Rosacea

[MinnMD]

Shaving is difficult with rosacea. This forum has occasional posts asking for advice. I have a mild case, milder than my father and brother. I’ve spent months and hundreds, probably thousands, of dollars trying various shaving regimens. Here are my suggestions.

If you want to try wet shaving with a single double-edge blade, try a Merkur Progress or Mergress at the lowest setting, holding razor handle on the sides between three fingers, no pressure, and one or two passes with-the-grain or across-the-grain. Try the Hydrolast soap and paste (clay) mix although a few other soaps and creams would be similar. For me, my upper cheeks and nose were too red, and the flushing too noticeable, with wet shaving. No razor burn, just red where the razor never touched.

http://www.enchanteonline.com/pages/shaveculture/hydrolast/hydrolast.htm

Here is my best routine. Shave at night. Moisturize in late afternoon or early evening with Complex 15 (prefer) or Toleriane facial moisturizer. Let this absorb, typically for a couple of hours. Just before bed, shave face above jawline with Braun electric foil razor. Then wet shave neck: apply preshave oil, apply shave soap (or cream), and shave neck with Gillette Fusion power, one pass, with-across-the-grain. Rinse with warm water. Apply above moisturizers. (My face has not tolerated any aftershave that I’ve tested. Oddly, my underarms are okay with a Merkur HD.)

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=16832&catid=21503

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=189072&catid=22424

Next morning, wash face in shower with Beauty Naturally (prefer) or Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser or Toleriane Dermo-cleanser. After shower, apply Beauty Naturally moisturizer (prefer) or Complex 15 or Toleriane moisturizer.

http://www.beautynaturally.com/rosacea.html

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=20890&catid=21222

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=189073&catid=18818

Oil cleanse
Every few weeks, I apply a mixture (two parts olive oil, two parts jojoba oil, and 1 part castor oil) to my nose for a couple of minutes before showering.

Sunscreen
Most, if not all, chemical sunscreens make my face red. Here are a few physical sunscreens for consideration. Solar Rx has nano zinc oxide which appears white when first applied but then becomes almost completely transparent when dry. It is not waterproof.

http://www.keys-soap.com/xcart41/product.php?productid=31&cat=18&page=1

For waterproof sunscreens, consider UV Naturals (prefer) or California Baby.

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=227079&catid=12101

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=227078&catid=12101

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=227082&catid=12101

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=227081&catid=12101

http://www.californiababy.com/spf-suncare.html

I have no conflicts-of-interest. Here’s more information.

Rosacea
Rosacea has an unknown etiology although there is speculation about possibilities. Early cases appear as flares of facial erythema to a variety of stimuli that may include shaving, aftershaves, and even hot and cold water. The flare-inducing stimuli are different for each individual. Some of the rosacea sites suggest shaving with an electric razor. Here are a few links.

National Rosacea Society

http://www.rosacea.org/index.php

http://www.rosacea.org/patients/skincare/index.php

http://www.rosacea.org/patients/materials/triggers.php

Mayo Clinic

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/rosacea/DS00308

MinnMD