Rosacea is a persistent inflammation of the skin of the face, making it red, sensitive and sometimes bumpy. Frequent flushing is a hallmark of the condition, which usually starts in adulthood. Rosacea symptoms can sometimes be difficult to control.
There are a number of medications that doctors may prescribe, but some readers have found that home remedies are very helpful. Many report, as this reader does, that a selenium-containing dandruff shampoo significantly eases rosacea symptoms.
Finding Relief from Rosacea Symptoms at a Reasonable Cost:
Q. I developed rosacea symptoms a few years ago. Although I tried ignoring it, the condition got worse.
A dermatologist gave me samples of Finacea. That helped a little but there is a $60 copay for the prescription. Metrogel works a little too but, again, has a $60 copay.
Washing Away Rosacea Symptoms in the Shower:
My wife told me to use Selsun Blue. I wash my hair with it and drag the suds down over my face. If I hadn’t had an itchy scalp, I would not have bothered. I really thought this idea was bogus, so it’s not a placebo effect.
This is no extra effort, since I am in the shower anyway. Lo and behold, I got out of the habit of using Metrogel because the rosacea absolutely disappeared. After months of nothing but Selsun Blue to treat my rosacea symptoms, they’re completely gone.
A. Rosacea is an inflammation of the skin that causes redness and bumps on nose, forehead and cheeks. Dermatologists think it may be due to an immune response to fungi, bacteria or some viruses. Even Demodex mites have been proposed as a cause.
Selsun Blue has anti-fungal activity. That may explain why many readers report that this dandruff shampoo can be helpful for rosacea. Here is what Carolyn said:
“I have an Irish/English background (typical for skin problems like this) and have had rosacea for over a decade. It is mostly redness and heat upon waking up, with stress, without stress, or whenever! The dermatologist said I also had mild seborrheic dermatitis.
“I read about Selsun Blue and tried it yesterday (just the regular type with 1% sulfur) and it felt cool and nice for the 5 minutes I left it on. My cheeks were actually less red this morning after waking up. I will continue to try it!”
What About Cetaphil Face Cleanser?
We have read about using Cetaphil to fight head lice. Others use Cetaphil cleanser to wash irritated areas (like jock itch).
This reader reports that Cetaphil face cleanser works for dandruff and rosacea:
Q. After trying several expensive medications my doctor prescribed for dandruff and rosacea, I stumbled on Cetaphil face cleanser. Because I got an immediate response, I now use Cetaphil baby wash and shampoo on my hair and face with excellent results. The flaming rosacea has been tamed and the amount of scalp flakes greatly reduced.
A. Thanks for sharing your success story. The two products you name have quite different ingredients, so we are not quite sure which ones might be helping your skin so much.
Rosacea is a condition in which the skin flushes easily, often with redness persisting across the cheeks. Small red bumps may appear on the skin, along with inflamed blood vessels.
Long ago, a dermatologist studied Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser and found that it did not damage the skin barrier for people with rosacea (Cutis, April 2006). They need to be especially careful to choose products that don’t irritate the skin, as they are very vulnerable to this problem. The researcher concluded:
“These results indicate that Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser may be a good choice for the cleansing part of a total rosacea skin care regimen.”
Cetaphil Baby Wash & Shampoo contains Calendula officinalis extract. This flower has both antibacterial and antifungal activity. It also has skin soothing properties. We don’t know if the product contains enough to make a difference.
Final Words:
Please share your experience with dandruff and rosacea in the comment section below. What works for you?
