My Rosacea Story: Real Relief After Years of Antibiotics and Flares

Written by: Emily Kearley, Radianté Sp a Rosacea Patient 

If you're dealing with rosacea, I don't need to tell you how hard it can be. The redness. The swelling. The constant guessing game of triggers . I spent years cycling through medications, dermatologist visits, and skincare products, only to end up feeling defeated, embarrassed, and out of options. 

After nearly seven years of trial and error, I finally found a treatment plan that actually works. Not just to reduce flares, but to clear my skin, restore my confidence, and take me off daily medication completely. It’s a combination of NeoSkin by Aerolase and the Epicutis med ical-grade skincare line , both offered at Radianté Med Spa in Nashville, Tennessee. For the first time in years, I feel in control of my rosacea.

What Rosacea Looked Like for Me and How I Knew It Wasn't Acne

My skin issues didn’t start with rosacea. I dev eloped cystic acne at 18, went through a round of Accutane at 21, and just when I thought things were under control, I hit 26 and my skin changed again.

In the summer of 2018, just before I turned 27, I started experiencing a different kind of breakout: inflammation, redness, and painful pustules  across my nose. It wasn’t acne. It wasn’t something a little sunlight could fix (trust me, I tried). It was rosacea, though even that took a while to figure out.

I was actually the one who diagnosed  myself. My mom also has rosacea, and I’d heard her talk about it for years, mostly describing it as red flushing across her cheeks. She always said she developed it during pregnancy with me, which felt ironic considering that she was pregnant at 26 and gave birth to me at 27—the exact same age range I began developing symptoms.

Epicutis is 100% safe for both mother and baby during pregnancy!  

The difference? I wasn’t pregnant. I never have been. So when my skin suddenly turned on me in that same window, it was eerie. I brushed off the possibility at first because my mom’s rosacea seemed relatively mild. But mine? It involved swelling, skin thickening, and whiteheads that leaked clear fluid.

After struggling for weeks, I Googled images of rosacea. And there it was—exactly what I had. I went back to the dermatologist I had seen my entire life—the same one treating my mom—and told her. That’s when she finally acknowledged it and put me on Oracea  (a time-release Doxycycline) and Soola ntra (a prescription topical cream formulated with Ivermectin ).

Rosacea Treatment Failed Me for Years 

From that point on, I managed symptoms, but never found true relief. When I moved to Nashville in January 2020, the search for a lasting solution continued. I’d try a new dermatologist every six months to a year, hoping someone might finally have an answer beyond “just stay on the antibiotic.” But appointment after appointment, it was always the same story—maybe a new topical prescription or a skincare suggestion, but nothing that truly changed my skin.

Between the physical discomfort and emotional toll—canceling plans, crying in the mirror, avoiding social events—rosacea was running my life.

How I Found Rosacea Relief at Radianté Med Spa in Nashville, TN

In December 2024, I was 32 and working in marketing when I started collaborating with a new client—Radianté Spa, located ju st down the street from me in Nashville, Tennessee.

During a photoshoot for their new website, I met Doylene Knapper, RN, the founder and l ead aesthetic provider. I happened to be having a mild flare, and she noticed immediately. Instead of brushing it off, she asked thoughtful questions. When I told her everything I’d been through with rosacea, she didn’t flinch—she got excited, because she knew exactly how to help.

Check out these before and afters! 

She recommended the NeoSkin by Aerolase laser treatment and immediately started me on the Epicutis medical-grade skincare line. I was grateful but skeptical. After all, I’d seen nearly every dermatologist in Nashville. None of them had been able to take me off Oracea.

Still, I agreed to give it a shot. And I’m so glad I did.

Still skeptical? Check out what others are saying!  

I Stopped Taking Oracea After Starting NeoSkin Laser Treatments

After my second NeoSkin treatment in March 2025, something major happened: I was laid off in a large company-wide reduction.

Historically, this kind of stress would have triggered a rosacea flare so bad I’d have hidden from friends for days. But this time? Nothing. Not a single symptom. No inflammation. No redness. My skin stayed calm.

That was the moment I knew I could finally try stepping off Oracea. I’d been told I’d likely need it forever—but I took a leap of faith. And surprisingly? No flare-ups came.

My third treatment in May brought even more noticeable improvements. For the first time, I was confidently wearing just tinted moisturizer—a milestone I honestly never thought I’d reach.

By July 2025, after my fourth NeoSkin treatment, I could barely recognize my skin—but in the best possible way. It was smoother, calmer, more even, and the best it’s looked since I was a teenager.

Rosacea Laser Results After Four Months Off Antibiotics

As I write this, it’s been over four months since I stopped taking Oracea—and I haven’t had a single flare-up.

That may not sound huge if you don’t have rosacea, but for me, it’s unprecedented. The longest I ever went without it in the past was maybe a month and a half. And it always ended with a flare.

Here’s just a few things I have been able to do without medications and completely free of Rosacea symptoms: 

• Endured the stress of (another) layoff (Trigger Scale: 79%*)
• Enjoyed plenty of time in the summer sun (Trigger Scale: 81%*)
• Happy hour! (Trigger Scale: 52%*)
• Attended hot yoga classes at Nashville Yoga Company, the HOTTEST studio in Nashville. (Trigger Scale: 56%*)

*Sourced from the National Rosacea Society. View the full list of triggers and associated risk percentages for rosacea patients.   

And still? Nothing. My skin has held up beautifully, and the Epicutis skincare line  continues to strengthen and protect my skin barrier every day. It’s even reduced fine lines and significantly faded the acne scars I’ve had since my teens.

See what others are saying about Epicutis for rosacea!  

Why I Chose to Stop Taking Oracea for Rosacea

Oracea (low-dose doxycycline) is commonly prescribed for rosacea and can absolutely be helpful, but staying on it long-term just didn’t feel right .

Here’s why I wanted off Doxycycline / Oracea: 

• It can disrupt gut health over time
• There’s risk of antibiotic resistance
• It made me sensitive to sun exposure
• It’s expensive—mine often cost over $100 per month, even with insurance

When I found a treatment that worked without it, I didn’t look back. And I have Radianté Med Spa in Nashville to thank for that.

NeoSkin by Aerolase and Epicutis: What Finally Worked for My Rosacea

If you’re feeling defeated or hopeless because your rosacea won’t go away no matter what you try, I see you. I was you.

And now, after nearly seven years of struggling and cycling through specialists, I’ve finally found something that actually changed everything—at a med spa in Nashville I originally visited for a photoshoot.

NeoSkin by Aerolase  and Epicutis skincare  have done what years of prescriptions couldn’t. My mom and her best friend, who both suffer from rosacea, now drive from Alabama just to get treated by the team at Radianté.

Because it’s not just about the technology. It’s the expertise, the personalized care, and the dedication to finding what actually works.

Rosacea Treatment That Finally Worked—And It’s in Nashville

Whether you're local to Nashville, Tennessee, or considering traveling in, Radianté Med Spa is worth the trip. This is where I finally found relief—real, lasting, medication-free relief—after years of trial and error.

If you’ve been told there’s no cure or that daily antibiotics are your only option, I’m here to tell you that might not be true. There is another way. And for me, that way started at Radianté. 

Schedule your consultation online  or visit our contact page for more ways to get in touch!