Susan Stover thought she was going through another streak of bad luck with her complexion. Since the age of 12, she had battled periodic outbreaks of acne and pimples. Now, at the age of 37, she found herself again in the midst of a fight for clear skin.

Yet something was different this time. "I was bright red with pimples on my cheeks, nose and chin. I thought it might be due to my makeup," she said.

So Stover switched everything and tried a variety of cleansers, lotions and makeups for about a week. It seemed to work at first, then the redness returned. "I tried everything I could get my hands on, even hydrocortisone ointment," she said. But the redness and pimples returned worse than before.

"I was at my wit's end. I hated the way I looked and wanted to just throw in the towel," Stover said. She finally made an appointment with a dermatologist.

Her doctor diagnosed that she had rosacea and prescribed initial treatment with oral and topical antibiotics. Stover then worked with her physician to tailor a regimen for long-term topical therapy that specifically suited her lifestyle and skin type. She now uses an antibiotic cream at night and a lighter antibiotic lotion every morning. The combination has been a huge success.

"Lo and behold, my face is normal again," Stover said. "I can go out without makeup and not have people stare at my face. It's a terrific feeling."