Rosacea Treatments – Your Ultimate Guide

"Rosacea is a non-contagious inflammation of the skin that causes red patches, bumps, pimples, itching, irritation, and swelling on the face and nose. It is controllable with medication, therapies, lifestyle, and home remedies."

Rosacea is a common chronic skin inflammation that typically appears and disappears in episodes. Many people do not know that the blotchy red skin on their face might be controllable but does not have a traditional, authentic cure. A treatment showing improvement on one patient may not produce the same results for another patient because this relapsing skin condition varies from person to person and so the treatment results are.

There are no known factors that cause rosacea. But experts say that any of the following factors might be a cause:
● Family history
● Immune system
● Hormones, menopause, and menstrual cycle changes
● Medical conditions
● High histamine foods
● Alcohol
● Hot beverages
● Anxiety, stress
● Environmental effects
● Abnormality in blood vessels
● A skin mite Demodex
● Bacteria called H-pylori (Helicobacter pylori)

Your dermatologist can diagnose rosacea through some symptoms as there are no known tests to detect rosacea. The common symptoms can be:
● Discoloration of skin
● Red rashes
● The appearance of bumps on the entire area
● Facial swelling (Lymphedema)
● Visible blood vessels (Spider veins)
● Thickening of skin
● Dry, itchy skin
● Stinging skin
● Flushing
● Eye irritation 

How to Treat Rosacea? General Measures to Treating Rosacea

Since there is no cure found for this skin condition yet, some rosacea skin treatments can subside its harsh effects.

The dermatologist primarily diagnoses the subtype of rosacea and then suggests the appropriate treatment plan. However, following the general precautions and measures, you can control the skin condition to some extent.

● Avoiding triggers:

Avoiding the most common triggers such as spicy foods, alcohol and hot beverages, extreme temperatures, sun (UV radiation) exposure, and others may help control the rosacea flare-ups. It is also important to know if the patient is taking some prescription drugs or over-the-counter drugs that may also trigger flushing or worsen the rosacea.

● Skincare:

Photoprotection against sun exposure is very important. Using sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher gives protection to sensitive skin. Skincare products, including gentle facial cleansers and moisturizers, can improve therapeutic outcomes and soothe skin irritation in patients undergoing medical therapy.

Treating Rosacea with diet

Treatment options for rosacea skin depend on the severity of the disease. Your dermatologist may suggest to you one of the following treatments along with general measures.

Certain foods promote the growth of good bacteria in the body. For people suffering from rosacea it is better for them to follow a rosacea diet.

Foods that can ease the rosacea flare-ups:

Adding foods with Vitamin A, B, and E, antioxidants, and the following food list can help ease the flare-ups. Changing the diet may not eliminate rosacea, but it can give a good immune system and improve your comfort level.

● Vegetables with high water content like cucumber, asparagus, broccoli, celery, cauliflower, green beans
● Salmon fish contains omega-3 that is anti-inflammatory and reduces redness.
● Goat cheese is a good source of protein and acts as an anti-inflammatory.
● Soothing spices like coriander, cardamom, saffron, fennel, and turmeric.
● Lean proteins are obtained from turkey, chicken, and fish.

Avoiding the foods that can trigger rosacea flare-ups:

Eliminating certain food items and drinks can help ease rosacea flare-ups. Here is a list of food items and drinks that you should avoid if you have rosacea symptoms.

● Acidic vegetables like tomatoes, beets, radishes, onions, eggplants
● Alcohol, coffee, and tea can trigger facial redness.
● Citrus fruits release histamine, which causes itching.
● Sugars and starches trigger bumps and redness.
● Milk and cheese have trans fats that trigger redness.
● Shellfish causes discomfort.

Prescription treatments for rosacea

New treatments have been developed to control this chronic skin condition, and the type of medication your dermatologist prescribes for you depends on which symptoms you are experiencing. Sometimes, you may need to try different alternatives or a combination of drugs to find a possible treatment that might work for you.

Topical drugs and creams for Rosacea treatment: Treatment of mild to moderate rosacea can be a cream or gel to apply on the skin. The dermatologist may prescribe you suitable topical treatments that may include metronidazole, azelaic acid, and brimonidine to use alone or in combination.

● Metronidazole – works as an anti-inflammatory drug and helps reduce erythema, papules, and pustules.
● Azelaic acid – is another over-the-counter rosacea topical treatment that has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-keratinizing effects.
● Brimonidine – also helps reduce blemishes and redness by constricting blood vessels.
● Ivermectin and Dapsone – have an anti-inflammatory effect and are helpful for mild to moderate rosacea.

Using Brimonidine to treat Rosacea: Brimonidine is another prescription gel that reduces chronic facial redness, one of the most common and persistent symptoms of rosacea. It treats the condition by temporarily shrinking the blood vessels beneath the skin.
Treating rosacea with antibiotics: For moderate to severe rosacea, your doctor may prescribe an oral antibiotic to calm down and treat the rosacea pimples and bumps. Oral antibiotics include clarithromycin, clindamycin, doxycycline, erythromycin, and minocycline. Rosacea oral medications such as doxycycline have powerful anti-inflammatory effects. These oral antibiotics can help clear the skin blemishes caused by rosacea as well as reduce pain, swelling and help clear up acne-like lesions of rosacea.

Therapies to Treat Rosacea

Laser and other light-based therapies such as Intense Pulsed Light Therapy (IPL) are used to reduce the thickening of the skin and redness of enlarged blood vessels. The patients may need to go under repetitive sessions of therapy to maintain the improved appearance of their skin. Laser treatments are costly, but they surely give improved skin texture and appearance.

Types of laser treatments for rosacea include:

● Ablative lasers: These lasers are also called CO2 lasers. These laser treatments are used to reshape the nose and other facial parts that have lost their original shape due to skin thickening and inflamed tissues due to rosacea.

● Erbium YAG laser: This treatment is used to cure visible blood vessels and reshape the bulbous nose due to severe (type3 – phymatous) rosacea.

● Pulsed Dye lasers: Light is pulsed at an optimal wavelength to treat visible blood vessels. A dye is used to make the laser beam change colors which reduces redness and inflammation.

● IPL – Intense pulsed light therapy: This therapy is different from laser therapy. IPL treatment uses several wavelengths of light at once instead of one laser to treat rosacea. This treatment cures skin discoloration, pigmentation, and redness of the skin.

How to treat Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea?

For topical treatments, azelaic acid, brimonidine, and metronidazole are used alone or in combination to treat inflammation and rosacea pimples. These creams reduce redness. Laser therapy, including IPL, can help reduce refractory background erythema (type1). However, laser therapies will not help to decrease the frequency of flushing episodes.

How to treat papulopustular rosacea?

For mild papulopustular rosacea treatment, topical creams are a good option. But the doctor may suggest a combination of topical treatments with oral antibiotics for papulopustular rosacea treatment, depending upon skin condition. The topical treatments may include azelaic acid, dapsone, ivermectin, and metronidazole. Oral antibiotics used for papulopustular rosacea (type2) treatment include clarithromycin, clindamycin, doxycycline, erythromycin, and minocycline. The oral medication helps to improve the rosacea to a point where the skin condition can be further controlled by topical therapies.

How to treat phymatous rosacea?

Oral isotretinoin is used to treat phymatous (type3) rosacea. In combination with oral treatment, ablative lasers, including carbon dioxide and electrosurgery devices, are used to reshape the enlarged tissues in patients with phymatous rosacea.

How to treat ocular rosacea?

It is advised to consult an ophthalmologist for the right treatment of ocular rosacea (type4). The treatments for ocular rosacea may include:

● Prescription eye drops and ointments to reduce redness and swelling
● Antibiotic pills and ointments to treat eye infection
● to keep eyes moist
● Mild eyelid scrubs and cleaners to keep eyes clean and infection-free
● Use a warm cloth or eye pad often to soothe your eyes – or as your doctor recommends.

How to treat Acne Rosacea?

Acne rosacea is a skin condition characterized by persistent redness on the central part of the face with breakouts similar to acne. This skin disorder can be improved by closely monitoring the symptoms and avoiding potential triggers of acne rosacea. Caffeine is a major trigger for acne rosacea. It directly affects the immune system and digestive system and is harmful not only to the skin but also contributes to other health issues.

Over-the-counter topical treatments are available to treat a mild condition, but it is advised to get examined by a dermatologist in case of skin getting worse.

How to treat rosacea on the nose?

A skin condition affecting the nose resulting in a bulging nose with thickened skin and enlarged sebaceous (oil) glands commonly due to untreated rosacea is called Rhinophyma. The best treatment to reduce redness, irritation, and inflammation around the nose can be one of the following:

● Hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic moisturizers formulated to treat early rosacea.
● Over-the-counter topical rosacea medicines
● A combination of topical and oral antibiotics
● Laser treatments or surgery to reshape or contour the nose and debulk the excess and inflamed tissue.

Rosacea treatments and pregnancy:

Topical treatments are suggested to treat rosacea during pregnancy. Young women are most commonly affected because the immune system weakens during pregnancy. But changing the food and lifestyle accordingly can help reduce the effects of rosacea during pregnancy.

● Low glycemic (low carbohydrate) foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains (oatmeal), and legumes (such as lentils and beans), protect the skin from rosacea flare-ups.
● Eating little and often can also help reduce the symptoms of rosacea during pregnancy.
● Eat a balanced diet and drink plenty of water to get better results.

Treating Rosacea with Chinese medicine:

Traditional Chinese Medicine presents its narrative for rosacea as "it is the result of an imbalance in the circulation of blood and energy in the body." Chinese medicine combines native herbs to circumvent the unpleasant effects of rosacea that helps reduce skin inflammation, preventing future breakouts by improving blood circulation and providing hormonal balance. Chinese rosacea herbal treatment combined with rosacea cream is a botanical method to moisturize and nourish the damaged skin.

Acupuncture:

It is another traditional Chinese treatment to effectively clear the heat (energy) trapped inside the body to reduce rosacea symptoms such as irritation, flushing, and redness.

Natural ingredients to treat rosacea:

There are plenty of natural ingredients to treat mild symptoms of rosacea, including:

Glycerin: Besides aqua, glycerin is a major ingredient in soothing skincare products. It is a moisturizing agent that locks skin moisture and prevents skin dehydration, especially if you suffer from drying skin conditions like rosacea, psoriasis, acne, etc.

Shea butter (Butyrospermum Parkii butter) has extensive anti-inflammatory properties. It helps to reduce skin redness, swelling, and blood vessels appearance on the face. Its healing and calming properties soothe the milder rosacea symptoms.

Essential oils: Such as lavender, lemongrass, jojoba oil, and others, are known for their super calming qualities for the skin and rosacea as well. The essential oils are packed with anti-inflammatory and healing properties that can effectively control your skin problem. Add 2-3 drops of essential oil to carrier oil (such as coconut or almond oil) and apply it over the affected areas. Applying the essential oils regularly before sleep can bring good results.

Here are some very effective essential oils that can help improve several common skin conditions:

● Lavender essential oil (Lavandula Angustifolia) is the best suited and easy-to-obtain essential oil. It has anti-fungal properties that help to keep several mild skin concerns at bay. The lavender oil helps lessen skin irritation and redness. It also helps cleanse and improve the skin affected with acne rosacea.

● Ginger Grass oil (Zingiber Officinalis) possesses restorative and anti-fungal properties. It can be effective for treating acne rosacea and several other skin issues like rashes and fungal infections.

● Jojoba oil (Simmondsia Chinensis) is another useful oil for its anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. It helps to reduce and relieve rosacea symptoms.

● Lemongrass oil (Cymbopogon Flexuosus) is an effective deterrent against fungi, bacteria, and skin inflammation. Lemongrass is a natural remedy to heal wounds and prevent skin infections.

● Peppermint oil (Piperita), containing anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, is a great cooling oil. It gives comfort to the burning and flushing concerns of rosacea flare-ups and promotes healing.

● Verbena Officinalis oil is a very gentle and calming oil that helps clear skin redness, rashes, and acne rosacea.

● Freesia Alba oil has therapeutic properties that help refresh and revitalize the problematic skin.

How to get the best results from treatment?

Frequent visits and follow-up appointments with your doctor are essential to get the best results of any treatment. During your follow-up visits, your dermatologist will examine your skin condition. If your skin concern is improving, he may advise you to continue the treatment for a specific period.

If the results are not up to his expectations, your dermatologist can change your medication.

Along with prescribed treatments, changing your diet and lifestyle with an emphasis on avoiding those factors that trigger rosacea may also help you combat this chronic disease.

Conclusion:

Rosacea is a common inflammatory skin disorder that can seriously impair quality of life. It affects everyone differently and can take a good time to figure out how to treat your condition. Treatment starts with general measures to medications and therapies.

Rosacea can be distressing, yet it can be controlled, but then again key to success in recovery from rosacea is early diagnosis and appropriate treatment; otherwise, it can be challenging to treat.

Do you identify any rosacea symptoms on your face? How do you manage to control the rosacea flare-ups?

Disclaimer:
If a condition persists, please contact your physician. The information provided by this website or this company is not a substitute for a face-to-face consultation with your physician and should not be construed as individual medical advice. Individual customer experiences with all products listed may vary.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Results may vary.