Eczema, Rosacea or both?

[tigerbalm123]

Hello all, I'm new here. After having several appointments with the GP with no result I wanted to seek some advice online before splashing the cash on a private dermatologist.

I'll start by saying I've had eczema all my life (25, male) and as I've gotten older it's been manageable with a topical steroid cream, Betamethasone.

In Autumn of 2020 I started getting periorbital dermatitis on my eyelids (eventually diagnosed by an NHS dermatologist). At the time I went to the GP who told me to purchase Dermol cream. I'm not sure if it worked but after a couple of months the dermatitis died down and went away completely in Winter of 2020.

Then came August 2021. I believe it was around this period when the second major lockdown restriction started to ease up. This was when I started doing kickboxing as a hobby. Generally, when I exercise my face gets very red and hot. Kickboxing is a very intensive sport which is incredibly tiring, since I started training my flare ups came back and this time it spread to my right cheek, right and left eyebrow. It's worth noting I've been doing boxing for about 8 months prior to Covid but no flare ups of dermatitis has ever occurred.

Fast forward to today and I've been to see the GP numerous times where I've been prescribed 4 different creams, one of them is a hydrocortisone cream, another is for fungal (I can name these creams if it helps). None of these creams have worked. I've been referred to the NHS dermatologist who basically gave the same advice as the GP's. I went to see another GP last week and prescribed Soolantra in case this is Rosacea I'm dealing with. I've been using the cream for 4 days but nothing's changed, I will keep using it of course until it can be definitively ruled out.

Is there anyone here who has dealt/dealing with something similar? My feeling is that the Rosacea caused from intense exercise has left permanent eczema/dermatitis areas on my face. I am just baffled at how I've been using so many creams and nothing is remotely curing it.

I am extremely close to biting the bullet and see a private dermatologist but £200 for a 30 minute consultation requires lots of thought for me. It's also likely that one consultation and one course of treatment won't resolve the problem so the costs will stack up. I've not experience this flare up of this nature on my face ever. I am getting more and more self conscience of it and it's mildly itchy which is a bit of a nuisance.

Can anyone who's dealt with dermatitis on their face provide any advice? Thanks.

[MaveB]

Hi tigerbalm123,

I'm also on the brink, for a third time in a few years of going privately to see a dermatologist. It's frustrating, but rosacea and related skin issues aren't seen as much of a priority, particularly in the current NHS situation since covid. It's viewed more as a cosmetic problem. I'm still waiting four months on for an appointment. From my experience you're right to think about the wider cost implications too.

I'm also using soolantra, and just to add for you on that, it may take a while to notice any difference, and/or if it's the right course of treatment for you, as it works on skin mites called demodex, which can be a trigger, particularly around oily skin areas.

Added to the above I've learnt that personal triggers can be a factor for rosacea flare ups, one of which can be intense exercise ....... In my own case I discovered that caffeine aggravated facial flushing, eliminating it has reduced the problem significantly. Wine can also, which I only ever drink very rarely.

Good luck to you, take care for now. x

[tigerbalm123 in reply to MaveB]

Hi MaveB,

Thank you for taking the time to read my post. I am surprised to hear that you have been to see a private dermatologist three times already but with no resolution. It doesn't fill me with confidence but then again, everyone's body is different. Have you been prescribed Protopic by any chance? I've heard that it's useful for facial eczema if that is what you're dealing with. I do agree with you that the moderate/minor skin problems we are facing mean we have been pushed down the priority list for the NHS which is far from ideal.

I will continue using soolantra for a week as advised by my GP. If this doesn't work then I think a private dermatologist may be the only avenue left. Have you found soolantra to be effective?

In terms of the triggers, I have actually given up caffeine for about 4 days now, and dare I say the rashes are improving in terms of being less red but the itchiness is about the same. Overall my body is similar to yours in the way that it reacts to alcohol (especially red wine), exercise, and caffeine, as I've recently discovered. I am Asian so I am prone to flushing a lot easier than my English friends.

All the best to you and good luck!

[MaveB in reply to tigerbalm123]

Hello again tigerbalm123,

You hit the nail on the head there I believe, everyone's body and their skin is so different. My experience has been that to pin down what type of rosacea it is (there are various subtypes) and the cause, versus the most effective treatment is difficult and based on trial and error.

I don't have eczema or dermatitis complications, however through unrecognised and untreated rosacea I developed a condition, which is rare, particularly in women, called rhinophyma. This affects the nose area and distorts its shape and there is very little treatment available on the NHS for it. Hence the private route, where I needed basic surgery to remove a patch of diseased skin. More recently I've sought advice on further treatment and preventative management for the future.

I've been using soolantra for four months now, and yes I can see some improvement in terms of my skin not looking so red (I have the butterfly shape under skin rash) it also has better texture and tone to it. It hasn't cured it though. I am a fair skinned, freckly type apparently also quite prone to rosacea. I didn't realise that Asian skin tone is also prone to flushing.

As well as working on triggers, I have completely changed my facial skin care routine, which is really helping the oily build up during the day. Sun can be another trigger, so I am also very careful about using a good sunscreen when outdoors.

Soolantra have a website you may find interesting to read some of the info on.

Hope that's helpful, take care x

[EvaChangingFaces Partner]

Hello tigerbalm123 and welcome to the Changing Faces community. It sounds like things are difficult for you at the moment and you have been going through a lot with trying to manage your eczema and general skin condition. However, you really have taken a brave step to express openly how you feel about your skin in this community. I hope you get some additional support and connect with other members on here.

Take care,

Eva - ChangingFaces

[tigerbalm123 in reply to EvaChangingFaces]

Hi Eva, thanks for the kind words and warm welcome. I appreciate what you and everybody at Changing Faces are doing for people who are going through difficulty in their lives.

[Strayc in reply to tigerbalm123]

I suffer with rosacea too and I found that the GP and even the dermatologists are not great at diagnosing or treating this. The steroid creams like the hydrocortisone one and the one you had intially make rosacea worse. The antibiotic kind of cream like Soolantra help with the pimples, but takes 4 weeks or so to see a result. In the first week it can make your symptoms worse, then it gets better.If it does not work you might be oferred antibiotic tablets.

But you might want to change your face products like soap and moisturiser. There are rosacea specific ones. You can find in Boots Avene Antirougeurs Clean Cleanser to clean your face with and Avene Skin Recovery Cream to put on afterwards. I had to change my face cream, soap and shampoo and have warm rather than hot showers.

My rosacea flares up if I have hot food and drinks, either temperature hot or spice hot. Also citrics make my face red and the face mask.

I hope you find out what it is.