Soolantra Review by Brady Barrows

[Guide]

Heather, welcome to the RRDi. 

Could be. Do you have a link that shows that Cetaphil is the base that Soolantra is made from?  

 

Note: Since this post, the RRDi has done an investigation into Cetaphil as the basis for vehicle with Soolantra. . 
Read this Post: 
Soolantra Mechanism of Action & Basis for the Vehicle

[Guide]

I have now gone back to my tried and true favorite treatment, the ZZ cream which you can follow my photos and review here. 

[Mistica]

I too love ZZ cream and like you, Brady, find it crucial to controlling my symptoms. In my case, I mix it with my compounded Niacinamide Gel, as the newer ZZ base didn't sit well on my face. It dried like poster paint.  Plus, I love my niacinamide gel and it offers it's own benefits. The two combined work well for me...... unless  ........ (like you), my gut function is not also under control.

I have followed your posts for years and I am convinced that whilst ZZ cream helps control symptoms in our faces, our primary issues come from the gut. Yet, treating the gut alone is not enough. ZZ cream seems to help restore harmony (to a point) in the face.

I am also convinced that my breakouts, when they occur have little or anything to do with demodex. Based on what you report, yours aren't either.

This begs the question yet again, why do medications such as ivermectin provide relief for some type 1's? Or even type 2's?  I feel the answer lies in how the medications interact with nerve cells in addition to relieving inflammation.

Menthol in the ZZ cream also interacts with one of the TRP family. From memory I think it is the TRPM8. I've no doubt ZZ provides antimicrobial effects (as well as mite control) as well, but then, so do commercial sulphur topicals and personally, I don't find them overly useful at all. ZZ is different.

I also feel that the base of Soolantra, being cetaphil lotion, is a poor choice and given lotions and potions in general fire up many faces, adding oil to the inferno, whilst trying to put out the fire, doesn't seem logical.

I am also not convinced that the massive outbreaks that some people report when starting ZZ cream is always due to a sudden demodex die off, as people in the ivermectin trial where I live reported no such thing.

There are reports of such outbreaks of P&P's from people who have been regular users of Pot, for example, or certain antidepressants and yet again, this suggests a change of firing in the nerve cells. Perhaps ZZ also modifies them?

Anyway, at the end of the day, ZZ cream seems the best topical for  your case and mine (in conjunction with the niacinamide gel) and I do hope that you can find some way to continue purchasing it. As you say, it is pricey, alas. Perhaps you could find a non oily gel with which to mix it?

You are a trooper testing different products over the years and providing photographic blogs.

 

 

[Guide]

Mahalo Mistica for your post. The new Trigeminal sensory malfunction theory involving the TRPV4 expression I originally put in 'other theories' but it is logical to put under the Nervous System Theory. Really appreciate your posting here. 

 

[Mistica]

On that note, I have something to post in the Trigeminal  sensory malfunction theory thread.

[Guide]

On 8/12/2017 at 3:57 PM, Mistica said:

On that note, I have something to post in the Trigeminal  sensory malfunction theory thread.

Please do. 

[smart2005ct]

Wow wow wow.

You are a hero true Brady.

I have a few questions for you Brady:

- how do you deal with heat and humidity from Hawaii(personally I dealt very well with the dry heat from Libya but very bad with the heat and humidity from St Lucia)? 

- how much do you spent since you have Rosacea?(personally I think I spend the value of a flat with 2 rooms since I had acne and rosacea)

- do you take any antidepresants?

- how was your experience with the employers? Was Rosacea a disqualifing factor for employment over the years even the employer  said that it was an EOE???(In a further message I will tell you what happend in my case)?

- can you jog or you only walk daily???

- do you was your face with hot water?(In my case only with luckwarm water, no steams)

- can you shave and how often?

- looking back how was your life as quality since the day you are fighting with Rosacea?(While I was having acne I was not able to eat any fat and nothing sweet. 

I went so far with the restrictions that everything I was eating was lettuce with dry bread in the sun - only flour and water).

Thank you in advance for your feedback.

 

 

[smart2005ct]

From all the dermatologists I have visited I think only one was fair with and told me the true. He told me that my skin is Hypersensitive and Hyperintolerant and he told me to stop using any cream and to wash my face only with cold water.

[Guide]

- how do you deal with heat and humidity from Hawaii(personally I dealt very well with the dry heat from Libya but very bad with the heat and humidity from St Lucia)? 

I usually wear a hat or use an umbrella. I don't like wearing sunscreen (I don't like how it makes my skin feel hotter) but sometimes I use a sunscreen gel. Lately I have using Ocean Potion Suncare Instant Dry SPF 50 Mist Anti-Aging Sunblock. 

- how much do you spent since you have Rosacea?(personally I think I spend the value of a flat with 2 rooms since I had acne and rosacea)

I have no idea but probably thousands of dollars over the last thirty years. 

- do you take any antidepresants?

No. 

- how was your experience with the employers? Was Rosacea a disqualifing factor for employment over the years even the employer  said that it was an EOE???(In a further message I will tell you what happend in my case)?

No problems with keeping a job. I have always been called 'Red' by employees or friends. Been that way since I was a kid. During childhood I was burnt to a crisp many times staying out in the sun. I have always had a ruddy (red) complexion and still do. When someone asks me 'why are you so red?' I explain I have rosacea. They usually haven't heard of rosacea so I explain that rosacea is adult acne which seems to suffice. Little kids still ask me this. 

- can you jog or you only walk daily???

Just walk. I usually walk twenty five miles each week, swim in the ocean about 15 minutes and do 30 pull ups. Since I had heart issues in 2015, I have improved with more exercise. When I moved to Honolulu I sold my vehicle and don't own one. I walk or take DaBus. 

- do you was your face with hot water?(In my case only with luckwarm water, no steams)

Warm water. When I shower and the water gets too hot, my face turns bright red. I try to keep the water warm, not hot. 

- can you shave and how often?

Yes, usually every other day, sometimes daily. I use a Gillette Fusion Razor and ivory soap. 

[smart2005ct]

Dear Brady Mille Grazie for answering to my inqusitive questions.

You are very lucky for not being forced to take any antidepresants.

I have the same problem with sunscreens( I have not tried the EmerginC cream yet that you recommended me).

As for shaving it was at 3-4 days before now at 2-3 weeks time. I can hardly touch my skin. 

Enjoy the Pacific Ocean.

[Guide]

Just ran a nine day course of Prednisone and thought it appropriate to post this here to see the results. 

[Charles]

Hi Brady 

I bought your book on Amazon I am going to try the Diet. I started with symptoms around 9 years ago very mild just face flushing had some laser treatment and kept it at bay. Over the last 6 weeks I have started exercising and it' returned very badly flushing and starting to get spots very inflamed face. I see from this post you are using different creams as you have flareups. Do you not follow the Diet? And can I continue to exercise while I'm on the Diet or should I stop to try and control the face flushing. 

Thanks 

 

Charlie 

[Guide]

On 4/14/2018 at 6:40 PM, Charles said:

Hi Brady 

I bought your book on Amazon I am going to try the Diet. I started with symptoms around 9 years ago very mild just face flushing had some laser treatment and kept it at bay. Over the last 6 weeks I have started exercising and it' returned very badly flushing and starting to get spots very inflamed face. I see from this post you are using different creams as you have flareups. Do you not follow the Diet? And can I continue to exercise while I'm on the Diet or should I stop to try and control the face flushing. 

Thanks 

 

Charlie 

Charlie, 

Thanks for posting. It is important to keep up your exercise since you need to keep fit which helps improve everything, including rosacea. If you really try eating high protein/fat for thirty days and limit your carbohydrate to 30 grams/day, you should see some improvement. Some say it takes two months or more, but usually one month you should see the difference. If you are not seeing any difference after 30 days, your option is to gorge yourself with all the sugar delights you sacrificed and eat as much sugar/carbohydrate for a week to ten days to see if your rosacea returns. It probably will. Then you know for certain that sugar/cabohydrate is a rosacea trigger for you. Simple test. 

Your other option is to stay on the rosacea diet with a 30 grams/day limit for another thirty days to see if you see improvement. Sometimes, as I said in the previous paragraph, it takes longer for some to see improvement. This doesn't cure rosacea, it is only a way to control it. 

Yes, I stay on my modified rosacea diet. What that means is I avoid eating a lot of sugar/carbohydrate. I would guess I have less than 300 grams of carbohydrate a day, sometime less than 200 grams a day and get my carbohydrate from broccoli, asparagus, spinach, green leafy vegetables, whole grain rye, beans, and other complex carbohydrate. I limit my alcohol to having a two jiggers of Scotch about once a week.

I have mostly been using the ZZ cream lately, but about once or twice a week I switch to using either Ovace, Soolantra or Avar-e Green, at night, just before bed. Most nights I use the ZZ cream. I wash off whatever I put on at night in the am and apply nothing during the day. You can review my Soolantra trial in this thread starting on page 1. Here are some recent photos taken today. As you can see, I always have a red appearance, but am controlling it the best I can. 

We just discovered a new sweet dessert that has less than 6 grams of carbohydrate (including 2 gram fiber making it only 4 Grams of total carbohydrate). I freeze an 11 fl oz serving of Premier Protein (Vanilla) into an ice tray and freeze another tray of dairy heavy cream. After the trays freeze, put both trays (or half a tray each of the protein/half a tray of the cream) into a blender and add about 5 oz of liquid Premier Protein (Vanilla) into the blender (you need some liquid to make this work) and pulsate the blender until it becomes the consistency of ice cream. Put into two bowls and share it with someone. It tastes just like ice cream and has a minimum of carbohydrate and is mostly fat/protein. It also comes in chocolate and caramel if you prefer, but I prefer vanilla. 

follow my photos and review here. 

[gmp med]

You've done a great job. It looks really good.

[gmp med]

On 8/12/2017 at 3:48 PM, Admin said:

Mahalo Mistica for your post. The new Trigeminal sensory malfunction theory involving the TRPV4 expression I originally put in 'other theories' but it is logical to put under the Nervous System Theory. Really appreciate your posting here. 

How is the treatment going now?

[Guide]

On 1/7/2019 at 8:14 PM, gmp med said:

You've done a great job. It looks really good.

I now post my current regimen on my rosacea blog and you can watch a video on my regimen.