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There is no cure for rosacea, but you can take steps to control your symptoms. Environmental
factors can exacerbate rosacea, so the first step in managing rosacea is for you to learn
your personal triggers. Common triggers are:
- Sunlight - Temperature extremes
- Certain foods and beverages, such as spicy meals, alcohol, hot drinks and caffeinated
beverages - Strong emotional reactions like stress,
anger and embarrassment - Medications that dilate blood vessels.
Knowing this, practicing the following lifestyle habits may help ease your symptoms.
- Protect your face from the sun by using a sunscreen of SPF15 or higher.
- Avoid extremes of temperature—for example, exercise in a cool room and wear a mask or
scarf on your face in cold weather. - Avoid the foods, drinks and medications
that trigger your symptoms and learn stress relaxation techniques.
Consider these other helpful actions as well:
-Wash your face often, but be gentle. Rubbing, scrubbing or massaging the face can cause
a flare up.
-Be vigilant about cleansers and other products you apply to your skin. Read labels and avoid
facial products with alcohol. Look for products labeled “noncomedeginic” - these clog
pores less than most products.
- if you’re experiencing menopause, talk to your doctor about symptom control.
Recognizing and avoiding rosacea triggers and making other lifestyle changes can help
you manage your symptoms. However, most people benefit from medications as well.
There are several medications available to treat the various symptoms of rosacea, and
The most common are topical medications, meaning they are directly applied to the skin. The
two main types are anti-inflammatory medications and anti-parasitic medications, which are
used to treat rosacea caused by the demodex mite.
While the creams and lotions work in different ways, they all typically take time before
visible improvements are seen – generally one month to two months.
Oral antibiotics can sometimes be effective in clearing up inflammation and the pustules
more quickly than topical medications. You may be prescribed minocycline, doxycycline.
There is also a low dose doxycycline available that can be effective in relieving inflammation.
More difficult cases of inflammation may be treated with the oral medication isotretonin.
It can have very serious side effects, so your doctor will use it sparingly and monitor
you very closely if you both decide it’s a necessary treatment.
There are several surgical procedures that can address the visible effects of rosacea.
These include:
-Laser surgery can be used to treat blood vessels or remove excess tissue, which can
develop in the more advanced stages of rhinophyma. There are two main types. The first is called
a pulse dye laser, and it’s most commonly used for the redness associated with rosacea,
that is, prominent dilated blood vessels near the skin’s surface.
Carbon Dioxide ablative lasers are used for more serious cases where there is disfiguring
thickening of the skin – usually on the nose and cheeks.
- Dermabrasion, a resurfacing technique for smoothing the skin’s surface is sometimes
used to remove scars or thickening of the skin. This method is mainly used for severe
cases of rhinophyma, which is rare.
Finally, for patients with ocular rosacea, prescription eye drops or oral antibiotics
may provide relief.
A better understanding of what causes rosacea may lead to a cure in the future. For now,
there are many lifestyle changes you can make and medications available that help make rosacea
manageable.
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