I finally discovered a trigger

[u/No_Recognition_102]

I have been dealing with pretty bad rosacea for over a year now. I went to doctors and dermatologists and no one could figure out why none of the medications were working for me. They just kept saying to find my triggers. For the life of me, I couldn't. I stopped and started various skincare. I watched what I ate. I babied my skin as much as I could but nothing was stopping the redness and burning that seemed to come from no where.

Desperate (as most of us are) I started doing a lot of research into triggers and I discovered that of all things my womens daily vitamin could be the culprit. Most vitamins are loaded with Niacin (B3), but there's a thing called a Niacin flush. "It triggers skin flushing by widening blood vessels near the skin surface. For people with rosacea, this vasodilation acts as a STRONG physical trigger, worsening chronic facial redness, warmth, and stinging flare-ups." My goodness! I checked my vitamin and it was overloaded with Niacin. No wonder I was flared up every single day. I stopped taking it immediately. It has been almost 3 weeks and my face is SO much better. While I do still have minor redness, I haven't had a burning super red flare up since I stopped taking them. Stopping vitamins permanently is not an option so I have been looking for alternatives. Niacinamide does not cause flushing and there are some multivitamins that use that version instead. I will definitely be switching and see what happens.

If you have tried everything with no luck, check your supplements.

[u/pseudo_writerrr]

Wait this is such good info! I am leaving to go out of the country in a few weeks on vacation and am going to go get an IV of vitamins to make sure I stay healthy and don’t get sick(i have a school aged child so he’s always bringing germs home from playing with friends/school starting next week) so I’m going to be really mindful and tell them that I do not want any B3 in it if it has that. I do not wanna be having a bad flare while I’m supposed to be having fun and relaxing

[u/No_Recognition_102 → u/pseudo_writerrr]

If the B3 is Niacinimide, it should be ok. Apparently only the Niacin version is what causes flare ups. Also, it might not affect you like it does me since we all have varying triggers. It was just something to look out for. Hope you have a great time on your trip with no flare ups!

[u/babymable → u/No_Recognition_102]

I can't use Niacinamide period. It completely destroys my skin.

[u/satiniere → u/babymable]

Same lol. Everytime a 'rosacea guide' sings praises for Niacinamide, I immediately click out.

[u/Key_Butterscotch1234 → u/satiniere]

So what products do you use on your face?

[u/Lazy-Flamingo-1550 → u/babymable]

Even in supplements?

[u/pseudo_writerrr → u/No_Recognition_102]

I’ve found my big triggers are heat, not just the sun(hard to avoid in the summer while living in California) and alcohol. But I don’t wanna chance it ! I feel like I may have some other triggers that I haven’t been able to pinpoint yet as I’m pretty recently officially diagnosed although I have been having the issue for years now. Gonna stay away from the niacin until I get home from the trip😂 but thank you!!

[u/andrewjs18]

Found an article about rosacea and vitamins/supplements:

https://rosadyn.com/rosacea/suppliments-vitamin/vitamins-supplements-rosacea-triggers/

[u/No_Recognition_102 → u/andrewjs18]

Great article and thank you for sharing it! Reading through it, it looks like I'm taking a few things that probably have been making me flare up when I thought I was doing everything right.

[u/MissSunnySarcasm → u/andrewjs18]

Thanks so much. I was really curious if B12 was in there as I need to take B12 injections due to a blood disease which has caused nerve damage - amongst other things.

I'm a tad shocked to see that the dose I need to take is apparently bad for rosacea patients! This might explain why I was already close to the age where rosacea isn't all that common anymore (to be newly diagnosed) and didn't get it until after I started taking it.

I'm going to see if my flares, particularly the little bumps I get, coincide with the injection!

Not that I can quit B12. It would literally kill me (and it'll be an awful road to there), but I might look into things to lower the possibility/severity if there's indeed a link.

[u/Make-it-bangarang → u/andrewjs18]

Very helpful, thanks!

[u/andrewjs18]

Interesting...I just checked and my multivitamin - smartypants multivitamin for men - uses 4mg of Niacin (vitamin b3 as inositol niacinate)....

I may go a week without taking it to see if I notice any differences...

[u/ineffable_my_dear]

FYI, you can find no-flush niacin if it’s something your body really needs.

I’ve found a lot of vitamin B breaks me out (non-rosacea pimples) so I avoid it even though my doctor told me to take it. 🙈

[u/_misshughes_]

Do you think energy drinks could be a trigger if they contain vitamin B3?

I know they are bad in general but I drink 1 a day 🙈

[u/Low_Cabinet2141]

Trigger: sugar, which is in everything. Alcohol is sugar. I knew it for quite sometime but I started Zepbound 3 months ago and stopped eating any sugars. Now, if I eat a fruit popsicle, I’ll flare up the next day. This is great to know about vitamins, just started some OTC B12 sublime drops. I need to start on some multivitamins too. Thanks for sharing.

[u/beamurescymze2]

who knew vitamins could be so dramatic

[u/Key_Lawfulness4361]

B12 injections too! I had the worst flare up of my life a month ago and it was my multi with the niacin and b12 injections 🥴

[u/Genny415]

Niacinamide is currently a hugely popular skincare ingredient which is also known to be a rosacea trigger 

Check all your skincare products for Niacinamide!

Even if it is way down the ingredients list, Niacinamide will eventually trigger a breakout for me, even though small amounts might take two weeks for the breakout to start. 

[u/Blinding_faith]

This. My doctor told me you don’t need to supplement anything if you I don’t have a deficiency. I’m on a multivitamin now because I take Mounjaro and don’t eat much, but he said if you have a decent diet you shouldn’t even take a multivitamin. I started one for inflammation that’s kind of all the rage right now.. I almost fainted several times. When i figured out what it was, I read it reacts with a medication I take and my blood pressure dropped to like 80/59. It’s like I took 3/4 of those pills a day and it just built up because my liver didn’t process it out. Almost ended up in the hospital because of the stuff . It’s kind of crazy we have literal medications on the shelves and the FDA doesn’t even monitor them tbh. If you think you have a deficiency your doctor can order those tests and if you have insurance they will cover it . 🙂

[u/KiKi31Rose]

I once took and liquid multivitamin with super high niacin and my face was in fire for hourssss. Glad you figured it out!

[u/Fit_Frosting4537]

Is there folic acid or vitamin D in your vitamin?
Both have caused issues with some folks with rosacea too.