It's been a while between updates.

I met with my dermatologist in February and while she was up to date with information regarding the approval of SooLantra in the US, she was not supportive of me using Ivomec.  

"Too strong, too strong!" she said.  

I am inclined to disagree based on how my skin was responding and improving but I'm not a dermatologist. In hindsight, I think that the tea tree oil products were too strong but used less often and for particular reasons will continue to have their place in my routine.

My dermatologist started me on a Permethrin 5% scabies cream called Lyclear Dermal Cream.  

From the patient information leaflet: "Lyclear Dermal Cream contains butylated hydroxytoluene (E321) and formaldehyde which may cause local skin reactions (e.g. contact dermatitis), or irritation to the eyes and mucous membranes (lining of the nose, mouth and genital areas)."

I commenced twice daily usage (February 10th) and mostly my skin has responded very well with only two significant skin eruptions.  The skin generally appears smooth.  Flushing episodes are less common and abate sooner than in the past.  

My rosy complexion remains but that is due to the many broken capillaries across my cheeks and around my nose and will have to be addressed by future laser treatment.  I am able to disguise this by applying a mineral foundation (or a tinted sunblock) but am careful to wash it off as soon as I can.

The demodex mites continue to inhabit my pores but in fewer numbers these days.  I can feel the tingly, itchy feeling here and there on my face and in my hairline after the sun has set.  It serves to remind me to apply the Lyclear cream before I go to bed.  There have been a few occasions, that when the itching feels more aggressive than usual, I apply the Ivomec fluid and after that has dried, I apply a layer of Lyclear over the top.  

My current routine is as follows (and is dependent on how my skin is feeling at the time):

Morning (if showering).
 - Wash with TTO foaming cleanser OR with Cetaphil cleanser. 
 - Apply Lyclear Dermal Cream.

Morning (if not showering).
 - Dampen cleansing pads with micellar water (currently using Suisse Micellar Water because it was on special!). Discard and use a fresh pad to finish.
 - Apply Lyclear Dermal Cream.

I wear a hat when I go outside but if a sunblock is needed, I use a tinted 30+ by Invisible Zinc.  I don't like the shininess but the colour helps to disguise my broken capillaries.

Evening (if not showering).
 - Dampen cleansing pads with micellar water. Discard and use a fresh pad to finish.
 - Apply Lyclear Dermal Cream OR if there is obvious mite activity (bumps/itching) apply Ivomec (allow to dry) and then apply Lyclear Dermal Cream on top.

Evening (if showering).
Wash with TTO foaming cleanser OR with Cetaphil cleanser.
 - Apply Lyclear Dermal Cream OR if there is obvious mite activity (bumps/itching) apply Ivomec (allow to dry) and then apply Lyclear Dermal Cream on top.

My application of Ivomec fluid topped with the Lyclear has so far not exceeded more than once weekly.  I have used it as "booster" when I can see that there are bumps forming.  I apply it at nighttime because that is when the demodex mites are active.  

In additions, I recently started taking vitamin D3 and vitamin B but not specifically for this issue. 

The two pics below are a vast improvement on what I was dealing with late November 2014.  My right cheek (bottom image) has always been the worst effected.  It's the side I sleep on. 

My next appointment with the dermatologist is in June.

One week until I see my dermatologist.

I've focused on applying the Ivomec in the early evening (before the mites stir from their "homes") and again before I go to bed.  

The break outs are less common now.  There hasn't been a deep hot bump for a couple of weeks and the white-headed pimples are no longer a daily occurrence.  A dab of TTO comes to the rescue and quickly heals the spot.

While the skin on my cheeks still appears to be red, I'm wondering if it's a combination of vein damage and that it's just going to take a long time for my skin to heal now that I seem to have the mites under control.  I wouldn't want to address the issue of broken veins until I'm 100% confident that I can control the rosacea.

One week until I present myself to the dermatologist.

Week 3 and the demodex fight back!

My skin, which was looking less inflamed into week 2, is now a battlefield of raised red bumps and surface whiteheads.  I am being woken around 2am by a sense of the mites moving over my face and brows and have been reapplying the Ivomec.  My pores seem to have enlarged again with the increase in activity over the past three days.

I had read in the Galderma trail results that there is a surge of activity at the week three mark and I'm certainly noticing it.  The fact that I am experiencing this using the Ivomec gives me hope that it is working in the same way as the SooLantra and am looking forward to a turnaround in week 4 and continued improvements onward from that point.

I am continuing the daily cleansing of my face with the TTO foaming facewash and the nightly application of Ivomec when the mites are moving from the pores in search of a breeding partner.

Two weeks to go until I see my dermatologist.

Continuing the TTO routine.

I promised myself I would write here every day.  Maybe it will be more realistic if I post weekly instead.

Having continued with the routine of twice daily washing with a TTO based cleansing foam, followed by a generous application of a TTO based acne ointment, I have also been patting on 100% TTO on top of the ointment.  My skin hasn't looked so nice in years!  It's quite smooth and hydrated.

It's an odd sensation, but within minutes I can feel a ticking "movement" on my face.  I wonder if it is mites squirming to find a more habitable place.

The pimples and pustules are few and far between these days.  If I get one, zap it with a bit of Hydrogen Peroxide (applied with a cotton bud/Q-tip) and leave it there to dry out.

As you can see in the photographs, one side is worse than the other.  It's interesting to note that the worst side is the side I sleep on.

Itchy but not bumpy!

So itchy!  Aaaagh!

I'm feeling like I'm being eaten alive.  Mostly it's my body and scalp - in small patches on my face or throat.  I wonder if the TTO routine and pryrethrin is doing little more than just annoy the mites.  I'll take an anti-histermine and consider another course of action.

Regardless of the lack of calmness in my complexion today, my face hasn't developed any new bumps or pimples so I am going to view this as another positive advancement.  ...You can cover up redness with makeup but you can't disguise lumpy skin.

I was reading today about Ivermecton and also found some information regarding sulphur cream.  It might be time to have a chat with my GP to see if she has any thought regarding mite eradication.  Failing that, I'll go and see a vet!  

Another route I have considered as a "value add" is traditional Chinese medicine.  If the imbalances I am having are due to a lowered immune system, and my current diet (which isn't all that bad) can't rectify the situation, then perhaps some acupuncture can assist. 

Progress and some new ideas.

My skin was not as calm this morning.  I woke with a mild headache and delayed my routine for an hour or so.  I decided to take a steamy shower in the hope it would help with my headache.  Since the bottle of Pyrenel Foam was still where I had left it, I added it to a washer and lathered my entire body for a few minutes but used only the TTO Foaming Cleanser on my face.    

The itching sensation died off again.  If my rosacea is related to demodex mites, then it seems that they are not easily eradicated.  A regular application and perhaps some different insecticides will be required.

I searched for insecticides which use different active ingredients other than pyrethrin and came across scabies and body lice medications:

• lindane
• crotamine
• benzyl benzoate
• clotrimazole
• permithrin

Another visit to Chemist Warehouse!  I found a plain brown bottle on the bottom shelf labelled Benzemul Application (contains benzyl benzoate 250mg/ml).  I'll try this in a a few days time.

Another plain brown bottle I found was Hydrogen Peroxide 3%.  Mum (a nurse) always had a bottle of this at home when I was growing up.  As soon as it hits pus it fizzes and as a kid I always found it a little bit exciting to get the fizz on a skinned knee or sore.

And, I noticed in my photographs that I had some black pores at the sides of my nose and remembered a product I used to use called Biore Pore Pack.  Yes!  They still make them and I noted that they have extended their range into acne treatments as well.  

It wasn't a cheap shopping expedition.  I needed shampoo as well and I don't usually purchase it from a chemist but Thursday Plantation has a TTO shampoo and conditioner so I added that to my pile of experimental goodies.

When I got home, I rinsed my face and applied the pore packs to my nose, cheeks, chin and forehead.  After around 15 minutes when they had dried to a crisp, I gently peeled them off.  Mostly the papers were clean but the nose paper was pretty gross.  I took a photograph but really can't bring myself to share it.  I did a second application for the nose and again, more grossness but that's all my nose can handle for one day.  

A google search regarding the use of hydrogen peroxide with rosacea brought me to a page where a mixture of the liquid with Baking Soda into a paste and applied to the face was getting results.  

...I know, I'm jumping all over the place with trying too many ideas at once but I'm eager to be rid of this redness.  You can tell I'm not a scientist!

Anyway, I mixed a toothpaste like concoction and caked it onto my nose, cheeks and chin.  It was a tingly, burning sensation but not unbearable.  The mixture was puffing slightly.  To keep it from falling off, I used the spoon to move it around.  Next time I'll add it and then lie down on the floor so it doesn't fall off.

I was feeling nervous about how my face would react to having the hydrogen peroxide on it.  I rinsed under running lukewarm water and my skin instantly felt very soft.  It was a little reddened but not uncomfortable.  A couple of spots had appeared overnight an I used a cotton tip to dab some undiluted hydrogen peroxide directly onto them.  They fizzed!  

I applied TTO antibacterial ointment and didn't get a chance to look in the mirror again for an hour or so but when I did, I was happy to see even calmer skin than I have for a long while.

Let's exterminate!

December 2, 2014

The itching sensation woke me up around 1am and I was so distracted by it I decided to do some more research regarding demodex mites.  In particular, their lifespan and how to eradicate them.  

The word pyrethrin stood out to me and I remembered seeing something like this in our medicine cupboard.  It was a bottle of head lice shampoo called Pyrenel Foam contained Pyrethrin and Piperonyl Butoxide.

At 7.30am, I was in the shower and used the Pryenel Foam as an insecticide.  It foamed beautifully in my hair and I used the lather to coat my entire body in foam.  I was careful to avoid my eyes but I applied it to the lower half of my face.  I stood in the shower (with the water turned off) and waited for 10 minutes before rinsing it off.

Perhaps it was overkill, but I then followed my morning routine of washing, blotting with paper towel, applying ointment and dabbing the pure TTO as needed.

Over the course of the day, I could feel a couple of new bumps forming low down on my right jawline and dotted the pure TTO during the course of the day.

For several hours I didn't experience any itching on my scalp or body but as the night fell, I started to feel like things were moving on my skin.  I will do the full body and hair treatment again in a few days time.

Feeling optimistic!

December 1, 2014

A confidence boost for me! So far, I have had calm mornings in a row.

Usually I wake up with quite inflamed looking cheeks. This tends to dissipate a little over the next hour or two. I tend to avoid looking in the mirror but today I had to keep checking to see if I was imagining an improvement.

White skin seems to be appearing within the red areas.

I continued my routine in the morning and again in the evening with the three products from Thursday Plantation and photographed my cheeks after the evening routing.

• Tea Tree Facewash for Acne 150ml
• Tea Tree Antiseptic Ointment 30g
• Tea Tree Oil Antiseptic (100% pure)

Facewash first. I wet my face over the basin and then spread two pumps worth over my face and into my brows (avoiding the eyes) and left it a minute or two before rinsing it off.

After rinsing, I blotted my face with two sheets of paper towel.

Generously applied the Antiseptic Ointment to my face.

Finally, I dotted some of my pimply bumps with the pure TTO.

Greeting the day calmly.

November 30, 2014

I woke this morning to relatively calm skin.  No new bumps had appeared overnight. 

I washed my face over the basin using the Tea Tree Oil cleanser (leaving it on for approximately 2 minutes before rinsing off under the tap) and blotting gently with paper towel to avoid cross-contamination.  Following this, I applied the TTO ointment and dabbed on the pure TTO on old bumps.

The calmness in my complexion remained until the heat of the day caused me to flush however, it was not as bad a reaction to the heat as I have previously experienced.

Periodically, I observed that while my face was no longer feeling itchy, my hairline was itching.  Am I imagining this?

The images below were taken that evening.

I readily researched rosacea.

November 29, 2014

I have 8 weeks until my next appointment and I am on a mission to present myself to her with a fresh face.

Thanks to Google, these are things which I have found particularly interesting:

• Demodex mites are in proportionately greater numbers on rosacea affected skin.
• Tea Tree Oil is a highly respected antiseptic.  Demodex mites don't really like tea tree oil.
• You can ingest diluted borax which changes the preferred habitat for the demodex mite.
• Human insecticides can assist in temporary eradication.  
• Deplorable witch doctors are taking advantage of  rosacea sufferers who are at their wits end.  Human nature, I suppose.

The easiest way to start was to take a look at Tea Tree Oil (TTO).  Tea tree oil has been claimed to be useful for treating a wide variety of medical conditions...(source Wikipedia, Tea Tree Oil). It kind of sounds a bit witch doctor-ish but I've done a lot of reading and confident that what I've read so far about TTO in correlation with demodex mites and rosacea at least needs to be considered.

Chemist Warehouse has a range called Thursday Plantation and I purchased three products:

• Tea Tree Facewash for Acne 150ml
• Tea Tree Antiseptic Ointment 30g
• Tea Tree Oil Antiseptic (100% pure)

Facewash first.  I wet my face over the basin and then spread two pumps worth over my face and into my brows (avoiding the eyes) and it felt so cool I decided to leave it there for a minute before rinsing it off.  

After rinsing, I blotted my face with two sheets of paper towel.  My face felt fresh.

Next, I generously applied the Antiseptic Ointment to my face.  The coating left me glistening and felt nice.

Finally, I dotted some of my pimply bumps with the pure TTO.  Since it was on top of the ointment, the fact that it was undiluted didn't concern me.  

And I took a photograph of each cheek.