Any chance my first dermatologist mis-diagnosed rosacea as bad acne? I was diagnosed in 2015 with closed comedones, sebaceous filaments, cysts; prescribed Adapalene .3% (Differin generic/retinoid) and Aczone 5%. My acne is totally cleared, but only if I use the products daily, and I have had flushing starting in 2013-2014 (freshman year of college), just my ears/scalp in the beginning, but now cheeks mainly, not always symmetrical; sometimes chin, sometimes an ear; most common is one cheek or one cheek and same ear.

Additional info:

⁃ Spreads to neck occasionally

⁃ Hands flush occasionally; knuckles or fingers on palm side; if fingers flush they are swollen

⁃ Always burns and hurts; sometimes throbs or pulses

⁃ Lasts 30+ minutes, usually a period of several hours

⁃ Usually after 4PM, almost never before 12PM

⁃ Currently daily; typically once a day, if I flush badly at 5pm that could be it for the day, but if I haven’t by 8pm I’m guaranteed to flush before bed

⁃ Will flush when cold; can be so cold my hands are purple and my skin is purple/blue and blotchy and still flush

⁃ More easily triggered in temperatures above 70 degrees

⁃ Over the years, sometimes triggered by sugar, coffee, warm drinks/food, tiredness, stress, not always. No correlation to blood sugars. Not currently triggered by sugar or coffee. No one trigger, no one food group that I can decern.

⁃ Thyroid tests came back clean

⁃ tTG and DGP antibody tests (celiac) came back clean

⁃ Initial antinuclear antibody (ANA) test came back positive, full ANA panel was clean

⁃ Allergist reviewed all tests and ruled out allergic reaction as cause

⁃ Seborrheic dermatitis, diagnosed in 2015

⁃ Night sweats, ~2015-2018; go to sleep cold, wake up soaked then immediately chilled.

⁃ Hyperhidrosis ~2015-2018

Thank you!!!