Quote from Neca:

What allergy treatment did you undergo and what type of allergies do you have? Do you still have allergies now and how serious are they?

For 5 days I took both prednisone (about 40mg) and benadryl. It got rid of the hives, itchiness, and swollen eyelids. I don't really know what triggered the allergies, because I have not had these reactions ever, and I did not do anything that was different. Before that I did experience minor itchiness when I eat crabs, but it only happened sometimes. A week after the treatment I ate shrimp and lobster and my face turned red for a while too, and that's a first, although my siblings are allergic to shrimps. The only symptoms I have now that could be a bit of the allergies are the slight dry skin on my face, sensitivity to prolonged sun exposure (20-30mins.), pins and needles sensation when I feel hot and as if I'm sweating, and finally the hives around my wrist come out at night (I usually notice them bec. they itch a bit, and they disappear after an hour or so).

Quote from Neca:

Well I have been doing cleanses for the past 5 weeks or so and so far have yet to reap major benefits but I am sure they will come in time. You could consider dietary changes, what type of diet do you follow? Do you eat a high carb high processed food diet etc. or do you eat a natural organic one? Changing your diet would greatly aid your skin in preventing/reducing acne.

I will definitely look into cleansing, but only after I get a job. At this point I'm trying to eat less carb, but a natural organic one isn't an option for me. Aside from cost, I am also too fond of what I normally eat, so I just try to eat less of the bad stuff whenever possible. I am abstaining from drinking alcohol, eating crabs, shrimps, mangoes, and spicy foods- but I don't plan this to be a permanent thing.

Quote from Neca:

I have just purchased the all-natural products containing grape-seed and algae extracts so I will let you know my results when I start using them. I am, however, convinced that they will/can be as effective if not more effective than all those harsh chemicals like BP, Salicylic acid etc.

I just bought the Tea Tree Oil Stick from the Body Shop, I'll let you know how effective it is too. I have just read the past couple of days that AHA is bad for rosacea skin and so are tretinoin etc. It's really tough dealing with allergies, rosacea, and acne, because you have to be careful that the treatments you are using aren't making the others worst. I've learned a lot more about skin care than I'd ever imagined.

Quote from Neca:

On a side-note regarding flushing/blushing, I have experienced a good reduction in my embarrassing facial flushing while using Apple Cider Vinegar on my face overnight. I seem to be flush much less since using this. I am going to start taking it internally aswell, one or two teaspoons a day. A.C.V. has great all round properties for helping the body in many aspects.

Thanks for the tip, I will definitely try that for myself later on. I'm trying to take baby steps with my skin. What SPF lotion do you use for your face? I use Paula's SPF 30, it's good but I bought it when I had normal/oily skin, now I'm looking for something for my dry skin, I like her products but I would prefer something I can buy from the store for its convenience and cost. Also, I forgot to say I use jojoba oil and after that dries, vitamin e, I find that they are reliable in moisturizing my face all day. These natural products are great, they don't irritate my skin.

Please keep me updated with your own journey Neca. :)