Thank you, Tree Top! I was fortunate to get diagnosed quite early. Rosacea is not curable but it is important to get treated before it progresses, to maximise remission and minimise flares. You have done well to identify your skin issue as inflammatory, and potentially linked to the gut problem.
Best results by far for me was overhauling my entire diet and lifestyle to be more anti-inflammatory/ gut healthy/ immune calming. Massively less alcohol and starchy carbs, massively more oily fish/ non-starchy vegetables/ low sugar fruits/ certain seeds and nuts, better sleep patterns (epic fail on stress management), targeted supplements.
I now believe my triggers (many not identified but def. alcohol, changes in temperature, all but the gentlest skincare) were ‘the straw that broke the camels back’ to a body in a chronic state of inflammation.
Last rosacea flare was February from a minor dental infection (= inflammatory chemicals floating around facial tissues). Vanished within two days of starting oral antibiotics (clarithromycin). Took a multi strain probiotic during and after.
Interestingly antibiotics are not all bad: recently licensed for long term use in rosacea *low dose* oral antibiotic (doxycycline). This is effective due to its anti-inflammatory ‘side effect’, it is too low a dose to kill bacteria (in skin or gut).
But ideally we rosaceans would be looking at what we can do to resolve the underlying cause of the inflammation (eg. identify and treat linked medical conditions, overhaul diet or lifestyle).