Anybody suffer from rosacea- but only in the winter??

[Homemaker]

For three years in a row now I have suffered from rosacea, but only during the low light months. Around mid-afternoon my face starts feeling warm and flushed and a redness starts to develop. It only happens when I haven't been exposed to enough sunlight, so as winter progresses, it gets worse. I have even started developing ocular rosacea, as the flushing occurs in the tiny veins of my eyes. This could eventually lead to blindness, I've read.

 

Well, after that first year I tought about what could be causing it and decided to take cod liver oil the next winter, in case it was a vitamin D deficiency. No improvement. I did notice that when I managed to get some sunlight exposure the problem would diminish. This led me to the conclusion that it was related to the seasonal affective disorder, (winter blues.)

 

The third winter,(last year,) I made it a priority to sit in the sun every chance I got. I know I looked funny bundled up and sitting outside when it was below freezing and the ground was covered with snow. Hey, if you're eyesight is being harmed, you'll do anything. If I could afford it, I'd get one of those $300 light boxes that they make for people with the SAD. Well, that cut back on how often I got it, but There were lots of weeks when the sun didn't shine much and my skin was looking horrible. Not to mention my stinging sore eyes.

I have done a lot of reading this year about sunlight and how it affects your hormones, including the ones that affect mood and stress. Rosacea can be triggered by stress, or the surge of hormones it causes. My lack of sunlight exposure must be causing my hormone levels to be off balance and I must be producing more stress hormones in the winter that cause the rise in blood pressure and the facial flushing.

 

So, This winter I am doing an experiment with my diet. I am eating a low carb diet all winter to see if that makes a difference. I've read that a high carb diet can cause hormone problems and reduce you're bodies ability to keep them balanced. Primitive peoples naturally consumed a low carb diet as winter progressed due to lack of fresh fruits and vegetables and grains. They hunted more meats.

Anyway, that means no pumpkin pie, Christmas cookies, and other yummy things we crave more in the winter. I'm even cutting out bread as the season progresses to the lowest light levels.

 

If this doesn't solve my problem, I'll have to get that light box.

Anybody else as messed up as me?? What do you do about it?

[CeeGee]

I have rosacea, but not seasonal so I can't help with that. But, here is a link for a "happy light" that is less than $300....

 

http://www.verilux.com/light-therapy-lamps/happylight-6000

[Homemaker]

Thanks CeeGee,

That one looks better than the other less expensive ones I looked at last year.

[Jori]

I have it and have for years. I actually have broken vessels on my jaw line and around my nose. I'm working with a new dermatogist due to location and waiting time. The things that I've learned - rosacea is due to a lack of oil in the body (many people with it also have extremely curly hair & dry skin, like me). My former derm explained it to me the best that there are main different triggers and not all of them affect everyone but they include: cold; heat; exercise; stress; hot drinks (coffee, tea, etc); alcohol; spicy food; pregnancy (hormone changes); chlorine (swimming pools); etc. He also has it & was pretty blunt about you have to make educated choices (his example - if he was going out to a Mexican Place for dinner, he was going to have a beer and he would have a flare up).

 

Mine does seem to get worse in the winter but a large part of that is the cold and the wind off of Lake Michigan.

 

There are topical things that can give you and an oral medication along with recommendations for face cleanser, moisturizers, sunscreens. I'll look and see what some of them are when I'm in our bathroom again and post more later. There is also a national website that provides info (I'll send that if I can locate it, as well).

[Homemaker]

Actually, nothing triggers mine except for going a few days without sunshine. Cold, wind, heat, foods and all the other things you mentioned have no affect on me. It is only caused by lack of sunlight. This is why I haven't gone to a Derm. Nothing topical and no antibiotics would help.

Stress does seem linked to it, but only as a side effect of the low light levels. I suppose an anti-depressant could help, but I wouldn't want to take any.

The reason I know now that it's caused by lack of light and not something else that occurs in winter... We went almost a week without a sunny day this summer and it started happening.

I have seen nothing in my extensive online searches about rosacea linking it to the Seasonal Affective Disorder. I wonder how many other people may have the same cause as me and don't know it?

[Violet]

I have never heard it was a lack of oil. I was told it was due to some bacteria. My derm. prescribed some antibiotic cream. I can't see that it works. I don't buy it any longer.

I had laser treatment that worked wonders for years. I can see I am having some redness again, though. Foods really affect me, so does stress. When I am tired I see it, too.

Never knew that some people were only affected in the winter months due to lack of sun.

Keep learning new things all the time.

Hey, I do have natural curly hair and dry skin.

[Jori]

I have never heard it was a lack of oil. I was told it was due to some bacteria. My derm. prescribed some antibiotic cream. I can't see that it works. I don't buy it any longer.

I had laser treatment that worked wonders for years. I can see I am having some redness again, though. Foods really affect me, so does stress. When I am tired I see it, too.

Never knew that some people were only affected in the winter months due to lack of sun.

Keep learning new things all the time.

Hey, I do have natural curly hair and dry skin.

 

The old derm had me on a facewash and a lotion that controlled it beautifully. 2 pregnancies later and a new doctor and I'm having constance flare ups but I have also made a conscience choice to drink caffine constantly so I can function. Not really a good vice but I quiet

[Jori]

I have never heard it was a lack of oil. I was told it was due to some bacteria. My derm. prescribed some antibiotic cream. I can't see that it works. I don't buy it any longer.

I had laser treatment that worked wonders for years. I can see I am having some redness again, though. Foods really affect me, so does stress. When I am tired I see it, too.

Never knew that some people were only affected in the winter months due to lack of sun.

Keep learning new things all the time.

Hey, I do have natural curly hair and dry skin.

 

The old derm had me on a facewash and a lotion that controlled it beautifully. 2 pregnancies later and a new doctor and I'm having constance flare ups but I have also made a conscience choice to drink caffine constantly so I can function. Not really a good vice but I quiet smoking

[Jori]

I have never heard it was a lack of oil. I was told it was due to some bacteria. My derm. prescribed some antibiotic cream. I can't see that it works. I don't buy it any longer.

I had laser treatment that worked wonders for years. I can see I am having some redness again, though. Foods really affect me, so does stress. When I am tired I see it, too.

Never knew that some people were only affected in the winter months due to lack of sun.

Keep learning new things all the time.

Hey, I do have natural curly hair and dry skin.

 

The old derm had me on a facewash and a lotion that controlled it beautifully. 2 pregnancies later and a new doctor and I'm having constance flare ups but I have also made a conscience choice to drink caffine constantly so I can function. Not really a good vice but I quiet smoking years ago.

 

I think they would always recommend eucrin (not sure on spelling), cetphel, and J&J Purpose stuff all for sensitive skin. Moisturer was a must everyday as well as a sunscreen with a good moisturizer.

 

Violet~ I have a friend that works as an instructor for Redken so I've learned alot about my curly hair over the years and can manage it most of the time. There are other times though..... . The dry skin, I'm still working with, my hands didn't heal this summer due to all of the canning I did so I'm already getting cracks and cuts in them.