A Cry For Help!
HEEEELLLLP! I need help with my face. SIGH. I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned it here- I know I’ve talked about it in the comment section of other blogs- but I have rosacea. It first showed up about twelve years ago, and it’s been plaguing me on and off ever since. About three or four years ago, it got so much better! I started to think it was gone forever, but then about a year ago it returned, with a vengeance. I have the extra-special kind of rosacea that’s not just red, but also looks like little pimples (I know- yuck.) Some days it’s better than others, but I know it’s been really bad lately. How do I know this? Because other people have started commenting on it. One day, a coworker said “What’s wrong with your face?” Okay- time out. I don’t think this is something that should ever be said. Granted- this woman speaks English as a second language, BUT STILL. It’s a Universal Truth that that question is not acceptable. Another day, a client asked me if I had just done a chemical peel. And several other people have asked- in a “tactful” way- what’s going on with my face. I’ve never been overly concerned with my appearance, but as you can probably imagine, I’ve become a little self conscious. I’ve experimented with some “home remedies” like turmeric, ice, and antibiotic ointments, all of which seem to work temporarily, but nothing really helps. I don’t eat dairy, I do eat gluten but try to limit it, I eat very little sugar, and I’ve tried eliminating various other things from my diet, like seed oils, but it doesn’t seem to make a difference. Of course unhealthy things creep in here and there (hello, Coke Zero). I think I may be looking at some sort of drastic elimination diet (sob) but I just can’t think about that till after the holidays. There are some products on Amazon that say they work for rosacea- of course the reviews vary from “this cured my rosacea!” to “this did nothing.” I’m willing to try, but I also don’t want to waste my money. Has anyone had rosacea? What did you do about it? Tell me there’s hope! Ending on a positive note- the grad school essays are going well- I think we NAILED the “diversity statement!” And… I’m off to make the dough for our pie crusts! Wednesday is “pie day!” Top photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor on Unsplash.