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[HorsesHorses]

Hello
I've been noticing that when I'm going through a menopausal session of the usual flushing, fatigue, acid reflux, mucus throat etc (mine comes and goes throughout the year) I also wake up with a red face which tends to die down as the day goes on, I think. Sometimes it feels a bit tight too and almost itchy. I'm really fair skinned and I have an outdoors job so I often have a little bit of colour (mainly freckles) but I'm careful not to burn and always use sun cream. I've always had a tendency to look a bit red in photos compared to friends with their enviable tans and olive skin etc but I'm really noticing it now. I know it's the right age for me to be possibly experiencing rosacea now (I'm 38) but the question I'm wondering is, is this the beginnings of rosacea or simply flushing in the face? However normally when I flush, my face doesn't go red and I don't tend to feel hot in the neck or face likes lots of women. My flushes mainly affect my body instead.
Just wondering whether I should be proactive about this before it becomes more developed. I simply cannot go to my doctors though about an occasional red face. Since this whole menopause business started I've felt like a hypochondriac and fraud when visiting my gp and I haven't met one yet who seems clued up on menopause. Do chemists or beauty peeps know the best creams to use for this kind of thing?
(Ps I would have joined one of the other older rosacea threads but the forum advised me to start a new one as there hasn't been one recently.)
Any advice greatly received. Thanks.
HorsesHorses 

[Ju Ju]

I have been diagnosed with Rosecea. I get areas of sore redness, acne like in appearance, around and on my nose, which apparently is typical. Originally I was diagnosed with late onset acne, despite very dry skin, prone to eczema. It will flare up in severity, but doesn't go away. The advice is to protect from the sun and be careful with what you put on it, avoid alcohol and hot and spicy food. No problem for me as they don't agree with me anyway. I find make up or rather the removal of it will aggravate it, so I now only wear make up for special occasions. I'm glad I'm not a teenager and more sensitive about my appearance! I was told about the Clinique Redness Solutions range on this forum. I have tried the moisturiser, which I love. It's expensive, but I find a little goes a lot further than cheaper moisturisers I like, so more cost effective than I first thought. I've just bought the protective sunscreen to try, as it doesn't have all the usual chemicals in. I've tried the cleanser, but didn't like it anymore than the Epaderm cream that I wash with normally, due to my dry skin. None of these products cure it, but it's more preventing the condition from flaring up. I've been prescribed both AB and steroid creams before, but they didn't help.

[Dancinggirl]

Horseshorses - I assume you are on HRT  - you are young to be oestrogen deficient? I had a premature meno which started in my 30s and I did notice I got far more ‘red in the face' generally - felt hot and flustered etc. - at the time I didn't know it was a meno symptom.  Anyway, when I was young and dancing professionally I never got red in the face and didn't even sweat in the face but this all changed when meno hit.  HRT did stop the facial sweating but I still got very flushed at times and still do now I'm 60. Dg x

[Lizab]

I'm pale and sensitive and have had a few similar concerns over the years. First, is your thyroid well and balanced? When I first became hypothyroid and began medication, I occasionally had a red and hot face similar to blushing from embarrassment. That settled over time. Next, last year shortly after my ovaries gave up and I started having intense meno symptoms, my facial skin texture seemed to change a bit. I was thinking rosacea, as it was reddish and kind of more coarse in texture, almost raised patches like acne but not really acne, sort of general inflammation. I started using witchhazel, and it felt great and cleared my face. I started hrt in that time also, so I may be praising the witchhazel when I should be praising the estrogen. I use Thayers rose formula, which is alcohol-free with aloe and rose. Lastly, there's  the regular hot flushes. If I have a flush that I can feel in my face and neck, it's like being in a hot stuffy room, different from a blushing feeling. My face may get a little red but it's more the healthy looking glow like from a brisk walk.

I can't answer your question but I hope my own experiences can help you sort it out!

[Hurdity]

Hi HorsesHorses - I can't remember whether you are on HRT or not and what your periods are doing re cycle etc? As Dancinggirl says you are young to be without oestrogen if your periods are few and far between.

I have an olive type skin which tans very easily, but when my oestrogen levels dropped and my periods stopped I also got the hot red face and what I presume was rosacea or menopausal acne ie red itchy patches on my cheeks - slightly raised bumps a bit like nettle rash - very unsightly. Obviously even skin that tans gets thinner through lack of oestrogen so I suffered the same as a fair-skinned person. However this phenomenon disappeared COMPLETELY  when I started HRT (just under 54) and only started to return when I stopped for 3 months in late 50's - and has not re-appeared (now I am 63).

So I am praising oestrogen - I would hate to have had to put up with that for any length of time! I'm not sure if it would have settled but I wasn't going to wait around to find out!

Hurdity  x

[lily]

Hi horseshorses

I was prescribed Rozex cream for rosacea, but only use it if I really have to as I felt it made it worse before it got any better. I thought my flushes did not make my face go redder until I saw myself having one in the mirror and I often feel now that a blush also leads to a flush. So between rosacea, flushes and blushing I am nearly always red  My skin is not as bad as it has been now that I might (fingers crossed) have stopped having periods so hormone levels are possibly staying a bit more level. Think Rosacea is very much hormone related.

[matildamouse]

I started having very sensitive/allergic skin issues in peri-menopause but I did not recognise it at that stage as hormonal stuff. My face was that sensitive at some stage that I could barely clean it as any pressure (touch) caused irritation and I will look like a tomato (VERY red and burning) after cleaning. It is also better since I am on HRT.

[HorsesHorses]

Thank you everyone. Really interesting and informative replies as always.  Will try seek out a moisturising cream etc that helps and suits my skin.
It seems a bit calmer today but comes and goes randomly during meno sessions. I might be making it worse by not using the right facial care stuff. Your suggestions will help.
Thanks again.
HH