Sunday, 4 March 2018

Update after two years.

Overall my dermatologist is pleased with the results however she can still see evidence of demodex activity on my face particularly around my nasel folds and chin and she reminds me to keep using the scabies lotion regularly as maintainence.  This is evident in the images below, as a couple of small pustules.  

My face looks a little flushed in these shots and it's due to a couple of reasons.  One reason is that we are now treating the strong veins around the nose and over the chin with a new laser called Genesis.  We are also going over the cheeks to close off the veins to remove the background redness.  

This new laser is very effective and the downtime seems to be less than the previous laser.  While it is so much more targetted, it is also very much more painful and I'm only on a moderate setting.  I haven't had to resort to a stressball until now, and behind my goggles I am weeping with pain.

Unlike recovery from the previous laser, the recovery is less like a surface burn but more of an interior swelling so my past strategies of quickly cooling the skin does not apply.  In fact, there's really nothing I can do but be gentle for a couple of days and not let my husband near me with his beard stubble which feels like a thousand daggers.  

The second reason for the flushed appearance could be due to anti aging products recommended by my dermatologist which can both cause flushing.

I'm still getting into the routine but basically it's using a Vitamin C topical serum in the morning with 50+ sunscreen over the top and at nighttime, a very low percentage Retinol topical with Hyaloronic Acid serum over the forehead and cheeks and the scabies lotion around my nasal folds and chin.  I couldn't afford the topicals sold by my dermatologist but have purchased very similar products from The Ordinary which are almost a tenth of the price.

At this point, I am very confident in my skin.  My complexion is generally clear and even.  ...and not bad for nearly 51!

PS.  At long last I got a sample tube of SooLantra and used all 10mg of it over the course of 5 nights (just around my problem areas).  It was okay.  No reaction, no nothing really.  The Cetaphil base it consists of makes it easy to apply and lightly moisturising.  My feeling is that the Quellada or Lyclear is just as good and at a fifth of the price.  I was glad for the opportunity to test it out though!


 


11 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    1. Spam is not acceptable. Do NOT use my blog to flog your pseudoscience junk. Your claims are not scientifically supported and you are taking advantage of desperate people. Go away!

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  2. Hi Kate

    Do you mind telling me who your dermatologist is - or if you know a good one in Sydney? I'm yet to find a good one.
    Thanks
    Erin

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    1. Hi Erin
      My dermatologist is in Melbourne.
      I recommend you phone or email dermatology practices in your area and sound them out about their treatment for rosacea. Because "rosacea caused by demodex mite" is a relatively new discovery in the dermatology world, most are not up to date with the issue. If they prescribe SooLantra to their patients then they are up to date.
      Just stay clear of sellers of pseudoscience preparations as the products they sell do nothing but line the pocket of the seller!
      Let me know if I can help at all.
      Cheers
      Kate

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  3. Hi Kate. I’ve suffered with Rosacea for 2 years or so. It was mild to begin with but redness seemed to advance and become more permanent, small papules appearing, etc.

    Tried everything metrogel, lasers, finacea, diet modifications, doxy. Everything seemed to help a little bit but ultimately the Rosacea continued to advance. I actually tried soolantra but had only limited success.

    I was inspired by ur blog to try permethrin. Thank you! It’s been barely three weeks but results have been amazing. Permanent redness on nose, cheeks and nasolabial folds has totally receded. I can actually see pores and normal skin where there had only been redness and irritation before

    It’s not 100% yet but am sure it will continue to heal with time and treatment.

    Thanks so much for this blog. U helped me find a solution when countless doctors and dermatologists didn’t! This won’t be the solution for everyone but I hope others give it a go. It’s really turned my skin around

    Thank you!

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    1. Yay! I'm so thrilled for you!

      Yes, you are correct. This is NOT a solution for all types of rosacea. This is a solution only for demodex mite imbalance rosacea.

      I'm so very happy for you to have found an effective solution and to see results in such a short space of time. Thank you for letting me know. :-)

      Cheers
      Kate

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  4. Hi Kate - what an amazing job you had done with this blog - it is such a helpful resource. And as I find rosacea to be extremely isolating and frustrating, your blog helps me feel less alone.
    Wondering - when you were first struggling with the rosacea, what were your other physical symptoms - did you have sensitivity to heat? (In a warm environment did your face get hot and uncomfortable? Exposed to cooking steam result in redness and painful heat? Or the reverse, sensitivity to cold environments/wind?
    I know you mention the tingly feeling (the mites doing a dance on our faces), just wondering about other symptoms.

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  5. Hi there!

    I'm glad you found my blog and that I have been of help to you.

    Thinking back to when I was first seeing the signs of what would become my mess of a complexion, flushing for almost no reason was the start. Heat, cold, wind, sun, exertion, wine and then the flushing started to become more constant. After this, the pimples, pustules and deeper hot lumps started to become a factor.

    My dermatologist tells me that there is no way I can feel demodex moving on my face and yet, as soon as the sun starts to dip, I can feel the tickling feeling on my face.

    To alleviate this, cleanse your face and put on the permethrin before the sun goes down.

    Apart from the flushing, p&p and itchiness, there were no other symptoms that I can recall. For the deeper infections, the skin felt very hot/inflamed in that area before erupting.

    Cheers
    Kate

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  6. Hi Kate! Thanks so much for your reply! Great to connect with you. So interesting that your derm said you can't feel the mites, as I have the same tingling feelings (definitely were on my nose and chin, now on my scalp...so I think they are moving their camp!
    Thank you so much for the tip about face washing before the sun goes down - I will definitely give that a try.
    Did you try any diet changes throughout all this? Did anything make a difference? I have become very restrictive in my eating and it is just yet another comfort that I feel I have lost. Wondering what your experience has been. Thanks again Kate - I so appreciate everything you have put into this site - it is beyond helpful!

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    1. Hi again.
      I am not qualified regarding diet however from my own experience, dietary changes would be unnecessary unless you have a diet lacking in nutrients. For a while I went low carb but found it very limiting and have since returned to regular eating but trying to eat less sugary foods. This has made no difference to the mite activity. They feed solely on sebum in sebum rich areas. Go back to enjoying your food! Life is far too short to restrict yourself from simple (and legal) pleasures. :-)
      Regarding the tickly feeling at sundown. I can only evaluate how coincidental it is that my skin and scalp can feel tickly or itchy when the sun starts to set. The action of cleansing followed by using the scabies lotion removes the sensation. Over two years of noticing the pattern lead me to the conclusion that it is nocturnal mite activity that I am feeling. I don't imagine there are any scientists actively employed in demodex mite research to prove otherwise.
      Take care and all the best for your complexion.
      Cheers
      Kate

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    2. Hi Kate! Thanks so much for your perspective! I have been very very restrictive with my diet... and I realize now what a comfort and joy food is in life! I have slowly started to eat more normally again and I can't see any difference in my skin so hopefully I am in the same boat as you!
      And yes - I can only attribute this tickly feeling to be those mites... I haven't had it my whole life, just since all these rosacea issues started and yes, it all calms down with the lotion...so it must be related for sure. I wish there were some scientists actively employed in this mite research - there would be so many thankful people to benefit! But agreed, for now, we forge ahead - thanks again for your site and for your replies. It is very reassuring to know I am not alone in this. Take care!!

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