Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Rosacea Support: 2008 the year that was

Rosacea Support Blog

Time for some end of year statistics – for those who like that sort of thing.

Before we kick off just a note. The most important thing is that thousands of people have found useful information about rosacea. May this continue to be the case into 2009.

Unique Visitors to rosacea-support.org: 489,098

Page Views on rosacea-support.org: 1,682,675

Blog Posts and Pages: 375

Comments left on Blog: 1012

Top 5 Blog Pages:

  1. Photos of Red Nose, Papules, Pustules, acne like rosacea
  2. how to cure a red face (facial erythema or redness)
  3. demodex mites treatment
  4. Eucerin Redness Relief: product reviews
  5. Clinique Redness Solutions: user reviews

Most Commented Posts:

  1. lindasy.com is closing down  (62)
  2. how to cure a red face (facial erythema or redness)    (52)
  3. Periostat (doxycycline) goes generic, get ready for Oracea   (49)
  4. focus on metronidazole (metrogel)    (47)
  5. Australia (46)

Rosacea Support Resource Pages

Unique Visitors to Rosacea Support Resource Pages: 41,921

Page Views on Rosacea Support Resource Pages: 95,585

Rosacea Support Email Group

Emails posted to rosacea-support@yahoogroups.com: 3842

Rosacea Support Community Forum

Messages posted to Rosacea Support Community: 5,015

I wish everyone a great 2009. May this year be one that you look back on with fondness and with satisfaction at moving forward in your life.

warmest regards,

David Pascoe.

Monday, December 01, 2008

Rosacea News November 2008

1. are you a cyberchondriac ? the dangers of the internet

Self diagnosis using search engines can lead to internet users concluding the worst about their ailments. So says some recent research from Microsoft. The researchers looked at health related web searches and also surveyed employees of Microsoft. This study is thought to be the first systematic look at the anxiety of people doing web searches related to health care. A couple of the examples …

2. IPL burns from `Top London Spa’

The Independent newspaper in the UK has an article today in their Health & Wellbeing section detailing (seemingly) a reporter who was badly burned by an IPL treatment. The photos show large uneven red welts on her chest and areas of redness on her face also. The initial treatment was carried out by …

3. RosaceaCare Cool Relief Mask Samples available

The guys at RosaceaCare have sent me some samples of their new Cool Relief Facial Mask. Their web site promotes this product as a cooling  mask that “contains many of the ingredients that have proven so successful in our other products: Willowherb Extract, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Jojoba Seed Oil, Allantoin and …

4. cinnamon supplements may make rosacea much worse

Apparently cinnamon oil supplements are commonly used by sufferers of type 2 diabetes to reduce their blood sugar and cholesterol levels. One study from Pakistan concluded that cinnamon taken at 1, 3, or 6 gm daily significantly decreased the …

5. UK Warns about Melanotan usage

The mainstream UK press has several articles today about the risks of an using a yet to be approved injectible tan, even go so far as to name Melanotan. The Independent: Warnings over ‘injectable tan’ product People seeking a glow this winter should avoid an "injectable tan" being sold illegally, regulators warned today. The Medicines …

6. How to cure a red swollen nose

The red swollen nose of rosacea is a much hated symptom. I know that this was the symptom that I despised most and indeed drove me 10 years ago to start to look for good information about how to treat rosacea. …

7. DermatologyTimes on LED and IPL Combination Therapy

From the Nov 1, 2008 edition of DermatologyTimes; Synergistic effect: Combining LED devices with PDL or IPL optimizes rosacea treatment Combination laser and light-based treatments for rosacea have a synergistic effect and are now being studied, according to David J. Goldberg, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in practice since 1985 at Skin Laser & Surgery Specialists of New York and …

8. DermatologyTimes: Sansrosa not available for several years

Dermatology times has posted some short items that may be worth reading. Most of these topics are not new to regular readers of Rosacea News, but it is good to see at least some others covering them as well. One article talks about how Galderma/Collagenex is excited about new possible drugs. It doesn’t directly name the Sansrosa product, but it does have a …

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Rosacea News September + October 2008

1. lindasy.com is closing down

Just in case anyone has missed the email over at rosacea-support; Linda Sy has been in contact to say that she is retiring and thus her web site and business is closing. Anyone who wants to stock up on their favourite products will need to order some now as they will no longer be available after the end of October, or as long as stock lasts.

2. contact lenses and ocular rosacea, tips and advice

The NRS Ask the Doctors blog section has a post up today with some advice about ocular rosacea and using contact lenses.

`What guidelines should I follow regarding contacts if I have ocular rosacea? Response by Dr. Marian Macsai, vice chairman of ophthalmology at Northwestern University.’

3. how to reduce your visible pore size: NRS Blog

The NRS Ask the Doctors has a new post up asking Rosacea has made the pores on my face large. When I get my rosacea under control, will my pores return to their normal size? Topical and oral antibiotic therapy may be prescribed for mild cases, but more severe cases may sometimes be treated with isotretinoin, which is an …

4. NRS acknowledges children can get rosacea

The latest instalment of the NRS Ask the Doctors blog addresses the possibility of children suffering from rosacea. Dr. Paller says that the published literature does mention cases of rosacea being found in children, although it is rare. The possibility of childhood ocular rosacea is also mentioned. My wife believes that our 10-year-old son might have rosacea. She is a sufferer, and …

5. Photoprotection expertise from Clinuvel

Perhaps Clinuvel is best known as the Australian company that is developing Afamelanotide. As some background: Melanotan is the proprietary name for afamelanotide (CUV1647) which is being development by Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals. Afamelanotide has been designated by the world health organisation as the International Nonproprietary Name for the melanocyte stimulating hormone under development by Clinuvel. Clinuvel is promoting this drug as a …

6. NRS on seborrheic dermatitis

The National Rosacea Society web site has just uploaded a page on Seborrheic Dermatitis ; Although the two disorders are unrelated, a recent clinical study found that 26 percent of patients with rosacea also had facial seborrheic dermatitis and 28 percent had seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp. Additionally, a survey by the National Rosacea Society of 1,100 rosacea patients found …

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

the red nose of rosacea

The red swollen nose of rosacea is a much hated symptom. I know that this was the symptom that I despised most and indeed drove me 10 years ago to start to look for good information about how to treat rosacea. Incidentally, this drive lead to the creation of the internet based Rosacea Support Group in 1998.

Here are my notes on how to cure a red swollen nose

Friday, August 29, 2008

Rosacea News August 2008

1. Handheld OMNILUX clear-U, red and blue LEDs together

Blue light in combination with red light has been shown to be effective in the treatment of acne. It has been proposed that the 2 colours act together synergistically to combine their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory actions. This paper looks at the handheld unit called the Omnilux clear-U (from Photo Therapeutics). This unit has a flat plane measuring, 60mm x 50mm, consisting of LEDs emitting light at wavelengths of blue light; 415nm (at 40mW/cm2) and red light; 633nm (at 70mw/cm2). The unit allows you to switch between the red and blue modes of operation.

2. topical vitamins A, C, E and B3

Vitamins A,C, E & B3 are found naturally in the skin and have been shown to have potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. They can be depleted by sunlight, smoking, pollution and other free radical stress. The number of products containing these vitamins has ballooned in recent years. Read on to see how the theory and background of these Vitamins might be good for you.

3. natural anti-inflammatory therapies

Dr. Wu published a paper in 2006 on treating rosacea with herbs. This paper highlighted the properties and potential rosacea treatment modalities of licorice, feverfew, green tea, oatmeal, lavender, chamomile, tea tree oil and camphor oil. This just published paper concentrates more on the anti-inflammatory properties of several natural products and reviews the evidence supporting their use in inflammatory skin conditions.

4. colloidal oatmeal: a dream ingredient for rosacea sufferers

Colloidal Oatmeal is a versatile and multi-functional compound. This paper details the history and chemistry of colloidal oatmeal and shows how its’ chemical polymorphism leads to many useful clinical properties. Of most interest to rosacea sufferers are the cleansing, moisturizing, buffering, soothing, protecting and anti-inflammatory properties. Colloidal Oatmeal may well be the dream ingredient for rosacea friendly products.

5. oxymetazoline may be good for 2 years

The dermatology news sheet Dermatology Times has published an item to their web site about the emerging use of oxymetazoline to treat the redness and flushing associated with rosacea. This article draws from the Nov. 2007 paper that introduced us to the possibility of treating rosacea with oxymetazoline.

6. just how do you kill demodex mites ?

Demodex mites and rosacea seem to be a popular pairing. If you are interested in eliminating demodex mites to see if your rosacea symptoms improve, just how can you kill them ? Demodex mites are tiny, and live naturally in everyone’s skin. They are quite difficult to kill. Read on if you’d like to know more.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

natural anti-inflammatory therapies

Many rosacea sufferers want to treat their symptoms with natural therapies. This pursuit can be tricky as many natural ingredients are not easily obtained in a useable form. In the end it is sometimes just down to using commercial preparations that contain the active ingredient – and hopefully at the same time no other potentially irritating components. Another option is to try natural ingredients using a homemade mix.

Find out more about turmeric, colloidal oatmeal, feverfew, licorice, chamomile, and aloe vera in the natural anti-inflammatory therapies article.

Related Articles

Friday, August 15, 2008

colloidal oatmeal: a dream ingredient for rosacea sufferers

Colloidal Oatmeal is a versatile and multi-functional compound. This paper details the history and chemistry of colloidal oatmeal and shows how its’ chemical polymorphism leads to many useful clinical properties. Of most interest to rosacea sufferers are the cleansing, moisturizing, buffering, soothing, protecting and anti-inflammatory properties.

click to read more about how Colloidal Oatmeal may well be the dream ingredient for rosacea friendly products.

 

Related Articles

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

oxymetazoline may be good for 2 years

The dermatology news sheet Dermatology Times has published an item to their web site about the emerging use of oxymetazoline to treat the redness and flushing associated with rosacea. This article draws from the Nov. 2007 paper that introduced us to the possibility of treating rosacea with oxymetazoline.

Oxymetazoline is classified as a alpha-1 Adregenic Receptor Agonist, whereas COL-118/Sansrosa is a alpha-2 Adregenic Receptor Agonist. According to this DT article oxymetazoline is “also partially selective for the alpha 2a receptor.”

(click to read more about oxymetazoline may be good for 2 years )

Related Articles

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Afamelanotide (Clinuvel CUV1647) gets orphan drug status in the US

Afamelanotide (Clinuvel CUV1647) gets orphan drug status in the US

Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals has announced that they have been granted orphan-drug status by the FDA to treat the skin condition erythropoietic porphyrias. Orphan drug status is granted to new drugs that treat rare conditions and is used as an instrument to obtain accelerated review by the FDA. The FDA allows tax reductions and market exclusivity for orphan drugs to encourage otherwise un-profitable drugs targeting rare conditions to be developed.

Read more about: melanotan

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Rosacea News July 2008

1. Afamelanotide (Clinuvel CUV1647) gets orphan drug status in the US

Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals has announced that they have been granted orphan-drug status by the FDA to treat the skin condition erythropoietic porphyrias. Orphan drug status is granted to new drugs that treat rare conditions and is used as an instrument to obtain accelerated review by the FDA. The FDA allows tax reductions and market exclusivity for orphan drugs to encourage otherwise un-profitable drugs targeting rare …


2. EC approves Oracea for sale in Europe

The news sites are buzzing with the announcement that the European Commision has granted marketing authority for Oracea. The first domestic approvals for Oracea will be granted in Germany, UK, Italy, Austria, Ireland, Sweden, Finland, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. MediGene has the rights to sell Oracea throughout Europe. Local approvals are expected within 30 days. This news follows on from the announcement …

3. rosacea allergic reaction to Vitamin K & Vitamin E

This paper raises and interesting topic. The researchers were able to prove that 3 rosacea sufferers were allergic to alpha-tocopherol (Vitamin E) and Vitamin K. By eliminating the components of the creams they were using, they were able to isolate the individual components that were causing the allergy. Rosacea sufferers can become attuned to the ingredient listing in cosmetics, scouring the list to find something …

4. AARS publish their rosacea treatment guidelines

The American Acne & Rosacea Society have published a PDF containing their Rosacea Medical Management Guidelines. The aim of the guidelines is  “to provide an overview of the fundamental disease state of rosacea and quality of life implications and outline available pharmacological …

5. rosacea sufferers have more anxiety and depression

In the past there hasn’t been a lot of research into the relationship between rosacea and mental health. Many rosacea sufferers know that there is a strong relationship between their symptoms and how they feel about themselves. This abstract mentions some research comparing rosacea sufferers with people without any facial lesions. They found that the rosacea sufferers had several psychological problems not found …

6. demodex bacteria, one baby step at a time

Some recent NRS supported research has made more steps towards showing a possible link between demodex mites and rosacea symptoms. Although this Br J Dermatol paper was mentioned by Rosacea News in (see demodex mite bacteria causes the inflammation ?) June last year, I just got hold of the full text this week.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Rosacea News June 2008

Rosacea News June 2008

1. rosacea sufferers less interested in alternative medicine

According to this recently published short correspondence, rosacea sufferers are much less likely to use complementary and alternative medicine compared to sufferers of psoriasis and other dermatological conditions. Whilst the reason is not clear, it appears one reason could be that sufferers are happy with the efficacy of their current treatment. The majority of patients felt that the complementary and alternative therapies were less helpful …


2. sensitive skin on your hands, feet and scalp too ?

The common wisdom about rosacea is that is only occurs around the flush zones on your face. A recent paper challenged this idea with a case study of a patient who had rosacea lesions on his arm, and upper chest area. Another related recent short paper titled Sensitive skin is not limited to the face, that has the conclusion that sensitive skin is …


3. NRS wants your feedback on Research !

The NRS Blog has a new entry today where they are asking for your feedback on the direction of future rosacea research. The NRS have put their Reader Survey (part of their Rosacea Review publication) online for the first time.

4. Allergan buys Aczone, has plans for rosacea targeting ?

OK this story is getting so much coverage in the online press that I thought I should cover it here too. Allergan is buying the topical dapsone product called Aczone for $150m. From: Allergan Announces Agreement to Acquire Aczone(R) Gel 5% …


5. Sansrosa gel vs. eyes drops absorption trial details posted

The Clinical Trial register is showing details for the bio-availabilty trial for COL-118/Sansrosa. This Phase 2 trial aims to compare the amount of the active ingredient that is bio-available when the newly formulated gel is used on rosacea skin, and when used as eye drops.

This announcement appears to be the extra trial asked for by the FDA who are concerned that …

Monday, June 16, 2008

Rosacea News May 2008

Rosacea News May 2008

1. combining Azithromycin with Protopic (tacrolimus) topical

This paper details a somewhat exotic combination therapy: oral azithromycin and topical tacrolimus. It offers an alternative to the more common doxycycline + metrogel combination. The authors mention that this is not a first line therapy; "a combination of oral azithromycin and …

2 Flushing: it’s all in your nerves and emotions

In November 2006 I blogged about taking part in some research at Murdoch University investigating the relationship between stress and the flushing of rosacea. Recently the researcher, Daphne Su, has thanked the trial participants by circulating a summary document. The research has been written up as a thesis so this summary was a short description of some the …

3. Low Level Light Therapy details posted

TP has posted an update to her Low Level Light Therapy- an overview thread at the Rosacea Support Forum.

This recent update is from a document called Cellular Mechanisms of Low-Power Laser Therapy.

Thanks for the update TP. This thread is worth a read for those interested in Low Level Light Therapy (LLLT) such as LEDs, infrared, red and blue light.

4. Marketing company seeks interviews in Houston, TX

Schlesinger Associates are looking for rosacea patients on Friday June 13 2008, to attend an interview for an hour at their Galleria Area location in Houston TX. Their address is 1455 West Loop South, Suite 500. …

5. Google Health Launches, rosacea is included as a condition

Google has been talking for a while about their push into health services. One of their stated features of Google Health is "Learn about health issues and find helpful resources: Review trusted information on diseases and conditions and learn about possible medication interactions and other topics to talk your doctors about." As part of their new offering Google Health has created some Condition References. …

6. does using a computer screen worsen rosacea symptoms ?

Rosacea sufferers sometimes bring up the topic of computer screens and indeed lighting in general as a trigger for their rosacea. Sadly there seems to be little conclusive literature available on this topic. A 1985 study in Norway, Does visual display terminal work provoke rosacea? was able to show that rosacea and seborrheic dermatitis sufferers were over represented in …

7. cathelicidins regulated by Vitamin D3

Another paper stemming from the partly NRS funded research into the role of cathelicidins and its role in rosacea. A lot of publicity and publications have resulted from Dr. Gallo’s research. This avenue of research into rosacea looks promising so lets hope that more resources target involved with this area of research. Those that interested in the role that Vitamin D3 play …

8. metrogel also works for seborrheic dermatitis

This paper found that 0.75% metrogel worked just as well as ketoconazole 2% cream in treating SD. The study found that both were able to offer significant improvement with similar side effects. The authors suggest that because there is so little evidence of anti fungal activity of metronidazole, it is difficult to speculate …

9. Sebclair for seborrheic dermatitis

This recently published paper investigates the effectiveness of a `novel steroid-free cream containing multiple active ingredients’, called Sebclair to treat facial seborrheic dermatitis.

This product sounds quite interesting for rosacea and rosacea/SD sufferers. Little information about Sebclair is currently available on the internet.

10. SIBO eradication clears rosacea: are you serious ?

This sort of abstract just make me shake my head. If you read quickly you will think that this abstract suggests that Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) causes rosacea. What this abstract is saying that is that rosacea sufferers seem to have a higher incidence of SIBO than non rosacea sufferers. The secondary result is that eliminating SIBO clears rosacea. Well that is no surprise …

11. Pycnogenol Redness Reducing Serum: any reviews ?

Pycnogenol® is the patented trade name for a water extract of the bark of the French maritime pine ( Pinus pinaster  ssp.  atlantica ), which is grown in coastal south-west France. Pycnogenol® contains oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) as well as several other bioflavonoids: catechin, epicatechin, phenolic fruit acids (such as ferulic acid and caffeic acid), and taxifolin. Procyanidins are oligometric catechins found at high concentrations in red wine, grapes, cocoa, cranberries, apples, and some supplements such as Pycnogenol®.

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Rosacea News April 2008

1. Clarisonic issues voluntary recall

If you have a Clarisonic Skin Care Brush manufactured prior to July 2007 you may like to read the Voluntary Recall from Clarisonic. Thanks for the note by Melissa in the forums. For product manufactured prior to July 2007 Clarisonic is voluntarily recalling Clarisonic handles and chargers in response to product safety concerns. The issue is limited to the product’s internal …

2. Oracea approved for much of Europe

In the news this week is an announcement that Oracea is on its way to being approved for sale in Germany, UK, Italy, Austria, Ireland, Sweden, Finland, Luxembourg and The Netherlands. European Regulatory Authority (EMEA) Recommends Granting Of Marketing Authorization For MediGene’s Drug Oracea MediGene AG announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has concluded …

3. Mysterious topical IDP-115 being trialled

A seemingly new topical treatment for rosacea is being trialled by Dow Pharmaceutical Sciences. The product is being evaluated firstly for the number of inflammatory lesions and global severity, and secondly for redness. This, along with the trial lasting 12 weeks, and the large size of the trial leads me to guess that IDP-115 is a metronidazole or azelaic acid variant.

4. Welcome to New York Times readers

If you are visiting rosacea-support.org today because of the article in SKIN DEEP - In a Perfect World, Rosacea Remains a Problem, WELCOME !

Rosacea is a common, progressive and often misunderstood disease. We hope that you find some useful resources on this site.

On this site you will find hundreds of news and research items. Use the Articles links on the left hand side to …

5. Kopec Naturals offering free Rosacea Relief samples

Laura Kopec from Kopec Naturals is offering free 1 oz samples of their Rosacea Relief product. According to their web site, Rosacea Relief contains, “Proprietary blend of Barbadensis vulgaris (aloe vera), Hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel), Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil, and other natural ingredients.” See her post at the Rosacea Support Forum - Free 1 oz Sample of Rosacea Relief for more information. …

6. RGS5 gene can reverse angiogenesis

From: Aussies stop cancer tumour frenzy Researchers based at the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research have discovered a gene that can reverse angiogenesis - the growth of blood vessels inside a tumour. Their work, led by associate Professor Ruth Ganss, is a world first and has been recognised by internationally-renowned scientific journal Nature in its weekly edition, published online today. …

7. NRS adds Q&A section to their web site

The NRS have announce a new section on their web site. Rosacea sufferers are now able to submit questions online and have them answered by a range of rosacea experts. From Ask the Doctors: Have a question about rosacea? Leading dermatologists, ophthalmologists, researchers and others will answer questions about this chronic but treatable condition. New questions are answered every month, so be …

8. acne rosacea sourcebook: a computer wrote it !!

Back in 2003 I ordered a copy of “The Official Patient’s Sourcebook on Acne Rosacea”. I was looking to read what was available on the topic of rosacea and this book was listed on amazon.com. The book confused me ; it was so bad. Little did I know, the book was written by a computer. The author, Philip M. Parker has some patents related …

9. aloe vera company seeks rosacea trial participants

Just posted to the Rosacea Support Forum is a request for rosacea sufferers who are interested in a new series of aloe vera capsules and gel. See Aloe vera company seeks participants for Rosacea study for more information. Aloemaxx Health Systems Inc, is a retailer of organic, non-toxic aloe vera products. Through the cooperation of rosacea-support.org, Aloemaxx is seeking twelve participants to take …

10. Rosacea-LTD User Reviews

Rosacea-LTD has been discussed on rosacea forums the internet for a long time. In fact one of the first message I posted in 1998 was looking for some feedback on this product. The fact that the company is still in business is a good sign.

This product consists of compressed disks of various salts and sulphur. You gently slide the product over wet …

11. warning: Singulair might cause depression

From the Wall Street Journal: Possible Suicide Link Prompts FDA to Probe Merck Asthma Drug: The Food and Drug Administration said it is investigating a possible association between the widely used asthma medication Singulair and behavioral changes, including suicide...

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

Rosacea News March 2008

1. Pyratine-6 Now Available from physicians

The Anti-Aging product Pyratine-6 is now available to buy from some physicians. Pyratine-6 is a new product that is a derivative of Kinetin. Their new web site has launched at pyratine-6.com. You can find a stockist on their web site.

2. angiogenesis: lymphatic and mast cell involvement

The pathogenesis (how a disease progresses from mild to severe forms) of rosacea is a complicated and poorly understood process. Likewise the growth of new blood vessels, thought to be important in the development of rosacea, is also a complicated and mysterious process. The NRS has updated their blog with an Update on Angiogenesis.

3. Sansrosa Phase 3 Delayed until END of 2008

According to the just published earnings call, Collagenex have been asked to undertake a additional Phase 2 study before commencing Phase 3. These additional studies will take several months, delaying the start of Phase 3. Collagenex are still hopeful of commencing Phase 3 studies some time before the end of 2008. These additional studies are to confirm that the diseased rosacea skin does not allow …

4. Prosacea User Reviews

Prosacea is a topical gel, available over the counter at stores like Walgreens. Prosacea is only briefly mentioned in the online support groups. Below is a hopefully balanced selection of user comments from rosacea sufferers who have tried Prosacea.

5. moderate exercise may help your rosacea

Some rosacea sufferers report good results if they exercise moderately but regularly. It is well known that regular exercise is good for stress relief and of course your general well being. But what about improving your skin ? Is that possible ? This paper is suggesting that exercise can reduce the amount of cytokines generated as part of the inflammatory response that is believed to …

6. The Warm Room Flush: what you wished you always knew

You may have noticed that your face flushes when you enter a warm room, but have you ever thought about how that process actually works ? Well, a nicely written article just released on the web goes into detail about how your body responds when you go from a cold room to a warm room. Colin Dahl, rosacea sufferer himself, from Australian Sciences has created this article to help rosacea sufferers understand the thermoregulatory roots of facial flushing in a simple, easy to read manner. The following couple of paragraphs from Chapter 1 give an accurate description of the contents of the booklet.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Rosacea News February 2008

1. News anchor gets burned by photo facial

From: Lucy Noland offers tip for others to avoid the same pain. 11 News anchor Lucy Noland wanted to share her personal experience so that others can avoid getting burned. A few weeks ago, I went in to get some freckles removed. The result? I was left burned so badly that I couldn’t work for a week. From the bright …
(click to continue reading →)

2. Galderma buys CollaGenex for $420m

Collagenex is set to become a subsidiary of the much bigger Galderma, after CollaGenex agreed to a merger. So 2 of the biggest pharmaceutical companies involved with make rosacea treatments are to become the same company. Galderma has long been associated with rosacea treatment, and is best known for the metronidazole based topicals metrogel, metrocream and metrolotion. CollaGenex has become known in recent years …

3. finacea is good for acne and hyper pigmentation as well

This poster session is seeking to expand the appeal of Finacea (which contains Azelaic acid 15%) beyond rosacea. The result is that the authors are suggesting that finacea is also possibly good for acne vulgaris and hyperpigmentation as well as rosacea. If you are …

4. NRS updates their FAQ

The National Rosacea Society has updated their Frequently Asked Questions page, as reviewed and edited by Dr. Mark Dahl (who is on the Medical Advisory Board of the NRS). They have included 44 questions ranging from `What causes rosacea’ to `Do steroids induce rosacea’. Publications from the NRS are carefully written to be neutral and to be of good general interest. For those …

5. Collagenex CEO says rebound not yet seen in Sansrosa

February 21st, 2008, by Ben

Regarding another investor conference today, CEO Colin Stewart presented and most of the information was familiar. However, during the question period, an audience member asked about rebound flushing/redness during the Sansrosa / COL-118 trials. The following is what was said:

Man: “I realize that it’s an in-class, COL-118, it’s kind of difficult to work out the economics of the opportunity. Now, the fact …

6. Clarisonic user reviews

With the recent push by Clarisonic to promote their sonic brush as treatment for rosacea, I thought it might be interesting to see some reviews of users of the Clarisonic Skin Care System by rosacea sufferers. Although it is expensive, it does seem to be working quite well and so far no-one is reporting that it has irritated their …
(click to continue reading →)

7. using a sonic brush to treat rosacea and seb derm

Here are 2 more recent Poster Sessions promoting the usage of the Clarisonic Skin Care System. Previous publications addressed treating seborrheic dermatitis with the Clarisonic brush. The manufacturers are now targeting their sonic brush as a treatment for rosacea itself. These papers are readying Clarisonic’s push into treating rosacea. It is an interesting idea to approach cleansing from …

8. LED helps recovery after IPL, reduces redness

This paper is good news for both those undergoing IPL treatments and those interested in Light Emitting Diode (LED) therapy as a anti-redness treatment. Patients treated immediately after IPL with a LED device showed that their post-treatment redness subsided faster compared to not also being treated with LED. Use of light-emitting diode photomodulation to reduce erythema and discomfort …

9. Malassezia Globosa causes seborrhea, Pyrithione Zinc is effective

Interesting threads on the Rosacea Support Forum started by Artist. Apparently it is well known but it was a surprise to me that seborrheic dermatitis is not caused by Pityrosporum ovale, but in fact Malassezia Globosa. The second bit of information that was surprising to me was not only that ketoconazole is effective against M. Globosa, but so is Pyrithione Zinc (PTZ). Some great links …

10. rosacure helps redness after 1 month

This paper looks to be suggesting that the silymarin/msm containing topical, rosacure/synchrorose was well tolerated and helps with the redness of rosacea. Silibinin (INN) (silybin, Legalon®) is the major active constituent of silymarin, the mixture of flavonolignans extracted from plant Milk thistle. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM, or dimethylsulfone) is an organic sulfur compound belonging to a class of chemicals known as …

11. oral repeat prescriptions more popular than topicals

This paper comes up with the seemingly simple and innocuous result that rosacea sufferers are more likely to fill prescription repeats for oral treatments compared to topicals. This lead to the suggestion by Collagenex that sufferers are generally more satisfied with the effects of oral treatments. In recent press release they further suggested that this was a reason that the market for Oracea was large …

12. aveeno ultra calming with feverfew well tolerated

This paper was sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, who make the Aveeno Active Naturals Ultra Calming range. J&J are attempting to target rosacea sufferers with their aveeno range that contains feverfew. Rosacea sufferers are difficult to target with cosmetics so it is encouraging to see large companies doing background research to create suitable products. Poster Abstracts, American Academy of Dermatology 66th Annual Meeting, February … 

13. oxymetazoline good for 6 hours and safe for 3 months

This poster abstract is an update to the paper that was published in Archives of Dermatology in 2007 and was covered by Rosacea News as Sansrosa’s sister to enter redness race. This now expanded abstract suggests that oxymetazoline is effective for up to 6 hours after application and no side effects have been seen after 3 months usage. …

Sunday, March 02, 2008

The Warm Room Flush: what you wished you always knew

You may have noticed that your face flushes when you enter a warm room, but have you ever thought about how that process actually works ? Well, a nicely written article just released on the web goes into detail about how your body responds when you go from a cold room to a warm room. Colin Dahl, rosacea sufferer himself, from Australian Sciences has created this article to help rosacea sufferers understand the thermoregulatory roots of facial flushing in a simple, easy to read manner. The following couple of paragraphs from Chapter 1 give an accurate description of the contents of the booklet.

A Practical Understanding of Rosacea, Part 1: Heat Regulation and the Warm Room Flush Phenomenon, By Colin Dahl, Chief Scientist, Australian Sciences.

The simplified biological mechanics of rosacea have been explained in the booklet. Minimal medical terms have been used and may be further referenced online. I believe that a basic understanding of how the body deals with heat regulation and dilation of blood vessels is needed if you want to begin reversing this and other forms of facial flushing associated with rosacea.

It is not the intention of this booklet to name or deal with specific chemicals. The reason for this is simple, once you have excessive blood vessels and nerves in your skin, you will have an excess of numerous inflammatory chemicals. It is the intention of this booklet to highlight the systems involved, so that these systems can be used in your favor.

Often we see terms like nerve-mediated vasodilation, cutaneous nerves, angiogenesis (and a new one axonogenesis), sympathetic nerves, neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, nerve growth factors etc. thrown around. Finally here is a document that puts them together in context. Whatsmore, it is a pleasure to read.

I like that the document doesn't suggest that IPL is the end-game for treating flushing. See the document for Mr. Dahl's thoughts on how to enhance the effectiveness of IPL therapy.

If you go to the Products section of the web site you will also see that Australian Sciences have products related to rosacea in the development pipeline. From the PDF;

Australian Sciences is developing a range of effective products aimed at assisting in the reduction of excessive skin cell activity due to environmental factors such as sun exposure. Australian Sciences has conducted extensive research into the normalization of inflammatory skin cells with natural compounds such as silymarin, egcg, vitamin B12 and many others. Independent research has also showed these compounds to be effective for other inflammatory skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. We believe these products can help normalize skin cells and assist in the long-term reversal of excessive skin infrastructure.

Further benefits can be achieved through reducing the exposure of skin cells to environmental factors. A major contributor to excessive skin cell activity is sunlight. Not only is the ultraviolet radiation a major contributor, but the excessive heat energy delivered to skin cells is enough on its own to cause problems for those with rosacea.

Stay tuned for further information.

Read the document here: Australian Sciences Rosacea Page.

What do you think about this document ? Leave a comment below or discuss it online at the Blushing and Flushing Forum at the Rosacea Support Forum.

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Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Rosacea News January 2008

Rosacea News January 2008

1. most popular blog posts in 2007

January 2nd, 2008, by Digital Davo, in the news

Looking through my web site statistics I can see that the following Rosacea News items received the most visits during the year. I’m looking forward to 2008 to see what makes the Rosacea News. 1. eucerin redness relief product reviews In 2005 a new range of skin care products from Eucerin (Beiersdorf Inc) called Eucerin Redness Relief was released. ...

2. not on your face, it is possible

January 8th, 2008, by Digital Davo, accutane, macrolides, papules & pustules, steroids

One often asked question by newly diagnosed sufferers is `can you get rosacea on areas other than your face’. The usual answer is no; you normally only see rosacea symptoms on the flushing zone areas in the central areas of your face. This paper slightly dispels this idea with a case report about one patient who had rosacea lesions on his arm, and upper chest …

3. AAD Poster Sessions: oxymetazoline

January 16th, 2008, by Digital Davo, in the news, research

The 66th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology is due to take place in San Antonio, TX, from Feb 1-5. Of most interest to rosacea sufferers is the poster sessions where recently published research and related products are promoted to dermatologists. Based on the proposed poster sessions, the following look interesting. P400: Successful treatment of the erythema and flushing of rosacea using a …

4. NRS announces 2008 research grants

January 17th, 2008, by Digital Davo, research foundation

The NRS has announced four new grants for ongoing research into the knowledge, cause and treatment of rosacea. Dr. Gallo, Dr. Granstein and Dr. Steinhoff have been awarded grants to continue their existing NRS-funded research while Dr. Helfrich has been awarded a grant for new areas of funding. Briefly, (for full details, see the NRS Blog): Dr. Richard Gallo, …

5. 100mg doxycycline no better than oracea

January 18th, 2008, by Digital Davo, doxycycline, oracea

Collagenex is reporting today that Oracea is equally effective as 100mg of doxycycline. This latest press release is a culmination of a trial that we have reported previously - oracea plus metrogel, better than 100mg doxycycline plus metrogel ? and also a 2007 SkinMed paper; maximum effective dose of doxycycline is 40mg a day. The main point of the trial was …

6. Clinique Redness Solutions: user reviews

January 22nd, 2008, by Digital Davo, cleansers, moisturizers, topicals

A new range of products for problem red skin called Clinique Redness Solutions has recently been launched.

The range consists of ; Redness Solutions Urgent Relief Cream is said “rushes soothing relief to upset skin. Quickly calms flare-ups of visible redness, irritation.” Redness Solutions Daily Protective Base SPF 15 is claimed “Protects …

7. Clinique Redness Solutions Ingredients

January 24th, 2008, by Digital Davo, steroids, topicals

A recent Rosacea News post listing the some preliminary user reviews for Clinique Redness Solutions was unclear on whether the Urgent Relief Cream contains cortisone. Well the answer is yes, it does. This would suggest that this product is not suitable for long term use for rosacea sufferers. It is not a surprise that a product that claims up soothe upset skin would …

8. otophyma: rosacea swelling and growth of the ears

January 27th, 2008, by Digital Davo, rhinophyma

Hot on the tails of the recent paper about getting rosacea on areas other than your face comes this paper about rosacea related swelling and growth of the ear. This case report covers a patient who had an enlarged ear which was found to be caused by the same sort of rosacea growth seen in rhinophyma - called lymphedema. An additional suggestion is that …

9. granulomatous variant not a rosacea subtype

January 29th, 2008, by Digital Davo, research

This just published paper is confirm that belief that the granulomatous forms of rosacea are not genuine subtypes in the same ways as the 4 well-know subtypes: ER, PP, PHY and OC (my abbreviations). A one-line summary of this paper is that a group of patients who had tests to show that they had granulomatous rosacea did not have any …

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Rosacea News December 2007

1. Senetek Trialling Pyratine 6 / PRK124

December 30th, 2007, by Digital Davo | clinical trials, papules & pustules

A new trial has just been posted that will be looking at how Pyratine 6 (a variant of Kinetin) treats the papules & pustules, redness and visible blood vessels of rosacea. From Clinical Trial NCT00580723: Effects of PRK 124 Lotion in Acne Rosacea The purpose of this open-label study is to determine the tolerance and efficacy of twice-daily application …

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2. Nerve Growth Factor inhibitor - acerola seed extract

December 27th, 2007, by Digital Davo | patents, seborrheic dermatitis

Trawling patent applications is challenging but also interesting. There is a huge mine of information available for us to scavenge information that might lead to future treatments. I thought this patent was interesting because it deals with something that I hadn’t heard of before, but seems like it might have some potential. This patent application makes me wonder if we will see anything else …

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3. acne lotion good for cleaning pen from toys

December 21st, 2007, by Digital Davo | acne treatments, in the news

OK a semi-serious post for this time of year. An interesting blog posting over at Baby Toolkit suggests that 10% benzyl peroxide cream and sunlight is perfect for removing pen marks from a plastic doll. From Clear Unsightly Blemishes: the Case of the Ballpoint Baby Doll Here is before ;   and here is after …

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4. Patents abound for treating rosacea with alpha agonists

December 19th, 2007, by Ben | patents

Their has been much talk lately about using alpha adrenoceptor agonists as rosacea treatments because they show vasoconstrictor actions. Some examples are brimonidine, oxymetazoline, naphazoline, and others.

There are quite a few patents out there discussing these, and even testing some of them. Some of these patents have been mentioned before on the site.

Here are links to some of these patents.

US20040242588
Compounds, …

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5. kinetin & niacinamide for anti-aging

December 14th, 2007, by Digital Davo | moisturizers, topicals 

This study shows that kinetin and niacinamide work together well to provide anti-aging effects for asian skin. Previous studies that have been highlighted by Rosacea News have also shown that topical kinetin is a good anti-aging moisturizer for rosacea sufferers and may even show some benefit for rosacea symptoms. The clinical anti-aging effects of topical kinetin …

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6. get ready for ocular oracea

December 12th, 2007, by Digital Davo | doxycycline, ocular rosacea, oracea

Thanks for the tip from Ben. A clinical trial listed for treating both facial and ocular rosacea with Oracea suggests that Oracea might soon be marketed directly as an ocular rosacea treatment. This phase 2 trial’s purpose is to determine the safety and efficacy of sub-antimicrobial dose doxycycline in the treatment of patients who have both blepharitis and facial rosacea. The trial …

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7. FDA approves Lyrica for Fibromyalgia

December 10th, 2007, by Digital Davo | in the news

Whilst this was announced back in June this year, I thought it was worthwhile highlighting it here in case it is of interest to rosacea sufferers who also suffer from chronic pain. From the FDA Consumer Update: Living with Fibromyalgia, First Drug Approved People with fibromyalgia have typically turned to pain medicines, antidepressants, muscle relaxants, and sleep medicines. On …

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8. how Collagenex are Promoting Oracea

December 6th, 2007, by Digital Davo | oracea, tetracyclines

A recent investor presentation from Collagenex shows some interesting insights into how Collagenex are promoting Oracea. Oracea is promoted as safe and effective for long term use. It was reported that the average duration of Oracea therapy is 4 months, compared to an average of 2.5 months for other rosacea prescriptions. 52% of Oracea prescriptions are refills - the presentation suggests that …

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9. treating ocular rosacea with amniotic membrane transplant

December 4th, 2007, by Digital Davo | ocular rosacea

This case report of one patient shows a remarkable treatment possibility for severe ocular rosacea. The patient also suffered from papulopustular rosacea and rhinophyma and did not respond to full dose doxycycline. Three attempts to glue his perforated cornea failed. The paper suggests that corneal perforation is quite rare in ocular rosacea.

The amniotic membrane transplant was a success, both sealing the perforation, and restoring good …

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10. genetic links for psoriasis, lupus

December 3rd, 2007, by Digital Davo | research

A quick news bite about some new links found for a genetic root for psoriasis and lupus. I like that the reporter doesn’t try to dress up this announcement as anything other than a small advance in our knowledge of these 2 diseases. The research into a provable genetic link for rosacea symptoms is still at a very early stage. Maybe one day …

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most popular blog posts in 2007

Looking through my web site statistics I can see that the following Rosacea News items received the most visits during the year.

I'm looking forward to 2008 to see what makes the Rosacea News.

1. eucerin redness relief product reviews

In 2005 a new range of skin care products from Eucerin (Beiersdorf Inc) called Eucerin Redness Relief was released. They are claimed as “Safe for sensitive skin and appropriate for Rosacea”.

(click to continue reading →)

2. how to cure a red face

Many rosacea sufferers are looking for help to reduce the redness of their face. This is one of the first rosacea symptoms that people might notice. What treatments have fellow rosacea sufferers used to hide the ruddiness and angry face that sometimes accompanies rosacea ? I’ll go through what I see as your current best options.

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3. choosing a moisturizer

An excellent consumer report about how to choose a moisturizer. The article gives some background on how moisturizers are formulated, how they work, and the operation of common active ingredients. A table at the end of this document compares about 75 available moisturizers, classifying them under Face, Hands and Feet. Highly valuable for anyone searching for a moisturizer as part of their daily routine.

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4. treating rosacea with herbs

There is a lot of interest from rosacea sufferers in treating their rosacea with natural or herbal therapies and remedies. Many are keen to avoid treatments like antibiotics and metrogel. This paper is by far the best collection of information about natural products I’ve found.

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5. red face: when flushing isn't rosacea

This paper explores the different problems that may be causing flushing. The list of possible reasons other than rosacea is extensive. The author was kind enough provide a full copy of this paper, so contact me if you’d like to read it.

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6. focus on finacea

Finacea is a topical rosacea treatment made by Intendis. Its main active ingredient is azelaic acid 15%. Officially, finacea “is a topical treatment for the inflammatory bumps and lesions of mild to moderate rosacea”.

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7. periostat goes generic, get ready for oracea:

Periostat (20 mgs doxycycline hyclate) has been helpful to some rosacea sufferers. Originally developed to combat periodontal disease (gum disease), periostat was approved by the FDA in 1998. Recently the FDA approved the introduction of generic periostat equivalents.

Oracea contains doxycycline, the same active ingredient as CollaGenex’s gum disease treatment Periostat. CollaGenex is shifting its focus to the dermatology market following the approval of generic competition for Periostat.

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8. ocular demodex - tea tree oil as a treatment:

This recently published paper suggests that a variety of ocular symptoms might be caused by demodex infestation. Six patients all having demodex present, and suffering with recalcitrant symptoms (including 4 diagnosed with rosacea) were given tea tree oil for a weekly eyelid scrub and tea tree shampoo for a daily scrub.

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9. focus on metronidazole

Metronidazole is a prescription drug that is available in several formulations. As an oral treatment it is known as flagyl. Topical metronidazole is available as noritate, metrogel, rozex, metrogel 1%, metrolotion and metrocream.

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10. focus on low dose accutane:

The mechanism by which low dose accutane (isotretinoin) i.e. around 10mg a day, is effective in treating rosacea is not clearly understood. Just the name accutane is enough to strike fear into many doctors and patients.

Hopefully the following articles will provide some pointers to useful information when researching whether accutane/roaccutane is a suitable treatment for your rosacea.

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