Mirvaso and Redness: What Users Say

• Nic...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 23, 2014

For Rosacea "Medicine works for me for about 4 hours. I was experiencing terrible rebound redness after that, however (which gets much worse when using Mirvaso multiple days in a row). What I've found, similar to others on this list, is that by using a very small amount (about half of what's recommended) and applying it along with sunscreen or moisturizer, I'll get most of the benefit without the rebound. The other thing that I do is frankly use it infrequently and try not to use it for more than 2 days in a row. So while I'm not getting a constant benefit, it helps when I need it to for public events."

• Bin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 16, 2020

For Rosacea "Absolute garbage. Used it for maybe a week. The first time my redness (which was very mild) completely drained away, to which my fiancé told me I looked really ill. Any time after that, it didn’t really make much of a difference. That was until yesterday afternoon when I went as red as a postbox, and it has not died down since. My face is burning hot, redder than it has ever been... I’ve tried all I can think of, but it’s not going anywhere. I have a pot of sudocrem next to me, which I’m just reapplying constantly. Even an ice-cold shower didn’t help. I am so angry that I was stupid enough to use this and am utterly terrified that it might never go away. I’ve ruined my face. Do not ever use this monstrous product."

• Fra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 10, 2014

For Rosacea "Like others that commented here, I experienced immediate results when I began the use of Mirvaso. However, it worked so 'well' that one of the physicians I work for asked if I was feeling okay, as my skin was so devoid of color. Also, like others here, within several weeks of beginning use, suddenly my nose and cheeks would be sunburn-red in the middle of the day. I tried using only a tiny bit, and this seemed to have helped with that redness. The main reason I decided to keep going with it is that my pores seem much smaller with use, so I do believe the surface of my skin is less inflamed, even if there is some red kickback once in a while. I like the suggestion of mixing it with a bit of moisturizer...that may help even more."

• Rai...
• October 29, 2020

For Rosacea "Do not use this cream. It's not worth it. I don't have rosacea, but I blush several times a day, uncontrollably. Before using this cream, the redness would usually go down after school/when I wasn't stressed. The first time I used this cream, it felt like a miracle. It felt too good to be true. I thought to myself, *did this cream actually just get rid of my blushing*? It did the first day. I felt so confident, so great. But 2 days later, after the cream stopped working after many hours, my face looked so red and blotchy. I'm now red in places I normally haven't been before. My forehead and both of my cheeks look horrible, and I feel just as horrible. I had to stay home from school today because I felt so disgusted by my face, and I wouldn't be able to handle even more uncomfortableness and insecureness than I already did before I started using Mirvaso. I'm so terribly afraid that the redness won't go away if I stop using the cream."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 3, 2017

For Rosacea "I have mild/moderate rosacea with no bumps. My dermatologist recommended I try a new topical gel called Mirvaso, and I started using it every day in January 2014. At first, everything was going awesome. Would reapply when redness/heat would start. Side effects gradually took hold. Rebound redness was 10 times worse than originally. My face would randomly flush. It would burn so bad and go completely cherry red. My original problem was nowhere near that bad. Eventually, I got weeping, rashy patches all over my face. The gel reduced in effectiveness to the big mess it caused. I finally weaned myself off this vicious cycle in September 2014. Had to walk around looking like a freak. Took forever to return to normal. NOT WORTH IT!"

• Tan...
• January 25, 2015

For Rosacea "I was prescribed this medicine to help with my rosacea. Just like others, the initial response was amazing. Face looked pearly white. I used it for about 3 days, mornings only and a tiny drop. All of a sudden, on the 4th day, I'm sitting at work and begin to feel this tingly feeling in two parts of my face. I looked at myself in the mirror and couldn't believe my eyes. The two areas were swelled up, so bright red it was almost purple! Swelling did not subside until the next day. This medication was very expensive, I will be calling them to try to get my money back. I shouldn't have filled the prescription, I just got so excited when the sample worked, was afraid the pharmacy may take a long time to fill the prescription."

• Ale...
• August 26, 2019

For Rosacea "I am battling papulopustular rosacea and have been on doxy for 3 months. Recently, a new dermatologist suggested Mirvaso. Applied a tiny amount on both cheeks and nose. Within 20-30 minutes, saw miraculous results. Amazed, started googling; read your reviews in horror and went to the bathroom to wash my face 10 times. So Mirvaso was on my face for an hour. But I reckon that it absorbs fast since you are supposed to wash your hands immediately after applying. After 10 hours, I washed my face, and it turned much redder than it was to start with. The next day, redness somewhat subsided and had a tingling sensation like sunburn. The day after, redness was gone, but in places where I applied Mirvaso, it looks like skin recovering after a sunburn, with one layer gone. It’s much lighter than the rest of my face in those areas. I read some people had chemical burns from this thing. The danger is that it blocks the blood vessels, so there’s no way for us to know if there’s any irritation immediately. Please don’t try it."

• Tul...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 5, 2014

For Rosacea "I really wanted this medicine to work. My doctor gave me a sample, and I tried it for a week. Then I got my prescription filled. After two more weeks, my face started turning red in the middle of the day. I don't mean a little pink, I mean red, almost purple. It would take several hours to subside. My nose was affected worst. In order to determine if the Mirvaso was the cause, I started using it on only one side of my face. Sure enough, the side with the Mirvaso turned extremely red during the day. I am going to stop using this medicine. It was very expensive but did not work for me."

• Jon...
• February 16, 2019

For Rosacea "I applied it as directed and saw immediate great results. I would apply a small amount in the morning and be good for the day. After, I started having to apply it again mid-day. I became an addict and needed more and more and more to get the same effect. I finally realized that it wasn’t that I didn't have out-of-control rosacea, that the cream was causing it. The first day off Mirvaso was absolutely horrible and I was totally embarrassed at work because it looked like someone poured acid on my face. I am now on day 4 and have seen good improvement. I have been using Eucerin Redness Relief Night Cream. For those that have made it this far into my comment, DO NOT START USING THIS MEDICINE. My skeptical side feels like the product is designed to make people need to use more and more so they can get $400-500 per gel pump."

• Pen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 9, 2019

For Rosacea "Please stay well clear of Mirvaso! I wish I had read the reviews before using this cream! I tried it for the first few days and thought it was the best thing... UNTIL day three. I put it on the affected area, and all of a sudden my face felt on fire and bright red, it lasted a good few days before the redness died down! I went to bed with ice packs on my face to try and cool it down! There are so many other creams out there that have worked for me, it's just finding the right one! But please, please stay away from this one!"

• Pad...
• September 21, 2016

For Rosacea "My husband was given this medication by our dermatologist 6 months ago, and he was thrilled to have finally found an answer to his rosacea. The last 3 months have been a living hell! His skin became bright red and looks almost purple. For weeks, his face became crusty and was oozing fluid onto his pillow to the point where I was washing his pillowcases every day. We have been to a variety of specialists who say it's contact dermatitis. He has been on prednisone and antibiotics 3 different times, and nothing is helping. For the first month, he couldn't sleep because he was in such agony, and only an ice pack gave him relief. I plan on calling the FDA hotline, which I found on the Mirvaso website."

• XxC...
• February 23, 2020

For Rosacea "If it seems too good to be true, it usually is." Used it once, got rid of the redness completely for about 12 hours, worked amazingly. The next day, my face felt like it was on fire, and the redness was back, much worse than before for a very long time. Please read the reviews before using this product and think twice before using it. My sample tube of Mirvaso is now in the trash can where it belongs."

• bwm...
• November 10, 2014

For Rosacea "Worked well the first few months, when it wore off in the evening, I was redder than ever before. After about 6 months, I began to flush at random times while wearing it, and it was really, really red! Also flushed in sections, not the whole face. I am now using natural cleansers and products, and the redness has finally subsided."

• CLN...
• August 15, 2016

For Rosacea "There should be a negative number rating for this product, since it literally made my issue far worse. I have rosacea and experience constant redness, sun sensitivity, and long-lasting flushes. When initially applied, this product blanched my skin into a sort of blotchy-but-paler-than-usual state for about 12 hours... then all hell broke loose. I woke up in the night with the most intense rebound flushing imaginable. You could probably have used my face to smelt iron. I applied it once more, and then totally gave up. The discomfort was horrific, and to make matters worse, my poor skin was completely out of whack for about a week after; extra flushy, super sensitive, and generally awful. Seems like most people have a similar experience."

• Bos...
• March 11, 2016

For Rosacea "I'm a 36-year-old male, Celtic bloodlines on both sides and until 9 years ago of suitably pale disposition! Have rosacea for 9 years and have been on antibiotics (Minocin 50 mg) for 8 of them, along with annual IPL therapy. Was off the Minocin until last week for a year when my dermatologist put me on 100 mg and also prescribed me Mirvaso. I seem to have a reaction to the 100 mg with red blotches and spots, so after 3 days, I tried the Mirvaso. Used 3 times over 4 days. Worked like a dream the first day, but effectiveness wore off. Last 2 days have suffered very, very bad rebound flushing, tingling on cheeks followed by burning sensation. Hottest parts of flushing nearly purple. Booked in for IPL today to try and reduce redness/purpleness. Avoid."

• Reg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 17, 2018

"There is light at the end of the tunnel for those going through rebound. If this helps one person, then it’s worth it. It took me over 2 weeks to largely recover, though I am on meds. Time will depend on many variables, may take longer for some. The volume of rebound stories calls into question drug approval organizations. Something is very wrong here and should be a priority in the best interests of patients. My dermo no longer prescribes based on the volume of negative stories, yet GPs dish out like confetti. After 1 application of Mirvaso, I woke up to what looked like chemical burns on my face, continued for 10 days with little improvement. 5 days after rebound, I was prescribed Eumovate, which seemed to help. Day 10 I started applying a thick layer of Sudocrem and using a fan. This was the turning point, burning skin, redness, and flushing reduced. Day 13 started lymecycline for heat/redness flare-ups. It could well just be time. Sudocrem is the turning point for me, that is. Hope this helps someone."

• Hip...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 25, 2018

For Rosacea "Count me in with the regretters for not reading reviews before trying this gel! It worked wonders the first day. Then each day after that, the effects lasted less and less. I began to notice the rebound redness and heat within the first week. I chalked it up to me exposing myself to something, but as it got worse and worse, I decided I should consult Dr. Google, and sure enough, I found others who were experiencing the same thing. I think the worst part is the hope I felt for the first time since being diagnosed with rosacea so many years ago has now been yanked away. I will stick to my hippie ways from now on! Thankfully, I never paid for the prescription and only used the samples the dermatologist gave me....which are now in the trash!! DON’T USE THIS GEL!!!"

• KCR...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 19, 2014

For Rosacea "I was researching rosacea products and discovered Mirvaso. Immediately, I asked my dermatologist for a prescription, and she also gave me some samples. I used it the very next day, and within minutes my face looked normal. It worked so well for the first few days, and all of a sudden my face was bright red, tingly, blotchy, and my nose would run like crazy. I thought to myself, 'It can't be!' I really thought I found the answer to my lifelong embarrassing constant redness. I had to know for sure that the medicine was the culprit, and I put it to the test. So the following week, I put it to the test, and I discovered that it was the culprit."

• Agu...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 11, 2017

For Rosacea "Mirvaso has really made a difference for me, and I'm honestly shocked by the poor reviews. I have a history of terrible, lifelong acne. Even after using Accutane, I still had a lot of redness. My current acne/rosacea meds: Oracea, Atralin cream in the PM, and in the AM, Mirvaso for face and Onexton gel for acne around the jawline. It might seem like a lot, but it beats going on another round of Accutane or adding more pills. I have VERY sensitive skin, so when I first started using Mirvaso, I only did a tiny drop mixed in with my daily face moisturizer. My derm did not tell me to do this, this was from reviews read online. I very gradually got my skin used to this, and after 1 year, I still love it. I get minimal rebound redness, but I do use it every day."

• Sma...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 13, 2016

For Rosacea "I have no idea how the FDA approved this cream. It LITERALLY BURNS AND BLISTERS YOUR FACE. I always make sure I read the side effects on medications, and this one explicitly said there were 'NO COMMON SIDE EFFECTS,' only 'RARE SIDE EFFECTS.' The cream would work for maybe 5 hours tops before my entire face would start sweating and become increasingly red. At night, I would lay in bed with an ice pack on my face because my skin left my sheets burning hot. After a couple of weeks, I woke up, and my face felt scaly and had hundreds of tiny bumps, which turned out to be blisters. I literally wanted my old rosacea face back because it looked and felt like I had stuck my face in the sun and shook it around with this medication. Avoid at all costs."

• Bab...
• March 16, 2015

For Rosacea "I was given a sample by my dermatologist and decided to give Mirvaso a try for a couple of weeks before purchasing. After a week, I noticed that my facial skin would start tingling, then turn bright red! It has now been 4 days since I discontinued using the product, and fortunately, the brightness is finally starting to fade back to where it was before I started using this product. The episodes of tingling skin have occurred less and less frequently. Bummed that the product did not work!"

• Tom...
• June 19, 2018

For Rosacea "Like most of you, I have a red face. Especially when I go from cold to hot and when eating food. I decided that I wanted to fix it as it can be embarrassing to go flush red over lunch. So I turned to my doctor, and he prescribed me Mirvaso gel. DO NOT EVER, EVER TRY THIS. I'd give it a 0 if I could. Even the price of it is disturbing. It does what it says on day 1, my face went all white, and I felt great. Day 2, I applied it as instructed, and after a couple of hours, my face went into meltdown mode. I got rebound redness, and my face was redder than it has ever been for hours. I stopped the treatment straight away, but for weeks after, I was still feeling the effects. My face would go burnt red to a point I couldn't leave the house, it was my lowest point. Please do not buy this garbage, it's a scam. It does not work, people like us have sensitive skin, and this stuff is so harsh it destroys it. I was going red in places it never went red before."

• Dee...
• May 17, 2015

For Rosacea "I didn't give Mirvaso a 0 or a 1 because it really does what it claims. I had mild rosacea, and it seriously took it away within 30 minutes to an hour. The effect lasts about 10-12 hrs, and even by the time I'm going to sleep, the returning pinkness is only very mild...but then in the morning, it's on fuego. I don't feel my face burning or anything, but it's redder than my original starting point. I kept with the Mirvaso for a few days because even with the seemingly stronger redness I would wake up with, the Mirvaso would always erase it like magic for 10-12 hrs. Eventually, the redness got so strong in the morning I stopped using it. It's been 3 days, and my face is still way redder than usual with a few pimples, which I usually don't get."

• Bro...
• May 18, 2015

For Rosacea "After suffering from rosacea for as long as I could remember, I visited my doctor who gave me a sample pack of Mirvaso. As instructed, I applied it the following morning after my shower. I waited (as instructed) 5 to 10 minutes to then apply my moisturizer. I did the same for the next 3 days and was stunned and so impressed by the results! For the first time in years, I wasn't red! Unfortunately, on the fourth day, I became bright red in my T-zone and worse than I had ever been. I applied it again the next morning. My face was fantastic all day, but by 5:00 pm that night, my whole face was redder than ever before. I was in a shop, and the owner asked if I had high blood pressure (I don't) because I was so red! I have stopped using it."

• Meg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 8, 2019

For Rosacea "My dermatologist gave me samples of Mirvaso. I’m sure glad I didn’t pay for this horrible, damaging cream. Like others, it worked great for me at first. But the rebound has been absolutely awful - so much worse than the original redness. I really wish I had read reviews before trying it. Hopefully, others will be wiser than I and see all of these horror stories before suffering the same fate. If you’re thinking of trying Mirvaso, don’t! Just don’t."