] 10/14/2009: Gunjan from Delhi, India replies: "I have been suffering from Acne rosacea since last four years. Fortunately I landed on this site & read about apple cider vinegar treatment. I have tried it for almost 10 days.. I am taking it internally one cap twice a day & as well as applying 50-50 ACV with water on my face for whole night.
But the reaction is just opposite of what was expected.
Now it has affected my complete face ( full cheeks) and is getting worst with each day.
Please sugest, should I discontinue it?
I really want to get rid of rosacea :-("
10/18/2009: Mage from Los Angeles, Us replies: "Use apple cider vinegar ONLY when you have the papules and postules. It is too drying and it can cause the condition to worsen. Diluting it is a good idea. I mix two teaspoons of apple cider, one teaspoon of purified water and I add no more than two drops of tea tree oil and dab it on the affected area with a Q-tip or organic cotton ball. I leave it on for about ten minutes or so and then rinse with purified water (make sure there is no bleach on the water). Follow with a good mosturizer for sensitive skin and one that contains ingredients known to help rosacea sufferers such as licorice, feverfew, green tea, colloidal oatmeal, lavender, chamomile, calendula, licochalcone, arnica montana,white willow bark, jojoba oil, and many others."
10/19/2009: Robert Henry from Ten Mile, Tn Usa replies: "I have posted many times on this subject , but after 10 years of Dermatologists , with no improvement and following this sites recommendations of Hydrogen Peroxide, Borax and Tea Tree oil with slow and mixed results. I have tweaked the formula. I now mix the Borax in a separate jar and make sure there is crystals in the bottom so that the solution is saturated. Before, I only used a few drops of Tea Tree Oil....... now, I make sure the coke cap is very oily. I mix all three in a coke cap. I coat my nose outside and inside twice a day. This is my best results. At 73 and a very ugly nose after all these years of our Demodex buddies, I consulted a noted plastic surgeon on what would make my nose pretty again. He said I got to burn it bad with a CO2 Laser. I got to think about that. M J burned his nose off and had to use a fake one. I'm an Arkansas Razorback fan, but I don't want to look like a pig. We need to take care of our health problems, but we don't need to lose our sense of humor."
07/04/2010: Morena from Homestead, Florida Usa replies: "To Gunjan in Delhi: it sounds to me you are very acidic. Drink one big spoon full of acv in a glass of water before you eat in the morning at noon. Drink 1/4 of a teaspoon of baking soda in also a glass of water, squeeze a lime in it before you drink it. Before you go to sleep, do the same as you did in the morning and also drink the baking soda with water again.Do not eat meat of any kind for a month and no junk food "no sugar". When you wash your face, use aloe vera fresh from your garden. You can leave it on all day. Also take zinc. Do this for a month and you will be fine!!...:)"
08/10/2010: Jimmy from Buxton, Derbyshire, England replies: "Hi I have rosacea and my cheeks are red all the time. I went to the doctor and he said it's a mild case but it's not mild to me. Please will someone tell me how to get rid of my red cheeks-they're red all the time and it's starting to effect my life. I don't get spots or anything like that just redness."
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[NAY] 07/20/2009: Tara from Clarkston, Washington writes: "Okay, I've been reading about how mites or bugs cause rosaces. Do they also cause the redness? I do not have the acne associated with it but have extreme redness. Will these bugs cause that? If so, how do these mites make the capillaries burst and cause this extreme redness? Has anyone cured the redness? ACV has not worked. Pls help if you can. Many thanks."
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[YEA] 06/09/2009: Ann from Columbia, Maryland writes: "Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) does seem to work! My method: I use a Q-tip to apply liquid that is 50% ACV and 50% water. The water is just tap. The ACV is just regular brand. I use the Q-tip sparingly-- one tip is used just for the nose, then a fresh tip for the left cheek and a fresh tip (or 2) for the right cheek. I use the ACV application in the morning and in the evening before bed. I sometimes rinse and sometimes just leave it on. I am not clear whether rinsing makes a difference or not. At the same time, I am changing my pillow case every 2 nights. I use one side the first night, flip the case the next night, then on the third night, replace it with a fresh case. Results: The first 3 days, immediate improvement. The next few days, I was back to usual. It is now day 8; I have experimented for a week. I awoke this morning and for the first time in years, my face looked almost perfectly normal in shade and had just one acne bump (break out). Yay!!!
Background: For those who want more detail-- my rosacea has been fairly mild. My nose was always red and often broke out, my left cheek was ruddy with red dots under the surface, the right cheek had it bad with higher red color, many red dots under the surface, bumps and semi-frequent break outs. Before trying ACV, I helped my rosacea by reducing the hormone level of my birth control pills, limiting soap on my face to scent-free either soy soap with goats milk or a yogurt soap, and reducing stress. Still, I had lots of unmitigated redness and outbreaks. Future: I plan to continue with ACV and clean pillow case method. I also plan to replace pillow entirely. I intend to report back with an update on the results of this procedure."
06/16/2009: Ann from Columbia, USA replies: "Week two-- update. I would say that the ACV and changing pillow cases has cleared up the rosacea by 80-90%. The weekends are the worst, with midday sometimes showing lots of redness. This may be due to sun exposure or just simply being hot (its summer and I am not inside 8 solid hours like weekdays). HOWEVER, there has not been one pustile or even a serious zit this entire 2 weeks. The ACV brings all little bumps down flat within a day. .... I am adding calcarea sulphurica homeopathic remedy-- 30c, 5 of them, 3 times a day. I would like to have this completely gone, not just much better. I will give this a week, then see about adding or replacing with another remedy."
08/04/2009: Ann from Columbia, Md replies: "After about 4-6 weeks, all improvement levelled off and it felt like the ACV might be too harsh. I consulted an herbalist, and switched to making a cream of whole fat organic yogurt with lavender oil. I use it 1-2x a day for 20-30 mins then wash off. This seems to keep the rosacea to a low level, without making my skin feel overly dried out. It even prevents zits from going nuclear, reducing them without going hyper red or white head.
I continue to switch out my pillow cases, using once, flipping it over, then changing to a new clean pillow case.
I have found that the best results I get come from meditation. If I meditate regularly, my rosacea becomes almost non-existent. Stress really is a factor.
Others may be happy to hear that I have chatted with 2 other rosacea sufferers and all 3 of us concur that dairy does NOT aggravate rosacea. Eat cheese, drink milkshakes and be merry!"
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[YEA] 05/09/2009: Elizabeth from Nashville, TN writes: "I have had the red and blotchy skin associated with rosacea for the past 10 years ( I am 29 now)....I've tried all the creams and lotions you can buy but they either A) Just mask the problem or B) Not very effective. So I decided to replace my expensive dermabrasion crystals with just plain ol' baking soda (it does have a similiar consistency). It left my skin uber smooth...but still red and blotchy. So I pulled out the organic ACV and filled the cap 50/50 with water and ACV. I then get a Q-tip and smooth the ACV mixture over my face (concentrating on the blemishes). I let it sit for a couple of minutes and rinse off. In just a week my skin has improved about 70% (a lot less red and the blemishes disappear quicker). My skin feels GREAT... Thanks earthclinic for having such an open-minded site!!!!"
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[YEA] 02/10/2009: Amy from Tekonsha, Michigan writes: "I suffer from Seborrheic Dermatitis and it drives me nuts! I've always had a flaky scalp, but it got worse in college. To manage it, I use Neutragena T-Gel everyday, which kind of works. It usually causes the itching to subside for a day ... until I wash my hair the next morning.
I also suffer from rosacea on my cheeks. It recently started getting worse in the evenings. I'm getting married in August and definitely don't want to be dealing with it on the big day. Like I said, it really only flares up in the evening before I go to bed.
I came across EarthClinic for a cure for rosacea and decided to start drinking ACV everyday to see what happened. As of today (10 February 2009) I have been drinking 1 tablespoon ACV mixed with a cup of orange juice every morning for 17 days. I've only missed one day. Here's what I've noticed:
* The itching in my scalp has subsided, only a tiny itch every once in a while
* My scalp is flaking significantly less than before
* The rosacea on my face has gotten better ... but isn't completely cured
* My skin has an overall healthier look
I haven't noticed any adverse side effects from the ACV. I still use the T-Gel about two times a week for the seborrheic dermatitis just because."
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[YEA] 09/13/2008: Teresa from London, London writes: "I had to write and leave feedback as another testimonial that ACV is a miracle cure. I have suffered with Dermatitis/ Rosacea (the doctors couldn't decide what it was) on my forehead for 6 years. I used steroid creams for years that controlled it but never cured it but even they stopped having an effect in the last year or so. I saw ACV testemonials on this website so I tried it. Within a day or 2 the ACV I applied had stopped the spots appearing, the the redness and swelling went down. I use it every night and i'm now free of all symptoms - it only took about a week to cure it all together! It's so so frustrating that doctors don't/ can't tell you about these things. Thank you so much to this website - It's changing a lot of people's lives."
12/31/2008: Sherry from Woods Cross, UT replies: "Hi, I was just wondering how do you use the apple cider vinegar. Do you put it directly on your face or injest it? I've suffer from this redness for awhile and would like to try this. Thanks Sherry"
EC: ..."Within a day or 2 the ACV I applied had stopped the spots appearing"
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[YEA] 05/08/2007: Linda from Orlando, FL writes: "I was recently diagnosed with Rosacea and prescribed an antibacterial gel to apply to my face 2x a day. According to the dermatologist I would probably have to do that the rest of my life. After having indigestion one evening, i got online and found this site. I decided to try using Apple Cider Vinegar (1 tbsp 3 x a day mixed with water or grape juice) for the indigestion. Amazingly after only 1 day my indigestion was totally gone, but the best part was that almost all signs of my rosacea were gone. My sinuses were clear and I felt better than i had in years. I just wanted to say thanks to all that have posted here. This website and these testimonials have changed my life for the better. Thanks to all who have posted before me."
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1 YEA
[YEA] 04/09/2010: Marion from Toronto, Canada writes: "I've had rosacea for years and have tried the gambit of treatments.I don't buy into the demodex mite theory.Think about it. If a demodex mite lived in on or in my skin or even on my pillow, my husband whom I share a close connection with in the same bed would have the same skin problem. But his skin is not affected, nor are my children's. No, I don't buy that argument. I think, what we have is a sensitivity to all the chemicals we put on and shower off the body e.g. bodywash, shampoo,conditioners,bodygel, leave in conditioner,hairsprays,hair color,sunscreen,tints, make-up,powders,blush,body and under arm deodorants,nail polishes,nail polish removers,cuticle removers,hand creme,eye creme,night creme,foot creme,pore fillers,foundations,concealers,mascaras,eye shadows,eye-liners,lip gloss,lipstick,lip fillers, make-up removers,toners, moisturizers, perfumes body sprays,etc., you get the idea. It all has to touch our skin in order to be removed either in the shower or at the sink. Think about, read the ingredients. You can't even pronounce most of them! All the stuff we put on our faces every morning, touch ups throughout the day. Then we take it of at night and put on some more before bed only to repeat the cycle first thing again the next morning. I started to think if I can't pronounce it I'm not going to put it on my skin or my hair because just having a shower aggravated my skin. I stopped doing all that stuff. Now I have great skin and great hair.
After my shower I wipe my face with a cotton pad with apple cider vinegar (acv) on it avoiding the eye area. I don't rinse it of cause my skin was already wet. Then I apply glycerin to my moist face. I now only shampoo my wet hair by massaging 1TBS of baking soda on my wet scalp and rinsing with just enough acv to remove the tangles in my shoulder length hair.No more blow drying. I let it dry naturally. Now my hair and my skin looks great. My skin is no longer red rosacea. BTW I don't drink any alcohol, I wear a hat when out in the sun, and I stay out of the wind and I take deep breaths throughout the day. This works for me."
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APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, TEA TREE OIL
01/15/2010: Barbara from New York, New York writes: "I have struggled with Rosacea for more than a decade, and have tried countless prescriptive lotions and medication -- which have worked. However, I am very concerned about the side effects and do not wish to further strengthen the power of the pharmaceutical industry.
I drank 1 Tablespoon of organic ACV (with water) twice a day for the past 10 days.
The first few days I rinsed my face with a ACV rinse (1/2 water, 1/2 ACV), but the stinging sensation and redness increased, so I discontinued.
I apply Tea Tree Oil facial cream in the evenings, daily.
As of yet, I see very little change in the redness on my face, nor in the flushing and burning. Perhaps because of differing body chemistries it takes some longer to see a response than others. Certainly I feel it was worth a try, as ACV has many positive benefits to the body."
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[YEA] 10/22/2009: Bookworm from Lancaster, Pa writes: "I was diagnosed with rosacea about 2 years ago and used the antibiotics and MetroGel with little results until a few months ago they just completely stopped working. I have slight redness, but my biggest problem is the tiny bumps that cover my entire forehead and the round patches on both of my cheeks. I decided to try a more natural approach.
I drink 4 ounces of water with 1 tablespoon of ACV twice per day (with breakfast and dinner), plus I use a cotton ball and gently swabbed the ACV all over my face, including around my hairline and down onto my neck. After about 10 days my rosacea improved by about 70%. I continued to do this for about two more weeks and my skin continued to improve, but the bumps did not completely disappear (about 90% of them did).
I began to add one drop of tea tree oil to my moisturizer at night and after 1 week my rosacea symptoms were gone... no more redness, no more bumps. At this point I am doing the following:
- drinking the ACV twice daily
- adding tea tree oil to my moisturizer about 5-6 nights per week
- using ACV topically on my face once per week
- changing my pillowcase twice per week and flipping it over after about 2 nights
I also wanted to mention that I was using a cleanser that exfoliated and I switched to a more natural, gentle cleanser and I think it also helped a lot. I am also avoiding moisturizer that has alpha-hydroxy and use a sunscreen with zinc."
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[YEA] 02/27/2009: Mark from Denver, Colorado writes: "ACV/Tea Tree for Rosacea: I have had rosacea for close to 15 years. It comes and goes as far as severity but tends to flare up in winter and this winter has been especially bad--extreme redness on cheeks and forehead, bumps and pustules etc. I can also attribute a lot of my problems to a poor diet the past few months.
Decided to take a 3 pronged approach starting in early february--clean up my diet, eliminate most processed foods, esp carbs and sweets, reduce alcohol consumption, use the ACV 2-3 times per day in water, and apply tea tree oil and a fragrance free moisturizer after showering in AM and before bedtime. The results have been dramatic. The redness and swelling in my face have gone down 80-90% in less then 2 weeks. My skin has become smooth and has a healthy shine to it and there are no more oozing red bumps, esp after washing with a washcloth. I still have some redness, but nothing that really stands out.
I have also been using turmeric for an unrelated foot issue, but I don't think that has had much of an effect on the rosacea.
Fortunately, I have not had to give up all the usual trigger foods, I can still drink daily coffee, enjoy some spicy foods, and the occasional beer as well.
Thanks Earth Clinic for your wonderful information. I am hooked on the ACV, it has also reduced the occasional humming in my ears, which I suspect was possibly due to slightly elevated blood pressure."
09/28/2009: Gema from Los Angeles, Ca replies: "What type of mosturizing cream do you use on your face? I would love to try your 3-prong approach. I have been diagnosed with rosacea for four months and nothing seems to help! Thanks!"
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BLACK WALNUT HULL TINCTURE, WORMWOOD AND CLOVES
[YEA] 08/06/2007: PHOEBE from ZEBULON, USA writes: "IT HAS RECENTLY COME TO MY ATTENTION THRU MY OWN RESEARCH THAT ROSACEA IS CAUSED BY A PARASITE CALLED LEISHMANIA. I TRIED A WELL KNOWN PARASITE TREATMENT USING BLACK WALNUT HULL TINCTURE, WORMWOOD AND CLOVES AND HAVE HAD SOME SUCCESS AND IMPROVEMENT WITH REDNESS AND INFLAMMATION."
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1 YEA
1 NAY
1 BETTER BUT NOT CURED
1 WORKED TEMPORARILY
1 QUESTION
[NAY] 06/17/2010: Pat from Athens, Al, Usa writes: "My doctor says I have rosacea, although I do not have all of the flushing and sensitivities most people do, I do have some other symptoms. It is a theory that rosacea can be caused by a demodex mite. I've been using borax on my face for over a month now with little results, except my skin now has the texture of an orange peel and I get little bumps on the backs of both ears and just below my ears on my neck. I suspect this to be mites as when I put borax on these areas the bumps temporarily go away. However they reappear within a day or two. I think this is a mite issue and not some strange form of acne, but I'm beginning to wonder if it's something else and if it is then what? It has also spread to the jaw line and prior to the start of all of these symptoms I never had any acne type problems with my skin and certainly not on the jaw line. Also I have had the problems with the little bumps on my ears for a long period of time and some scalp problems (which have now disappeared) however my hair has been falling for several years it seems to be at an accelerated pace now too. If this is mites my dermatologist doesn't go with the theory of the demodex mites and rosacea point of view to begin with (I'm going my internet research). I'm feeling stuck - what kind of mite could I be dealing with (if it's a mite)? Why isn't the borax helping? If it isn't a mite problem, what is it??? I want my smooth skin back I've been dealing with this sudden battle for about 6 months now. I'm at wits end and every single thing the dermatologist has tried and I have tried on my own have not helped. It occasionally looks like I have a pimple here and there in all of this, the texture is visible as my skin is oily and the bumpiness of the skin looks like an orange peel only on a bit larger scale. My forehead doesn't seem to be affected much (yet) but the rest of my entire face and jawline is and I'm getting more and more self conscious by the day.
I have tried full strength tea tree oil, tea tree and lavender oil mixed, the borax/peroxide solution, just plain borax as a daily morning and night facial wash & scrub...I I've tried that then followed up with the tea tree oil, or tee tree/lavender oil mix. I've tried washing my face with lice shampoo and using the cream for scabies at my dermatologist suggestion, and everything my dermatologist has prescribed for rosacea and acne treatments (including sulfur products)and NOTHING is working or even helping. PLEASE if anyone can help I'd be forever grateful."
06/18/2010: Tricia from Ireland replies: "Did you try googling to find an image of your rash. I think it would be worthwhile spreading your search a bit further as doctors have been known to get their diagnoses wrong. There is a website called wrongdiagnosis.com, which may be of some help.
It just seems like you have tried most things that would work on rosacea or at least have seen some type of improvement. Good luck"
06/20/2010: Carmen from Seattle, Wa replies: "Pat,the minute i read your blog, i had to respond. My symptoms sounded exactly like yours...around the ears, jawline, and mine continued on my neck, forehead, and nose just recently. I have suffered since April 2010, with big red bumps, inflammation, smaller bumps, stinging, itching etc. I have been blessed all my life with perfect skin and this came along and has been totally distressing. I got medication from dermatologist but havent had much success. I am on antibiotics and antibiotic gel but they tell me i have to wait at least a month for any results. In the meantime, things were spreading and i had to do something.
Out of desperation one day i decided to put anti-bacterial hand gel all over my face. I immediately got relief and could see the bumps calm down. I then started a routine of swabbing my face with a cotton ball soaked with rubbing alcohol several x a day. It didnt completely go away but kept things at bay. It stings alot the first few times you do this but subsides the more you do it. It has stopped new bumps from spreading. My dermatologist was not happy with me but it was working for me. Came across this website and have been trying to figure out what will work for me. Thank God for Earthclinic! I have thought from the very beginning that i was dealing with "bugs". (mites).
I am now using 1 tsp of tumeric and drinking with glass of water 2x day. I felt inflammation go down within an hour first time i tried this. From reading things from this website, i decided to try the ACV route. i will drink a tsp ACV in glass of water 2x day. I alternate every other day with tumeric and ACV. I also use ACV 50/50water on my face after my alcohol routine. I have had an 80% improvement by doing this. I am continuing the antibiotic but i am not convinced this will do anything.
Another thing i tried and still use is (this will sound wierd), is Monistat cream. Yes, the stuff for vaginal yeast infections. It contains miconazole nitrate which is the ingredient in Metro gel that Dermatologist prescribe. My face becomes so much smoother and takes the inflammation away. I do this a few times a week once in the a.m. and once before bed ( but after my alcohol wash).
I am still dealing with this battlefield on my face but it is sooo much better than before. I continue to try more remedies from the readers here at Earthclinic. Last night i tried washing my face with a lice shampoo followed by swabbing with tea tree oil. My face is the best it has looked in about 4 wks. This might work for me. The bumps are barely noticeable! I will try this again and report my results.
Chinese medicine believes that if something is wrong in the stomach, it shows up on the face. I am hoping the tumeric and ACV take care of those issues. I am also taking vitamins daily...Vit A, D, C, l-Lysine, Fish oil, Fenugreek herb, and a Calc/magnesium/zinc combo.
Would love to try the Sebiprox shampoo that one reader mentioned. It is sold OTC in Europe but i believe you have to get a prescription in U.S. If its available in US without prescrip, can someone tell me where. Thanks.
This has been quite a journey dealing with this rosacea and i am grateful for this website and all of you who share. I will continue to read and share. Thank you Earthclinic!!!"
06/21/2010: Pat from Athens, Al, Usa replies: "Carmen,
Thank you for taking the time to respond to my plight. I am glad you are having some success with this awful rosacea plague.
I have tried several of the things you have mentioned, but have not tried them all. I have tried most of what is on this site without much success, but I won't got thru that whole list again. Of what you have mentioned this is what I have tried:
I did the MetroGel/MetroCream from the dermatologist without success and also tried the cream you use for athelets feet which is similar to the monostat but not exactly the same, I wonder if there would be a difference? What would be your idea on that?
I've been using the tea tree oil pretty faithfully without much luck - or it is holding things down from being much worse than they would be otherwise, just not what I'm hoping for maybe?
You mentioned I think Chinese medicine philosophy about problems coming from the gut - I take a really potent probiotic from my pharmacist and alternative? who has the same theory already - I've seen some improvement with this, but again it can only do so much too I'm afraid.
I've tried alcohol. It was very drying and seemed to have a rebound effect with more oil to my already oily skin, thus more white heads. I have not tried the antibacterial hand cleaner though - some of those have vitamin e or aloe, etc added as moisturizers which might help? The one you used, did it have anything like that in it? Do you still use it or do you just use the straight alcohol only now?
I tried taking tumeric twice a day for a couple of weeks. I didn't see any benefit to my skin :( I was really hopeful about it too. I did end up very constipated from it. Maybe I just took too much to get that effect... anyway, I did discover a good anti-diarrhea remedy! Please advise if i was doing something wrong, overdoing or whatever with the tumeric capsules.
I tried ACV topically - I couldn't see any benefit in doing it at all. Not even as a regular toner let alone as a remedy of sorts for the problem at hand.
I do take ACV 2-3 times a day orally though. I haven't seen any benefits to my face but I have seen other health benefits like being able to eliminate 3 other prescription medications.
I'm not sure where to go from here. i'm not sure if you have seen my other post(s) as well, but my hair is thining at an alarming rate as well, and I've tried many ofthe remedies here for that as well.
I do also take 3 Tbsp. of VCO a day for the last 2 months and it hasn't made a difference one way or the other with my face, but my dermatologist told me to go ahead and keep it up because it had other properties that might help long term (like we all didn't know that). It has helped with my cracked heels and I've lost a few pounds since beginning it and the ACV.
So... I'm feeling stuck and not sure where to go from here - my skin is awful and my hair is falling out - just wanna crawl under a rock and die some days. I know there has to be an answer out there somewhere... I just wish I could find it.
Thank you again for responding to my post. Maybe we can put our heads together yet. Please tell me what kind of antibacterial hand sanitizer you tried, I'm game for about anything right now."
06/22/2010: Shackelmom from Cdo, Philippines replies: "The monostat may be helping, but miconazole is not the same as metronidazole which is in the metrogel. Miconazole is anti-fungal/anti-candida, while metronidazole is used to treat certain kinds of bacteria, usually things like amoeba and giardia when taken internally."
06/22/2010: Janice from Coloma, Mi replies: "I don't know if this will help or not but my husband has had a rash like you're talking about and has been to two dermatolgists and gotten nowhere plus we have tried every home remedy we could think of. Now he is working with a homeopathic Dr. She has him on a healthy diet (a good fish oil, an antioxidant, vit B..and no coffee) She said juicing would help build up his system too and we do that when we can. The thing that seems to be helping is the homeopathic remedy Rhus Toxicodendron 30C(Rhus Tox for short) . You can get it on-line or most health food stores. It's very cheap. The way he takes it is to mix two or three pellets with four ounces of water. Then you shake it to disolve the pellets. Before you take a dose, you shake the bottle about ten times on the palm of your hand. Take one teaspoon. Be sure not to touch the pellets with your fingers and don't eat anything fifteen minutes before you take it or fifteen minutes after you take it. Take it for about five days and then wait and see how things are going. This seems to have quieted things down for him. The inflamation on his cheeks has gone down and he's able to sleep at night. He has been miserable with this stuff. It was on his forehead, eyelids, cheeks, nose, ears, neck and then traveled to his sides. You can google Rhus Tox or get more information from a homeopathic Dr. I'm crossing me fingers that this will continue to help my husband because it has made his life miserable. Good luck to you."
06/22/2010: Pat from Athens, Al, Usa replies: "I wouldn't really call this a rash. It's not red and it doesn't itch. It's bumpy. It looks like acne and blackheads but it doesn't respond to any treatments - not sure how to explain it, other than frustrating and it doesn't look like a rash."
06/23/2010: Brenda from San Antonio, Texas replies: "i have found that sea buckthorn seem to clear rosacea when applied from a natural product in about 2 wks."
06/24/2010: Carmen from Seattle, Wa replies: "okay, i did some research and have found that Metronidazole, which is in Metrogel and miconazole nitrate, which is in Monostat are both found in the Imidazole class of antibacterial agents and classified as antiprotozoal and antibacterial agent.Quoted from Wikipedia..."Miconazole can be used against certain species of Leishmania protozoa (a type of unicellular parasite). Miconazole is found in Monostat to fight yeast infections and it is also found in products for atheletes foot and jock itch.
i read on one of these postings, that someone was told Rosacea is caused by Leishmania. Now as i research, i come across this Leishmania word again. Hmmmm?!
I am having some much better days by using this for 3 consecutive days now. I am going to experiment and continue this routine for the rest of the week and see if i continue to get results. If it works, i'll post it. And Monostat is OTC, no expensive prescription.
I am determined to get rid of this *&%$. And thanks Janice for the info on the Rhus Tox. Gonna look into this. Please let us know if your husband continues to improve. I understand how miserable he has been. I have been so distraught with this mess on my face."
06/24/2010: Pat from Athens, Al, Usa replies: "I have asked for seabuckthorn in an oil from the local herbal store and they don't have it. I looked for it on the swansons website and all they have is a cleanser and a moisturizing cream. I've thought about ordering from the cleanser. Do you think that would be a good form? i don't have a good cleanser right now. I've been trying straight borax and it is a gritty mess and I don't seem to be making progress. I have very oily skin so I'm not sure if it would be counterproductive to try the cream or not. Or should I keep looking around for the oil? I guess it wouldn't hurt to order the cleanser... heck, I've tried everything else! Do you think it would be enough or should I pursue an oil or something else as well? Thanks for the idea."
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06/06/2010: Roseyg from Boise, Id writes: "Hard to believe you are suggesting people ingest borax. I have suffered from rosacea for decades now, have been to countless dermatologist and have read and tried everything I can find about dealing with it (I believe there is no cure). Do you and your readers understand that borax is used to make such items as detergents, fire retardants, insecticides, flux used in metallurgy, and that it has been banned in the U.S. for use in food products? I think I'll skip being a guinea pig on this home remedy. To your other readers... use caution!"
EC: Much more feedback on borax: here http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/borax.html
06/06/2010: Lisa from Thousand Oaks, Ca, Usa replies: "Hi Roseyg,Did you read about borax and what it CAN do? Have you read what Ted and Bill have to say about borax and its properties? I have learned so much from this site and love to pass on what I have learned to others here on EC. Honestly, I don't think anyone comes on here knowingly giving ill-intentioned advice. At least that has been my experience. There are a lot of remedies on this site that are little known today and the medical field and much of the mainstream either don't know, hide or the info has been lost through time. Many of us here are open to learning about alternative ways and much of the info here are on EC are folk remedies that have been lost because of the pharmaceutical way of life that most people assume is the only way to go. I for one, would not have known of the amazing properties of borax and would have made the same assumption as you had I not learned otherwise here on EC.
That said, I hope that everyone just uses common sense when trying new remedies.
Peace, Lisa"
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[QUESTION] 06/09/2009: Sherill from Tampa, FL writes: "Borax treatment of facial Demodex mites: I've been reading all of the postings on this site regarding the use of borax to eradicate facial demodex mites in humans. I am 39 years old and was officially diagnosed with rosacea by a dermatologist 9 years ago. It has came and went with various prescribed oral and topical meds. After much research, I now believe that what I am currently experiencing is demodex mites. I am scheduled to return to the derm in August 2009, but each day is becoming a real struggle as I try and deal with the itching, crawling, stinging, burning, and bumps from these insects on my face. These symptoms seem to have came about in the past several months. I know the derms course of treatment will be prescribed insecticides and would rather not go that direction if there are truly other verified alternatives.
There are a few important questions that I have not seen the answers for and feel are very important to know prior to trying the borax treatment:
1) Is 3% hyrdrogen peroxide okay to use?
2) What quantities do I use of the borax and hydrogen peroxide?
3) Is this only applied in the evening?
4) How long is it left on before washing off?
5) How many days is this used for and then how often for prevention?
6) What are the expected side effects?
If someone could answer these questions it would be greatly appreciated as I am desperate to get some relief. "
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[BETTER BUT NOT CURED] 04/13/2009: Tom from Galloway, NJ writes: "I bought some Borax in the form of a common laundry detergent several months ago. I finally tried it and all I can say is WOW. Its like washing your face with sandpaper. I was always told don't use anything abrasive on your rosecia and I thought I was gonna be in big trouble. After I scrubbed I patted my face dry and put some Aloe on it. The next morning not knowing what to expect I go to the mirror and I let out a few expletives of joy. My face was smooth and the crap was about 80% gone. The slight redness was there but everything else was about gone...Oh yeah, did I mention that that was the first night? Keep you posted.
Tom"
[WORKED TEMPORARILY] 05/15/2009: Vivian from Cedar Rapids, IA, USA replies: "I tried scrubbing with Borax after reading your comment. I have to agree my skin is MUCH smoother than normal. After one time I did see a lessening of redness, but it seems to be getting redder as the day progresses. :( I did not remember to apply aloe, which may have been more effective. I was wondering if you are continuing to use Borax? If so, how often do you scrub with it? I am planning on using ACV as a toner also, although, not after scrubbing with Borax because the rosacea does sting a bit afterwards. It sounds like ACV will help with redness as well as enlarged pores. I would appreciate any feedback. My face just keeps getting redder and redder as I get older and I'm becoming very self-conscience about it."
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01/01/2009: Wrwk from Kansas City, MO writes: "I'm considering trying the Borax internal remedy for my rosacaa - however I have high blood pressure that is proving a little difficult to control even with 2 meds. So, what effect might this remedy have on my blood pressure? Should I seek elsewhere for another remedy? Or, should I only apply the Borax combo to my skin and forget the internal routine?"
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12/09/2008: John from London, UK writes: "Hi i am considering using borax for rosacea but would be interested to know if sodium bicarbonate works as well? And is it better to apply it topically to the skin as well as take it internally. John"
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[YEA] 09/08/2007: Pamela from City Withheld, Washington writes: "I have suffered with Fibromyalgia/Rosacea and TMJ for over 10 years... My first symptoms appeared shortly after I began taking Paxil. After about 8 months when I found the Paxil side effects intolerable, my doctor switched me to Prozac. Well...within 2 years, I had gained 75 pound, couldn't get my temperature to a normal 98.6 (it wouldn't budge above 96.6), broke out with a fierce case of Rosacea (skin blistering & pealing in layers off my cheeks), was chronically fatigued and suffered from TMJ symptoms.
After reading the FLUORIDE information on EarthClinc and researching the chemical formulas of the many antidepressants that I had taken over the last 10 years, I had an epiphany...My problem was FLUORIDE!!! Incidentally, the' symptoms of FLUORIDE TOXICITY are the same as Fibromyalgia so it wasn't surprising to learn that FLUORIDE is the primary ingredient in MANY widely prescribed antidepressants, including PAXIL and PROZAC!!!
Without delay, I began adding 1/8 tsp of BORAX and 1/8 tsp of NATURAL (UN-bleached) SEA SALT to a liter of
DE-CLORINATED water. This regimine just happens to both neutralize the FLUORIDE and KILL the nasty mites that cause Rosacea.
I began drinking 1 liter per day for 5 days. On the 2 off days, I simply drank purified, bottled spring water.
The results were nothing short of MIRACULOUS, within two weeks my face cleared, the redness faded and best of all, my temperature normalized TO 98.6 and my energy level began to steadily increased. (Do expect the break out to get worse before it gets better as the mites die off.)
In just one month, without dieting or changing my daily routine (other than adding BORAX & SEA SALT to my drinking water), I dropped 4 pounds and I continue to drop weight at about a pound a week. I attribute this to my increased body temperature and elevated metabolism.
ALSO...when I eliminated the FLUORIDE in my toothpaste, my gums stopped swelling and bleeding and all PREVIOUS phantom tooth/jaw pain simply disappeared.
Thank you, EarthClinc and Ted...The information you shared has truely been a blessing in my life...I wholeheartedly encourage anyone that is suffering with FIBROMYALGIA, CHRONIC FATIGUE, TMJ or ROSACEA to try this simple remedy as I have had only POSITIVE results and absolutely NO SIDE EFFECTS!!!
Incidently, this BORAX & SEA SALT water is extremely ALKALINE with a pH between 8 - 9 pH."
EC: We must also express our extreme gratitude to Jason Uttley for the chronic fluoride poisoning link in his article, The Cause of Fibromyalgia.
05/26/2008: Kate from Pasadena, CA replies: "Are you talking about borax as in "20 Mule Team Borax" use for cleaning and other household purposes???"
EC: Click here for more information about borax.
10/09/2008: Robert from Thalang, Phuket, Thailand replies: "Could someone please let me know how I can purchase Borax in Thailand? Or where I can find it? I have tried remedies from dermatologists for what I have just discovered that I have rosacea. Thank you."
EC: Already answered on the site by Ted, a Bangkok resident: http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/borax_questions.html#Question_100
12/30/2008: Angie from Windsor, Canada replies: "i am taking levothyroxin for an underactive thyroid. trying to get rid of rosacea...what interaction will borax have on this medication. should i take borax with this medication?"
03/10/2009: Robin from Auburn, Washington replies: "Pamela, I think you may have hit the nail on the head, regarding the "cause" of rosacea. You mentioned you developed it after taking Paxil. I find it interesting that many people develop this problem after they have upset the balance of good vs bad bacteria in their guts by taking prescription drugs. I believe rosacea could be due to a candida overload in the system, and since you live in WA state I can tell you that you don't get enough Vit D from sunshine. I live in WA, and Dr. Wright of the Tahoma Clinic (Kent) told me that we all need a minimum of 1,000 IUs of Vit D daily in the NW. I have read research that shows a clear link to vitamin D levels being low and an elevation in rosacea cases. Vit. D is a critical hormone, that also affects the thyroid; many here in WA report losing weight and lessening of head hair loss after proper supplementation....it is a powerful hormone necessary for hormone balance in women. Hope this helps. And, I would apply apple cidar vinegar to the face 2x per day, with a Vit E or Jojoba oil lightly applied before bed, to counter possible dryness. Hope this helps!"
10/10/2009: Rease from Brookville, Md replies: "Robin, I was floored after reading your feedback. I have had a horrible case of Rosacea for 20 years now. Just a year ago, I was diagnosed with hypothyroid and have been on synthroid. (Can't begin to tell you how much better I feel.) But the rosacea is AWFUL. Then, just a couple months ago (in the THICK OF SUMMER) I was told I'm *severely* deficient in Vitamin D. So, after reading your post, I'm now wondering if my rosacea is a result of my hormone imbalances and Vitamin D deficiency.
I've read a lot of posts in this forum about treaments for rosacea, like taking 1 tablespoon of ACV 3xs a day diluted in a cup of either juice or water. Or, by taking borax in water. Has anyone done BOTH? Is it dangerous to do both? I'm so desperate to try something -- just not sure what to do first!
Am trying the ACV topically tonight, along w/ the Aloe. Hoping for some improvement soon."
10/10/2009: Tricia from Ireland replies: "Might be worthwhle at some stage to do a survey on what we think causes rosacea. I would be vitamin d deficient purely on the basis of where we live. You couldn't get enough sun here if you tried. I also have hormone imbalances and have taken antibiotics akin to paxil.I have taken acv using the water I prepared with the boraxed water and had no adverse reactions. Ted has done a list of the combination that are ok and what not to mix somewhere on this site. Search Ted's Combination List."
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CHAMOMILE TEA, RUBBING ALCOHOL, TEA TREE OIL
[BETTER BUT NOT CURED] 12/26/2009: Una from Toronto, On, Canada writes: "Camomille tea, rubbing alcohol and Tea Tree oil cured my rosacea
About four months ago I had my first bout of rosacea. I had a few episodes of redness that lasted a few minutes on my face and tips of my ears before but until a few months ago it always went away on it 's own. My first bout was pretty bad as it was mainly my chin that was red and stayed red. I used make up during the day to cover it and that worked. At night I would tone it after washing with cold camomille tea and tea tree oil. This did lessen the burning feeling and the redness a bit but not by much.
My rosaacea, three months later, is now at the point almost completely gone. Here is what I have been doing. I noticed a dramatic change right away and hopefully this will work for you as well.
1. Every night, after washing my face I apply a homemade toning solution made of 1 cup cammomille tea, 1/2 cup rubbbing alcohol and about 10-15 drops of tea tree oil. I apply it with a make-up sponge, completely covering the red areas twice. I leave it on overnight. After a week of this, the redness was reduced by at least 80%. I'm still a bit pink and have flushing but nothing out of the ordinary and the flushing subsides. My skin is also super smooth, blemish free and very soft now, a bonus!
2. I stopped eating soy sauce and vinegar as I always would get redness after eating food with these ingredients.
3. I ate alot of root vegetables, citrus fruit and bananas, foods high is potassium and vitamin C. I gained five pounds but my rosacea did really noticably reduce. I plan of losing the weight and hopefully my rosacea will not return as well.
4. Other things I did that I don't normally do is I ate alot of spicy foods once (vegan Kimchee), and applied a commonly prescribed rosacea cream three times. The cream felt funny and has perservatives so I stopped. I don't know if this had an affect but it may have helped. Spicy foods is supposed to aggravate rosacea but it seemed to have the opposite affect for me.
So far this regime has had a dramatic affect on my rosacea. I will update you in a few months and let you know if this is just a temporary solution or if for me it's a real cure."
05/28/2010: Una from Toronto, Ontario, Canada replies: "This unfortunately wasn't a cure for my rosaecea. It is still present and flares up. This toning solution which I still use does cool it and temporarily reduces the heat and redness. I am still looking for a more permanent solution but this works fine for me still. I have also started to exercise aerobically three times a week. My face is a lot redder but feels less hot. I will keep it up and see what results. I also use Metrogel now occasionally.
I still eat no yeast, sugar, alcohol, salt, soy sauce or vinegar which I am sure helps.The funny thing is the few times recently I've eaten hot peppers my rosacea redness really diminshed to the point my skin looked like normal again.Only temporary as well but it was nice to see myself looking like normal again.
My rosacea is strange. I have a red chin with occasional flushing of my nose and cheek. It comes and goes but the redness on my chin is almost permaneent and requires makeup to cover.
I will keep trying and searching for a cure. Maybe lasers in the future. I will keep you posted."
05/31/2010: Doug from Jamestown, Tn replies: "I have had rosacea for about 10 years and have tried several meds prescribed by the doctor. None worked. I heard about colloidal silver and started using that both topically and internally. I take a tablespoonful by mouth three times daily and I apply a compress of CS to the affected area at bedtime. In my case it is my nose and cheeks. The redness is gone and my nose now looks normal. I highly reccomend it. You can make your own colloidal silver very easily. There are several good CS generators on the market for around 100 dollars."
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2 YEA
[YEA] 10/09/2009: Neena from Chicago, Illinois, Usa writes: "After exhausting many attempts with various recommendations for rosacea cures, I finally went to a Traditional Chinese Medicine practioner after reading about other peoples successes. I was skeptical, but have found one doctor who really knew what he was doing. I have been taking the herbs for a month now. My symptoms are 90% gone. I did have a moderately severe case of rosacea. Now, I actually have pretty skin again. I had gone to another doctor at first, but his herbs were not as good. I think every doctor has his own formulas. These herbs really heal the problem of a "hot" stomach. Rosacea is only a symptom of this problem. Good Luck!"
10/10/2009: Andrew from Vancouver, Canada replies: "Can you provide more details about the herbs you are taking so that readers may be able to replicate your success?"
10/11/2009: Neena from Chicago, Illinois replies: "I would like to just tell you the website that you could buy the herbs, although I don't know if you can buy them without being seen by the doctor. He has so many formulas that you really do need to be seen by him. I am being given three different formulas. One of them is specifically for the rosacea. The other two are for overall wellbeing for some of my other issues. The one for rosacea has these herbs : Forsythia fruit, Wooly Grass Rhizome, Agastache, Eupatorium, Mint, Round Cardamom Fruit and Chinese Hawthorn Fruit. It might be difficult to buy these herbs individually. Also, your pulse and some other personal details are studied in order to come up with the right herb combinationl. Since I cannot give you his name or website, I don't know what else to tell you. Just remember, the TCM doctors view rosacea as a symptom of a stomach issue. The face and stomach meridians are tied to each other. Healing the stomach will remove the rosacea symptoms. I don't believe this doctor ever mentioned to me that these are little mites living in my face. That was a good thing in my opinion!"
12/31/2009: Jordan from Chicago, Il replies: "Hi Neena, it's great to hear that you found something that worked very well for you. Being in Chicago myself, I would be very interested in hearing more information about the practitioner that you went to and how I could set up an appointment.
Thanks, Jordan"
[YEA] 05/09/2010: Jeannette from Las Vegas, Nevada replies: "Hi all!
Just wanted let you know my experience with rosacea. I cured it with acupuncture and herbs. But before that I tried EVERYTHING. I happened quite suddenly last spring and I had no clue what I had. All I knew was that I was really hot on my face and it was horribly itchy.
I spent hundreds of dollars on supplements I researched online (oils creams vitamin deficiencies, you name it) the only thing that made it better were the papaya masks I'd put on my face(preferably cold papaya mashed or blended by itself All OVer) and I'd leave it on for an hour. It was my happy place...the rest of the days were horrible and I seriously wanted to die from the pain and I couldn't sleep without scratching.
I even researched fasting and switched to a raw food diet. I fasted for 18 days and came out with a juice diet for a week with wheatgrass and organic fruit. That actually helped, it totally went away. But when I started eating normal again it started to come back. So then I found an awesome acupuncturist here in Vegas. So after the first visit I immediately saw my face change color and kept my treatments while maintaining a vegetarian diet (with cooked foods).
My acupuncturist said that I had to stay away from yang foods which include spicy, chocolate, coffee, alcohol type of stuff. And the amount of time to get rid of it would be based on how long I originally had been having symptoms and how well I stuck to my regimen. This was all due to a Yin deficiency. So I kept taking the herbs and going to my sessions, which started out a couple times a week then went down to one visit a week and then monthly maintenance. Now I just take my herbs and rarely eat Yang foods. I had rosacea severely for four months and then the symptoms started to recede throughout the next 6 months. Acupuncture must maintain constant in order to see any results but that's the way natural healing works. I never went to a dermatologist and I refuse to take medication eventhough I was desperate.
I hope my story helps all of you, I know the pain and how horrible it feels. Keep your hope because I got rid of mine and you can too."
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