Even though I didn’t know it, I was definitely a lucky teenager.  I sprouted breasts* early, was well-liked but under the radar (no drama, thanks!), and had clean, clear skin.

Then I grew up.

I still have the boobs, of course, and other than a period in my early twenties I’m drama-free, but the skin – oh, the skin! It took a turn for the worse.  A couple of years ago I found out I have rosacea, which Google Health defines thusly:

Rosacea is a chronic skin condition involving inflammation of the cheeks, nose, chin, forehead, or eyelids. It may appear as redness, prominent spider-like blood vessels, swelling, or skin eruptions similar to acne.

Image c/o Rosacea-Help.com

For me, rosacea presents itself with red cheeks (not that cute pink blush, but a blotchy, inflamed red) and, of course, those “skin eruptions,” which are deep, painful, and can stay visibly red for weeks, no matter how much tea tree oil I use.  They’re also accompanied by a stinging sensation, which I’ve somehow managed to get used to.  Yuck, right?

When I was diagnosed, my doctor put me on a topical treatment (read: medicated face wash and toner) and cautioned me to avoid hot showers, cold weather and heated beverages.  That just plain wasn’t going to happen: I live in Seattle, and sometimes a hot shower followed by a cup of steaming coffee is all that keeps me from going crazy and trying to “kill the rain.”  So I took the meds, which worked, and started making my showers and beverages just a little cooler, which probably helped too.

After a couple of years, I got sick of putting chemicals on my face and started trying more eco-friendly face wash options.  Some worked, some didn’t…but I have to admit that thusfar, none have taken away the deep-pore adult acne that has me worried about running around makeupless.  This imbalance just boils up from inside me.  It’s like laying seige to a castle, and trying to take control without breaking down the walls.  How do I get at the underlying cause without harming my skin?

That’s where Gauri (the naturopathic princess from Getting Healthy) came in: “Have you tried any supplements to fight the rosacea from the inside out?”

From the inception of The Demoiselles, my goal has been to remind all of you to take care of your bodies from the inside out – with lots of water, exercise and good food – so you can ignore all those outside stop-gaps like makeup, “shapewear” and other falsifying enhancers and truly enjoy fashion…but somehow, I completely ignored that sentiment when it came to my own skin. If your body is healthy, it’s beautiful…why didn’t I believe the same would be true of my face?

So, on Sunday, I started taking Cod Liver Oil (eeew) and Vitamin E (pretty!) supplements.  Gauri suggests that I let them work over two months, and then decide if they’ve made a difference.  So, here’s my face, as of today:

When I go, I go big: no makeup, super close up (and you can click it to get even closer).  See the red blotches around my nose; the uneven tones on my cheeks and chin?  That, plus those red marks, is rosacea!

In two months, I’ll snap another photo of my face.  It will be just as bare, and hopefully, just as coyly smiley.  We’ll see if these supplements do what they’re supposed to.

Do you have any skin problems?  How do you combat them?

*Does anyone else think of creepy science fiction stories when they hear the phrases “budding breasts” and “sprouted” in reference to puberty?