How I cured my Rosacea

In September 2020, my face appeared bright red. My cheeks and forehead looked like they were cooked raw and some toxins were spilt over them. Big strange pimples had started to occur, and they did not go away, no matter what I did. I visited my general practitioner, and he diagnosed Rosacea, type 2. He stated there were no remedies or medicine. It would never be cured. I could adjust my diet, but, so in his "kind" words, "I had to accept it and live with it." I remember my horror and my state of shock. Mostly, I remember my very loud inner voice saying: "THIS IS BULLSH*T. NO, THIS IS NOT TRUE. THIS CAN BE CURED..."

According to the doctor, I needed to change my diet, which made sense to me. If I could stop the inflammation in my body, the inflammation on my skin could go away as well. Avoiding alcohol, sugar, and dairy products was not easy in the beginning, but gradually I learned how to incorporate it into my everyday life. I started to read books, blogs, and articles on food. Since I love cookbooks, this felt natural to me. I learned about Ayurveda, a philosophy I love, which, however, was difficult to integrate into my day-to-day life. I learned about the protein-fat and carbohydrate mix, which helped me to form some basic nutrient guidelines. Furthermore, I learned about plant-based ingredients. The introduction of Alkaline philosophy turned out to be a life-changer for me. Through the years, I learned how nutrition can be considered food and can function as 'natural medicine' at the same time.

Let's fast forward to 2025. Last year, my skin doctor called me 'cured'! Looking back during those 5 years of experimenting and reflecting, I learned that it is not one thing that made the difference. It was not only my diet or my cosmetic approach. It was my holistic approach that made the actual difference.

The following insights and lessons made all the difference for me:

#1 HEALTHY FOOD FITTING TO MY CONSTITUTION
Every body is different and unique. There is no 'one-size-fits-all'. Instead, I learned to find out what works FOR ME. Food becomes a very personal approach, which, granted, can be challenging in relationships and/or family settings. For me, an alkaline approach works very well. I love cooking, so I create dishes from scratch instead of buying processed items. This allows me to use ingredients that fit my constitution and create healthy, delicious meals at the same time. Health and culinary delight go well together.

If interested, please refer to my blog "Food as a Medicine," in which I describe my approach to food and give a high-level perspective on my philosophy, decisions and personal constitution.

#2 THE OUTSIDE DOES MATTER
Yes, in order to cure my rosacea, my cosmetics did matter. No more regular day cream. Night creams were a no-go. SPF50 sunscreen every day, even when the sun is not shining. I am aware of the toxins in such products, but for me, it was the lesser of both harms. I am still experimenting with essential oils and plant-based cosmetics, and it is still a work in progress. I did learn that pure oils, e.g., almond, do not help my facial skin. It works great on my body, but not in combination with rosacea. Since 5 years, I am using a special facial wash, prescribed by the doctor: no perfume, no alcohol, which I only use at night.

#3 PROFESSIONAL HELP FOR GUIDE LINES
To this day, I am thankful for the recommendation to visit a special clinic for Dermatology and Laserwork in Zürich, called "Hautwerk." My skin doctor was a great help. Every meeting, she would take pictures, and we would check on progress. There were some ups and downs during the years. She taught me her lessons learned with other patients, which benefited me a lot. Also, her nutritional advice had a big impact on my health and, as a result, my rosacea.

Her recommendations:
Food: no dairy (especially mozzarella), no alcohol, avoid sugar, avoid white flour. For me, I noticed my gluten intake has an effect on my skin, which brings me back to #1.
Skin care: Morning: wash with water, apply SPF 50. To cover the redness, I applied a foundation, including SPF 50 as well. Evening: wash with facial wash (see #1), no cream. During the times the rosacea was very bad, she gave me a cream that helped a lot.
Movement: regular exercise. It does not have to be sports, but daily movement of at least 30 minutes (e.g., walking) helps your blood flow and helps your body to get rid of toxins.
Water intake: for me, at least 2 liters daily. I love herbal teas, so that helps a lot. Coffee is tricky. It is not optimal for me, also not decaf, but I decided to still drink it and minimize my intake.

#4 CONNECTION IS KEY!
The holistic approach taught me that everything is connected, as everything is energy. Emotions are a good example of this. An emotion is energy, as well, just like words, thoughts, and intentions. The natural state of an E-MOTION is to move: "energy in motion." If an 'positive' emotion flows through our body, we easily allow and enjoy it. Usually, we try to avoid a 'negative' emotion. Many people tend to 'grab' this emotion and bury it somewhere in their body. For a short period, this is not a problem. However, if you store your emotions away long-term, they start forming blockages, or even illnesses. Western medicine views illnesses often as a cause. In other cultures, however, an illness is regularly seen as an expression of the body. The illness is an signal of the underlying energy that is blocked or bound.

In my case, I had to learn the language of my body. Gradually I found out that my Rosacea was caused by underlying emotions and beliefs. I now understand that everything wants to be seen before it can move on. I was not always easy, but by connecting within, after time, my skin became more healthy.

#5 BOUND ENERGY CAN FLOW AGAIN
In my experience, my skin condition corresponded to unresolved anger, sadness, and the feeling of powerlessness, especially in the area of connections. It also was affected by my relationships and my beliefs in this regard. The causes of these emotions were manifold, and during the years, I learned my 'story' behind an emotion did not really matter. The essence for me is that I found ways to release the bound emotion.

There are MANY ways to release bound emotions. The personal preference plays a big part in choosing a methodology. A body-related technique, like Acupuncture, Kinetics, Massages, or EFT, works especially well for people that are body-aware. Many head-person want to understand the dynamics -as I did at the beginning of my journey-. Systemic constellations and hypnosis therapy are good practices to visualize dynamics and let go of blockages. After a few years, I discovered that I no longer wanted to understand the 'story' behind my bound energy. Logosynthesis turned out to be the practice that helped me very much. It allowed me to stay in the here and now and address issues. I no longer needed to go back to initial experiences and relive painful memories in order for my bound emotions to flow again, and with that, relieve the burden of certain situations.

In my experience, the way of addressing your blocked energy is very personal. If you decide to gain experiences in this field, I recommend you to make sure the methodology fits your needs for safety and your preferences. Last but not least, choose someone you trust. I learned to go on my gut feeling, and it served me well.

#6 KEEP GOING OUTSIDE
Facial skin conditions are challenging, as they are out there for the world to see. I remember a lot of shame and embarrassment and I felt deeply unattractive and vulnerable. This and other circumstances resulted in me pulling back, especially in the field of men. I began to isolate myself more and more, which did not contribute to my overall happiness. Today, I still feel shame if people ask me if I was outside in the sun. For them, it may look healthy; for me, it is a reminder of the last five years. However, I am no longer embarrassed. I accept the illness and how it helped me to get new perspectives and maaaaaaannnnny lessons.

Today, I am cured, but my facial skin remains a sore point. My eating habits, skin care, and emotions still affect me. After Christmas and New Year, I have to make sure I get back to my routine. Thankfully, within a few days, my skin looks healthy again.