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Rosacea Treatment and Cure
March 11, 2010
Rosacea is a skin condition that causes facial redness and red, pus filled pustules. This is why rosacea is usually diagnosed as acne. This is a skin condition that seldom attacks teenagers but instead, affects adults between the ages of 30 and 60. This is a skin condition that is more prevalent in women than men; but does occur in men. Though rosacea is not a life threatening disease, it can hamper one's appearance and lower one's self esteem.
Though rosacea is not life threatening, it is important that the proper treatment and cure is provided to it to prevent it getting worse over time. Rosacea is a skin condition that is usually cyclic where it flares up for weeks or months, and then lessens for a while to flare up again. Not only is rosacea mistaken for acne, but it is also mistaken for other skin problems like skin allergy or eczema.
There is basically no cure for rosacea; it can only be treated and controlled. It is better to turn to a dermatologist for treatment of rosacea. When treating rosacea, the goal lies in controlling its condition and in the process, improving the appearance of the patient's skin. It is only after a few weeks or months wherein improvements will be visible on the skin.
Doctors usually prescribe a topical antibiotic like metronidazole to be applied to the infected parts of the skin. Azelaic acid is a form of dicarboxylic acid that is found in grain, and a form of topical treatment for rosacea that helps reduce pigment formation. Applying its cream on the affected area twice a day is effective in reducing the inflammation of blemishes and pigmentation associated with rosacea within 4-8 weeks. It is because azelaic acid inhibits bacterial protein synthesis and has a mild anti-comodone action that the inflammation in rosacea is reduced.
Sodium sulfacetamide is another choice for topical treatment of rosacea. It is important to apply a thin film of sodium sulfacetamide 1-3 times a day to skin that is cleansed and dry. Sodium sulfacetamide helps in reducing the redness of rosacea; and since the cream is tinted, it also acts as a cover up. It is the keratolytic action of sulfur that provides its anti-inflammatory effect.
Some doctors prescribe topical metronidazole for the topical treatment of rosacea as it is a nitroimidazole having antibiotic and antiprotozoal effects. It is found in gel, cream and lotion form and should be applied once or twice a day on the affected area. This reduces the inflammatory papules and pustules of rosacea within nine weeks of it's' application, but has no effect on the flushing aspect of rosacea. It is the metrogel found here that helps reduce the stinging of rosacea.
However, for those suffering from a sever case of rosacea, doctors prescribe an oral antibiotic. The most common forms of antibiotics used to treat rosacea are tetracycline, erythromycin, doxycycline and minocycline. It is usually the papules and pustules of rosacea that respond immediately to treatment. However there seldom are any improvements in the case of flushing.
Erythromycin is one of the antibiotics belonging to the macrolide group which is used in acne treatment. It is the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of erythromycin that promote it to be a great cure for rosacea. Erythromycin can be used as both an oral and topical acne medication that offers bacteriostatic antibiotic that controls the growth of bacteria.
Minocycline is another oral antibiotic used for the treatment of rosacea because of its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. It is best taken on an empty stomach as food tends to reduce its absorption by 10% while milk reduces absorption by 33%. However, pregnant and breast feeding women are not advised to use minocycline as a cure for rosacea.
Another oral form of medication for rosacea is isotretinoin which is a vitamin A analog whose capsules have to be taken with food containing fat. This is because the fat tends to help in the absorption of the medication wherein it is delivered to the skin. However, it should be remembered childbearing age women have to use two types of contraception when taking isotretinoin and for a month after the completion of treatment.
Whichever antibiotics are advised for the treatment of rosacea, there is a high risk of adverse reactions associated with its long term use. However, topical treatments are not that dangerous as they minimize the side effects of the medication with the minimal amounts of medication being absorbed by the bloodstream. Its long term use helps control rosacea without any loss of effectiveness. Moreover, research has proven that continuing medication between flare ups of rosacea tends to prevent rosacea.
It is but quite normal for a person suffering from rosacea to get depressed with the changes on their skin. They tend to feel embarrassed with their appearance; so it is very important that the patient approach a doctor as soon as the symptoms of rosacea manifest itself. When under depression, the doctor should not only offer medication for the external treatment of rosacea, but also provide medication for symptoms of depression like unhappiness, loss of appetite and a trouble in concentrating.
Any eye problems associated with rosacea is treated using oral antibiotics like tetracycline or doxycycline. It is important for people suffering from infections of the eyelids to practice frequent eyelid hygiene. Gentle scrubbing of the eyelids with diluted baby shampoo is a good habit for sufferers of rosacea. Using an over the counter eyelid cleaner while applying warm compresses several times a day is also effective in reducing the irritability of rosacea. Steroid eye drops may be prescribed for the treatment of eyes that are severely affected.
Red lines that are caused by the dilated blood vessels that appear on the skin and rhinophyma are treated with electro surgery and laser surgery. In most cases, laser surgery improves the appearance of the skin with little scarring or damage. In the case of rhinophyma, it is required to surgically remove the excess tissue found on the nose so that the nose size is reduced.
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