How Is Rosacea Treated?
Rosacea is a common inflammatory skin condition that affects many adults all over the world. It is most common for those who are Caucasian and have a very fair skin tone. The symptoms of rosacea include red or pink skin on the cheeks and nose, tiny dilated blood vessels that can be seen through the skin, small pimple-like bumps on the skin and pink irritated eyes. While it is not known exactly what causes rosacea and a cure has not been found, there are treatments that can minimize the symptoms and make this condition more manageable. These are some different ways that rosacea is treated.
Prescription Topical Medications
There are prescription topical medications that help reduce redness, swelling and bumps are common symptoms of rosacea. These include metronidazole, azelaic acid and sodium sulfacetamide. These medications should be used once or twice daily according to the prescription to control inflammation of the skin.
Antibiotic creams, such as erythromycin, clindamycin and ivermectin have also been found to relieve the symptoms of rosacea. There is also a new prescription topical gel on the market that has been found to reduce the redness of rosacea. This medication is called brimonidine and it is normally used once a day.
Prescription Oral Antibiotics
Oral antibiotics are commonly prescribed to those who have mild to moderate rosacea symptoms. These include tetracycline, doxycycline and minocycline. Oral antibiotics help reduce inflammation so that rosacea flare-ups are less frequent. However, like other oral medications, there may be side effects so this should be discussed with your physician before use.
Isotretinoin
If rosacea symptoms are severe and have resisted treatment with other medications, a physician may prescribe isotretinoin to the patient. This medication is not commonly prescribed for rosacea, but instead is used for those who have severe acne.
However, if all other treatments have failed it can be used to reduce the symptoms of rosacea. This medication is very strong and can have many side effects, therefore patients are usually monitored closely by the physician while taking it.
The type of cleansers one uses can also have an effect on how severe the symptoms of rosacea become. It is not uncommon for physicians to also prescribe special cleansers for the patient to use along with other medications. These cleansers do not contain harsh ingredients that may trigger a rosacea flare-up. There are also cleansers that can be bought over-the-counter that are designed for sensitive skin and do not cause irritation when used.
For more information, contact a company like Asheboro Dermatology & Skin Surgery Center.
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