What Is The Most Effective Rosacea Treatment?

The most effective rosacea treatment is tailored depending on the type and severity of the rosacea affecting you. If you are diagnosed with rosacea, your dermatologist will put you on a treatment plan depending on your symptoms and guide you on how to manage the condition to prevent future flare-ups.

Rosacea flares up for different reasons, including the sun, stress, and certain foods. There is no specific treatment for rosacea because the causes and symptoms differ among individuals. Your dermatologist will suggest a treatment to control your symptoms.

This blog post will look into the most effective rosacea treatments.

What is Rosacea?

Rosacea is a common chronic facial skin condition characterized by red areas of skin and bumps. It can affect anyone, but it is common among middle-aged white-skinned women. The signs and symptoms differ among the patients.

Common symptoms of rosacea include:

Facial flushing: Rosacea causes flushing on the face, which is more visible on white skin.
Visible blood vessels: Small blood vessels can be visible on the nose and cheeks for some patients.
Papules and pustules: Bumps and puss-filled spots resembling acne develop on some patients' faces.
Stinging and burning sensations: The affected skin areas feel tender and hot.
Enlarged nose: The skin on the nose thickens and becomes bumpy over time, causing the nose to appear enlarged, a condition referred to as rhinophyma. The enlarged nose is more common in men.
Inflamed eyes and eyelids: Many rosacea patients suffer from swollen, dry, and irritated eyes. The eye symptoms are more severe than the skin symptoms in some patients.

Causes of Rosacea

Dermatologists do not know the exact cause of rosacea, but you are more likely to suffer from the condition if you have family members with rosacea. Rosacea flare-ups are triggered by:

Exposure to sunlight
Stress
Intense Exercise
Alcohol
Inflammatory foods
Extreme weather conditions (too hot or too cold)
Hot baths
Wind
Irritating skin care products
Spicy food and drinks

Types of Rosacea

There are four types of rosacea, and each type comes with different symptoms. Many patients experience symptoms of more than one type of rosacea. They include:

Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea- characterized by persistent redness and visible small blood vessels.
Papulopustular rosacea- mostly associated with papules (bumps) and pustules (puss-filled blemishes) on the forehead, cheeks, and chin. This subtype resembles acne.
Phymatous rosacea- causes the facial skin to thicken, scar, and become bumpy. It mainly affects the nose, making it enlarged, resulting in a condition called rhinophyma.
Ocular rosacea- symptoms cause irritation, swelling, and redness of the eye and eyelids.

The Most Effective Rosacea Treatment

Depending on the type and severity, rosacea can be treated effectively through lifestyle changes, topical treatments, light therapy, laser treatment, or surgery.

1.Lifestyle Change

There is no cure for rosacea, but a lifestyle change can control and reduce the symptoms. The following lifestyle changes may be recommended to prevent rosacea flare-ups:

Good skincare routine using dermatology-recommended skin care products
Identify and avoid what causes the flare-ups
Protect your face from direct sunlight by wearing wide-brimmed hats if you will be spending a lot of time outdoors in the summer
Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day
Avoid rubbing or scratching stinging and inflamed areas
Avoid long hot baths
Avoid makeup or wear rosacea-friendly makeup
Gently massage your face to reduce the swelling
Limit or stop alcohol intake
Avoid skin care products containing harsh chemicals like alcohol, peppermint, menthol, witch hazel, or eucalyptus oil.

2. Topical Treatments

Topical treatments are medications and skin care products applied to the skin to prevent further flare-ups and repair damaged skin. Topical treatments include gels, creams, and sprays, among others. These treatments are available over the counter, but consult your physician before incorporating them into your skincare routine.

PurClarity's Revitalizing Mist is a natural and dermatology-tested rosacea topical treatment that fights rosacea-causing bacteria and speeds up the healing of damaged skin. For the best results, apply Revitalizing mist every day.

You can also use night creams, masks, and sunscreens designed for rosacea as long as they are dermatology tested and approved. You must be careful about what you apply to your already sensitive skin. Products with harsh chemical ingredients will make the condition worse.

3. Swallow Medications

Oral medications are available for severe rosacea, which lifestyle changes and topical treatments cannot control. For instance, tetracycline antibiotics have been known to treat rosacea for ages. While you can get this antibiotic and others over-the-counter, rosacea antibiotics should only be prescribed by a physician.

4. Laser Treatment and Light Therapy

Laser and light therapy treatments are suitable for rosacea characterized by visible blood vessels. These treatments involve damaging the visible blood vessels with heat. The procedures help to reduce the redness and prevent further flare-ups. For effective results, you should undergo several treatment therapies.

Laser treatments may cause mild pain, burns, temporary swelling, and bleeding on the skin. However, cooling the skin reduces the effects, and the skin heals in a few days.

5. Surgery

Surgery is a treatment option for severe phymatous rosacea. If the condition causes rhinophyma (large and bulbous nose), it can be treated with isotretinoin capsules or surgery in severe cases.

Surgery to treat rhinophyma involves numbing the nose area and getting rid of excess tissue. Successful surgery will leave you with a normal-shaped nose.

However, in cases of mild rhinophyma, you can take antibiotics like isotretinoin capsules, or any other recommended by your physician to shrink the enlarged sebaceous glands on the skin.

6. Treating Ocular Rosacea

Ocular rosacea affects the eyes. The eyes and eyelids are inflamed because of blocked oil glands. In such a case, consult with an eye specialist, who will suggest eye treatment depending on severity. Ocular rosacea is treated with eye drops containing antibiotics to reduce inflammation and swelling.

To get the best rosacea treatment for you, it might take several attempts of trial and error. Moreover, you may need to combine topical and oral medications for the best results. Always consult your dermatologist, keep up with follow-up appointments, and stick to the treatment. Also, note and avoid your triggers to control your rosacea.