UPDATE:

Decided I'd update this with pics, so you can see what I'm dealing with.

Pic 1 - This was a severe flare, following a day on the beach last month. It looks like sunburn but it was not sunburn.

Pic 2 - what flares normally look like, i.e., an average flare. The flushing usually lasts a few hours, and it comes and goes.

Pic 3 - (same pic posted on my recent WiW) - after starting Claritin + olive oil a few days ago. I am wearing foundation here, Cover Girl True Match, just a few drops lightly applied after washing with olive oil. I'm not sure which is helping more - the olive oil or the Claritin - or if it's just coincidence. The olive oil sure feels good on my skin so I'll continue for now and await the results of the breath test.

Previous post:

I have a tentative diagnosis of rosacea; the dermatologist has me going in for some more tests next week. Is anyone else here dealing with this? I could really use some foundation and skin care recommendations.

Backstory:

I've always had clear skin, very little problems, no acne. I am quite naturally rosy and have not bothered to wear blush in well over a decade. I would never have thought I had rosacea though - it was just my normal skin color. Maybe I did always have mild rosacea and perimenopause is making it worsen but ...

It seems it all started a year ago. I went on two courses of antibiotics, the first antibiotics since my twenties, and around that time started having major flushing episodes. I can remember the first such episode because it was at T-day at my family and my mother gasped, "omg your face is so red! are you okay?"

I thought it was peri menopause and that is definitely a factor but we're talking ridiculous levels of flushing. I look like I have a sunburn. It's a dry flush, not sweaty.

I also have these flushes going on with my hands, and this started around the exact same time. My hands don't turn beet red but they hurt & burn and get all hot and tingly for a few seconds, then they are fine again. This goes on repeatedly throughout the day, numerous times, sometimes 10 or 20 times a day. I've never heard of anyone having rosacea on their hands, so it makes me wonder.

Triggers: well alcohol yes but it seems that my face goes beet red at the first bite of any food, before it even has a chance to reach my stomach. It's like merely salivating is the trigger. Airplane travel is also a big factor -- every time I fly, I get off the plane looking like I'm sunburned. It started occasionally about 15 months ago and now I flush on a daily basis, and throughout the day. I'm usually okay first thing in the morning - the flushing occurs later in the day and into the evening.

It's not any of the products I'm using as I have not changed anything and I've long been a minimalist when it comes to my skin care. I do wonder if it's an allergy as it seems to worsen (dramatically worsen) when I travel to HQ which is in the southeast, and then improve (but not disappear) once I return home. Started wondering if it's an allergy so yesterday i tried taking some 24 hour OTC allergy medicine, and that actually did seem to help ... cross fingers...