Because rosacea may vary substantially from one patient to another, treatment must be tailored by a physician for each individual case.
Various oral and topical medications may be used to treat the bumps, pimples and redness often associated with the disorder. Dermatologists usually prescribe initial treatment with oral antibiotics and topical therapy to bring the condition under immediate control, followed by long-term use of topical therapy alone to maintain remission. The effectiveness of antibiotics in rosacea is believed to be due to their anti-inflammatory rather than anti-bacterial properties.
When appropriate, lasers, intense pulsed light sources or other medical and surgical devices may be used to remove visible blood vessels, reduce extensive redness or correct disfigurement of the nose. Ocular rosacea may be treated with oral antibiotics and other therapy, and recommendations from an eye doctor may be needed.
Patients should check with their physicians to ensure their skin-care routine is compatible with their rosacea. A gentle skin-care routine can also help control rosacea. Patients are advised to clean their face with a mild and non-abrasive cleanser, then rinse with lukewarm water and blot the face dry with a thick cotton towel. Never pull, tug or use a rough washcloth.
Patients may apply non-irritating skin-care products as needed, and are advised to protect the skin from sun exposure using a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher. Mild or pediatric sunscreen formulations are available for sensitive skin, and rosacea patients should avoid any skin-care products that sting, burn or cause additional redness.
Cosmetics may be used to conceal the effects of rosacea. Green makeup or green-tinted foundations can be used to counter redness. This can be followed by a skin-tone foundation with natural yellow tones, avoiding those with pink or orange hues.
In addition to long-term medical therapy, rosacea patients can improve their chances of maintaining remission by identifying and avoiding lifestyle and environmental factors — often related to flushing — that may trigger flare-ups or aggravate their individual conditions. Identifying these factors is an individual process, however, because what causes a flare-up in one person may have no effect on another.
To help identify their personal trigger factors, rosacea patients are advised to keep a diary of daily activities or events and relate them to any flare-ups they may experience. A Rosacea Diary booklet and a booklet on lifestyle management, "Coping with Rosacea," may be obtained at no charge by writing the National Rosacea Society, 800 S. Northwest Highway, Suite 200, Barrington, IL 60010, or calling its toll-free number at 1-888-NO-BLUSH. Information is also available on the Society's Web site at www.rosacea.org, or via email at firstname.lastname@example.org.
The National Rosacea Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the lives of people with rosacea by raising awareness, providing public health information and supporting medical research on this widespread but little-known disorder. The information the Society provides should not be considered medical advice, nor is it intended to replace
consultation with a qualified physician. The Society does not evaluate, endorse or recommend any particular medications, products, equipment or treatments. Rosacea may vary substantially from one patient to another, and treatment must be tailored by a physician for each individual case. For more information, visit About Us.