During that time this spot would itch like crazy and one night I decided to stop the itch with apple cider vinegar on a cotton pad. To my surprise when I looked in the mirror there was a white patch were the rosacea was. The rest of my face had no such reaction.
From that point I wondered if what I had might be some kind of fungus that was reacting to the vinegar.
A month or so later while looking for some help at the health food store a girl behind their cosmetic counter mentioned a patron who had cured her rosacea with a cosmetic line called Zia. I did some research and found the product line to be totally natural so I started using several of the products. The woman who made the line also had written a book which I purchased and read.
One of the tips in the book was a facial steam with an old time laxative remedy (herbs) put in the steam water. The steam with this laxative was suppose to draw toxins out of your skin.
Armed with this advise I started a regimen of a facial steam every day.
I simply heated water in a pan on the stove ... poured the boiling water over the herbal laxative in a Pyrex bowl on the kitchen table ... draped a towel over my head making a closed tent and allowing my face to steam for 10 mins.
Then I washed my face with the Zia cleanser.
Put on a product called Papaya Enzyme Peel from Zia ... waited 40 mins washed it off and applied my moisturizer and was on my way for the day.
In the evening I washed again with the face wash and applied a product called Citrus Nighttime Reversal and went to bed.
I did this routine faithfully daily and in about a month the rosacea was gone. It took a little longer for the red to go away but there were no little pin head size pimples or swelling around them left.
I continued to use this product until about a year ago when my life took an extremely busy turn and I washed my face only with soap in the shower. I quit using my Zia products except for my skin refresher and moisturizer.
In Oct of 2005 a tiny patch of rosacea reappeared after all that time. I knew immediately what it was but sort of ignored it because I did not feel I had time to do my old routine.
Over the holiday season the problem got worse and spread from my chin to the side of my nose ... my husband insisted I go to the doctor even though I told him there was no cure. I decided to go to the doctor only because I had a mole on my back that I wanted him to look at ... I already knew what he would say about the rosacea. I went to him on Jan 2 2006. He did not disappoint me. His remedy was Tetracycline (which I did not take ... though he does not yet know that) I came home and ran a search on rosacea and somehow ended up with a reference to the Demodex mite and ran a search on that and found the Demodex Solutions Website and this forum.
What I read made sense to me so I immediately ordered the ZZ cream and XFML
After the visit to the doctor I had a really bad break out probably the worst since it came back this time.
My order arrived in a few days later and immediately started using the zz cream. In about 2 days the outbreak looked like it was going away ... then another outbreak only this time I got a tiny spot on my eyelid and 2 on my forehead.
I kind of laughed to myself because to date this stuff was contained only to the spot on my chin. I could almost hear these little critters screaming and dashing for other areas. I was applying a very thin coat of ZZ to my whole face 2 times a day.
The outbreaks in other areas of my face happened only once (there were 7 all together) and then they were gone.
From about Jan 7th until today I have had a number of outbreaks ... like perhaps every 3 or 4 days. Each getting less severe. Today I had 3 tiny spots and the rest of my chin is clear. There is one spot beside my nose.
My face has become very dry. That does not matter because when the mite is gone there will be plenty of time to use my Zia products and correct that problem.
Getting rid of the mite is my prime goal now.
I have deliberately quit all cosmetics and refused the antibiotics from the doctor just to put this product to the test. So far it is a raving success in my book.
I went to the dermatologist this Monday Jan 30th. He looked and said "you are greatly improved" ... carry on with your treatment meaning his prescription. I asked him what HE KNEW about the Demdex mite and was actually surprised at how much he knew ... however he did not think it was the cause of anything and told me not to worry about an infestation since everyone had this mite. I did not tell him what I was doing because he is very hard to see (he is booked until May) and I wanted him to see me in a couple of months (his suggestion). I was a little afraid he might be miffed if I was not following his directions.
On my next visit if I am totally cured he will find out what I have done.
I will continue with my ZZ cream (I have yet to use the XFML) for the next 2 or 3 months. However I might cut down to evenings and start back with my Zia products during the day along with the facial steam of old.
I found it very interesting that all of the things that made the rosacea go away the first time were all things they do not recommend for your skin. Nothing harsh and no heat or steams.
The 2 Zia products are natural acid peels one to life dead cells and the other to slough it off. I have to say I give credit for that line of cosmetics making me look at least 10 years younger than my 64 years.
The nurse in the doctors office the other day questioned if they had made a mistake on my age ... she was then interested on what I had used on my face all these years ... even though I had told her all of that on the first visit.
I am now placing an order of ZZ cream for my daughter ... she has had rosacea (far worse than mine) for 8 years. I will also try the shampoo since my hair has been falling out more than usual and perhaps the body wash.
Can anyone tell me what is in the XFML? Everything is written in Chinese.
I wish I had taken pictures of this whole process so far ... now there is nothing to take pictures of really. Perhaps I will keep a record of my daughters progress.