Natural Remedies for Rosacea

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

i have found that sea buckthorn seem to clear rosacea when applied from a natural product in about 2 wks.

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.

Hi, just responding to the Seabuckthorn Q. I have numerous products w/ seabuckthorn in them. My facial and body soap from Aubrey Organics plus their Seabuckthorn & Cucumber mask is the bomb! The soap keeps my oily skin at bay which is what feeds the demodex mites to my understanding and the hard bumps that weren't acne all over my forehead subsided greatly when I used the soap and mask together. I also use a clay mask for Sensitive Skin. Works all together great. HTH!

I have also found sea buckthorn helpful in reducing acne rosacea. I'm using natural seabuckthorn powder from Finland, 1 tblsp a day. It's available online in Canada and US. Just google for the website. It definitely reduced the oiliness and bumps for me. Seabuckthorn has numerous other benefits as well.

I too have Rosacea, I have had it for about 9 years now. Anyway, I have only used Metrogel. Before now that is all I would ever need. For the past 2 years in addition to the flushed look, I started getting the "acne" look too. The spots were dry and you could pick them off, unlike acne. BUT my biggest problem is the itching. I have noticed, if I sleep for a long time that the bumps and itching are worse. I have also noticed I only itch when I have the bumps.

I can't use creams on my face because it does cause acne and makes my face oil. My complexion on a general basis is normal. I am 44 years old and as a teen I had maybe 20 pimple on my face during the entire teen years, acne was not a problem for me, so now, my face has more of an acne appearance that what it looked as a teenager.

So has anyone else encountered the itchiness? I do not believe that rosacea comes from mites as it is only on the face, no other part of the body, I believe mites would be on any part of the skin, not just the face.

I was thinking about trying the Zinc Oxide, but lost on what to for the itchiness since I can't use creams on my face.

Thanks

My understanding of a staurated solution is that there should be just enough HP to make the borax disappear. Try putting 1/4 tsp borax to a tsp hp and swish around. If the borax is still obvious add 1/4 - 1/2 tsp hp until you can't see the borax. If this doesn,t cover the area you want to use it on add more of each. After a while you won't even need to measure it. I used it at night only so that it wasn't noticable at work and washed it off in the shower in the morning. At the end of my treatment my skin wasn't any drier. Use an old pillowcase as it will discolor them.

A saturated solution is a solution that is fully saturated, like water and Borax, so that the water can absorb no more Borax. I make it by putting borax into a mixing cup and adding hot water, and stirring. Keep stirring occasionally until cooled off. Let sit until the liquid is pretty clear. There will be some Borax that is not absorbed into the water and that means that the water is fully saturated with Borax. If there is no residue, add some more Borax and keep stirring. Drain off the clear liquid into a squeeze bottle which makes application easier. You can reuse the sediment left over to make a new batch.

We use it on scalp for dandruff, face and arms for skin problems and feet and heels for smooth skin and to prevent cracking, applying it before showering, letting on for a few minutes, then showering. We also apply on problem skin during the day and just let it dry.

These skin problems, we have finally realized, are primarily caused by fungus, maybe some other critters as well. The Borax is very effective. Add some HP if desired.

I'm interested in the effects of using turmeric for my skin problems. I have adult rosacea type acne and melesma. The acne seems to be the worst. I am fair skined so a topical use would make me yellow for sure. I bought some capsules but I'm not sure how many to take and how often I should take them to have any effect on my skin and I'm also wondering how long it might be before I might see any results - especially for the acne. Thank You.

I have read that people with low stomach acids develop rosacea.

I too have felt the same about demodex.. ie how come my partner and myself haven't got issues but my dd does.. I agree about the products and what they contain may cause an imbalance or disrupt the skin barrier.. which would lead mites and bacteria to invade and multiply much easier.
With that they also tend to use natural oils in products now, which if the mites like it.. I guess they will thrive.. things like jojoba oil which is apparently close in nature to our natural sebum.. which would explain why mine and my dds hair fall out when we've used anything jojoba..

We all have demodex though. It's when they overgrow that causes issues. Question is why are they over growing.
I'm thinking that what ever was in the old shampoos and soaps kept them in check... or even things like mineral oil which has been tainted as toxic now, maybe the demodex don't like it.. studies show that very little gets absorbed passed the top layers of skin and helps the skin maintain barrier. Which could have helped demodex from getting out of control.

Vaseline is basically like mineral oil just thicker.. I had read a case study that petroleum jelly helped get rid of these mites..
My dd had blepharitis/chalazions... so I tried vaseline over the lashes with cue tip and the little buggers popped right out of the hair follicles.. I was then convinced it was these mites.
It was a pain doing that every day for a 4 year old... eventually came across green tea.. being that we tried all other teas... black tea.. chamomile..
Green tea had gotten rid of my dds perioral dermatitis which I'm positive was from these mites after using toothpaste with sodium lureth sulfate or SLS..
Which I believe is disrupting the skin barrier.. SLS is in most shampoos too.. I believe it's the lauric acid. Lureth/lauryl anything that looks like the word lauric, I stay clear from now.

Strong green tea got rid of the chalazions and blepharitis too..
Sometimes I'd just put a little boiling water on the bag and make the solution really strong and apply to affected areas morning and night. It worked very quickly and thoroughly unlike the Apple Cider Vinegar or manuka honey or coconut oil.. we tried everything.

The mites carry some bad bacteria and compounds that release when they die and disintegrate on the skin.. which is why the skin gets red and reacts..

Not sure why green tea helps.. not sure if it kills them or they don't like it and drop off.. I've seen a few under microscope and they don't move. (I had bought a microscope because I wanted to know what these things were that popped out of my dds lashes).

I've later seen on YouTube where the footage was very fast tracked so you could see it move..
I wanted to capture some and see what the green tea does.. when I get the time and space on my phone to record it as I imagine I'd have to get an hours worth of recording...

I feel like it's the SLS in products disrupting the skin causing them to go nuts... and lack of protection from skin barrier products like mineral oils..
Maybe the green tea strengthens the skin barrier..
Some studies have shown it useful for rosacea and also ingesting it protects against uv damage to skin.. so it definitely seems it protects the skin..

My skin flared terrible while I was using mineral oil & gets upset when I use petroleum jelly; I can't use any oils at all on my face. I was diagnosed last year with Rosacea at age 70 yrs. I first felt the rough skin on my nose & cheek area, then the terrible flushing started, then the rash. My doctor had me tested for Lupus but it came back negative. Then my dermatologist told me I had Rosacea. I have had food allergies for a long time and have had to eliminate high histamine foods. I also have more veins showing on my chest and lower legs/lower arms than I used to. I've read a lot about the theories about Rosacea, some are: the overabundance of mites that inflame our skin, blood vessel deregulation, and damaged skin barrier. My Derm told me that my next treatment would be laser/IPL. And my health insurance said they might pay for it.

In the meantime, I have tried so many different remedies. I tried the Epsom Salts and it seemed to help a little. I tried the sea salt method which helped a little, but I have dry skin now and both methods dry my skin more. I am now trying Milk of Magnesia, which I put on, let dry, then rinse off. The bumps are under control but still have the redness. If I eat the wrong thing, I get red blotches. I also take Allegra to control allergy issues. It helped get rid of the rash. In the past I was not able to take ACV due to allergic type reactions; but I have never tried it on my skin. I'm going to buy some to try and do a patch test. If it makes it worse to begin with, I guess I will just wear a mask over it.

Can you suggest the strength or type of colloidal silver that you used? I know we aren't allowed to mention brand names, but there are many kinds on the market, so a little guidance would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

Hi all, and thanks for this amazing site. I am wondering what experience anyone would be willing to share about using manuka honey or grapefruit seed extract topically on rosacea or perioral dermatitis. I've never used either one, but am intrigued by the feedback readers have given for other conditions.

Would the honey "feed" the mites rather than kill them, or is the antimicrobial factor stronger than the sugar in honey?

Does the GSE work, and how precisely would one dilute/apply it?

Many thanks for taking the time to write!

I had a rosacea outbreak and I have tried a few things. For the red dry skin hydrating seems to be what works best. Moisturizer or baby zinc cream.

The pimples were challenging. The skin affected is a mass of pimples. I tried honey, urine. No real difference. Medication didn't do anything. I have just started applying my mineral salt stick which I use as a deodorant. This seems to be working. Skin texture seems to be improving and pimples drying and healing.

Hello Ted,

I am using the borax/peroxide remedie for my rosacea skin (I heard baking soda and peroxide works wonders too). But I am afraid it will harm my skin on the long run or worse, it will be unhealthy on the long run?

I also get a headache systematically after the lemon baking soda remedy. What can be the cause of that?

Thank you very much.
Janice

Hi Denvert,

I have controlled redness of rosacea considerably with a dilute solution of cider vinegar- I had to experiment with strength 50/50 Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) filtered water- as I have sensitive skin. I dab my face with ACV solution after cleasing with sensitive skin cleanser- after the ACV dries I then follow this with yogurt face mask- just dab live youghurt on and leave it about half an hour. I have been amazed at the way this maintains a redction in redness. I also ocassionally use lavender oil or Tea Tree. Look also on this site for Ted's remedy for rosacea- hope this helps.

Hi Gaynor, Thanks for the comments. How did you use the lavendar oil? Straight out of the bottle or was it diluted with something? After I have applied the redness reducing cream, I apply a good quality facial cream and then take a cotton swab dipped in TTO and apply (lightly) to any red spots that appear. It seems to work well since, as I mentioned earlier, I have the most sensative skin immaginable. Also how often do you apply the yogurt? I don't really have an extra half hour in the morning. Will try during the evening and let you know. Thanks again.

Hi Denver-t,

I also have very sensitive skin. I use the lavender straight from bottle lightly applying this to affected area- when I feel a breakout of spots coming on. I started using the yogurt every day and now I use this two or three times a week as there has been considerable reduction in redness and spots- it is now confined to one place on one side of my face I hope to clear it completly. I still use a weak solution of borax and H202 one or twice a week. Best of luck

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.

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.

My rosacea has toned down considerably. I use Metro cream now occasionally whenever it gets really bad. It was only on my chin and really red and noticible. That problem has stopped. Now it is more of a drying out and peeling of my skin and rash like redness on my cheeks with pimple like bumps. I use the Metro cream to combat that (it works really well) and still use these methods of treatment. My rosacea now is nothing really to worry about, sometimes barely there and easily covered with makeup, so this is a managable working cure for me.

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

Rosacea - Ted's Remedies

I had a post here earlier on how Hydrogen Peroxide (HP), tea tree oil and drinking baking soda worked for me. It did and then i stopped drinking the baking soda (instead i drank Apple Cider Vinegar) and then stopped washing my face with HP. after i stupidly changed my routine my rosacea came back with a vengeance right when the temperature dropped!

so that's my fault. before i used to wash my face with diluted tea tree and HP (i just eyeball the measurements... maybe 1 tsp tea tree and 2 or more table spoons of HP in 10 cups of water) and then stopped.

after that huge breakout, i tried Ted's remedy of saturated borax, HP, drinking borax and baking soda. over the weekend it was horrible. its now thursday and my skin is again normal! it would have cleared up earlier also i think since the first few batches i did of saturated borax i put toooooo much HP which burned my skin!! and i think by monday/tuesday the redness might have been more because of the burn. i wish someone had mentioned not to put too much HP (i tend to overdose i suppose) lol. but yes, the remedy worked. if its in the correct prescribed measurements, the borax does not sting at all. my bed is just real sandy now since i slept with the borax on my face.

my plan now is to keep putting it on at night, drink HP. I also drink ACV for my insomnia and general health.

Hi Miel. I did the same thing. I used borax and hydrogen peroxide in my bath water. I stayed in the tub too long and burned my skin. It took a while to heal, but I learned a valuable lesson. It's better to use the correct portions than to use too much and cause yourself harm.

Go after your total health first."

I think this is wise advice, Robert. I am beginning to think that rosacea is a symptom of sub-par health. Consequently, when one's health improves, so should one's rosacea. When i refer to health, i mean internal health. That said, i think it is still advantageous to apply gels/creams/ointments to one's face. A lot of evidence points to the cause of rosacea as a deficiency of vitamin b2 (riboflavin) and sulfur (MSM), two things which i have been supplementing my diet with as of late. While the literature suggests that these are not an immediate cure, they seem to work overtime and tackle the root of the problem, which should be the goal, that is, eliminating the cause.

Another thing which i suspect may provoke rosacea is mercury amalgams, as they could release too much mercury into one's body. I have not read too much from people in terms of whether removing mercury amalgams had any positive impact on their rosacea, though i am very interested in finding out.

Hello All,

Thought you might be interested in alternative Dr. Jonathan Wright's theory that when you develop a skin problem, look to your gut (gastrointestinal tract). When you also look at the opinion that 75% or more of our immune system's work is done in the intestines, this could very well be right. Also all the EC'ers who report that taking ACV relieves acid regurg or GERD, adds to this, because his theory is that acid regurg is caused not by an excess of hydrocholoric acid but to a deficiency of it.

I also remember reading that the purpose of our pets licking their wounds is that the passage of the pathogens through their GI tracts is what forms the antibodies against the pathogens, which would seem to enforce the theory of much of the immune system function is performed in our intestines.

Hi Joyce. I would be very interested in reading Dr. Johnathan article on GUT FLORA...I googled and serveral articles came up. I was wondering if you have a link or a source.

I kinda know, like to take probotics and digestive enzymes, but would love to read the article you are refering to.

This is a first, as for me hearing about Dr. Johnathan Wright, I also have been watching Dr. Richard Becker on TV and find his show informative and I know you have mentioned Dr. Linus Pauling. I searced for Dr. Pauling and came to a website, and I think they wanted you to join or something sign up maybe...I perfer to just click on, like we do here and read...

Thanks in advanced, Joyce!

Hello Robert Henry... I know what you mean about different approaches that different healers have, for instance I see alot on here about SOY and SOY LETHICIN and I have found several articles other places that condem the use of SOY PRODUCTS... It seems that Natural healers agree to disagree on many things. I know Dr Andrew W. Saul recomends very high doses of Niacin for depression, not Nicimade and I have read that Niacin is absolutly terriable for the liver. I know you, yourself have said you eat know animal organs and Ted and Robert Von Sarbacher recommend Beef Liver for certain things....It does get confusing at times. Always something different from different healers.

hi tahiti! definitely! that incorrect mixture was so painful on my face and i thought that was normal. i was almost in tears. absolutely my fault and not Ted!

update on my skin - skin is all clear of rosacea! its unbelievable how i did not discover this last winter. my rosacea typically occurs during winter. i stopped using the borax for the moment but i'm thinking of doing it every other day.

Wow Amanda. Thanks for your astoundingly thorough exposition! I am way too lazy for all that but I have learned from it.... and will be encorporating some of it. Sometimes I think the treatment that works is the one we believe in with all our hearts or feel that has been sent to us. Gotta keep an open mind. Thanks again.

Can you provide more details about the herbs you are taking so that readers may be able to replicate your success?

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

This is for Neena from Chicago.

I live in Chicago too and have been looking for an alternative way of curing my Rosacea. I'm tired of all the medications, both internal and topical, that I've taken and that have little or no affect on my condition. Could you possibly provide me with the name of the TCM practioner that you saw in Chicago? Or provide the name of the specific area where he/she is located?

This is an update to my post of 2/24/11.

After making many phone calls and verifying credentials of TCM practioners, I made an appointment.

First Practioner:
It's been three weeks since I started taking herbs for my Rosacea and the results were mediocre. I originally started with a TCM practioner located on the northside of Chicago, who gave me herbs combined with accupuncture. The first three weeks I did see some improvement (pustules were almost non-existent) but redness and papules remained. However, I did notice that when I received the second accupuncture treatment, the paplues were reduced in size, if not almost gone, and the redness still remained. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the highest recommendation), I would rate this TCM practioner a 5).

Second Practioner:
I decided to see another TCM practioner that was closer to where I lived. After this second TCM practioner reviewed my health profile, checked my pulse, checked my tongue for color, checked my palms and nails, and asked me about any other ailments I had, I was given several herbs to injest. Within the first week, the redness was diminishing, pustules were almost absent, and just a few minor papules. By the third week, the redness on the left side of my face was just a blush of red, pustules are gone and a few smaller bumps. Needless to say, the herbs are working.

While my Rosacea has not totally disappeared, I can finally go outside without trying to hide my face. I still use makeup to hide the residual effects of Rosacea, which makes my face look normal. I would strongly recommend that you see a TCM practioner, rather than trying to take herbs on your own.

I think it's important to understand that while the herbs are working, you won't see changes over night, especially if your Rosacea is sever like mine is/was. Here is the website link to TCM practioner in Chicago http://www.liferising.com, 2131 S. Archer Ave. Suite B, Chicago IL, 312-842-2775.

Good Luck!

I have a question for Ted? What do you mean by saturated solution of 1% hydrogen peroxide and borax? When I put any amount of borax in the hydrogen peroxide it does not dissolve but gets hard. Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks! I have been using this only on my face for about a week and I notice my nose is less red. I am wondering if it makes sense to take borax with apple cider vinegar as one is an acid and the other a base. Wouldn't they neutralize each other out?

Where can I get the borax and what is the recipe and dosage for fibro? thanks

Hi Tricia from Ireland,

Where is the best place to get borax and HP from over the counter in Ireland, I have Rosacea mostly over my face and area and would be very interested to try the mix suggested in this forum.

I am confused as to why, if rosacea is caused by mites, why doesn't my husband or or family members have this? I thought mites were contagious. Thank you for your response.

In the same way that mosquitoes don't attack everyone, demodex mites are probobly the same way. people that suffer from these parasites have many different ractions - some have pimples some don't. Ted does explain in one of his posts that children don't contract the mite because their skin hasn't got the same sebacuos(wrong spelling, I know) oils as adults. I would imagine that because of shaving a man would only suffer this on his nose and ears if he did contract them.

I have had Rosacea for years, and Metrogel always took care of it, not this time; the last 8 months have been hell, 2 weeks ago I found your site, what a godsend. I believe in natural remedies, do not like to take medication. I have been with Ted's regiment of Borax Hydrogen, external and internal, for 2 weeks, so far no relieve. I truly believe I have this mite that Ted talks about in his message, have every symptom mentioned. My problem now is, that I will be going to Europe for 3 weeks in a couple of weeks, if I interrupt this treatment I will be right back where I started, and I haven't even seen an improvement..............."Please Help" I am so desperate, my face looks terrible. I have also tried Tea Tree Oil, and ACV. "ANY" HELP AT ALL WOULD BE APPRECIATED". Thank you. Kitty

I have rosacea and have managed to get rid of the redness on my skin by applying ACV topically after cleansing my face with E45 cream for sensitive skin three times a day. The ACV stings at first but I got used to it. Once the stinging subsides it appears to calm the inflammation and any redness disappears. I still get the odd bump/ pustule but these are getting less. I also use yoghurt as a face mask sometimes and this helps.

While treating the problem naturally, I also use natural mineral powder make-up which covers all signs of blemishes giving an even natural tone to the skin.It is applied with a brush- as it is in powder form. It does look good and it has given me confidence when I go out as no one would know you have rosacea. This make-up is made of minerals Micas, Titanium oxide, Zinc oxide, iron oxide, rice powder, kaolin-it does not iritate sensitive skin and acts as a sunscreen sun factor 15. If you buy mineral make-up check there is nothing else added like fillers such as Bismuth or talc as these are iritants.

It is a struggle but keep fighting. Some people take the anti-oxydent L-lysine - I am considering trying this- I think it is mentioned for rosacea on htis site. Hope this helps.

Have you tried sea buckthorn?

Kitty, If you believe you have the mites - Teds remedies should work. I used 1/2 tsp borax in 2 capfuls of 3% peroxide 2 drops tea tree oil on my skin nightly and left it on overnight. In the morning I used whatever was leftover to wash my face with it but rinsed that off as I couldn't concentrate on work with the tightness it gave my skin. I only used coconut oil as a moisturiser at that time and I also used the 1/8 tsp in a litre of water to drink. I started on june 4th and did this routine daily for one month then for 1st two weeks of july repeated the process every 2 days. Last two weeks of july went to every 4th or 5th day and am now only using it once a week. but still drinking the boraxed water daily.

I would be interested to know the quantities that you are using as you say that after two weeks you cant see a difference. I noticed a difference the first day and it slowed down after that. Although I never had any pustule or lumps of any kind I had the redness and crawling feeling of the mites along with intermittant severe flushing. All I have left is a lot of broken blood vesels which I believe is damage caused by the mites. Maybe the effects on your skin has been different and it may take longer or slight alteration of the remedy.

Bring your remedy with you when you go away, but pack it in your suitcase not your hand luggage. I did this and it was fine. At the most you will arrive at the other end without it. And by the way wear a sunhat if you are going someplace warm as there is not point getting sundamage after all the hard work of getting rid of the mites. Best wishes

Hi Tricia!

I just wanna know how much is 2 capfuls. Is it 1 teaspoon or 1 tablespoon. Thank you!

just measured it and 2 capfulls is closer to 2 tablespoons, though the second one wasn't quite full. When I first did it I put the 2 caps hp in a glass and kepts adding bits of borax till it wouldn't dissolve . That's Ted's description of a saturated borax hydrogen peroxide solution. So 1 tbsp and less borax may be enough for you or you might need more depending on area you want to cover. Good luck - I still think it was worth taking the time to follow this method. (And use an old pillowcase)

Hello Tricia...I have been following your comments regarding your trials with Ted's Remedy, you seem to have a lot of knowledge. Can you please tell me the following; are you still using the treatment? How long did you use it? Is your rosacea gone? What type of moisturizer did you use, then and now? What cleanser and sun block are you using? My skin (face) is ultra sensitive, I'm afraid to try a product that hasn't been recommended by a fellow rosacea sufferer. I just started Ted's Remedy (day 2), internally and externally, and am seeing some encouraging improvement, however, my face is very dry and itchy. I would very much appreciate any feedback you could give me. Many Thanks!

Hi Nanci, there is no doubt that this remedy was probobly one of the longest thought through things that I have done yet up to this point all a doctor had to do was hand me a script and I'd run to the pharmacy and swallow.

All the stuff I read about rosacea and mites just made sense but, "my God", the cure seemed drastic. I have sensitive skin too so it was scary.

Your questions:-

Am I still using the treatment?

Maybe about once a month if I think of it although I have no contact with animals at present, I probably would then use a maintainence shot more often if I did..
I think that once you have had a parasitic type infection you will do anything to prevent a second round of it.

How long is my rosacea gone?

It was probably gone by around mid Sept having started Teds treatment in early june this year and like you noticed a remarkable difference in the early days and after about ten days, while not gone, it did take longer to see the differences. Because I was on holiday from work i was able to use it morning and night for the 1st 2 weeks using the 5 days on 2 days off routine. Then because I had to go back to work I only used it at night(mid your pillowcases, they will stain)and washed it off in the shower. I kept this up for a month and the went to every second night for a couple of weeks then every 3rd and so on. By christmas I had stopped regular use which by then was only once a week/10 days. I never broke the cycle I was using to know would it have re-emerged. But since then it's a case of if and when I remember it.

Moisturisers and cleansers I used -

The peroxide/borax is cleansing enough in itself and I only wear make-up 1 or 2 days per week which I made my off days from the treatment so I continued to use a standard off the shelf cleanser for sensitive skin at weekends. I used a couple of different moisturisers that are non-perfumed. Many years ago I saw programme on a cream which is the basis of all medicated creams i.e. cream and cortisone or cream and antibiotic.The claim was that this was unperfumed and relatively pure so as not to interact with the medications. I wouldn't assume this still stands true as most manufactures will add cheap chemicals and call it a new and improved product. Anyway, the cream is called silcocks base and is manufatured by a number of different Irish companies. I don't know what it would be called in the States It is often used for excema sufferers.

VCO tended to give me a tingling sensation if I used it too soon in the day or night after the peroxide/borax. But for a deeper moisturiser I would use sesame oil, grapeseed oil and sometimes a little castor oil to which I added a few drops of neem oil. Now I will use any of the ordinary off the self stuff. Because I sunburn very easily I use the strongest 24 hr sunblocks that are sold for children. They are chemical laden and will sting sensitive skin but it's far better than sunburn and sunstroke(believe me, I've been there)

Afraid to try -

Yeah, I was too, but now I'm real glad that I did go for it. The flushing and stinging was unbearable. I was afraid to go out in the sun because that made it worse.

I now have sensitive skin rather than ultra-sensitive skin (stung constantly with or without product). I would have to be trying an new soap or cream and have a reaction for a cream to reeally sting me now and I find I can use most stuff without a problem. Opening the diswasher (real hot steam) too soon can also do it now. The only downside was that when the flushing was gone I can now see each individual broken veins. I thought I just had a few but now I can see loads.

Dry and itchy skin -

Try putting it on at night only. I noticed that my skin looked and felt very dry - almost like crumpled paper within about 10 minutes of putting on the HP/B but it seemed to go back to normal after a shower. I think the minute particles of borax sat on the skin and and itched a bit. Ted does reccomend it twice per day but the once worked for me.

Hope this helps. Robert Henry from Ten Mile were the posts that I followed to give me my confidence to go ahead although if you're seeing a difference already you've probably made your mind up.

Hello Tricia...

Thank you so much for your very helpful reply! While reading it, I thought of more questions...you are a great resource.
Are you still drinking the borax & hp, if not, when did you stop? Did you ever drink water with baking soda, or add it to the borax/ hp drink? What are you doing for your broken capillaris? do you still have some redness to your skin (rosy cheeks) or has it all disappeared?

I am so anxious for this to work and put this ailment behind me...i've been dealing with this for three years!

Many thanks Tricia!

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 :-(

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.

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.

Put milk of magnesia on your face with a cottonballl before bedtime and it will take out most of the redness of Rosacea.

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.

Hyperpyrexia means extremely high fever.

Hi mark I wanted to know how exactly did you do the borax and peroxide treatment? I also have a question for everybody else on EC if you guys can help. Can black people get rosacea because I have holes and redness in my skin also.

on this Recipe - Borax and Peroxide - could someone please give the exact recipe? ...or where to look to find it on this huge site ! Thanks so

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.

I was dealing with rosacea that had pustules, itched, unsightly redness, scabs and swelling. I no longer get flareups. I attribute resolution to "dumb luck. " I purchased Costco's NeoCell collagen to help knee pain. After about a month a friend noted how great my face looked-and it did! (And I only take 2-3 tabs, not the recommended 6. ) Initially, I had seen some improvement in my skin after starting to use Costco's complexion clothes with aloe and chamomile but the dramatic improvement has been a regime of taking the collagen tabs with appx 1 TBSP of _____s Organic ACV daily on an empty stomach and not eating anything for half an hour (plus I no longer get acid reflux). It took about a month initially but it has been more than a year and no flareups. I also use moisturizer called DermaMagic (aloe & emu oil) and organic coconut oil. (I tried oil of oregano with less than remarkable results. ) My rosacea developed after a severe allergic reaction to Clinique's face wash and Turnaround cream.

Do you need to store the ACV + H2O mixture in the fridge? The concentrated ACV I use is stored in the fridge. Thanks! Robin

Hi Ted,

Do you think there is a connection between mercury amalgams and rosacea? I have several mercury fillings, which i would like to have removed. I will be spending much time in Asia in the near future, so i am thinking about visiting a dentist there that specializes in the safe removal of mercury fillings. Perhaps you can recommend some in Thailand or Korea. Thanks.

My eyes and throat were so dry I could not sleep at night. Nothing helped, not vitamin A, eye drops etc.nothing. For some reason, I reached for some natural estrogen with pomegranate that I had had for months but never taken. They were from a major on line supplier of health supplements. My dry eyes and dry mouth symptoms disappeared as well as my Rosacea. Now instead of using Vitamin C and Lysine (works too but doesn't take care of dry eyes and mouth) for Rosacea I take natural estrogen tablets. Since then I have researched this and there are numerous testimonies of people who have used bio-identicial estrogen for Rosacea. I no longer take Lysine and vitamin C. Men have estrogen too. So, maybe Rosacea is a hormonal problem.

If the skin on your face peels from Rosacea try dabbing the spots with witch hazel. It worked for me.

For the last five days, I have been applying _____ 45 SPF Clear Zinc Oxide to my face in morning for sun protection. The redness on my cheeks appears to be subsiding rapidly since commencing application. Really. Maybe others will have a similar experience. I will continue to put it on my face in the morning. I will report back in a few weeks. In the meantime, if you want to try the product, a small 1oz pot can be ordered online for a measely few bucks.

It has been over a week since i posted. I am pleased to say that my redness is continuing to subside. I cannot be sure whether it is the zinc oxide, though it seems plausible. I am take borax powder internally and externally ala Ted's recommendations. I have been using borax for about 45 days.

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!