The Best Products for Acne Rosacea

I recently wrote an article about the best products for acne rosacea on The Beautiful Useful Project. It has a list of the things that have worked the best for me over the years. I hope you'll check it out!

Less Expensive Alternatives to Finacea

I recently tried to refill my prescription for Finacea, and I was surprised to learn that it was going to cost $203.91 after my insurance picked up part of the bill.  Yikes!  I really feel like I need the Finacea, but the price got me searching for alternatives.

Finacea can be purchased without a prescription in Australia.  If you're willing to pay for shipping, you can order it online.  For some reason, this makes me a bit nervous...is it legal to buy medicine from other countries?  I'm not sure.  But, it's for sale on Amazon.  Click here to check it out.  Even with shipping, it's less expensive than prescription Finacea in the US.  A lot less expensive.

Another alternative might be Melazepam cream.  It has the same active ingredient as Finacea, but it is sold at places like the Vitamin Shoppe and Amazon.  Several users on the Rosacea Support Group have recommended this product.

Of course, you should not try any of these alternatives without first consulting with your doctor.  I am not a doctor.  I'm just someone suffering from rosacea, who happens to have insurance that doesn't cover Finacea.

Coffee That Doesn't Trigger My Rosacea

Caffeine can be a major trigger for rosacea symptoms.  Unfortunately, I am in love with coffee.  I can't imagine giving it up, but I've learned that it can worsen my rosacea symptoms.

About a year ago, I gave up drinking diet soda.  I saw huge improvements in my skin from this step alone, but I replaced my diet soda habit with an increased coffee consumption habit.  It wreaked havoc on my digestive and nervous system.  I was pretty much a basket case.  After reading Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels, I decided that I needed to switch to an organic coffee.  

Organic coffee is not cheap, and I am.  So, I started testing out store brands of organic coffee, but I wasn't really happy with what I found.  As a last ditch effort, I decided to order some organic coffee from Amazon.  I ordered Cafe Altura Organic Coffee, French Roast, and I was in love.  With my Amazon Prime subscription, it only costs me $7.58/can or $0.66/oz.  It was delicious.  And, my nervousness subsided without my having to cut way back on my coffee habit.

Of course, cutting out caffeine is probably the better solution, but I've found that drinking the Cafe Altura coffee did not cause my rosacea to flare up.  I hope this helps someone out there who is struggling with the same issue!  And, if you know of any other inexpensive organic coffees, please leave a comment below so we can check it out.

Products I Use for Rosacea

It took a lot of trial and error for me to find these products, but they are the ones that work for me.  If you have any product suggestions, please leave them in the comments.

1.     Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar.  Get the bar, and make sure it’s not the antibacterial one.  It’s gentle, and it’s cheap.  It won’t irritate your skin.

2.     Cetaphil Moisturizer with SPF 15.  I use this every day, and it really helps build up a moisture barrier on my skin.  Like the cleansing bar, it’s gentle and cheap.

3.     Cetaphil Moisturizer with SPF 50.  I use this when I know I’ll be in the sun.  I apply it before exercising outdoors, or doing any kind of outdoor activity.  The texture of this moisturizer isn’t as nice as the SPF 15 one, but it’s still gentle and effective.

4.     CeraVe Cream.  I don’t use this all of the time, but if my skin feels really dry, it works wonders!  Great as a night cream, and one bottle lasts forever.

5.     Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Makeup.  This stuff covers up the redness like no other.  And, it doesn’t irritate my skin.  I use this on my red areas.

6.     Mac StudioFix powder.  This is supposed to be a foundation, but I use it more like a powder.  Great coverage, and non-irritating.  If you go to a Mac counter, they can help you find the right shade.  If they tell you that you’re not supposed to use a lot of it, ignore them.  This stuff is great for maximum coverage.  It’s pricier, but it’s worth it.

7.     Finacea.  This is a prescription-only medication.  If you aren’t already taking it, I would try to make other changes first before going to a prescription medication.  Of course, you need to consult with your doctor about this.

About My Rosacea

My rosacea symptoms are redness, and papules and pustules.  When my rosacea is at its worst, it looks like I have terrible adult acne.  

One of the keys to limiting your rosacea symptoms is to have a good understanding of your own symptoms.  Once you can identify and describe your symptoms, finding solutions will be easier for you.  

A great resource for learning more about rosacea is the National Rosacea Society's website.  The book Rosacea:  Your Self-Help Guide is also helpful.

Image from theniskinclinic.com.

Welcome to My Rosacea Tips!

After suffering from rosacea for several years, I’ve finally found a good combination of products and lifestyle changes that helped to minimize my symptoms.  I spent countless hours researching and testing out different ideas before I found something that worked for me.  

In hopes that I can save you time and frustration, I created this site to share my findings.  Please remember that everyone’s rosacea is different, and what works for me, might necessarily work for you. 

It’s always important to consult with your physician before making any serious changes to your skincare regime.

Thank you for visiting! 

Image from kaviskin.com.