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If you do a search for a “rosacea cure” on Google, you’ll likely be shocked at the number of results you’ll be shown, each promising that the doctors, dermatologists and millions of people with this skin disorder are wrong and that the solution to all its symptoms can be purchased in the form of a cream, lotion, gel, pill, serum, spray, salve or any combination of those potions.

When I was first diagnosed over fifteen years ago, there wasn’t nearly as much information about rosacea online as there is today. Now it feels like every time I discover a reputable and trustworthy resource that I can use to help inform myself about this condition, there are twelve more that pop up to try to convince me to buy into a new “rosacea cure” that will cause all my symptoms to go away and never come back.

There is no rosacea cure, but there is hope!

As much as I would absolutely love to believe that something is out there that could make fifteen years of red cheeks, burning skin and papules (pimple-like bumps) disappear with the ease of slathering on a face cream or swallowing a mystery capsules, I know that is absolutely not the case. This condition is chronic and so far, it is incurable. There is no rosacea cure. Anyone who says otherwise is selling something or stands to gain in some other way.

Since prescription medications have, at best, given me temporary relief from my symptoms (a few weeks, at best) and tend to come with some unpleasant side effects, I have taken it upon myself to become a guinea pig for treatments, skin care products and other items that are meant to help to ease symptoms or at least not make my skin any worse. I blog about it and that graduated into a YouTube channel, too.

Testing rosacea products isn’t easy, but it’s worth it to find what works

There are two reasons that I’ve taken on this role. The first is that I was getting sick and tired of looking and feeling ugly all the time. I already have social anxiety issues and the last thing I need is to feel worse about myself. This became especially important about a year ago when my series of novels started gaining a bit of attention and I needed to begin making public appearances. I just couldn’t stand up in front of a group of people knowing that I looked like a pimply tomato and I knew that covering my skin with makeup every time would only make things worse.

The second reason that I became a rosacea guinea pig is that I wanted to be able to help other people who, like me, have been trying very hard to find the right treatments and skin care but who have been finding it exceptionally challenging to pick out the trustworthy information from all the convincing misinformation throughout the online ecosystem.

While it’s true that the results I’ve achieved by trying out non-laser LED amber and red light therapy, skin care products, treatment creams, natural oils and other formulas may not be the same for other rosacea sufferers – we all have our own unique combinations of triggers and treatments – at least I’m sharing information based on real experience and without trying to sell anything.

Support from other rosacea sufferers is amazing! We need to be there for each other!

The response has been overwhelming. Just as I had suspected, there are thousands of people out there who have been facing a very similar challenge to my own. Testing out products has let me help them out and at the same time, they have shared their experiences, too. This has allowed me to improve my rosacea-busting strategy more over the last year than I had in the 14 previous years.

If there’s anything I’ve learned it’s that rosacea may be frustrating to try to treat but it comes with a community that is very caring and willing to share very personal and detailed experiences about their own victories and failures with products and ingredients. While I would always recommend consulting a doctor or dermatologist before making any changes with rosacea in mind, taking part in this community of Rosy Friends is also a fantastic way to find ideas, honest reviews and amazing support from people who have been through it and genuinely understand.

With that in mind, I’m already crafting my next blog so I can share my daily rosacea skin care routine. It won’t work for everyone, but I hope it will help!

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Julie B. Campbell

Fantasy fiction novelist (Perspective series) and freelance writer, Julie B. Campbell, is passionate about learning, testing, reviewing and sharing on the topic of rosacea; a condition from which she has suffered for over a decade and a half. Julie’s “Rosy Friends” are a community of followers on YouTube, social media and her blog, where she documents her experiences with rosacea and the treatments and products she has tried over the years.

Julie first created her blog in the hopes of helping to reduce the struggle for her Rosy Friends in identifying personal rosacea triggers and discovering the right skin care and treatment strategy for their unique skin needs and budget, while doing the same for herself. This effort rapidly expanded onto YouTube, Facebook and Twitter where she is known as Rosy JulieBC.

As there is neither a cure nor a single treatment that works for all rosacea sufferers, Julie shares her own 15+ years of trial-and-error to give people ideas to discuss with their doctors and dermatologists when developing their own treatment strategies. These include everything from finding topical skin care and treatment products to healthful eating habits, from avoiding triggers to using daily LED light therapy and from sun protection to lifestyle hacks.

Subscribe to her Rosy JulieBC YouTube channel here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa4eyHgRRpEIJSsNfc3PhSw