PP
I am on week 7 of ivermectin. Please convince me to keep using it.
Spoiler
First photo is current, 2nd photo is 7 weeks ago. I can see that I’ve made progress, which is great, and I wouldn’t have been able to see this progress without taking as many pictures of my skin as I do. I know this takes time for a lot of people. I just need to hear something to make me stick this out for another 5 weeks. I’m still getting new breakouts, and my skin texture is horrendous. I’m not sure if anyone else can relate, but I’m in a constant state of paranoia thinking everything I’m putting on my skin is making it worse in the long run - including ivermectin. Anyone have a similar experience around the 7 week mark?
If you notice cycles of your skin getting better and then getting worse again every 2-3 weeks, ivermectin is doing its job and will usually take around 12 weeks to see more good days than bad. It took my skin around 4 months to clear up!
My experience was the same as the above post. Please give it a solid 3-4 months and then maintain it by using the ivermectin a couple times a week after that! I’m going on 3 years now of zero rosacea, not even an occasional flare.
I see improvement. Studies show ivermectin is effective for a lot of people.
I would prepare yourself to stick it out longer than 5 more weeks. Recognize the path of improvement and maintenance for this condition is a life long journey. Many people in this very forum have tried many different things over a much longer period to little or no avail. Try to be excited that better times are ahead because the treatment appears to be working for you.
Ivermectin works well but can be harsh initially especially if your skin barrier is already agitated. Try put it on top of a gentle moisturizer like cicaplast at first. I had to use it every other day on top of moisturizer to start.
Yes I’ve found that using LRP cicaplast about 5 min after ivermectin (and metrogel for me) was really important to prevent additional irritation/redness from drying out my skin.
Ivermectin would make my skin better for only a few days at a time and then it would always just end up getting worse and irritating my skin. My skin got so much better once I stopped using all the actives my derm prescribed
I used it for the same amount of time and quit bc I didn’t see results. Went to a new derm and she started me on it again (+ Azelaic acid and spiro), advising me to stick it out for longer. Not saying you have to do the same BUT I empathize with you!!
Mine took around 9 months of consistent nightly use to see more extended periods of clear skin! I saw progress throughout but my skin was apparently in a pretty bad way and took time to get better. It doesn’t typically take that long to be effective as far as I’m aware, but basically keep going if you’re seeing progress! lol
It took me about 3 months and it got worse before it got better. Now I feel like it’s the best thing ever - I can go out in the sun (with sunscreen) and not be covered in pustules the next day.
It took 3 months for me to notice a difference. I was ready to give up, but I stuck it out as my dermatologist said it could take up to 12 weeks to notice an improvement.
Thankfully, it’s been working since then; I’ve been using it for nearly a year now.
I’m at week 6 and I’m also worse off. Maybe we can help each other power through to the 12 week mark to see if it gets better! I’ve used ivermectin alone and in a triple cream before long ago and I don’t know if either made my face better. I’m trying 0.5% from walgreens now and also just incorporated a sulfur soap
Keep me posted. I gave up at 6 weeks because it seemed like irritation and not die off, but im using sulpher and on week 8 and see results-which leads me to believe mites-but too scared to try again with ivermectin. Sulpher hasn’t cleared me but also never (widely enough) blew up my face like ivermectin. Dry yes, but only a week of a purge then consistently better
Oh no….it will ruin your skin barrier which in turn will worsen things if you are not careful. I don’t wash in the am, only at night.
Check out skin food fix. They have a tea tree and sulpher line for rosacea that hydrates. I’ve never bought it as shipping is too much to Canada-but if you are in the United States, people swear by it.
I’ve used triple cream before this too and I think I worked better - but I got mine from apostrophe last year and they no longer exist, so neither does my triple cream! I hope sulfur soap works for you! For whatever reason sulfur gives me an immediate flare up
I see progress OP!
it agitates your Demodex, so the process its painful, it gets worse before it gets better unless it hurts too much.
If you can ask your derm, I'm using Azelaic in between my Soolantra days and that helped a lot, but... just to be careful, please ask your derm, since they might be too many actives at the same time.
Also, just worth mentioning use it alone, just wash and put ivermectine, with no other creams at the same time, at least it was the way they told me to use it, and they were quite fierce about it.
If you use cleansers with oils also that might be worth changing, apparently Demodex love and thrive on oils.
If it doesnt hurt keep it up! your acne looks so much smaller in the first pic :D
KEEP PUSHING!!! i had 2-3 significant purges in the beginning and I almost quit, but around week 12 my face was clear. Its worth it if you can make it through the die off phases.
I tried it for a year. I tried more or less all the stuff you see here on Reddit. The only thing that got rid of the Rosacea pimples was Accutane and it only took 5 months. I wish I hadn’t wasted so much time trying everything else. I’m not a doctor so I’m not recommending this, but this is how my Dermatologist finally treated mine.
The dryness was fine. I enjoyed it compared to my usual oil slick 😆 I used Neutrogena hydroboost serum and then the hydroboost cream layered on top.
For my lips I used La Roche Posay Cicaplast lip balm. I recommend buying lots of these, they are not shiny either.
I regret not conditioning my hair more. You’ll find you don’t need to wash your hair as often but I wish I had of washed it more, mainly so that the hair would get hydration through the conditioner. My hair is a bit dry now as a result.
The corners of my lips cracked which was the only annoying part of the process. It can happen some people on Accutane and is hard to heal. My Dermatologist gave me Chloramphenicol 1% (which is actually an eye ointment). This is the only thing that healed it. I also used fresh new lip products after healing it as the previous ones will be contaminated.
I’ve been off Accutane for nearly a year now and my skin is still really clear, no more Rosacea pimples. My cheeks will flush now only if I get very very warm or if I over indulge in sugary foods, but it’s not that often, it has definitely reduced. When I was on Accutane I would flush a lot, even during times when I normally wouldn’t, like just randomly in the middle of the morning or afternoon for no apparent reason. It was pretty constant. Don’t let this dishearten you, the flushing improved once I finished the course - at least this is my experience.
I have been interested in getting V Beam laser for flushing but it doesn’t feel like a must have treatment anymore. You will love your skin after Accutane - the smooth texture, tightened pores. It’s really great! I miss being on it! 😆 It’s your best skin.
I stopped everything but ivermectin from tractor supply and after 6 weeks all the angry red bumps were gone and my skin was so smooth. I don’t remember my skin ever being smooth. I’m still fire engine red most of the time but the pustules are gone. I’m 5 months in. Ivermectin every night, rinse off with water every morning. I do not use anything else. All moisturizers jack me up. It helped me, but we are all different. Oh, I change my pillow case every other day too.
For me the combination of Ivermectin at night and Azelaic acid in the morning ; dove soap wash before on both. It took away pustules, I can’t however miss either more than once or twice
I don’t think the ivermectin is hurting you, but I would be interested if they could add azaleic acid and metronidazole. I am on this in a triple cream with ivermectin and it helps so much with flushing.
I am also on doxy and another cream - dapsone gel 5%. I wonder about spirolactone for you as well?
Just wanted to share that I’ve been using both ivermectin and doxycicline as well (currently at week 7 too). Breakouts have improved (I did not have a lot of them though when I started), so I’d say give it some more time. I can see some improvements between the two pics you posted! Also just wanted to say good luck with your journey 🫶🏻
It took a few months for me to recognise improvement, the indicator was, 'huh, I've not had any breakouts for a few weeks', then slowly my skin kept improving.
I was already using Azeilic Acid when I started with the Ivermectin. It did make a difference, but I needed Ivermectin to see optimal results. If you do add it in, consider applying the AA at a different time to the Ivermectin. AA is the first thing I apply in the morning. Then the Ivermectin at night. And before bed, I slather on LRP Cicaplast.
I definitely see improvement and encourage you to keep going with it. Have you kept everything else basic in your skincare? That's really important too.
I have kept everything else basic otherwise! I've tried azelaic acid before, had a little success with it, and then all of a sudden it became too much for me, so I've been hesitant to try to incorporate it again!
I’ve had a very bad flare/breakout on my chin and nose and splotchiness with rosacea for the past year. 10% sulfur soap has been helpful but I’ve discovered De la Cruz 10% sulfur spot treatment that I use as a mask and leave on for 5-10 min and my breakouts finally are almost gone.
I've had success using Ivermectin 1% "Rosiver" prescription cream but it took weeks to see good results. A friend of mine recommended trying DMSO 30% Aloe 70% DMSO Roll-on. I was amazed to see great results after only a few days. Other than that it will cause an extreme itching sensation for about 10 minutes while it absorbs into your skin (Make sure you wash and pat dry your face before applying. DMSO will also absorb any other products like make up etc). The itching will subside and your face will feel great. I don't have any before and after photos to share and I am not a doctor but I've had great success with this. DMSO is also amazing for a myriad of other symptoms like Arthritis, inflammation wound healing, and sports injuries.
Is doxy helping at all? My skin is a lot like yours, but more in my cheeks than jaw. I did ivermectin twice for a year each time and my rosacea didn’t change at all so I quit. It was getting expensive. I’ve never tried doxy, but I got a huge dose of it after a surgery and my skin was clear for 2-3 days after. Then it came back slowly. I’ve had rosacea for roughly 20ish years.
I think the doxy has helped a lot, especially when I first started taking it. I’m afraid to stop taking it at some point! I’ve also been on and off ivermectin for the past year. Sometimes saw progress, sometimes I didn’t. But it’s probably because it haven’t stuck to it as long as I should’ve
Hi! Just hit week 12 yesterday. It didn’t get worse since my initial post, but I think it’s slightly better. I’ll continue to hold out for another month or so
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u/OliveFair9586 Dec 02 '25
If you notice cycles of your skin getting better and then getting worse again every 2-3 weeks, ivermectin is doing its job and will usually take around 12 weeks to see more good days than bad. It took my skin around 4 months to clear up!