Diagnosis: Rosacea

[KittyLove]

I've had a rash along my left laugh line for about two months, and I asked my MD about it and he said it was rosacea. He prescribed Metro cream. I've been using it for two days and it already looks better. I just have some questions.

Is this really a disease? Did I cause this by drinking alcohol and spicy foods? Will it get worse over time? Is it true that mites are the culprit? Will I have to use Metro cream for the rest of my life?

[futurelovers]

Oh and once I get home and get some free time - I'll look for the name of that antibiotic I once was prescribed to treat something completely different but as a bonus effect, I noticed that it had cleared up all the red spots from my face and then found out that it is also used to treat rosacea in some cases...

[jacksinn]

KiityLove

I used metro cream and found it made my skin oily. Now use metrogel. Actually I used it for a year and then stopped. I no longer have the pustules and only very little redness so I going to give it break for awhile. I have not noticed that anything makes it worse.

[nugget55]

I have this little annoying group of pimples on the end of my nose. I look like Rudolph the red nose reindeer. Don't know what flares it up. It comes and goes. Is there anything o.t.c. that works for this that has been sucessful?

[Mainegirl]

The metrogel started to not work for me after a while. I found I was using a ton of it with little relief.

My derma switched me to Desonide. I have been on it for over a year and it works great. I used to get horrible flare ups right after lunch (elevation in body temperature maybe?), I used to put it on right after I ate to reduce the severity of the flare up when it did happen but now I don't even need to put it on everyday as I don't get the afternoon flare up as frequently.

I do notice that some foods do make me flare up (hot soup is one of them). I had to stop drinking alcohol completely as even a small glass of wine was enough to make my nose bright red and cheeks very flushed (with those attractive pustles...). I also use Differin for acne and the combination of the products doesn't bother my skin at all.