Do I have Rosacea????

About 6 months ago I noticed what appeared to be an acne breakout on my right cheek area.  It was unusual because it was mutliple bumps ( 3-5 ) not just one and on my cheek. I was nver prone to acne even in my teen years and now only during menstrual cycles.  i tried to treat it with acne medicines.  Didn't go away - didn't get worse.  About 5 weeks later I went to a Dr for a skin rash flare up of excema.  I was given oral steriods (shot and pills) and a "desonide lotion".  The steriod shot and pills seemed to almost make it go away.  But it hasn't.  And now I would say that I have about 12 red "spots" on the cheek area.  I can;t get into a Derm before December and I am very concerned and frustrated.  

Causing more stress to the issue is that I am in a professional consulting business and am in front of clients all of the time.  I have become very self consious.  Make up tends to cover but I know it is there.

I don't know what this is.  I ensure that I wear 15spf all of the time , my makeup even is 15spf.  I rarely consume alcohol. I will enjoy spicy foods maybe once a week.  Chocolate is rare.

How can I know that this is or isn't Roseaca so that I can begin to treat it before I get to the Derm in December?  I do not want this to get worse, of course.

Also I just bought a facial treatment called "Protient Actif Pur" by ROC.  This was not bought for the cheek problem - but will it hurt or help?

Any information will be greatly appreciated.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

It does indeed sound like rosacea, perhaps aggravated by steroid use.  Desonide is a mild steroid which we often use on faces, but sometimes it can aggravate facial rosacea by perpetuating it.  The best treatment for rosacea is topical metronidazole cream and oral tetracycline (or one of its relatives).  Pills gnerally need to be taken for a month or less.  Other skincare products are OK, but beside the point.  I hope you can find a way to see a doctor to look into this before December (!)

Best.

Dr. Rockoff