Rosacea patient finds relief after years of suffering

Rebecca Daley, 39, from Chorley in Lancashire, has battled rosacea for 14 years, a condition that turns her skin bright red, causes irritation and pain, and can make the nose swell to unusual sizes. The struggle began in the weeks after the birth of her first son, Elliot, in 2011. The birth was traumatic: the baby was in a breech position and stopped breathing for a time as doctors worked to retrieve him from the birth canal. Elliot, now 14, spent two-and-a-half weeks in intensive care after doctors tried for 22 minutes to resuscitate him. Daley says the stress of that period triggered physical changes in her body and the skin problem that would change how she lived for years.

For months, Rebecca noticed a red rash featuring pustules and cysts across her face. She had no skin problems before the birth, but the new condition was itchy, burning and hard to hide. She tried over‑the‑counter creams, acne treatments and spot gels, but nothing offered lasting relief. Describing the early days, she recalls hearing a GP say the condition was something “lots of people get” and that she would have to “put up with it.” The diagnosis, combined with the visible signs of the disease, left her feeling anxious and housebound at times, especially during the winter when the redness could resemble Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Rosacea is a chronic skin condition estimated to affect about 2.9 million adults in the United Kingdom. Its hallmark is facial flushing, with dilated blood vessels, along with papules and pustules resembling acne. In more severe cases, the condition can cause rhinophyma, an overgrowth of the oil glands on the nose that leads to swelling and thickened skin. In rare instances, enlarged noses can obstruct airways and complicate breathing. The exact cause is not fully understood, but genetics and environmental factors are believed to interact. Triggers vary but often include stress, alcohol, hot drinks, spicy foods and extreme temperatures. Stress, in particular, can provoke flare-ups because the body releases hormones such as cortisol that increase inflammation and vascular reactivity. Pregnancy hormones can have a similar effect, altering blood flow and skin sensitivity. These dynamics help explain why Daley’s rosacea emerged in the wake of her son’s birth and intensified with stress over the years.

In her case, the redness and skin sensitivity grew more pronounced during periods of high stress. Doctors explained that the condition can flare when the body’s inflammatory response is heightened, and stress can amplify that response. As Daley continued to face social and professional pressures, the episode of widespread redness and irritation persisted, with the nose occasionally swelling to three times its normal size. The combination of visible symptoms and the anxiety they produced exacerbated the problem, creating a cycle that was hard to break.

With this history, Rebecca tried a range of treatments. She was prescribed antibiotics such as doxycycline and other anti-inflammatory regimens, and attempted isotretinoin (Roaccutane) at one point. The course left her lips and face extremely dry and offered little relief from the redness, so she stopped taking it after several weeks. She even experimented with alterations to her lifestyle, cutting out potential triggers like spicy foods and alcohol, though stress remained a persistent challenge. The impact on her mental health was significant; she describes a constant sense of self-consciousness and anxiety about leaving the house, and the nose became a focal point of her worries.

In 2019, a turning point arrived after a moment of online connection. Daley posted a photo of herself on Instagram, and dozens of women commented that she was brave for sharing her struggle. The community’s response resonated: many said their own rosacea had been dismissed or inadequately treated by clinicians, and they urged Daley to keep speaking out. Through messages and referrals, she began exploring products designed for rosacea and eventually connected with brands that offered serums and skin-care lines targeted at reducing inflammation and redness. One product, Kalme, made with caper extract, became a cornerstone of her routine. “I’d use it whenever I felt a flare-up coming and it would instantly calm and soothe,” she says. Over time, she continued to use Kalme and began stocking up on supplies to ensure she could keep up with her treatment plan when samples ran out.

Daley also adopted a daily, broad-spectrum sunscreen regimen, using products containing zinc to protect against UV exposure, a known rosacea trigger. While no single treatment works for every patient, experts stress that rosacea management is highly individualized. Dermatologists emphasize that a combination of topical agents—such as azelaic acid and ivermectin gel—along with anti-inflammatory antibiotics can be effective for reducing papules and pustules, though many patients still require laser therapy to address persistent redness and visible blood vessels. Lasers, including CO2 and Er:YAG resurfacing techniques, help shrink dilated vessels and thin thickened skin associated with rhinophyma. In some NHS settings, devices like DermaV are used to target redness through specialized laser therapies. The overarching message from clinicians is that while there is no cure for rosacea, symptoms can be controlled through a tailored approach that may combine medications, laser treatment and lifestyle modification.

Daley’s experience reflects a broader shift in dermatology toward holistic management. In addition to topical and laser therapies, a growing body of clinical thinking considers gut health and the microbiome as part of rosacea care. Probiotics and prebiotic-rich diets—foods such as leeks, broccoli, apples and bananas—are explored to support a healthy gut barrier and reduce systemic inflammation that could aggravate skin sensitivity. Dr Justine Hextall, a consultant dermatologist at the private Tarrant Street Clinic in Arundel, has been among the proponents of this broader framework. She notes that maintaining a balanced gut microbiome may help lessen flare-ups by modulating inflammatory processes in the skin.

Dr Vani Agarwal, a consultant dermatologist and spokesperson for the British Skin Foundation, describes rosacea as a spectrum condition. “Rosacea can involve flushing, pimples, and eye irritation. Rhinophyma is a rare but serious manifestation where the nasal tissue thickens and enlarges,” she says. “Treatment is tailored to the type and severity. Topical agents such as azelaic acid and ivermectin can help with inflammatory lesions, while oral antibiotics help with inflammation. Redness and flushing are often treated with targeted lasers.” Dr Derrick Phillips, a consultant dermatologist at OneWelbeck, adds that stress contributes to inflammation and vascular sensitivity. “When we’re under stress, our bodies release hormones, including cortisol, which increase inflammation and make blood vessels more reactive,” he explains. He also notes that hormonal changes during pregnancy can destabilize the skin’s barrier, making rosacea symptoms more pronounced in some patients.

For Daley, the combination of persistence and community support was transformative. After years of feeling sidelined by the medical system, she found relief not through a single miracle cure, but by assembling a plan that included a proven topical approach, consistent sun protection and, importantly, access to products that helped quiet the flare-ups. She emphasizes that the journey was not about erasing the condition but about learning to live with it and to manage the triggers more effectively. “There is no cure for my condition. But now I am embracing it and learning to live with whatever my nose looks like—Rudolph or not,” she says.

Today, Daley is more confident and active than at any point in the past decade. She has even begun competing in bodybuilding contests, a pursuit she never imagined during the worst years of her rosacea. While flare-ups still occur, her overall control has improved, and she feels empowered to share her story with others who may feel dismissed or misunderstood by clinicians. The path to stability for Rosacea patients like Daley often involves patience, experimentation with different therapies, and a readiness to seek out information and communities that validate their experiences. Clinicians stress that patients should consult with dermatologists before adjusting treatments and should be mindful of triggers that may vary from person to person.

As researchers continue to explore the relationship between skin health, stress, hormones and the gut microbiome, Daley’s experience underscores a practical takeaway: rosacea management can be multifaceted and deeply personal. For those who live with the condition, finding the right combination of topical therapy, protective strategies, and supportive networks can change the trajectory from isolation and frustration to controlled symptoms and restored confidence.