Just used ZZ for the first time, is burning feeling normal?

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doveponds
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Apr 24, 2013 3:39 am

Just used ZZ for the first time, is burning feeling normal?

Post by doveponds »

Hi guys. This forum has been a great source of information and encouragement for me, so I thought I would share my experiences over the coming weeks as I start treating myself with these products.

I ordered the 1 month treatment pack of ZZ ointment and Fumanling cream, plus the acarid soap. Not cheap, but I'm very impressed with the speedy delivery, customer service and overall quality of these products. I'm in the UK so I also had to pay a customs import VAT fee.

I have had moderate rosacea since around late 2010 which I have treated with daily 50mg doxycyline and topical metronidazole gel. The doxycylcine works great to keep the bumps/pastules at bay but the background redness is quite consistent, and it's clear that these medications are only holding back further progression of symptoms rather than curing anything. Over the last 18 months or so, the pores on my cheeks have started to widen a lot and my cheeks/chin/forehead area is very sensitive to sun. After doing a big research campaign I stumbled over the massive amount of evidence linking demodex mites to rosacea, and although I have not seen a specialist dematologist or had skin scrapings, I have all the classic symptoms of demodectic rosacea so I thought i'd give it a shot with this stuff.

I used the Fumanling cream with metronidazole this morning, with no problems. It left my skin feeling good, soft and smooth to the touch.

I applied my first treatment of ZZ cream this evening, and followed the instructions carefully making sure to wash my face gently with warm water and acarid soap, and use the ZZ cream sparingly etc.

I tested the zz cream on a small area of skin on my arm which was fine, but a few seconds after applying the ointment to my face my skin began to have a fairly intense burning and stinging sensation. One of my eyes has some demodex/blepharitis symptoms and this eye became VERY red and started watering enough for tears to come down my face. Is this normal for a first time application? I made sure that no ZZ cream went anywhere near my eyes or eyelash area, but it felt as if there were 'fumes' from the ZZ irritating my eyes. It does smell quite sulphuric when it's fresh on though this doesn't really other me.

After about 5-10 minutes the stinging and burning totally subsided however, and I must say that now even only a few hours later, my skin already looks and feels better. The redness has calmed a lot, the zz seems to have had a soothing and cooling effect which is very promising.

Is this normal for the first applications and will my skin get used to the ZZ treatments? If not, I can deal with the stinging for the sake of getting my face in better shape, but I'm just interested to know what everyone else's experience is here. I guess I may just have very sensitive skin as a result of 3 years rosacea symptoms.

all the best!

Nick
doveponds
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Apr 24, 2013 3:39 am

Re: Just used ZZ for the first time, is burning feeling norm

Post by doveponds »

Hi everyone,

Coming up for a full month now of treatment with ZZ cream at night, and xin fumanling in the morning, and I wanted to update anyone reading my posts on how i'm doing.

This product is amazing. Within a couple of days of use my skin was already looking a lot better and the improvements have just kept coming. As predicted, i had a breakout of bad skin about 10 days/2 weeks after i started using these products but my skin healed a lot faster than it normally would.

I am only 1/4 of the way through the total amount of time i intend to use these products for (one of the demodex species requires 120 days treatment to kill, according to what i've read here), but my skin is looking better than it has done for years, and better even than many of my friends skin who's complexions i used to envy only 6 weeks ago!

I have NO pimples, NO spots, NO lumps and the background redness in that horrible 'butterfly' shape across my face that I'm sure many here are familiar with has all but disappeared. I have a very small amount of 'pinkness' in the areas where my rosacea was worst, but i can see this fading literally every day, and it is barely even noticeable anymore. The enlarged pores on my nose and cheeks have massively reduced and even on close inspection in a mirror that 'orange peel' texture is nearly vanished.

I cannot really express the joy that i am feeling every time i look in the mirror, to now see daily improvement in my skin!

If you are reading this and unsure whether to buy these products I would whole heartedly recommend you give it ago. Yes they are not cheap, but I have to say you do not need a lot and its already looking like my 'months treatment' package is going to last me a lot longer than 4 weeks.

A few things I will mention to anyone thinking about using these creams:

The zz ointment is a robust, strong treatment and you can feel it working from the second it touches your face. It was a little alarming at first and stings like hell if you get any in/very close to your naked eyes but do not worry! It actually stung a little when i first applied it (see my earlier post) and although my skin has gotten much better used to it after a few days, my eyes and nose still water like crazy when i apply it. Just go with it, the crazy tingle calms down after about 10-20 minutes then it feels fine. It has been slightly strange sitting in bed every night with this stuff on my face, it sits there almost like a facemask overnight, but everytime I wash this off and look in the mirror each morning i have been repeatedly amazed and its easy to get used to.

I have found that my skin responds best when i apply the Xin fumanling cream straight after i get out of my morning shower, just like a moisturizer really. I will always ensure that I have my pot of fumanling cream on hand in the morning so i can apply it before my face dries out...each morning I wash the previous nights zz cream off my face with a gentle lukewarm shower and then pat my face dry with a fresh, clean washed towel, immediately apply the xin fumanling cream and my face LOVES it. Again i have been noticing a tingling on application but it is normal! You can really feel it working straight away.

I am taking daily b vitamins/riboflavin supplements as suggested in this forum, and i feel this is also helping a lot. Also, i have continued to take daily oral 50mg doxycline as i was doing before. This has been my normal prescription treatment for rosacea for a couple of years anyway and i feel it has probably helped me to avoid the worst of potential breakouts. I dont know how much this has counted towards my good fortune in treating my condition.

Change your bed sheets religiously every max 2-3 days, every day if you can while youre using the creams. yes its expensive to do with all the extra laundry but its worth it and you wont be doing it forever. Also, fresh, clean towels EVERY time you wash. No exceptions!

be careful with your pets, cats and dogs, wash your hands after stroking or petting them, and absolutely do not bury your face in their fur! ban them from your bedroom/laundry room and make sure they do not get on your bed sheets at any cost. Dog and car fur is bacteria city and it always makes my face break out, so dont go sleeping on bedsheets that your dog has been lounging on.

Wash your hands with antibacterial soap at every opportunity and try to avoid touching your face at all during the day.

If you use the acarid removing soap too, its great for hair/scalp/neck/behind the ears where you dont want to go applying ZZ cream, but be careful with it on your face. I used a bit too much on my face at first and it REALLY dried my skin out a lot so be careful there.

Anyway, i have only good things to say about this stuff. It is working better than i could have ever hoped for. Hopefully i will continue to have good news to share. I only wish i had taken some pictures of before i started to compare with now! Good luck everyone.
mcwick94
Posts: 77
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2012 7:49 pm

Re: Just used ZZ for the first time, is burning feeling norm

Post by mcwick94 »

how much zz do you use at night? I have such a hard time spreading it out so it reaches everywhere. When you broke out, did you keep applying the zz the areas every single night? Also do you moisturize after applying the creams?
doveponds
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Apr 24, 2013 3:39 am

Re: Just used ZZ for the first time, is burning feeling norm

Post by doveponds »

I use enough to evenly cover my whole face, i wear it like a facemask at night. I find a good way to apply it is to dab lots of evenly spaced dots of it all over my face with my fingertips before rubbing it in. I make it so my whole face is pale and light with the cream.

Every night i have applied the ZZ in the same way, evenly all over and i didnt do anything different at all when i broke out. Make sure you get it right up to your hairline too as this seems to be where i got a lot of spots and i didnt get this before.

I havent been using an actual moisturiser but i have been using the xin fumanling as if it is one. I apply it in the morning straight after a shower, and if i get my face wet or wash again at another time in the day i will apply the zin fumanling cream again. Good luck, i hope some of this is a little bit helpful to you!
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