DMSO Fluconazole - The Controversy
One of the more controversial treatments ever to be proposed for rosacea is DMSO Fluconazole by Dave Fleming. Whether Dave Fleming is his real name or not (he has never revealed his true identity or contact information) doesn't really matter since his name will go down in infamy as the one who shouted to the world (via the internet) that DMSO Fluconazole 'cures' rosacea. Infamy because of the nature of his attacks on me and others.
And I don't mean 'cures' rosacea, I mean with a capital C 'cures' rosacea without quotation marks. When this hit the yahoo groups, since he posted on several groups, his manner was rather abrupt, lacked tact, and basically very rude. He was quickly banned at r-s and r-k. He posted at my rosaceans yahoo group and I tried to be tolerant of his posts until his remarks were downright rude and put it to a vote and the group voted that he be restrained. Only 19 bothered to vote but the vast majority said 'enough.' That was in June of 2003 and the poll still is available to view. So I restricted Dave's posts. A later poll (May 2004) allowed Dave to post longer posts as long as he was polite since the majority thought Dave should be allowed to have the freedom to post longer posts. Dave was polite for a little while and then made some more nasty and rude remarks and his posts were deleted and caused me to change my yahoo group over to a moderated group to approve all posts before they go public. Just more work for me and the moderators. One of my rules in my rosaceans yahoo group is to be polite. And I decide along with my moderators what is polite. Simple enough? And I decided that Dave was very rude.
Why all the controversy? Geoffrey Nase, Ph.D., says that DMSO is dangerous for rosaceans. His remarks can be read at these posts: Message 1, Message 2, Message 3. Geoffrey posts in a polite manner and has been quite active in proclaiming to all rosaceans to be wary of DMSO.
I was intrigued by Dave's 'cure' and from the few who were posting saying they were trying it. I decided to try it and the first prescription did not cost me a dime. By the way, while I have been accused by Dave as a 'rosacea profiteer,' which Dave is absolutely correct in calling me this, I make very little money off of those who suffer from rosacea. My rosacea profits are very meager. You wouldn't believe me if I told you how I got a prescription for DMSO 1% Fluconazole for free, but that is exactly what I did. So I tried out Dave's 'cure' for 141 days and also used the DMSO 10% Fluconazole as well. I paid for two bottles of the DMSO 10% Fluconazole. I recorded my experience in a diary. I initially felt that the DMSO Fluconazole was indeed helping my rosacea. It is excellent on pustules, papules and pimples. My skin did peal using this treatment and also it stings when you apply this to rosacea. The odd thing is that it doesn't sting when you apply it to non rosacea skin. My rosacea did not go away in 141 days of using it and so I quit. I mainly quit because of (1) the length of time I tried it and (2) because of all the flack I was getting from Dr. Nase. Dr. Nase kept insisting that DMSO was not good for rosacea and could cause occular damge. I had an opthamologist (a medical doctor) examine my eyes and he found no damage to my eyes using this treatment.
I have written a lot on this controversy since I was deeply involved with it (my diary). I don't recommend it since it is way too controversial. However, you can read what I have written if you are interested and the fact remains that is legal and ethical to try this controversial treatment because it requires a medical doctor (in the USA) to write the prescription and a compounding pharmacist to make it. I doubt if this will ever 'cure' rosacea. Why? Dave began shouting this since 2003 and so far very few have come forward to post that this has cured their rosacea and Dave's yahoo group is absolutely way out in left field. Anyone who lets Dave edit his posts the way he runs his yahoo group deserves whatever happens to them. I have repeatedly asked anyone to post at my rosaceans yahoo group that DMSO Fluconazole has 'cured' their rosacea and no one has come forward.
It is interesting to note that recently a post at RSG says that a doctor prescribed fluconazole for her 'rosacea' or whatever she may have, possibly SD. This only shows how rosacea is a catch all diagnosis for a plethora of rosacea mimics.
