Hi!

I've been reading all the questions about exercise, weightlifting and our mutual
problem and wanted to add my two cents on my recent experiences with exercise.

I am a 46 year old female. After having dry skin all my life, my skin turned
oily in my late 30s when I got adult onset acne. By changing my birth control
pills and using Retin A then Differen, it cleared up and remained clear until
three years ago when the red face and pustules showed up. Prior to this, I was
known for my very clear pale skin.

The rosacea showed up about the same time as when I got layed off of my job.
Nothing helped. Just for general info, I had also gained a good chunk of weight
on my job due to sitting on my less then delicate derriere.

About a year ago, I started a major overhaul of my exercise habits. I had
already overhauled my eating habits right after I got layed off. I had switched
to low-fat and low-carb and no, the low-carb did not effect my face color at
all.

BUT back to exercise. I started weightlifting three days a week. Yes, my face
was red after lifting but my weight was more of a concern. It would calm down
about an hour after my post-workout shower. No, I didn't take tepid or cool
showers. I like'em hot. An hour to hour and half later my face would cool down
to its now normal pink red from the lobster red.

After about a month I started adding cardio by going on the treadmill for half
an hour with different inclines. Then I upped it to an hour at various
inclines. I continually pushed myself going as fast as I could for as long as I
could and then dropping the speed and or incline till I was rested and then
popped it back up again.

And BOY was my face lobster red while I was on the treadmill and until about
one to two hours after my post-workout hot shower. I ignored it and kept on.
Then after I had been on this regime (weightlifting 3 x aweek and cardio 6-7 x
week) for about three months a strange thing happened. I happened to glance at
the mirror on my way to the shower one morning after my cardio workout and was
shocked to discover it was a mild pink not the normal lobster red. At the same
time, I had been noticing my face was a lot less red than it had been when I
hadn't been working out. My friends noticed as well.

The reduction in my red face remained until I fell off my regime. While the
redness increased gradually, It has not returned to its original intense
redness. My pustules and papules problem pretty much went away with after about
6 months after it first started. I am starting to go back to my workout regime
and will let you know if the same thing happens and if it continues.

One other item. As I am getting up to the age of peri-menipause, I recently
had all my hormone levels checked. They were within the normal range.

However, I had been on additional thyroid in the past and it seemed to really
help with my weight. Surprisingly, it did NOT make me jittery or my heart race.
My doctor and I decided to put me on thyroid to see if it would again speed up
my metabolism. After a week on additional thyroid medication, my skin started
becoming less red and shock of shocks my skin stopped getting the mini-breakouts
that I always seemed to be fighting.

After about a month, my skin was almost back to my normal and went THREE weeks
without a breakout. Just for fun, I went off the thyroid medication and
surprise within 4 days, my skin started to breakout again.

I'm back on the thyroid and my skin is now clearing up and paling out again. I
am going to the gym tomorrow and will keep you all posted as to the results in a
month.

Just in case you're interested. My skin regime is as follows.

I use mild shampoo on my face with a japanese scrubbie in the shower to wash my
face.

I then apply differen to my still damp face from hairline to decollete.
I use either La Mer Oil Absorbing lotion or regular lotion depending on the
season. If my pocketbook is on the empty side, I use "Kiss My Face Peaches and
Cream" facial lotion.

I also use Payot's Special #5 lotion which has kaolin clay in it on breakouts
along with benzy peroxide. When my face is more red, I use Payot's Special #5
lotion all over my face as it has a yellowish tint which is just enough to turn
my red face normal color looking. The clay based lotion also absorbs the oil so
my face remains less oily thru the day. If my face isn't very red, I use
Shiseido's pressed powder with suncreen.

My fav eye cream is La Mer's. Most of eye creams seem to make my skin sting.

I use a sun screen after my regular face lotion has "dried" and before Payot's
yellowish Special #5 clay based lotion.

And that's about it.

Sooo, as to working out, I would have to say...the heck with the red face, go
for it. You might just discover down the line that your face is a lot less red.
I did!

Cheers!
Valerie


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]