Well, I just discovered another wonderful symptom of p.m. (at this point it's self diagnosed) and it's rosacea.

For the past few weeks I noticed that my cheeks were rather rosy (even w/out blush). I did some research and sure enough rosacea is common in women going w/through menopause.

I have an appt w/a derm next week for annual mole check so the timing if perfect

Has anyone else experienced this change?

EJ

Yeah, I've certainly noticed it over the last year and it can be pretty depressing! It seems like everybody tells me how flushed I'm looking - like I don't already know! I've a very fair complexion so it really shows up. I've tried Hydroquinone and Retin-A but to no avail. If you come up with any answers, I'd love to hear them.

Would that explain the blazing chest I have acauired? Everyone assumes I have been in the sun... I will be interested in what you find out. Thanks for posting this info. Hazel

Here is a quick summary regarding rosacea:

There are several excellent websites with information on this condition...simply type in the word on your web browser. (Plenty of pics availabe )

It is most common amoung fair skinned people, particularly of Celtic descent...it was once known as the "curse of the Celts"

It is more common if you have exposed your skin to sun damage over your lifetime...there is no known medical cause or permanent cure...only management through lifestyle changes.

Saying that......I am an Irish/Scot redhead who broke out with occular rosacea last year and had to be treated with antibiotics. I had to completely change my cosmetics and skin care regimen in order to get the inflammation under control...and it is working. Be prepared to spend money! Not only on all natural skin care products, but on a good sunscreen, one of the best things you can do for yourself at this time.

My skin has recently changed to but I don't know if its rocesea related. My doctor said I had a "butterfly rash" across my face and cheeks one day which was abnormal. She tested me for autoimmune disease such as lupus. It came back negative, fortuantely. I always have rashes somewhere on my body now. It gets itchy, very dry, and red of course. I also "had" fair skin until this entered the picture. My skin has been so obsurd lately.. who knows. I have to wait for my lab tests still to figure out whats going on with my hormones at this point in my life. I have heard of some prescription medications that are suppossed to treat it. I have not been diagnosed, however and have not tried any of them. Ask your doctor about the prescription and side effects... Good luck hun!

~ Tara

Ladies

Acne was my very first symptom of peri which started summer before last. I went to my regular doctor and she immediately proposed that it was hormone related (I never have had acne not even much as a teenager), but she also said she would go ahead and refer me to a dermatologist if I wanted...so I went. He diagnosed me with Rosacea and at the time my hormone checks were showing normal (however, my regular doctor still said she thought I was peri and that one can be even if the hormones come back normal). I use two different creams. I use Finacea in the morning under my make up and I use Rosanil at night after I've washed my face (this gets washed off as well...the Finacea stays on as a protectant under the makeup). They have really helped and for the most part my face looks pretty good.

In the mean time I started to have major peri symptoms and on one of my follow ups with my dermatologist I asked him if the acne was indeed rosacea or perhaps just due to hormones. He replied that the hormones probably triggered the rosacea and that once I was through menopause I would probably see a decrease in the acne/rosacea. I have had no side effects from either of these creams and in reading the labels they really didn't appear to have many. In retrospect I really do think the acne/rosacea was my first sign....followed by many many more

I have always had problematic skin. I had cystic acne which I needed to take accutane for. I have been on every antibiodic known to mankind and used every cream associated with acne on the market. My life has been totally affected by acne. I have low self esteem and back away from people because of the scars left behind. So now I have just been told I have adult acne (rosacea) and have been put on tetracycline and metrogel to get it under control. Some quack dermatologist told me it was a contact allergy and until I found what it was, I would have a problem So he prescribed an ointment desonide 0.05% to use twice a day. It worked, but it also contains cortisone which is bad for your skin over time. I would stop it and it would come back with a vengeance. So I went for a second opinion, and that's when I discovered the rosacea problem. I'm trying to keep a positive attitude, but I've had enough already and I'm depressed at times. I'm 56 years olds and I thought by now, acne would be a thing of the past. I was even considering having some laser surgery or thermage treatment, but now, I can't do anything until I get this under control. It affects my working with people, my relationship with my husband and just about everything in my life. The funny thing is, that no one knows how much it bothers me because I don't talk about it and I try to hide the outbreaks at all costs. I spend so much time in the bathroom and checking myself in the mirror. I hate this so much, but I have no other course of action, but to bear it. I pray to God that if there is a life after death that I come back with the most beautiful skin imaginable. Thanks for listening.

Babs,

Have you tried the skinline called Proactive, the product claims to be good for all sorts of acne. There are other products available for adult acne. How about facials that extract acne on a regular basis?

Sorry you are suffering from this.

Plumeria

Hi Ladies,

I don't have Rosacea, but my husband does and I wanted to let you all know of a fabulous product I recently found to help him. It's called Dermaglow Sensitive Anti-Redness (Azulene Night Cream). It is hypo-allergenic and it soothes and calms Rosacea prone skin. I'm not sure if you can get it in the US, but I'm pretty sure the company there that makes the same line of skin care products is called NuVectin or Strivectin (you know - the stretch marks company) there. It really helped my husband and he is absolutely delighted with how great his skin now feels and looks.

BTW - I use Dermaglow Advanced Wrinkle Therapy and their Miracle hand cream. Both of these products are amazing. I highly recommend. Their entire line is probably wonderful. Expensive, but worth it.

Babs,

My daughter used pro-active and I was so skeptical...it worked great, tho.

Babs,

I don't know if you are still reading this board, but I wanted to say that I can *so* relate to what you are feeling. I had the 'normal' teenage problematic skin that most people deal with, then everything seemed to clear up nicely when I hit my 20's. Fast forward to my 40's, when I started going through pre-menopause, and my first symptom was Acne Rosacea. It has affected me so much...my self esteem has taken such a hit from it, that I found myself not wanting to look directly at people, or would keep my head down hoping that they wouldn't notice. I have been using metro-Cream for the last 5 years, and I honestly don't know if it helps or not...but I keep using it because I'm afraid it will be worse if I don't. Last year, I also started taking Doxycycline (sp?) from my Derm, and that has helped a lot, but I am still left with lots of broken capillaries and purple spots from previous acne outbreaks that make up would not cover. That brings me to why I am writing.

I started using a new make-up several months back, and it has helped cover my Rosacea and it's associated scars like nothing I have used before. It's called Bare Escentuals, and is a mineral make-up in powder form. I feel like I can look people in the eye again, I love this stuff, and will never use anything else again. I just wanted to pass this along, because it has helped me regain a bit of my self confidence, and I wish I had found it years ago

best of luck,

Titian

Hi Titian,

Are you using just the foundation for the coverage you're getting? Where do you get the Bare Escentuals from?

Thanks!

Hi Florida,

Yes, I routinely use just the powder foundation for the coverage I'm getting. I use the foundation with a small brush to 'pre-conceal' the worst of my problem areas, then buff the foundation over my whole face, then set it with the Mineral veil.

I did buy something they call Bisque, which is supposed to be a better concealer, but I found that for me, the foundation works better as a concealer than the Bisque did.

I bought my first BE kit directly from the BE website (after watching an infomercial on TV lol), and have been receiving the follow-up kits every 60 days since. I have also purchased a few things I wanted to try off of eBay, and that worked out well and was cheaper in the long run

Do you use BE?

Titian

There is another powder on the market that I think is nice, Jane Iredale. I never use liquid foundation anymore, this is just great and very natural with an spf.

Hi to everyone on this ( skin ) thread,
I was just browsing through and noticed the rosacea topic thought I'd just add a little info. I was diagnosed with rosacea when I was around 36, for years I was on and off antibiotics, creams, gels you name it, I've tried it, even laser therapy. I also tried all the best skincare lines available and nothing made any kind of a lasting difference. I won't go into how badly it affected my confidence etc. sounds like you all know how that one feels. Anyway, last year I tried a product range from the UK called Sher and it has worked wonders. I know every skin is different and what works for one person may not work for another, so I'm not saying it's going to do the trick for everyone, but if you check out their website you will get an idea of what they are about. I'm off antibiotics now for nine months ( and I was taking them orally and applying topically ) my skin is not perfect, I still have the pimples coming and going, however it's the most stable my skin has been and the flushing has significantly reduced. Also the difference to the texture of my skin is vastly improved. I truly hope you all find something to help you whether it's Sher or something else. I know how you all feel, I was almost suicidal at one point because it was so bad. The other thing I have been doing during this time is saying affirmations and really making up my mind to stop being a victim to it. It might seem be a bit far fetched for some, all I know is it works for me. I'm actually wondering now whether rosacea was the beginning of all the hormonal changes for me. this is 15 years later and it took me all this time to find something to help me from the outside and more importantly I believe from the inside. fairytoes

I started having signs of rosacea of the eyelids in my late 30's and thought it was eye makeup allergy. However, it continued to occur even when I quit using eye make-up, usually right before my period. After menopause, I started having the papules and pustules that would break out with hot flushes within just a few minutes and some of these "p&p" would linger for months. Doxycycline in tiny doses (25 to 50 mg. per day) helped control the p&p a lot, but not so the creams that dermatologists gave me (cortisone, Rosex, and Metrogel).

There is a good rosacea message board here which you may want to join:
http://forum.rosaceagroup.org/

I have cured my rosacea problem, along with all my other menopausal symptoms, by taking the right dose of estradiol skin gel. I know for certain that the lack of estradiol is the cause of most, if not all, menopausal rosacea because when it is time for my twice-daily estrogen gel, I will ocassionally have fleeting eyelid itchiness & scaley skin, and as soon as the gel is absorbed, my lids become normal again. I have not had an outbreak (or hot flush) since last Christmas, and I was having them every day. I give the most detailed information on how I use the skin gel on the thread "Cured of Migraine, HBP, & Everything Else by Estrogen".

There are few, if any, dermatlogists who recognize that rosacea in menopausal women is caused by lack of estrogen, but is that really a surprise? ALL of our menopause symptoms are usually just dismissed by doctors as "neurotic, hysterical, menopausal woman". The one book by a doctor that I ever read which connected rosacea in menopausal women to lack of estrogen was written by Dr. Geoffrey Redmond, an endocrinologist. Now, if you had rosacea before your mid-30's, probably factors other than just lack of estrogen are involved.

Hi 123,

Thanks for posting what helped you cure your rosacea...it makes sense to me that a lot of this (if not all) can be linked to lack of estrogen. Unfortunately, I would not be able to use what you recommend, because I've had a blood clot, and my doctors won't let me use anything that contains estrogen (makes for a fun menopause, let me tell you lol). At least with the Bare Escentuals, I have found something that helps conceal it better than any other make-up I have tried in the past

Titian

Would birth control pills cure rosacea? I am 41 an wondering if I should go on them. I was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure at 35.

Kayla, Try flax oil first. One Tablespoon a day, either chug it from the jug as I do or mix it in a smoothie but after 1-2 weeks you should see a noticable difference. Make sure it's the oil (refrigerated) and not the capsules.

It's also good for other things including symptoms of menopause.

Has anyone ever had any luck with using over-the-counter products for Rosacea? I am having alot problems with the acne/red spots type of Rosacea. I need to see the derm again, but money is tight and I would like to try something over-the-counter if it would help. Thanks for any suggestions. Hope

I am 54 years old, and I have terrible cystic scars and ice pick scars from acne. So I know exactly how you feel. To this day, I am unable to look any person, including my husband in the eye when they speak to me. I was treated with every drug from tetracycline to accutane. Nothing helped, I still look like a monster. I also know that the scarring cannot be treated with plastic surgery, because of the severe damage to the skin. My face has little to no skin at all, just the limpy keloids and the deep pits from all the blackheads I used to pick at. It is really a form of disfigurement, which makes me feel like the elephant woman. I wear Judith August Cosmetics, which are like stage make up, or medical make up, to conceal my facial scars. It's kind of like spackling a wall with plaster, but at least I can go out in public without frightening or disgusting people!

I also have no further surgical or chemical or laser treatments in the future. My skin is far too damaged to respond. Having an ugly, damaged face certainly isn't the worst thing in the world, but it cost me my self esteem, confidence and a good part of my sanity. The up side of it is, since I am always looking down at the floor or ground, I find lots of coins, a few dollar bills, and once, I found a Tiffany watch in Grand Central Station. There's an up side to everything.

Well, at least I know why I'm breaking out like a 13 year old now.

I've been using the l'oreal mineral makeup. It gives good coverage.

Does this go away after this is over?

I had a bout with rosacea in my 40s, but it went away before I even started with peri. So please take heart.

I was told that laser treatment is the only way to go. Also, that they've found a link between diet, how one digests food, and rosacea. I was told by the dermatologist to take a couple of Tums a day and to avoid certain foods. All the foods I love, of course. Also to avoid foods/beverages at hot temperatures. I think I'll just look into the laser treatment - right after I get the facial hair under control. Man, I'm high-maintainence!

Hey Ladies!

After my hyster (partial cervix & uterus gone) I started with my rosacea but was never dx until 8 yrs later. I tried the rasanil and the metrogel, though it worked good in the beginning it would leave these stain like marks on my face. I heard about the Aveeno calming wash with feverfew in it and it works great for me, and it's alot cheaper than the rx.

Teresa

Hey Ladies!

After my hyster (partial cervix & uterus gone) I started with my rosacea but was never dx until 8 yrs later. I tried the rasanil and the metrogel, though it worked good in the beginning it would leave these stain like marks on my face. I heard about the Aveeno calming wash with feverfew in it and it works great for me, and it's alot cheaper than the rx.

Teresa