Rosacea is a chronic skin condition that generally affects the face. It begins as a generalized redness, but can progress to include dilated blood vessels, and small bumps and pustules, especially on the nose. It is often accompanied by a burning or stinging sensation, and sometimes affects the eyes.
So if you're afflicted with rosacea, what are your best options for treatment? Here are a few ideas to look into. You can also look for treatment products in the rosacea section at Dermstore, who has a particularly nice selection of products.
1. Oral Antibiotics
Doctors often prescribe oral antibiotics for patients dealing with redness and bumps or pimples. Among the most common antibiotics prescribed are doxycycline, minocycline and tetracycline. Physicians also often prescribe topical antiobiotic creams to treat the skin condition. Drugs containing azelaic acid or sulfur are often prescribed for cases of rosacea that don't respond to antibiotics.
While oral antibiotics are typically very successful at treating rosacea, the condition often returns when the medications are discontinued.
2. Natural Anti-inflammatories
Certain herbal ingredients are believed to calm the inflammation of rosacea. Green tea, feverfew, lavender and licorice all have natural anti-inflammatory properties that may work to ease the redness and stinging of rosacea. Many rosacea sufferers also find that sandalwood oil applied topically brings them relief of symptoms.
3. Cosmetics Choices
When your face is red and inflamed, it's natural to want to cover the condition with cosmetics -- but using cosmetics is a particular danger zone for those with rosacea. Many cosmetic preparations can actually inflame the condition, so you must take care to choose hypo-allergenic cosmetics only. Try using any new cosmetics on a small patch of skin before spreading them over your entire face, and make sure you have no reactions, since use of the wrong cosmetics can actually make your condition worse.
Make sure to read the labels of any product you put on your face. Cosmetics and skin care products containing alcohol, clove or eucalyptus oil, various fragrances, menthol, salicylic acid, or witch hazel have all been shown to exacerbate rosacea flare-ups.
4. Lifestyle Changes
Rosacea is sometimes triggered by stress, which can release hormones, adrenaline, and other chemicals into the body's system. Avoid stressful situations as much as possible, and drink plenty of water to help flush the negative chemicals out of your system.
Sugar, soda, coffee and cigarettes all contain stimulants which can enlarge blood vessels, and thus pose a special danger for those with rosacea. In addition, about one-third of rosacea sufferers react badly to aspartame, so it should also be avoided.
Sunlight is a trigger to rosacea outbreaks for many people, so make sure you wear a hat in the sun, and find a sunscreen that your skin can tolerate easily.
Finally, some people find that food allergies or sensitivities trigger outbreaks of rosacea. Some believe that allergies are not the cause, but that rosacea outbreaks can be a result of overly acidic foods in the body. Pay careful attention to what you're eating and to whether it seems to be exascerbating your condition, and avoid those foods that make your rosacea worse.
5. Laser Treatments and LED Light
While laser treatments can't treat the underlying condition of rosacea, they are often effective at dealing with the cosmetic problems that rosacea can leave behind. Lasers can be used to reduce redness on the skin, to remove visible blood vessels, and to treat bumps on the nose. Your dermatologist will know the best choice of laser for your specific condition. Meanwhile, LED light therapy has become increasingly popular for treating rosacea. In particular, the Baby Quasar red light has gotten good reviews for use with rosacea at home.
Looking for more? View rosacea treatment information and products at Dermstore.
