Rosacea?

[grevance]

I generally seem to have more acne when I have a beard, but this time it won't go away.  Usually, constant red areas on the center of my forehead, below the lip area to the jaw.  CONSTANT cropping up of tiny white heads and followed up by scaling.  In fact below the lips and chin area there is constant scaling post showering and upon awaking, Whiteheads are generated even without redness, though redness persists.  This is aggravated by showering and I believe upon exercise.  The areas seem to itch, which I'm sure doesn't help.  Now I have theses areas on the tops of my cheeks, where my glasses could be touching.  I recently purchased Citaphil, and and had been rubbing it on my face 3 times a day.  1)Should I wash everytime I apply it? It seeems to moderately help but, the areas reappear in time of neglect or just anyways?  I am unemployed due to layoff and it seems my face gets gradually worse in time.  2)I'm afraid to lose the beard, because it covers the worst os the 3 areas, my jaw area/side of mouth.  Is the beard part of the problem?

3)If rosacea is there any over the counter help? How about Listerine? Is topical alcohol bad?



I thought it might be fungal, because I seem to have never ending athletes foot. Tips of the toes and sides of the feet are cratered and affected areas appear white when feet become moist from wearing shoes. Oh yeah, them do stink! Justed washed all shoe insoles and purchased tolnafate 1% cream and 2% miconazole nitrate powder. Gonna try the 1-2 punch alternating treatents am and pm, combo-ed with Gold bond powder.



Show me the light!

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Feet first: you probably have a bacterial condition called pitted keratolysis.  A solution containing erythromycin should clear up both the rash and the smell.



I can't tell from your description whether you have acne, rosacea, just plain redness from being light-skinned, or folliculitis from shaving, or some combination.  My advice is to wash less frequently, not to rub the face, and certainly to avoid Listerine or alcohol, which will irritate.



And I believe you will need to invest in a single doctor's visit for diagnosis and prescription.



Take care.



Dr. Rockoff