As there is no cure, any treatment for rosacea will have the goal of minimizing its symptoms, including inflammation, facial erythema or redness, and skin eruptions. A list of things from the patient that cause flare-ups will help doctors to identify the causes or “triggers” of rosacea, as well as help rule out any other skin conditions that might present in a similar manner, such as a skin allergy or eczema.

 

Once a patient’s triggers have been identified, the first step in treatment is to avoid those triggers which can include exposure to the sun, extreme weather, alcohol, spicy or hot foods and stress. Another important factor in treatment is gentle daily skin care. This would include washing with a very mild skin cleanser such as Cetaphil, and protecting skin from the sun with a broad spectrum, 30+ SPF sunscreen. Any cosmetics or moisturizers used should be noncomedogenic so they don’t clog the skin’s pores, and alcohol-free so they don’t irritate the skin. Yellow or green-tinted facial creams or powders can be particularly helpful as they are designed to minimize redness.

 

If triggers have been avoided, and a daily regimen of gentle skin care is being followed for a few months, the symptoms of rosacea should subside. If symptoms are still prevalent, then oral or topical antibiotic treatment might be necessary. Oral antibiotics such as tetracycline and erythromycin can be prescribed to keep bacteria at bay, but more importantly to reduce inflammation. They tend to work faster than topical medications so will often be prescribed first for more aggressive cases of rosacea. Topical medications such as metronidazole, tretinoin or azelaic acid tend to work more slowly and are generally prescribed to milder cases. These medications are applied to the skin a few times a day and can be used in conjunction with oral antibiotics for a two-sided approach treatment approach. Topical medications should be used with caution as some of their side effects can be similar to the symptoms of the condition they are supposed to treat. Another oral medication that can be used for severely inflamed cases of rosacea is isotretinoin, often known better under one of its brand names, Accutane. Any persons considering this treatment should be under close monitor of a doctor however, as it can cause serious side effects including depression, suicidal thoughts, joint and/or bone pain and possible birth defects if taken while pregnant.

 

Some patients with extreme and/or untreated cases of rosacea might develop rhinophyma which is an enlarged, bulbous red nose and require laser or electro surgery. This treatment option can reduce the appearance of the blood vessels, as well as remove extra skin tissue that has built up around the nose, resulting in an improved appearance.