My Rosacea Story: Diagnosis and photos

I’ve been thinking recently about the problems I have finding cosmetics and products that suit my skin. I thought I could look for advice here and also share my rosacea story and how I was diagnosed.

I have rosacea. For those who don’t know what it is, it’s a skin condition that to some may look like harmless blushing. However  can then turn into more persistent redness, broken veins and bumps on the face. It is more common in women (but more severe in men) and people over 30.

I was told that I had it when I was in my early 20s. I have very fair skin (read: translucent) and I’ve always been rosy in complexion, but I did notice that my face would turn very red (almost purple) at certain times.

I was prescribed Rosex cream which actually made the bumps on my face worse. The best thing I ever did was keep a diary of my flushes and what could have caused them. Through this I learnt my triggers (stress, changes in temperature, air conditioning, alcohol in general but white wine in particular, blow drying my hair…) and have tried to cut these out/down as much as I can.

I have come across a few people (including my first doctor) who think rosacea isn’t a serious complaint. They fail to see that this is the face I show to the world every single day. It affects my mood. It affects my self-esteem. I can control it most of the time, and a lot of people might not even know I have it on a regular day, but when it flares up it is pretty hard to hide.

Last summer I had a job interview for a job, and this is what the stress did to my face:

and this is after I put on make up:

You can still see where the skin is swollen and purple, but at least on a first glance people didn’t stare. This is the worst it has ever been (*I hope*) but I still have to deal with (what I refer to affectionately as) ‘my big red face’ on a daily basis. I have cupboards full of lotions and potions, some of which help, most of which definitely did NOT help.

I intended this post to include my current ‘rosacea friendly’ products but I didn’t realise how much I would waffle in this introductory post! Now that you’ve read my rosacea story, I’ve done separate posts on the FAQs of rosacea (which covers every question you will ever have!) skincare, diet and lifestyle, and the psychological aspects of rosacea. You can also find me on YouTube where I do make up reviews and tutorials.

Lex

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