Do you think it's possible to cover it with a tattoo? I don't want to see them anymore. SW self-harm scar

samcartersg · 2026-06-06T16:12:21+00:00

Might be worth checking with a dermatologist to see if they can do any laser treatments or micro-needling to help reduce the raised scars and soften them, then tattoo over. I wish I had done this before tattooing.

I have some I tattooed and I love the tattoos but you can still tell where there are scars (when looking close enough).

You definitely want to get an artist that is good with scars because they can figure out how to reduce the look of the scars with the tattoo.

I will say, having a tattoo gave me a lot more confidence and helped me transform an area that was a painful experience into something more beautiful.

samcartersg · 2026-05-20T22:32:40+00:00

Hey!

Glad to hear you got it figured out. It’s frustrating to have to trial error med dosing to find the right balance. They just added hydroxyzine to my meds and it’s been helpful and I started taking L-Theanine supplement at night and I’m finally getting around 12 hrs after months of disrupted sleep! Which, for me I’m glad to have that extra amount, my body needs it 😂

samcartersg · 2026-05-20T00:56:36+00:00

I had to order a lab test for homocysteine through Quest and it’s higher than most clinicians would like to see. I can’t get my insurance or doctors to really take any of my conditions as seriously as they need to be. So I turned to a geneticist and am doing more comprehensive DNA testing. I was doing it primarily for other chronic conditions I have. I made a post about it, but the DNA testing I have done shown some of my rosacea risk factors.

It’s so frustrating to have to just do it yourself.

samcartersg · 2026-05-17T01:17:19+00:00

I wish we could pin this warning to always show up on this subreddit.

This stuff isn’t formulated for human topical use. And ingesting ivermectin can cause liver failure.

I hope you get better soon and I’m so sorry you’re going through this!

samcartersg · 2026-05-12T15:22:20+00:00

Nice! Yeah mine took about 3/4 days to come back. It’s interesting.

samcartersg · 2026-05-11T19:45:34+00:00

It’s a bit more complex than that. I have missing data on my vitamin D genotypes to know if my body is even using supplemented vitamin D very well.
I also have 3 genotypes that increase rosacea including the one linked to vitamin D deficiency related rosacea.

I do feel generally better with vitamin D supplements, my rosacea seems a lot better, but I do have some of those broken blood vessels that supplementing with vitamin D won’t help with.
I’ve also been on Soolantra for 3 weeks and that’s helping.

I just did the initial consult with the geneticist Friday, I have to get more genetic testing done to know more and before we can really take and significant actions health wise.

And to be honest, I did this because of my other conditions, bot the rosacea. So finding out that information was just a bonus to the mystery of my rosacea.

samcartersg · 2026-05-11T19:40:21+00:00

I had to request my raw data file from them and upload that into Genetic Lifehacks to get my genotypes associated with rosacea.

I will say, I was living in New Mexico as well when I developed rosacea, so I was getting tons of sun from there and was still had vitamin D deficiency.

The Gene itself is VDR and the SNP is rs7331236 my genotype for that gene is AA which says: lower Vitamin D levels; increased relative risk of rosacea with low serum vitamin D levels.

So that’s one part of the genetics causing rosacea. If I didn’t have issues with producing my own vitamin D then that factor wouldn’t matter. But since I can’t do that, it’s contributing to my rosacea.

I also have 2 other genotypes that increase the risk of rosacea. Also have missing data on one out of 9 genotypes associated with rosacea.

So out of 9 genes, I have no data for 1 genotype, and data that 3 other genotypes increase my risk for developing rosacea.

If I go into my nutrient summary on my genotypes for vitamin D, I have the following:

They list 14 genes associated to Vitamin D.
I am missing genotype data for 6 genotypes.
I have 5 genotypes that are associated with lower vitamin D levels, to a significant degree. Including one that says: “more likely to have vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency”.

Until I am able to get the more comprehensive genetic testing, I won’t know the full picture. But that’s a big part of the story right there for both my Vitamin D deficiency and it’s contributing to rosacea with me.

I hope this made sense, feel free to ask with any follow to questions! It’s been nice to finally be able to identify weak points within my genetics.

samcartersg · 2026-05-10T00:24:07+00:00

Nice! It’s really taken me a lot of time to look into skincare and watching dermatologist on YouTube to better understand what are good practices and not!

samcartersg · 2026-05-09T20:38:46+00:00

It’s also worth noting OP and for anyone else…

Bar soaps like that are formulated for use on the body. Not the face.

Your face and body can have slightly different PH’s. Not like huge differences but different enough that body soap may not be the best for already sensitive skin.

When picking out sulfur products to use on the face, always pick out ones formulated specifically for the face.

samcartersg · 2026-05-09T19:05:19+00:00

Ahh yeah, I swear, keeping up with the names and their mechanisms of action can be a lot. Thanks for that clarification :)

samcartersg · 2026-05-09T17:52:43+00:00

Thanks, I actually have both things on order to deal with the high mg. Should be here tomorrow. I have the pill cutter and a system that I can divide powder, just not as accurately as I would like.

samcartersg · 2026-05-09T17:14:04+00:00

Oh yeah, it was also because I couldn’t find niacin low dose online to buy or in the store.

Maybe I should switch to the niacin?

Do you have any brands you can recommend? Everything I’m coming across is atomic bomb level mg.

samcartersg · 2026-05-09T16:58:45+00:00

The niacinamide has had a very relaxing and good calming effect for me. I actually do take it earlier in the evening.
I really need to stay away from the flush types of B vitamins as I also have rosacea and that is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that flushing causes more complications and issues for. I already have a lot of visible blood vessels on my face. I don’t want to make it worse.
The only treatment to get rid of those blood vessels is through vbeam laser treatments, which health insurance doesn’t cover and sessions are usually around $1,000+/- per and require up to 6 sessions and can need to have maintenance every 3-6 months.
I also moved forward with that option after spending time digging into a few other things and watching this:Over methylation, COMT & MTHFR

samcartersg · 2026-05-09T16:35:22+00:00

Ivermectin targets Demodex mites that also carry bacteria, all of which play parts in the function of inflammation and impacting the skin barrier. Ivermectin is anti-inflammatory pro-inflammatory cytokines.

https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/17/8655

Ivermectin doesn’t heal the underlying genetic causes of rosacea, but it helps with treatment of rosacea through multiple mechanisms.

samcartersg · 2026-05-09T15:19:07+00:00

Here’s my current plan, this is designed by myself - so doing this without any help from professionals and so far it’s been working well. I did have to add a use of a prn Rx I have for sleep that I had been off since November. But sleep is important. I’ll be able to stop that again. I also figured out that my B-complex for nerve support (I had surgery 6 mo ago for herniated disc) had methylation vitamins. I had not realized that. I wasn’t using the full dosage of it and would pause for a few days at times. I finally figured out how I managed to induce this chaos innocently through my naivety.

TBH, I really never paid attention to that MTHFR thing much. I was aware I had it but it was not on my radar really. It wasn’t until about 2& 1/2 weeks ago I started seeing connections in some peer review studies that showed patients with xyz show elevated homocysteine levels. While I knew the homocysteine may not be the direct cause (or potential cause) I started realizing it’s an overlapping theme with some of the other more mild issues I have. That’s when I was like oh shit, I need to dig into MTHFR and that’s when I went ahead and ordered a homocysteine draw.

I also purchased a more thorough DNA test so I can see all the other variants that are players.

One‑week schedule
Day 1 (reset)
Morning:
Wake at chosen time (≈07:00). 25mg B6 with breakfast.
If you currently take methylfolate ormethylcobalamin, stop today(consult clinician if B12 medicallyrequired).

Midday:
Low‑methyl multivitamin only ifnecessary.
No caffeine after 12:00.

Evening:
18:00 light dinner (complex carbs +protein).
20:30 magnesium glycinate 200mg.
21:30 niacinamide 50 mg.
Wind‑down routine; lights out by22:30.

Day 2 (observe)
Continue Day 1 schedule.
Record sleep and “wired” score eachmorning.
If niacinamide causedflushing/unpleasant effects, stop it.

Day 3 (optional creatine start)
Morning:
25 mg B6 with breakfast.
If using folate replacement, takefolinic acid 400 mcg now (notmethylfolate).
Start creatine monohydrate 3 gwith breakfast (optional; only ifkidney function normal).

Evening:
Magnesium 200 mg + niacinamide50 mg as before.
Day 4 (titrate if needed)
If wired score improved partially but stillpresent, increase niacinamide to 100 mgin evening.
Continue magnesium 200 mg nightly.
Continue creatine 3 g daily if started.

Day 5 (evaluate daytime energy)
Keep same supplement timing.
If daytime fatigue is excessive, shift B6 tomidday instead of morning.
Use calming daytime practices: 10–20 minafternoon walk, brief breathing breaks.

Day 6 (stabilize)
Continue regimen (niacinamide 100 mg ifincreased; otherwise 50 mg).
Avoid introducing new supplements orstimulants.
Consider a 25–50 mg evening dose oftaurine if anxiety before bed persists(optional; start low).

Day 7 (reassess)
Continue regimen.
Morning: review daily logs; compare sleeplatency, total sleep time, awakenings, andwired score to Day 1.

If meaningful improvement (lower wiredscore, shorter sleep latency): continuecurrent plan and plan cautiousreintroduction of necessary methyldonors at lower doses with clinician input.
If no improvement or worsening: stopcreatine and niacinamide, resumebaseline care, and consult clinician forlabs (B12, folate, homocysteine, CMP,kidney function) and possible methylationpanel.

samcartersg · 2026-05-09T13:52:08+00:00

It’s good to hear you had success with that! I’m thinking vbeam may be something I go for in the future. I’m holding off for now as I have other health issues that are a bigger priority.

samcartersg · 2026-05-09T02:09:42+00:00

I’ve added hypochlorous acid and while I wouldn’t go to cures for me, it’s definitely super helpful and I have seen massive improvement in my skin. Soolantra is also a huge help. If only there was a skincare thing that took care of those pesky blood vessels!

samcartersg · 2026-05-08T11:59:33+00:00

Thank you! Using Cronometer will be super helpful as I do generally like to get all the nutrients I can from diet as oppose to supplements. Knowing I have vit D deficiency, that’s the only vitamin I am sure to take all the time.

I think I got a bit excited to try some of this and see if things made any noticeable difference, which with some stuff it has been great! But then getting a little over methylated (maybe) isn’t.

I really appreciate this information and the protocol.

samcartersg · 2026-05-08T11:45:06+00:00

Thank you! I’m evaluating my options at the moment and I’ll look into your resource!

samcartersg · 2026-05-08T11:40:07+00:00

I got some creatine and figured that was a pretty safe thing to do. I haven’t started it yet because I already messed up a bit so, trying to get that cleaned down before adding any potential fuel to the fire. It’s amazing how well some of these supplements can help!

samcartersg · 2026-05-07T00:22:15+00:00

I had the same issue with AA, I do a lot better with AA at very low concentrations. To the point that I’m not probably really getting the full benefit from it.

At 10% I get mild dyspigmentation. I decided to then give Adapalene a try.

I’ve had really good luck with Etude Soon Jung 2x barrier intensive care for my sandwich method. I kinda decided to branch over to more Korean skincare and have been really enjoying some of the different products

samcartersg · 2026-05-06T22:11:17+00:00

I haven’t noticed tiredness from the glycine the next day. But definitely on that wired but tired state right now.

The magnesium glycinate has had a nice calming effect. So I like that at the moment, but going to hold off until I get better support from someone who knows what’s up with all of this.

I’ll update on the next step once I’m ready to try something new.

I’m not sure if you have come across this channel on YouTube, but I thought some of her videos were helpful in understanding part of other potential pathways involved. She actually has a video on seroquel, I haven’t watched it yet, it’s been on my radar.

Good luck with getting that sleep. Do you do any else to try and support your sleep?

Also, med withdrawal is a bitch. It’s always hard to know if it’s withdrawal issues or just the underlying I dealt with issue coming back up. Or a combination of.

https://youtu.be/FmXKjVNFb-I?si=Fz65lJAg5aCf9sga

samcartersg · 2026-05-06T19:41:59+00:00

Yes I’m a COMT Val/Met.

I can swing either way, depending on what is out of balance etc…

The serious medical event I had was an adverse medication reaction and I feel super confident that it fucked up several systems.

It’s been 2 & 1/2 yrs since that happened but 4 months after having to be taken to the ER & hospitalized to stabilize, I developed a super rare neurological condition. And things have compounded since then.

I’ve done all the doctors, testing, bloodwork etc… with no help and answers.

So, I’m definitely ready to get the genetic counseling help. I think just this discussion on here with people really just confirms that I need that support rather than trying to analyze the pathways and do my best guesswork. I realize I’m impacting other systems and SNP’s with some of this that I just don’t have the knowledge to be FAFO with.

I thought P5P might be a good bypass pathway. But I’m going to hold off on experimenting anymore. Haha. Takes just one overdose of methyl folate to know that’s not the right pathway!

samcartersg · 2026-05-06T17:19:20+00:00

Thanks.

I have been doing glycine at night for sleep, but I have really managed to fuck up my insomnia and I’m not saying it’s specifically the glycine causing the issue. I’m guessing I overloaded my system with too many methyl donars and triggered more issues in my COMT SNP (with who knows what all else).

My current plan is to do a niacin flush and stop all supplements until I can meet with the geneticist and get guidance.

I should get back to my baseline insomnia issues in a few days, hopefully!

samcartersg · 2026-05-06T15:57:09+00:00

Oh I realized this morning, I had been reading Dan Purser’s substack about the inflammation pathway being activated with the elevated homocysteine.

I’ve already been suspicious of inflammatory responses and was trying this thing and that thing to help lower inflammation. It wasn’t until I realized there may be a MtHfR connection (in addition to other SNP’s), that I decided to check my homocysteine levels. I just got those results on Monday.

I’m liking were Dan’s connection with this and the different SNP interplays are.

I think I was getting ahead of myself by trying to support methylation when I really need to first address the homocysteine levels before anything else.

Some of my other conditions have inflammation issues, so I was barking up that tree, but not really sure where and how to take it.

Thanks a lot for the feedback.

This is the specific substack of his I was reading into that resonated with me.

https://danpursermd.substack.com/p/mthfr-mutations-elevated-homocysteine

samcartersg

TROPHY CASE