Advice for Rosacea sufferer!

[HelenOfJoy]

Hi all, my boyfriend who's 33 suffers with Rosacea and has done for many years now and he gets incredibly down about it. He got quite emotional the other night and begged for my help but I'm not really sure what I can do. He doesn't treat it with anything at the moment and just uses cover ups to hide it. I did buy him some Dr Organic Manuka Honey face cream to try which I use on my eczema. I really want to help him sort it, mainly his confidence. He's always in the bathroom looking at it and making sure it's always hidden. I've never seen him properly without his cover up and I told him one day I'll get him to walk the streets without any one which he said he'd like. He's worried about people's comments and being shouted at in the street?! He really needs a confidence boost but I'm not sure how I can help apart from reassuring him and telling him how gorgeous he is, which is true! I've been researching some creams for him but wondered if anyone can recommend any? No steroid creams though. I'd love some advice, please help!

[finred]

Look at rosacea.ie it has tips -advice -products which might help -site is operated by rosacea sufferer type 1 -best of luck

[HelenOfJoy in reply to finred]

Thank you, I will have a look.

[gfmum1]

I always thought I had rosacea but it turned out I had an allergy to ingredients that appear in most skin products & makeup. I now keep my beauty routine to the bare minimum & avoid products with the known nasties in - it took me ages to find a moisturiser that worked but that was the turning point for me. I now only need a bit of concealer on some broken veins, not the make up I used to use to try to hide my skin.

For me the "nasties" are octocrylene (which is a sunscreen and has lots of other names), methylisothiazolinone, methylchloroisothiazolinone and sls. That might not be the answer for your boyfriend, but it's worth looking at eliminating those to see if it helps.

I went to the doctor about mine & got nowhere but your boyfriend's doctor may be more helpful. I wish your boyfriend well, I remember how miserable it is.

[HelenOfJoy in reply to gfmum1]

Thank you. He has been to the doctor so many times. It's definitely rosacea and he hates the stuff doctors give him. I'm trying to find him something more natural as there's so many chemicals like sls that agrivate it.

[PaulGeary1979]

I'm a male with mild rosacea,redness on cheeks, I've found the eucerin redness relief tinted spf 25 the best and the la Roche posey anthelios bb tinted spf 50+ is very good,also the body shop aloe cream is really soothing....and I moisturise with Aveeno it seems to not aggravate my skin, also maybe try a light self tanner to tone the red to more of a brown, the doctors creams have been useless for me,maybe he can try ipl laser if the redness and burning are an issue

[behappy1]

I agree a light self tan helps immensely. The best thing for me was seeing a specialist at Brighton in the Avicenna clinic. He Prescribed a tincture to dab on & cream, plus herbs to drink. Improved my skin by 70%.

[Violetta62]

Hi Helen,

I wrote this for a couple of other sufferers, it takes too long to write on my phone, I hope you don't mind 😃

I'm really sorry to hear about your boyfriend's suffering, I've been through it twice, that's how I found this site.

I didn't know it was Rosacea, the first time I had it the specialist told me it was acne, this time I self diagnosed it by looking up my symptoms on Google and looking at the images. Everyone I spoke to about it told me to try many different things and I jumped from one thing to another but it kept getting worse. I searched online and found that it could be caused by Demodex and found a Chinese doctor who had helped many people. I ordered the cream and soap and I have to say that it's gone. I have photos of what it was like in March, 2016'ish I can take some now to show you, I have some from In between too. I'm not saying it was easy, it seemed to take a long time to start working and some days it seemed really good and others not so. But I'm really glad I stuck at it. I also ordered some creams from Zenmed, I was going to take them on holiday with me but they arrived too late and it was almost gone by the time I got back, so I never got round to trying it. I've tried to copy and paste some photos but it won't let me, message me if you want to see them.

I want you to know that there is hope, try not to let it make you stressed.

Below is the information I read and the cream and soap.

Good luck and let me know how you get on with whatever you decide to do.

Sharon x

demodexsolutions.com/?all_a...

demodexsolutions.com/anti-b...

demodexsolutions.com/zhongz...

[Anitacorbettsa]

I am reposting this information as I believe it addresses a wide range of Rosacea problems

Good luck

All skin conditions are intrinsically linked to a disharmony in the gut and Rosacea is no different

Basically what is at the root of your gut problem is that the bonds between the gut epithelium are not as close knit as they should be and are not producing sufficient mucus to protect you .

That means that the food you eat, if not extremely well broken down in the stomach and predigested by stomach acids , bile etc are finding there way across your gut barrier into your blood system where they set off an inflammatory response which becomes chronic

So the best help for you is to heal your gut as much as possible and then look at ways to support your immune system and bring the inflammation down

How?

Consume food in its most easily digested state

Betaine hydrochloride is essential for the stomach to get the correct level of stomach acid which is your bodies best and first defense mechanism and necessary for B12 absorption ( closely linked to stress levels ) and as a result, your Rosacea

Take a digestive aid with extra enzymes to break down food

Add ox bile as this not only digests fats but also helps, by keeping the correct ph in the upper small intestine

Eggs and fish protein are your best protein option or meat that has been brothed.

Lots of resistant starch to grow good gut bacteria as this controls the balance of bacteria throughout the gut

The small intestine should be pretty sterile but in your case there is a propensity for bacteria ... The bad ones ... To migrate into the small intestine and set up some pretty unpleasant gut disbiosis

AND SUGARS fed to bacteria where they shouldn't be are a recipe for disaster

So My prescription :

Natural yogurt ...raw if possible

Raw yogurt or better still Kefir ...

Colostrum for the lactoferin : buy a packet of Jump Start at Farmlands

Take 1 Tablespoon and stir into your breakfast raw yogurt

Or porridge or scrambled egg whatever...

Linseed : 1 cup full blend with some water add 1 liter of water stand in the fridge over night strain the goop which is very high in mucin which is soothing to the gut, plus high in omega 3 oils, important for your entire body but particularly your skin

Stir it into anything and everything ...it has no taste so is easy to add eg;

Fruit shake / cereal / whatever you make for dinner eg stir a big dollop into mayonnaise Add yogurt and lemon juice to balance the flavor plus some Mediterranean herbs savory or thyme etc and voila you have a super good for you dressing oh you can add a good teaspoon of turmeric anti inflammatory for good measure

Bone Broth

Chicken or beef bones

1/3 of a full celery including leaves

Beetroot leaves if you can get ( handful) Nitrous Oxide

Huge bunch of parsley chlorophyll / iron /

2 carrots

2 onions

1 full garlic head

Season with salt and herbs thyme/ oregano / bay leaf

Sauté bones and onion

Add veges and allow to sweat for 10 min

Add 1 litre of water allow to simmer for a minimum of 2 hours ...longer if possible

This produces raw sulphur in a format that is easy for the body to use to ; fight inflammation, build connective tissue, repair gastric epithelium

Enjoy at least 1 cup of broth a day . You may purée the veges once bones are removed if preferred or drink as broth tea

Vit D3 supplement easy to get from doc or cheap to get yourself

The prevalence of bacteria in different parts of the GI tract appears to be dependent on several factors, such as pH, peristalsis, redox potential, bacterial adhesion, bacterial co-operation and antagonism, mucin secretion, diet and nutrient availability.

Therefor:

Probiotic with colonizing cultures of Bifidobacterium longum and Lactobacillus acidophilus the highest quantity if you can get one that includes Lactobacillus paracasei (very good for blocking peptides that cause inflammation) , Streptococcus thermophilus (a species found in most yogurts, can increase ceramide production) some good multi strain probiotics carry it but you won't know for sure if it's in the yogurt you buy

These are the good bacteria with known benefits for skin conditions and will help to keep other bacteria under control/ balanced

Betaine Hydrochloride with ox bile AND

Pancreatic enzymes ( see if your Dr will prescribe this long term ...it is on the national prescription registry)

There is proof that this controls SIBO / small intestine bowl overgrowth / linked to Rosacea ... Very high incidence...I can send you articles to prove the claim for Drs

Cod Liver Oil ...just get it down ...best to take on an empty stomach first thing in the morning....chase with a little hot peppermint tea not toooo much as it must get through the first stomach quickly so it doesn't repeat on you

Because this oil is a natural source of the omega-3-fatty-acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Among their many benefits, omega 3 fatty acids can help reduce inflammation in your body. This oil also contains natural levels of vitamin A and vitamin D.

Current research IAP

Important protective role of intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) – including regulation of intestinal surface pH, absorption of lipids, detoxification of free nucleotides and bacterial lipopolysaccharide, attenuation of intestinal inflammation, and possible modulation of the gut microbiota

What develops this:

Whole-fat milk (the milk us kids drank back in the days before the obesity epidemic) coupled with its high calcium and lactose content would be particularly effective at increasing IAP excretion,

Simple and complex carbohydrates are also known to increase the production of IAP in rodents. That includes starches. (12) However, guar gum, a common food additive, was seen to lower IAP activity. (13) And speaking of starch, potato starch, a resistant starch currently in vogue among certain Paleo Diet advocates, has also shown an ability to increase IAP. (14)

Both vitamins K1 and K2 also increase IAP levels in rats. (15) Both are found in meat, dairy, and eggs.

K2 is also produced by lactobacillus in the small intestine, hinting that its production has more to do with increasing IAP activity against endotoxins instead of serving as a nutritional source for the host. Whatever benefits are currently ascribed to K2 supplementation may have more to do with this than anything else.

Other dietary components shown to increase IAP activity include black and red pepper, and ginger. (16) This suggests that consistently including these spices in your diet may also be of benefit.

gIAP, but not dIAP, protein expression significantly increased in response to an HFD ( High Fat Diet ) with 45% fat content [77% from saturated fatty acids (SFA)]

Alkaline phosphatase is a vital enzyme mainly manufactured by the liver. Bones, kidneys, intestines also contribute to alkaline phosphatase quantities in the body

Common symptoms of alkaline phosphatase deficiency include fatigue, shortness of breath, cold intolerance, constipation, rapid heart rate and impressive weight-loss . Irritable bowl syndrome, Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn's Disease, peptic ulcers are linked to low levels of IAP.

Consuming certain foods can help increase alkaline phosphatase levels.

Normal Alkaline Phosphatase Level

Normal levels vary between children and adults and also between different laboratories. Ask your doctor for specific details regarding your alkaline phosphatase level.

The normal level in children is generally less than 350 U/L.

The levels range from 25-100 U/L in adults.

Low alkaline phosphatase is often detected during routine blood tests. A physician will start by evaluating the diet and correcting any deficiencies present and consider adding supplements after discussion. Common vitamin deficiencies such as B6, B12 and vitamin C and folic acid should be corrected by taking quality supplements. Anemia can be improved with the addition of iron supplements.

Below are common foods to increase alkaline phosphatase level:

1. Phosphorus

This key element is only second to calcium in terms of our body’s requirement. It is vital for creating alkaline phosphatase and important in processes such as energy production, bone formation, DNA production and absorption of calcium. Health foods such as lentils, salmon, halibut, chicken, turkey, eggs, yogurt and nuts such as almonds are all excellent sources.

2. Healthy fats

Alkaline phosphatase plays a role in the digestion and absorption of dietary fats from the intestines. Higher levels of alkaline phosphatase have been noted in those who consume cod liver oil, coconut and corn oil.

3. Zinc

Zinc supplementation can boost production of alkaline phosphatase in the body. Healthy bone formation, skin integrity and immune system function all rely on zinc. Excellent sources include pumpkin seeds, ginger root, pecans, peas, oysters and Brazil nuts. Maximum daily supplemental intake of zinc should not exceed 30 mg per day.

4. Vitamin B12

Pernicious anemia is linked to low alkaline phosphatase levels and B12 deficiency is at the heart of the problem. Vitamin B12 is plentiful in fish, eggs, dairy products and most meats. Vegetables from the sea are rich in B12, while vegans and vegetarians should consider supplementing with 2 mcg of vitamin B12 a day. An under the tongue (sublingual) tablet is available and rapidly absorbed.

5. Vitamin A

This anti-oxidant vitamin stimulates alkaline phosphatase production form the bone cells and intestinal tract. Sources of high vitamin A include chili peppers, dandelion roots, carrots, apricots, kale, sweet potatoes, spinach and liver from ox, chicken and calf. Fish oils such as salmon oil and cod liver oil are rich in vitamin A. Use caution when taking vitamin A supplements as this vitamin is stored in the fat cells of our body and excess supplementation can lead to side effects.

Resistant Starch

Other helpful protocols for Rosacea

Wear undergarments that are moisture wicking and keep your temperature constant

Bamboo fibre is a good option

Sheets and pillowcases made of cotton or this bamboo material

Do not use softener and where possible use natural soap such as Castile or sunlight soap grated ..,rinse all clothing well

Once a month add borax powder to the wash to kill mites ( because your skin turnover rate is much higher than the average person you are more prone to mite problems)

Hang washing in the sun, air bedding particularly pillowcases in full sun often.

Dermalogica Close Shave Oil

Rose water and Witch hazel spritzer with a drop or two of tea tree oil

Jojoba Oil is great ...also reduced neutrophil infiltration, as indicated by decreased myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity.

Beating Rosacea II: Treatment Advancements for Facial Rosacea". Dr Nase

See if you can get it through the library