To start, I must apologize for going AWOL for so long, but a lot has happened (good and bad. I won’t get into it) and it’s made it difficult to keep up with a lot of the things going on in my life. Family, friends, work and progress with the second book in the Perspective book series were at the top of the priority list. Because of that, the blog posts just didn’t manage to happen.
But I’m back and I’ll start posting regularly again. No, really! Especially since I have great news! Smarter Lights (formerly Light Therapy Options) – the company whose red light therapy and amber light therapy kits I’m using to treat my rosacea symptoms – has asked me if I’d be willing to try out two prototypes they’ve designed for use by people who have rosacea!
In case you’re curious, the products I’m currently using are:
Each prototypes will combine red and amber light therapy in one rosacea product.
The difference between the two prototypes is the balance of red light therapy to amber light therapy (the amount of energy from each range of colour wavelengths…I only somewhat understand it).
I’m flattered that Light Therapy Options is allowing me to take part in this test and I can’t wait to share my progress with you! I’ve asked and made sure that none of the things I want to share are “top-secret” as the company develops its rosacea light therapy product and I’ve been told that I’m allowed to tell you all about it! So I will 🙂
I don’t have the prototype bulbs, yet, but when I do, I’ll be sure to take pictures and do some videos, as well. The idea behind the testing is to come up with a final product that will combine red light therapy and amber light therapy into one bulb so that if you want to benefit from both ranges of wavelengths, you only need to get one product, not two. Cool, huh?!
So far, using amber and red light therapy for rosacea is still working great
I have to confess that for two straight weeks, I let the light therapy for my rosacea slide a little bit, so that I was doing it only 3-4 days per week. I could really tell the difference in my skin. This was especially true because I stopped eating carefully, too. But for the last week, I’ve been back to full-scale daily treatments and I’ve started eating more carefully. I’m already seeing the improvements in my complexion.
The rosy cheeks that had been returning are already subsiding. I even had some pimple-like bumps return for the first time since mid-summer and they too are on their way out. I predict that by the end of this week, I’ll be right back to where I had been before I let my treatments slide. PHEW! That’ll teach me to get lazy with my treatment, though!
What to wear to help minimize rosacea redness
Something else that I discovered that has been interesting over the last few weeks is that colour plays another important role in rosacea symptoms, aside from light therapy. The colour you wear can help to accentuate or hide the redness on your face!
In case you’re interested in my findings, please check out this little video I made to compare the way different colours cause rosacea redness to stand out.
Which colours do you think were most flattering/least flattering in terms of showing rosacea symptoms? Please feel welcome to share your opinion in the comments, below.
So, I guess that’s it for now. I fully intend to get back into regular blogging and I’ll be certain to do an unboxing with regular updates when the new rosacea light therapy prototype arrives. I’m very excited about checking that out and starting to use it.
Full disclosure: I’m not being paid to talk about or test the rosacea light therapy prototype. It’s being sent to me for free, so that I can test it out, record my results, and provide my honest feedback to Light Therapy Options. Any opinions I share about it on this blog will be – as they have always been – perfectly honest. I’ll tell you what I like about it but I will also tell you what I don’t like about it. Just wanted to make sure you know that nothing has changed 🙂
Living the "Rosy Life" 
Hi Julie, I just wondered – since you haven’t talked about it for some time – how your topical treatment is working for you, the Rocia line, right? Do you still like and use it? I’m constantly looking for something that’s working for mw, because I have super sensitive and SUPER dry and flaky skin that is also prone to develop pimples/bumps. And I am also unfortunately – as my dermatologist told me this morning – overdoing it with creams. I have developed a perioral dermatitis on top. Yay! 😉 Anyway… do you have any recommendations? Thank you! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi! I’m sorry to hear that you’re struggling with your skin. That sounds very uncomfortable! Did your dermatologist have any recommendations for moisturizing?
To answer your question, I’m loving the Rocia line. I’ve switched back to the Eucerin gentle face cleanser that I’d previously been using (Eucerin DermatoCLEAN Mild Cleansing Lotion), instead of the Rocia Olive Oil Cleansing Cake because while the Rocia cleanser was fantastic during the summer, my skin started drying out with it now that the weather is getting colder.
That said, I’m still using the Rocia Provar treatment and the Rocia Quench Extra Hydration Oil and they’re working very well for me. I love the Rocia Quench Hydration oil far more now than I did in the summer. I use 3-ish drops for my whole face and it keeps my skin softened (my skin has a tendency toward being scaliness when the weather gets colder), but it does it without feeling oily. It takes around 15 minutes to fully absorb, but it’s worth it and it feels great.
I don’t know if it would work the same way for your skin with your perioral dermatitis, but I’ve found it to be extremely soothing and gentle. My skin reacts to virtually everything, but it didn’t react to this. My skin care routine involves cleansing, treating and moisturizing in the morning and then again before bedtime. That’s it.
I’m not a skincare expert or anything so I wouldn’t be able to make recommendations, but I hope you can find some benefit from the experience I’ve had with those products so you can decide what will work best for you. Good luck!
LikeLike
Hi Julie,
Thanks for coming back to me so quickly. I’m just a little overwhelmed with the situation. And I still have trouble wrapping my head around the fact that I am now the one who has rosacea. I always had really good skin. So this is very hard for me.
My dermatologist prescribed another topical cream with erythromycin – earlier I used metronidazole – but I am not totally sold on using antibiotics the whole time (almost 10 months now). Since it’s not even working! I have made an appointment with another doctor in November, so I hope that he’ll have a solution for me that is actually working. Fingers crossed! Otherwise I’m using a cleanser by Avène (Antirougeurs) and a moisturizer by Nivea for sensitive skin right now (it’s a German brand). But I’m not sure it’s the best for my skin.
I’m happy to hear though that the Rocia products are working for you. I really hope that I’ll find an all-natural solution for me, too. But unfortunately, in Germany, the product offers are not as varied as in the US or in Canada, I’m afraid.
After I’ve seen your red light tutorials I was also inspired to go ahead and purchase a therapy light, although I didn’t want to spend too much on something I hadn’t even tried out. So What I did was order a flashlight with a red LED lightbulb (normally used for hunting. Ha!) for 20 Euros. I compared the stats with your red light and found out that they are quite similar. 650nm and 500 lumen vs 630nm and 400 lumen. And since the wavelength is said to be optimal between 620 and 700nm I thought why not try it out? Well. So far so good. The only real difference to the Light Therapy Options bulb is the diameter that hits the face I suppose. The flashlight diameter is probably a bit smaller. But that was alright with me. The only thing was, it didn’t work for me. To be completely honest: I’m not so sure that it was a good idea to continue my topical therapy while using the red light therapy at the same time. Because metronidazole is said to thin out the skin. And light therapy on top is maybe not the best thing to do. That’s probably why I had some breakouts. Or maybe it was something I ate or … Well you know how it goes. I’m never sure what really happened. Food, drinks, cold weather, stress. But: I think I will definitely try it once more once I’ve decided how to proceed with my medicine.
Sorry for my ramblings. I probably never have the right person to talk to about this. Because everybody always says that “it’s not THAT bad… I can HARDLY see it…”, etc. And they just don’t know what it’s like. Well, it’s there and I know it and for me it’s THAT bad.
Sorry again. This has become much longer and self-pitying than I intended. 🙂
Thank you again for the recommendation and your opinions. 🙂
Greetings from Germany,
Jessica
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi again Jessica. Greetings from Canada!
I completely understand what you’re going through. Not all the symptoms are visible. The visible ones make you feel ugly (no matter what friends and family say) but it’s the burning, dryness, itching, stinging, etc that are really bad, in my opinion.
It’s cool that you found a way to treat your skin with red light. I’m sorry it didn’t work, though. I wonder if it’s the same intensity as the one I’m using. Maybe if you changed your treatment time based on the individual product you have? Is there anyone you can consult about that? I am using both amber and red light and I’m finding that I’m having even more benefits from the two together. It’s great for the symptoms I feel but can’t see and it is slowly healing the damage I’ve done to my skin by treating rosacea the wrong way for so many years. Do you think you could find a cheap amber bulb, too? I saw on YouTube that some people use red LED hydroponics panels to treat their skin. They just have to do it for a lot longer than I do with my product because it’s not as intense even though it’s in the same wavelength range. (I do mine for 90-180 seconds per side of my face, but some of those products take 15 minutes or more. It’s hard to tell how long is best since it’s not what they were designed for).
I have tried three versions of metronidazole with no luck. For about a month, it looks as though it works, then it just goes back to what it was and my skin becomes very sensitive to the sun. I’ve tried MetroGel, MetroCreme and Noritate with no luck. I think it works for some people but not for others. I hope your new drug works better for you!
I’ve tried Avène Antirougeurs. I loved that it was slightly green tinted so it helped to cover the redness just a little bit. I found that over time, it left a buildup on my skin that my cleanser wasn’t taking off (ew). I find I have that problem with cleansers that don’t make my face flare-up. They’re gentle, but they aren’t strong enough to remove some products. I don’t know if that’s just a problem with my skin or if other people have that problem, too. I have tried Nivea products with no luck. They make my skin flare up. I don’t think there’s one product that works for everyone or that doesn’t work for anyone. It just seems to be a matter of finding out what works for you and your unique skin. I know someone with rosacea who uses a scrub (!!!) which is the opposite of what you’re supposed to use, but she has cleared her skin completely. I’m still not willing to give that a try.
I’m not sure if Rocia ships to Germany or not. They have a contact form on their website where you could ask them, if you’re hoping to try their products.
I know a lot of people have luck when they leave apple cider vinegar (the good quality kind) on their face overnight and I know that some people find that when they make a face mask out of milk and turmeric, it helps to calm the redness and inflammation. I haven’t tried that yet, either. Great YouTube videos describe how to do that.
By the way, you never have to apologize for leaving comments here on my blog. That’s what this blog is meant for! Since it’s VERY hard to treat this condition, I feel that if we all work together and share our experiences, it will help other people to find the treatment that works for them. There is a treatment for all of us, but there’s a lot of trial and error along the road to finding it. I hope talking this out is helping you 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Julie,
Thank you! It really means a lot to me. To be understood for once. Even my boyfriend is not completely taking this seriously. He just doesn’t see the big issue I have – especially with my complexion. Every time I look in the mirror I don’t recognize my skin. I know this sounds a little silly. And I’m actually also a little glad that he doesn’t really “see” it. 😉
I was looking for an amber bulb, too, but couldn’t find one. And I actually don’t know if my red light would really work. What I did was compare all the therapy products on the German market, but funny enough, the only product that came close to what the Light Therapy Options bulb can do is my little LED flashlight! Even compared to products that are geared towards therapy. The others don’t have enough lumen (too weak) or they have the wrong wavelength. And the reviews on those products weren’t very promising.
I still believe that once I stop using antibiotics I will try the red light therapy again. But until then I’ll give my doctor’s new topical mix a shot. It’s just so nerve-racking, there’s so much trial and error involved and I’m so fed up with this back and forth, back and forth.
I learnt that the water in Cologne, where I reside, is VERY bad. Very hard and calcareous (but of course save otherwise – German standards 😉 ). My doctor said that many of his patients with rosacea developed the ailment once they’ve moved to the city! And the same goes for me. I moved there last year and at the exact same time my rosacea broke out (Ok, I also changed jobs, so there was a lot of stress involved, but still). That’s why I totally avoid using tap water on my face – hence the Avène cleanser with which there’s no water needed. Otherwise I use the Avène Thermal Spray to freshen up and soothe my irritated skin.
I have also heard about people using face scrubs and actually I have been using an electrical face brush by olay (an inexpensive alternative to a Clarisonic) to get rid of the flakiness on my chin – which really worked! But I’m not sure that it’s made for using it on a daily basis – at least not for me – because it’s a little too harsh for the sensitive skin on my cheeks. But still, I’m always really happy when I find SOMETHING that works. 🙂
And I really want to try the cider vinegar. At least internally. I totally believe in the influence of our intestines, of what we eat and take in, on our skin. That’s why I’ve bought turmeric extract pills, I’m drinking green tea… etc. All these anti-inflammatory foods. Well, hope dies last. 🙂
The funny thing is, I didn’t even know what rosacea was before I had it. Sure, I had heard the term, but I had no clue!
Well, thank you for listening and thank you for trying things out and sharing your opinions and insights with us. 🙂
Jessica
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi again Jessica,
I hope you’ll keep me up to date with your progress with the various products and treatments you’re trying (either through the comments on this site or through my contact form, which goes directly to my email https://treatrosacea.wordpress.com/contact-me/- I always reply). I feel like it’s important for rosacea sufferers to share their successes, failures and even the “not sure” areas. There are so many issues to take into consideration that we give ourselves a real advantage when we talk to each other. The support we give each other goes a long way, too, since it’s difficult to express what it’s really about when talking to people who don’t have it.
You’re trying to help your skin on so many levels that I hope you’ll come upon some techniques that will work for you and that you can continue over the long-term.
Hopefully your doctor’s topical prescription will give you a head start and the rest of the things you’re doing – avoiding the hard water, focusing on anti-inflammatory foods, using gentle and appropriate products, etc – allow you to maintain the positive results.
Until then, I’m glad your boyfriend doesn’t see the redness that you do. It may make it hard to talk to him about it as a serious condition, but at least you can give your vanity a bit of a shot in the arm from knowing that he sees your beauty right through the pink cheeks and dry skin that you find so obvious 🙂
Wishing you all the best of luck with your treatments and remedies. Thank you again for continuing to share! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi,
I am a fellow rosacea sufferer here. And to say that this skin condition has totally wrecked my self confidence, would be putting it way too lightly.
I have been watching your videos and noticed a significant improvement in your skin after you started using that Amber light. I would love to try it too but can’t justify the huge initial cost at the moment for both the red and Amber light. So in the mean time I have been trying that illumask they sell in Wal-Mart. I have noticed some improvement but nothing to brag about. Perhaps it’s just not strong enough ?
I hope you will keep us posted frequently, because I am really curious to see what your outcome with it will be, if the lights were under say three hundred for both, I would jump at it to try it. But it’s so outside my budget on a maybe ya know?
Anyways, thanks for being brave and showing the world your face without covering it all up with make up. It feels good to know that I am not suffering alone, because sometimes it really does feel that way.
Paula
LikeLike
Hi Paula,
Thank you very much for sharing your story and for your kind words. I’m not ashamed to admit that they made me cry. I’m very touched that something I’ve done is helping you in what you’re going through.
I’m very sorry to hear about what you’re going through and about how hard it has been on you. I know it doesn’t come as too much of a comfort, but please know that others don’t see your rosacea symptoms as being nearly as bad as you do. I wish that were easier to believe, but it’s true. I have a hard time believing it when people say it to me, but at the same time, when I see someone with rosacea, I don’t see it nearly as badly as the sufferer does. We all look at ourselves far too closely in the mirror and it’s devastating to our self confidence. It’s so painful that we let it define whether or not we can be happy with ourselves. It’s not like we’re doing anything wrong!
Your struggle to find affordable red/amber light therapy is exactly why I am extremely excited to be working with Light Therapy Options on the combined red/amber light prototype. I know that when it goes on the market it will be cheaper than buying the two products individually and I definitely understand why you’d hesitate to purchase them at such a large initial investment.
I have already spent hundreds of dollars (possibly thousands…ugh!!!) over the years on prescriptions (I’m a writer, so I don’t have a prescription drug plan) that haven’t worked and on other products that made big promises but that didn’t live up to their promises.
After all that, I figured that taking a risk with the red light therapy was worthwhile (plus I chose Light Therapy Options because they have a 90 day money back guarantee, so I figured if I didn’t see a single bit of difference, I would consider taking advantage of that…got to admit that the opportunity to return it did play a role in my choice to use that specific product). When the red light worked for me, that’s when I went for the amber light with more confidence. I don’t think I would have made the investment into both lights all at once, either.
Out of curiosity, how long did you try the Illumask? I have yet to see anyone use it successfully for rosacea and I assume it’s because of the same reason you identified – it’s just not strong enough. At the same time, I’ve only seen people who have used it for one month because it’s a disposable product as far as I understand it, and it runs out after 30 days. My rosacea took a lot longer than that to really clear up (it’s still not 100 percent gone, but I have a lot of years of damage to work with). Maybe the Illumask will work if you use it for longer? Then again, since light therapy is something you need to maintain forever – since rosacea doesn’t have a cure – that could end up being expensive over time if it needs to continually be replaced.
Sorry for my rambling…I’m just very hopeful that you will be able to find something that works for you and if my babbles can help, here they are.
Have you tried anything other than light therapy? That is, are you also identifying your triggers and eating a diet that is rosacea-friendly? Have you found a skin care routine that works for you? Maybe that will help, too.
I wish I could offer you more help. All I can promise to do is to continue posting my honest progress with my own efforts – good and bad.
I’m thinking of trying an anti-inflammatory diet and tracking it on ShareFIT (it’s a free diet tracker) so that I can show what I’m eating so that if it works, there’s a record of what I’ve done. That sounds like a big project, though.
I wish you all the best, Paula. Please continue to share your progress with me (through the comments or through the contact form which goes directly to my email https://treatrosacea.wordpress.com/contact-me – I always reply). I do care sharing is one of the best ways for rosacea sufferers like us to help each other out.
Take care, Paula, and thank you again.
LikeLike
[…] I’m keeping up my red light therapy and amber light therapy (can’t wait for the rosacea light therapy prototype product that combines the two to be mailed to me. Won’t be long!), and I’m […]
LikeLike
[…] To start, if you have no idea what I’m talking about, please click to read my original post about having been approached by Light Therapy Options in to help them to test out two pototypes they were developing to help ease rosacea symptoms. That post is here: “I’m Testing a New Red and Amber Light Therapy for Rosacea Prototype!“. […]
LikeLike