1. There is no miracle cure for rosacea. Learn to live with your
rosacea, because it's probably not going to go away any time soon.
Do what you have to do to work around the problem, but continue to
live your life as fully as possible (even on those days when you
don't feel that it's possible). Your life needs to be much more than
just worrying about your face 24/7. I know this is a tough one. I
would have missed out on so much over the last 33 years if I had not
learned (eventually, and not always successfully) to live with my
rosacea. Calculate how much time you think (or obsess) about your
face in a day, week, month. Think about how many times you've
skipped doing things "because of your rosacea". Imagine how much
you're going to miss, if there's no complete cure for several more
decades. I never thought, when I was diagnosed with rosacea in 1972,
that there'd be no cure during the first half of my life. We had
just put a man on the moon a few years before my diagnosis. Who
would have thought that I'd still be dealing with rosacea every day
33 years later? Certainly not me. Don't give up living your life
until your face looks perfect. I am sorry and sad that this may
never happen for some of us.

2. Find a caring, compassionate doctor...one who will take time to
listen to your issues, and is willing to try creative solutions.
This may mean that you have better luck with your family care
practitioner than with some dermatologists. Do your own research
before seeing a doctor. Read the Rosacea archives on Yahoo. You need
to ask the right questions, and you need to know if something they're
recommending is harmful to a rosacea face. It's sad, but you may
actually end up knowing more about rosacea than some doctors. I've
had a few great doctors who admitted that they did not know much more
about rosacea than what they learned in medical school. But, they
were willing to look over (and then try) whatever I had found in my
research. I've also had a few truly awful doctors (arrogant in their
ignorance) who prescribed things that sent me to Rosacea Hell (Retin-
A, alpha-hydroxy, Benzoyl Peroxide ...the list goes on & on).

3. When all else fails, consider IPL with a doctor who has an
extensive background treating rosacea successfully. This discussion
group has several doctors who are currently having good success
treating rosacea. Also, you can search the older Yahoo archives to
find additional discussions about people who've had great luck with
various IPL practitioners.

4. Rosacea affects each person differently. What works for someone
else, may not work for you (or, can actually hurt you). You do not
have to try everything that you've read about...which leads to number
5.

5. When you find something that works for you, stop experimenting.

6. Do not believe everything you read about the cause of rosacea or
how to "cure" it. Just because you've read a news article or have
seen it on the Internet, does not automatically makes something
true. Good heavens, I saw a picture of a demodex mite that would
freak anyone out...the little bugger was blown up to the size of a
Volkswagen...enough to make any face red if you're to believe the
accompanying article, and certainly scary enough to make you want to
send $100 for the "cure". Be wary of any claims of cure. "If it
sounds too good to be true, it probably is" applies to rosacea,
also.

7. Just because a product is very expensive, does not mean it will
help your rosacea. Also, do not discount something just because it's
cheap. I have an entire linen closet full of very expensive,
partially used mistakes. Weird, but one of the very cheapest facial
cleanser/soaps, is also the one that not only did not cause a single
problem, but actually calmed my face down. Same thing with my
moisturizer...very cheap at Target & has not only never caused a
problem, but worked to settle my face down after a bout of complete
intolerance to anything on my face (including water).

8. Stop checking your face in the mirror all the time. When it
comes to how your face looks, you are your own worse critic. Look at
faces around you. Almost no one has perfect skin, even those without
rosacea. No one, but you, is checking your face under the bright
bathroom mirror, using a magnifying glass. For the periods of time,
when you look frighteningly awful, surround yourself with
understanding friends, family, and co-workers. By the way, when
you're checking out other faces, you're going to see people who seem
to be blissfully unaware that they have rosacea. I'm not completely
sure this is a bad thing.

9. Have a frank, open discussion with family, friends, and co-
workers about your condition. Admit you have a problem and need
their help. They need to know how rosacea affects how you look and
feel. Tell them what they can do to help you. I'm always surprised
at how hard the people around me work to accommodate me. When my
face looks awful, they understand when I say that I can't bear going
out for an evening of fun with them. BUT, they force me to get out,
face the world, have a good time, and forget for awhile. If your
face can't bear an overheated house, friends may be able to set their
thermostat back a bit, or find you a place to sit near an open
window, with lots of cold water to sip. When the people, who love
you, understand what causes a problem for your rosacea, they often
come up with a creative solution...one that you would never have
dreamed of on your own. Once people understand that this is more
than just a cosmetic issue, that it's something that may never be
cured, that you may have to live with it for decades, they tend to be
willing to help out when possible. You don't have to harp or be
preachy...just a gentle reminder that your face feels like it has a
painful sunburn is often reminder enough.

10. Most of the time, less is better. The more stuff your put on
your face, the more likely you'll have a problem with one or more of
the products. And, if you're using several different things on your
face, how are you going to figure out which is the problem product?
Try to go without makeup whenever possible. It's one less thing
you're putting on your face.

11. When trying a new product, do not try to fight through an
initial irritation, in hopes that your face will get use to it. If
something makes you itch, burn, break out, or turn red, it's probably
not going to get better if you keep using in hopes that your face
with eventually accept the product.

12. When trying a new product that seems to be okay, don't change
anything else with your skin care regimen for several weeks.
Sometimes, it takes several weeks for irritation to something new to
show up.

13. Practice "whole body" health. Don't compromise the health of the
rest of your body to save aggravation to your face. Most of the
things that keep the rest of your body healthy, can help your face
(or least do it no harm). Stay hydrated...drink plenty of water.
Try to get seven or eight hours of sleep each day. Flushes seem to
occur more frequently and last longer, when you aren't getting enough
rest. You might be able to stop a flush with a nap. Get out and get
some exercise, even if it means going for a walk before dawn, when
it's cool. Watch what you eat...not just the stuff that you know
causes you to flush. I've seen several great articles (and a good
rosacea diet book) discussed on this forum. At minimum, try to avoid
refined sugars (besides the usual stuff on the triggers lists). It
may help to stay away from soda beverages...too much sugar in
regular, and many rosaceans have a problem with Nutrasweet in diet
sodas. Man, what I'd give for a Dr Pepper and a Snickers bar, right
about now!

14. Use a fan, but use it judiciously. It only takes a short while
for your face to become dependent on a fan for cooling, if you are
using it 24/7. When you have to venture away from the fan, for work
or fun, you'll find that you flush much easier in heat than you did
previously. A great compromise, that seems to work, is to use the
fan, but not pointed directly at the face. More the air around you,
or use it to cool the rest of your body.

Sorry, this got so very long. I know that much of this is old news
for many of you. I just felt that some of this could be of use to
the many, newly diagnosed rosaceans. I remember feeling like my
world, as I knew it, was ending 33 years ago when I was diagnosed.
There is hope. You CAN live very successfully and happily with
rosacea. You just need to figure out how you're going to do it. I'd
say "when you're handed lemons, make lemonade" but it would probably
make my face burn like crazy! One good thing about having rosacea
all these years.... people usually guess that I'm 5 to 10 years
younger than I actually am. Rosacea teaches you to treat your face
gently, and you will probably look younger when you're in your 50s,
too. Bless you all and good luck.

Nancy (who would use the name Ruby Red, but it's already taken.
Maybe, I'll start using Placid Pink for a handle)