I am pretty new to the rosacea struggle but I have had a few other challenges that are still in the skin care mix. I have hugely relied on reading other people’s journeys and I want to share mine, in case it is of use to anyone. I’ve always had normal to oily skin, that’s a little acne prone. I certainly had acne in my teens. As an adult I would get a few cystic spots that were deep under the skin and formed hard lumps that never really came to a head. And the odd whitehead too. I was never too bothered by my skin. I never wore base makeup of any kind, no foundation or powder or even tinted moisturiser. My skin care routine was to cleanse and moisturise at least once a day. I had no fancy products, just supermarket stuff or Avon. It was pretty much smooth sailing until my 30’s.
Just before I turned 30, was diagnosed with bipolar and started taking psych meds. I tried a few different medication combinations before finding the right ones for me. Unfortunately, these meds caused some pretty significant changes through my body. Rapid weight gain, increased sweating (especially to the face and scalp) and even changes to the curliness of my hair! I think there were some changes to my skin pH too because lipsticks changed colour, perfumes smelled different on me and how my skin affected fabrics was different. I accepted these things for the sake of my mental health. I won’t lie, I wasn’t thrilled and it was hard at first. And sometimes I felt pretty crappy when I looked in the mirror.
I decided that I would do the best I could with what I had. I started sewing, so I could make the kinds of clothes I wanted to wear in my size. And then came make up! I had never been a huge make up wearer. I was happy with a little liner, mascara and a bright red lip. I was enthralled with all the makeup gurus on youtube and spent loads of time watching them. I bought lots of different skincare and makeup and played around. I got a nice signature look of winged liner and a red lip going. I experimented with foundation but it was mostly for special occasion or for times when I knew I would be photographed. It was hard to put photos of me up on my blog at first. I felt self conscious about my weight but it’s hard to know what are garment really looks like unless someone is wearing it. Having some basic makeup know how really helped me be confident but still kept the skin pretty makeup free for my own comfort. I eventually got really confident with my body and showing it to the world in outfit pics but just when you get comfy, another challenge always comes. Am I right?
My skin was still pretty okay at this point but I had developed some darkening of my skin on my cheeks (where you might place contour) and the corners of my forehead. I saw a dermatologist about it because I was worried it might be something nasty. Of course it wasn’t nasty, just a form of melasma/hyperpigmentation. As it turns out this is common in the women in my family. The derm prescribed a retinol cream (ReTrieve 0.05%) to help with the melasma and he also pointed out that it would help with my cystic acne and fine lines. He also told me to up my suncare routine and make sure I use a sunscreen daily (I have some recs in this post). I got into a really settled skin care regime and saw good results from the retinol. I still have darkened areas but I just don’t think I can fight them back any more than I have. Luckily, they are in places where I would use a bronzer anyway. I had very little cystic acne and my skin was really clear and bright. I was really pleased with how my skin was going and then came the red…
Suddenly, my cheeks and nose were fiery red. Angry and itchy and sore. I had what I though was acne all over them and nothing I tried helped. I thought my skin was just going through a bad patch. I had been unwell and I thought it was just showing on my face. It was hard to cover with foundation or anything. I should have gone to a dermatologist but I really thought this would pass. I bought skincare and makeup to try and solve the problem or at least cover it. I found good products in this time, things that did help to cover the minced meat look of my skin. My Sister suggested that it might be rosacea and I googled it. It looked like my face but I wasn’t the sort of person to flush or blush. But I did know that psych meds had really altered my everything. I guess it was easier to think acne (fixable) than rosacea (no real cure, lifelong battle). I ignored it all and vaguely talked about going to a dermatologist. Then Mr Ask said “Honey, your face looks so sore and I know it’s getting you down. Make an appointment and see someone. Don’t worry about the money, you need to get this looked at”. That was it. I cried for all the days I felt awful seeing myself in the mirror. I cried because I wasn’t looking out for me and seeing a doctor and I cried because my husband is so kind.
I was feeling pretty low about how I looked and I hated to have pictures taken. I did kind of feel like I had nothing pleasing about me. Fat, grey haired and with bad skin. I never went to photoshop for help but I started cropping my pics or using a cat as cover! My skin was really affecting me and making blogging hard. It had to change! I went to my GP and asked for a referral. I didn’t want to go the derm I had seen previously. He had been very pushy and I wasn’t that comfortable with him. My GP referred my to a wonderful dermatologist Dr Leah Wilson at Eastern Dermatology & Laser Clinic (in Glen Osmond South Australia). She was amazing! She could see my problem straight away and told me that she too suffers from rosacea. She said she would normally prescribe oral antibiotics, at least at the beginning, but both of her top choices would interact with my psych meds. She said she had seen great results with a new topical cream Soolantra and she would start me on that and see what happened. If the cream wasn’t effective, there was a third oral antibiotic treatment she could try. I had hope!
I went to fill the script at my local pharmacy and it was so new, they didn’t have stock, which was most unexpected because they are a huge pharmacy. They said they could get it in the next day but that it would cost $82 for a 30g tube! Oh the sticker shock! To be honest, it’s on par with a high end moisturiser so it’s not that bad. Once I had the Soolantra in my hand, I began a new skin care reigime that I had worked out with Dr Leah. Basically, she asked that I keep things simple and non greasy where possible.
Morning Routine
- Wash with Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Shea Butter for Dry or Sensitive Skin
- Mositurise with Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturiser with SPF15
Evening Routine
- Wash with Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Shea Butter for Dry or Sensitive Skin
- Apply to Rosacea affected areas Soolantra
- Apply rest of face ReTrieve
- If needed, apply Clarins Vital Light Night Cream
You can use Soolantra at any time of day but I found it very greasy in the first weeks. Even part of my skin that I wasn’t putting anything on were very greasy! My forehead broke out with acne and that made me worry. However, that greasiness seemed to settle over time and I no longer experience it at all. Plus I already had a night time routine of meds and creams and I knew I wouldn’t forget to put the cream on. The Soolantra info in the box tells you not to exfoliate and to wash your face with your hands. I bought a lot of 12 microfiber baby wash cloths from eBay and used them to dry my face after cleansing. That way they could be fresh each day and go straight into the wash after use. I was also making sure that my makeup brushes and sponges were cleaned often. As per Dr Leah’s request, I tried to use only powder mineral foundations where possible.
I won’t lie, I was hoping for instant perfection! But things did move quickly. I noticed that when I was gently patting my face dry, I could see small, yellow skin bits (sorry to be gross). I’m pretty sure they were the lumps (pustules, sorry gross again) coming off. At first, it really was lump reduction. Which is wonderful because it makes the redness so much easier to cover. Day by day and week by week the lumps went and the redness faded. At the 6 week mark, I had a follow up with Dr Leah. She was thrilled with my progress! She did tell me that there might be some redness that won’t go away, due to burst or over stretched capillaries and that laser has been effective for that. She said she has had some patients who have taken a few months break from Soolantra and returned to it as needed. I said that my online research has shown that dropping down to a few times a week has been helpful for some people. She told me to do what worked for me and to come back if I have issues. Like a good blogger, I tried to take daily photos for you. They were taken in the early morning with crazy bed hair, resting bitch face and are wildly unflattering. But I love you all, so here they are….
These pictures take you through the first 6 weeks but I started Soolantra nearly 5 mths ago. I used it every day for 3 months and dropped back to every few days until a recent, low key flare up. So I am currently doing every day. I am nearly at the end of my original tube, so it has lasted quite well! I am so much happier when I look in the mirror! I still have some light redness in my affected patches but I’m comfortable without base makeup again. I did learn some awesome ways to hide the redness with makeup when I choose to, so I will do a follow up post with those tips too. In these pics below I have minimal skin products, perhaps a dusting of powder foundation and maybe bronzer/blush, if anything at all. I really like to show of my new skin and go fairly bare. They are taken in evil supermarket lighting, in the op shop, in natural light, indoor light and even crap selfies. I am so proud of my new skin!!!
I’ve tried to keep this post fairly factual but I know how badly issues like this can affect your self esteem. It has taken every once of gumption to post these pictures and show the world what I would prefer to keep private! But I think it’s so important to share my experience, on the off chance that it can help someone.If you are suffering the horrors of rosacea without treatment, I urge you to go and make an appointment with someone today! And if other treatments have failed you, you should give this a try. In my rummaging’s on the internet, I found so many stories where people had tried everything with no luck but who have had success with Soolantra. It has been so good for me and I want everyone to have the same joy. If you have questions, let me know xxx
Since I posted this, I have loads of emails asking how things are going with my skin now that I have been using Soolantra for 9 and a bit months. Around the time of this post, I dropped back to using Soolantra just 2-3 times a week and that is still true. Sometimes less, if my skin is good and sometimes 3 or 4 days in a row if I think it needs it. I only use Soolantra on my areas of redness and I find a small pea sized amount is enough. The tube has lasted really well and I have bought a second one but am still eeking out very last scraps of the first tube. Still using retinol on the rest of my face too. On the days I don’t use those, I stick to just a serum at night. I use Aveeno daily moisturiser every day. My skin has been amazing! I am a little worried about the summer sun upsetting the balance but I am armed with sunscreen and hope. The selfies below were taken this week in natural light (very bright and sunny) and have not been filtered or retouched. Even though I am wearing makeup I am wearing just moisturiser on my skin. As you can see, my skin is pretty clear, just a teeny bit of redness and a little scarring. If I want to cover it, a tinted moisturiser or BB cream is enough but I rarely bother. I hope the update helps and I wish you so much luck with your rosacea journey xxx
Disclaimer: I am not sponsored in anyway (Oh I wish!). Just really happy with my dermatologist and the Soolantra she prescribed. People need to know!
18 Comments
Great post! I’ve suffered badly with Rosacea for years now. Since I was about 25. Took ages to get it diagnosed as mine is very atypical – huge (and I mean huge) boils filled with green pus. Nice. It took off like wildfire for a while and antibiotics were doing nothing. Hydroform cream helped a little but I ended up on 6 month course of Roacutaine. It broke its back but I still have it. If I get run down, sick etc I can feel the tingling as the lumps appear. I can get it back under control, and it does give me a clear signal that I need to get more sleep, be less stressed etc. But it’s really painful! At it’s worst it was like my face had been dragged over gravel! So thank you. I’m going to ask my doctor about this cream. Might help me. Glad you found something to control it before it got worse
Oh Michelle! I’m so sorry you have been through so much with rosacea. I am very grateful that I found a solution so easily, I know many like you are still searching. Soolantra is pretty new but you should definitely ask about it. It really reduced all my sore, lumpy pustules very quickly. I really hope it is effective for you! I think I’ve been very lucky to have such results. I have a makeup post up later this week. I like to cover my red but not my skin, so I’m pretty minimal. You’ve probably tried everything but maybe there is something new? Or something I missed?
Let me know how things go if you try Soolantra, I hope it is perfect for you xxxxx
You’re fabulous Michelle,thanks so very much for sharing your journey. My rosacea is driving me mad and Ive been resisting a prescription cream but you are now the second person I have heard of that has had success with Soolantra. I’m going to see if my doctor will prescribe it to me….xx
I’m so glad to be of help! It was hard to post those pics but I did it in the hopes that others might find relief. Please keep us updated on how you go with Solantra if you get it xxx
Hi Michelle,
Do you use soolantra and ReTrieve both together at night? How many times a day did you apply soolantra? I’ve been prescribed both (by different derms) but wasn’t sure if I could use them together? Antibiotics work well for me, but as soon as I come off of them I have a flare up :(.
Hi,
I apply both retrieve and soolantra once a day a night. When my rosacea is under control, I back both creams down to 2-3 times a week. I apply the soolantra to the rosacea affected areas only and retrieve on the rest of my face.
It has worked very well for me and I find a few applications a week keeps things happy!
I hope that helps, S xx
Thank you for your exceptionally detailed and factual review of your bout with rosacea!!!! Love you 🙂 I just started Soolantra this week and I’m so excited!!
Hugs from Texas 🙂
Hugs Britt! I am so glad you found my story helpful, I think it helps to know you are not alone and maybe find new things to try. I hope Soolantra works perfectly for you! I am still doing great. Hugs from Adelaide Australia xxxx
I’m 65 and suffer badly from rosacea! I’ve used Metro gel for years and it works well however I have the dry, red patches that nothing seems to touch. They get worse in the winter and my skin looks so blotchy. I’ve been using Dermalmd rosacea serum for about a month and the small patches are gone and the larger ones are fading, less scaly and red. I recommend dermalmd serum for any one who needs skin help.
Thank you so much for sharing what has worked for you! I know it can be so hard to find the perfect treatment and it’s so helpful to hear what works.
Hi there, Sarah! I’m 64 and have had fairly mild rosacea on and off for 30+ years. My recent flare up had me finally drag my sorry face back to the dermatologist, after not needing to see her for around 5 years. Since that visit, which was 2 weeks ago, I’ve been taking 10 mg. of doxycycline once daily and applying Soolantra twice daily. Silly or delusional as it sounds, I was really hoping for some type of minor miracle. Needless to say, that hasn’t happened…yet. If anything, my redness actually increased, to the point that it looked more maroon than red! I looked around online and saw that quite a few people who had success with Soolantra did, in fact, experience a worsening of their rosacea before things turned around. Did you have a similar experience? If so, do you remember how long it took before you could really say that things were improving? We’re approaching winter here in my corner of the world (Connecticut, in the northeast US), and I usually find the season to be a challenge for my skin, what with the dryness of indoor heat and then the cold outdoors.
I also gained a huge amount of weight back in my early 30s after getting on SSRI meds to deal with my chronic clinical depression. These days, when I’m not loving my general appearance, I gain at least a bit of a boost when my skin is looking good. I really want that back, as quickly as possible! I appreciate the time and mental energy it took for you to compose these posts and to make it visually real. I’m wishing you all the best with your ongoing adventures with rosacea!
Hi Lola,
Sorry to hear that your skin is getting you down! I think it did get worse first for a while. I had some reasonable changes about 6 weeks in and it was a bit of an up and down thing for a while. At 3 months I was pretty happy and by 6 months things were great! I don’t use Soolantra often, just for a few days when I see some redness and then nothing for months.
I can imagine winter in the US would be hard, the blazing summer heat here is my rosacea’s enemy. Keeping going and I hope you see results soon xxxx
Sarah-
Thank you so much for sharing your rosacea story. I have had rosacea badly for about a year now, it was triggered by a confluence of stressful life events. I had my worst ever breakout a couple of weeks ago – just before a family wedding. I was experiencing a high degree of work related and life stress. My skin was covered in bumps and more red than ever. I felt ugly and like a completely failed adult. I went to the doctor make up free and he finally agreed to refer me ASAP to a dermatologist. Win! He prescribed antibiotics for the inflammation and having read your story, I told him about the soolantra so he looked it up and included that in my prescription but he recommended that I start it once things are not so raw. I also bought the clarins cleanser and aveno cream and immediately noticed a difference- I used to have acne so had been using la roche posay but even that wasn’t great. Clarins is really gentle and my skin felt cooler once I applied aveno. There are so many false leads in this rosacea thing. I have spent so much money on the best of skin care that only ends up making things worse. My skin has improved and I’m excited to try the soolantra. I’m so grateful for your recommendations and the hope that things can get better. 💕 Sending you good vibes, love and light 💕🌸 🌈
Hi Claire,
So good to hear things are looking up for you! I wasn’t super keen about putting up those pics but I did it in hopes that my story would help others. I am glad that you have found it helpful and things are clearing up. Wishing you all the very best xx
Thank you so much for sharing your journey with Rosacea Sarah. Your honestly is heart warming! I have been on Soolantra for a week now and my skin feels like it’s a bit worse than before I started treatment. I did some googling and found that many people have also experienced this- fingers crossed I have a similar experience as you. I’m so glad you have had such positive results! Going to buy the aveeno moisturiser and give that a try. There are so many products out there so it’s nice to have a recommendation from someone who knows! All the best Kelly 😊
Happy to help! I hope things improve for you xxx
Hi, Just wondering how you found the mineral makeup?? I tried it once and it seemed to be very drying… what did you layer under it? Thanks!!! and thank you for sharing the journey. 🙂 Michelle
I’m so excited to give this a try! Thank you for sharing!