Rosacea Treatment Options

While you may find an effective rosacea treatment that keeps your flare ups under control, there is no cure for rosacea. Most rosacea sufferers report their symptoms increased until they began treatment, but were mostly controllable once they began avoiding triggers and complying with treatment. You may have rosacea for the rest of your life, or you may find that with treatment the symptoms become lessened until they disappear altogether.

What Can You Do to Reduce Flare Ups?

• Avoid known rosacea triggers: If you have rosacea, you will need to avoid extended exposure to the sun, emotional distress, hot weather, cold air, strong wind, eating spicy foods, intense exercise, hot drinks like coffee or tea, alcoholic beverages and irritating skin products. You will want to protect your skin from irritants best as you can by wearing a sun hat, staying indoors on extremely hot or cold days, covering your skin in the winter if you live in a cold region, drinking room temperature or cold beverages and using mild skin products. If exercise triggers a flare up, try altering your workout such that it is less strenuous and is conducted in a cool, wind-free environment. Use a non-irritating sunscreen whenever you go outside.
• See your doctor for tailored rosacea treatments: Your doctor will examine your rosacea and prescribe a treatment plan tailored to your specific form of rosacea. If your primary concern is redness, acne and bumps, your doctor may prescribe an oral antibiotic and a topical cream to bring these symptoms under control. Antibiotics are believed to work because they work as an anti-inflammatory agent, not because they are killing bacteria. If your concerns are visible blood vessels, your doctor may recommend laser treatment or surgery. Ask your doctor if any of your medications you are on for other conditions might be triggering your rosacea, since a variety of medications are considered possible triggers.