Review of Rhofade
Are you wondering if Rhofade Cream for Rosacea really works? Does it help fade redness, smooth bumps and close pores? Is the product worth the money?
If you are wondering the answer to these questions, you’ve come to the right place. That’s because I’ve been using Rhofade now for several months and feel well qualified to share a review.
In this post, I will discuss my experiences with Rhofade and the circumstances that led to my buying the cream.
Before we dive in, I need to state a few things. First, I am not being paid a penny by the makers of Rhofade (Allergan) or any of its affiliates. Not one dime.
Second, you should know that to obtain this product, you must get a prescription from your doctor. It’s not the type of drug you can buy over the counter or obtain on the fly.
Finally – and perhaps most importantly – Rhofade is expensive. I mean really expensive. I’ll address this point later in the post, but I’m bracing you know for the harsh reality.
OK – let’s jump right in.
My Rosacea
For most of my adult life, I have struggled with Rosacea. Starting in my early twenties, I began getting these angry flare-ups of redness, which primarily showed up around my eyes, cheeks and neck.
Sometimes, these eruptions would hang around for a few days. Other times, the ugliness lasted for weeks. Desperate for relief, I tried all sorts of remedies. I’m talking about products like Eucerin Redness Relief cream to cold compresses.
None of them worked – well, at least not for very long.
During one particularly nasty flare-up, my doctor prescribed Metrogel; a topical anti-biotic designed to reduce swelling and minimize legions.
To keep it real, the gel did help (minimally) with quieting the redness and reducing the puffiness. The gel also helped to reduce the bumpy pustules that occasionally erupted. But the redness was still there.
Fast Forward to the present – –
This past summer, I had an extremely rough go of it. I don’t know if it was because of my allergies or the sun or a combination of both, but my rosacea got really bad. Like REALLY BAD.
To help get a handle on things, I made an appointment with my dermatologist. After inspecting my face, he wrote out a prescription for an anti-biotic and a drug I had never heard of called Rhofade.
So that you know, Rhofade is a cream that is applied to the face and designed to shrink (fade) the red lines and angry blotchiness.
Getting Rhofade
Upon giving me the prescription, my doctor told me the drug was expensive and suggested that I visit the manufacturer’s website for a discount coupon.
You may be wondering how much money we are talking about? Try north of $550.00. Yep, you read that right – it wasn’t a typo. We’re talking a ridiculous amount of cash.
Because my insurance would not cover the cream, the coupon reduced the price to $50.00 so long as I obtained a “physicians’ authorization” (which I did).
That’s not bad when you think about it. But I have to level with you. Getting that authorization wasn’t easy and not all doctors are willing to do the paperwork to make it happen.
Anyway … I picked up the cream from my pharmacy that very same day and decided I would use it the following morning.
And so that’s what I did. The next morning I showered up, did the whole bodywash thing, dried off and moisturized. Afterward, I took a pea-size amount of Rhofade and applied it to my face. Not everywhere. Just on the red areas around my cheeks, eyes and neck.
The cream itself went on a bit greasy, which surprised me. But I didn’t make a fuss over it and just allowed time for absorption. My dermatologist told me it might take up to an hour for the full effects to “kick in”.
Hoping for something positive, I left the bathroom and killed some time on my computer for 45-minutes.
Miraculous Results
Upon returning to the bathroom, I immediately looked into the mirror. All I can tell you is that I was shocked. The redness was almost all gone. What was visible was super hard to see.
At that moment, I can remember thinking Mr. Roark from Fantasy Island had given me some type of magic potion. It was crazy. For the first time in YEARS, my face had an even tone and looked calm. Moreover, the pores seemed to have miraculously closed up.
But wait – there is more.
As the morning continued and the hours passed by, my complexion continued to improve. Big time. In fact, there was so much of an improvement that my brother and two clients both mentioned it over video chats.
Mind you, I didn’t tell them I was using Rhofade. They could see something was different about my face.
I realize what I am sharing here sounds over the top and dramatic. If I were a reader, I would be skeptical too. But I am telling you straight out that this cream transformed my face in a way that can only be described as extraordinary.
Lasted 8 Hours
So, you may be wondering how long all of this lasted? Well, the manufacturer suggests up to 12-hours. In my case, it was more like 8-hours.
Was I upset about this? Not really. I’ll take 8 hours of a calm complexion any day instead of what was going on before. As I continued to use Rhofade, I discovered that I could time things in such a way that maximized its effectiveness.
Speaking only for myself, this means applying the cream an hour before meeting with people and realizing after 8-hours, the benefits diminish.
Sadly, once the cream wears off, the redness returns. I think part of this is due to the chemical makeup of Rhofade; a cream that uses a topical decongestant [Oxymetazoline] that you’ll find in Afrin. Yep, you read that right – Afrin.
Would I Buy Rhofade Again?
So, you may be wondering if I will repurchase this product again, even if it were not discounted? The honest answer is yes, I would – without hesitation.
If you suffer from Rosacea, you already know how much this condition sucks. Not only are the blotches embarrassing, but they can also cause people to get the wrong impression. Examples include folks thinking you have a drinking problem or assuming you are perpetually angry.
With Rhofade, this issue has gone away.
I’m not going to sit here and tell you this cream is a cure for Rosacea (I wish it were!). Instead, it is best to think of it as a product that helps to mask symptoms.
I realize there are reviews online that suggest Rhofade isn’t all that great. I also recognize some folks have had less than stellar experiences. Please don’t take what I have written here as the end all be all.
The truth is everyone responds differently to medications. That’s why it is important for you to do your homework.
All I know is that Rhofade has worked miracles for me. In the end, I will probably talk to my doctor about laser treatments as a more permanent solution. But for now, I am sticking with this cream.
Should your doctor prescribe Rhofade, keep in mind that it may take time to start working.
Have you used Rhofade? If so, what was your experience? Are you still using this cream?
