If you suffer from rosacea, professional medical treatment for this skin condition is a mandatory fact of life. It is important that if you suspect you have rosacea, but have not had it diagnosed, that you seek out a doctor for a proper diagnosis. Delaying treatment can result in further complications and problems brought on by rosacea down the line. For instance, the stereotype of the “bulb nose” on an elderly rosacea patient is often times the result of someone who may have delayed or avoided treatment for an extended period of time, thus causing increased tissue scarring and facial disfigurement.
For those just starting out on a rosacea treatment program, your dermatologist or family doctor will likely start off prescribing the following medications.
Oral tetracycline antibiotics. This includes tetracycline, doxycycline, and minocycline. Tetracycline antibiotics are used to target a variety of conditions (not just rosacea) and many times, treatment for rosacea begins here with the tetracycline antibiotics trio. Note that these are taken orally – as in simply swallowing a pill.
Topical Antibiotics. This includes things like Metronidazole. Metronidazole is a gel applied to the skin. It’s sold under the by name Rozen and MetroGel from Galderma laboratories out of Switzerland. Note the term ‘topical’ here. Any topical medication means that it will be applied directly to the skin. For a skin condition, topical treatments are very common and you’ll likely use many different topical treatments over time.
In treating rosacea, dermatologists typically begin with the two types of medication listed above. This targets the red bumps (also known papules and pastules) on the face as well as the general redness and inflammation brought on by rosacea. Interestingly, the prescription antibiotics listed above are also commonly used to treat the pimples and redness brought about by acne.
Effective rosacea treatment is not an overnight game. It can take quite awhile for the doctor and patient to find the combination of medications and lifestyle to keep the symptoms of rosacea either under control or in remission. Sometimes the symptoms will be under control and then flare up, prompting a change in treatment and an analysis of what could have triggered or otherwise brought about the increase in symptoms.
Because of these complications in rosacea treatment, it’s important to keep the bigger perspective in mind. The good news is that most people with rosacea do come to a balance in their treatment and the lifestyle that keeps the symptoms at bay or at least minimized and under control. It just may take some time, experimentation, and patience on behalf of you and your doctor to find the best rosacea treatment.
