|
Options for Rosacea treatmentBecause of the wide variety of subtypes, and the differences from patient to patient, there are several different types of treatment for rosacea, and it may require thorough and specific examination before proper treatment can be attempted. Most rosacea treatment methods are safe to experiment with, but the type and severity of a rosacea infection should be properly identified before wasting time and effort trying out different types of ointments and treatments.
The first step to helping deal with rosacea is to try to avoid triggering outbreaks. This will only prevent rosacea outright in the case of mild rosacea, but it can be helpful for even major rosacea. Outbreaks are usually triggered by blushing or reddening of the face. This can be anything that turns the face red, including sunburn, sudden temperature change, spicy foods, coffee and tea (for some people), and so on. Different people may have different triggers, and rosacea patients are often advised to keep a logbook of outbreaks so as to document what seems to trigger the worst outbreaks, so that they can be more aware of these triggers, and take steps to avoid them, whenever possible. It is certainly recommended that rosacea sufferers keep sunscreen on hand whenever they will be outdoors for awhile, and that they employ a gentle skin cleansing regimen, using cleansers that do not irritate the skin. Antibiotics can also help prevent outbreaks. Oral antibiotics such as tetracycline, doxycycline, and minocycline, as well as topical antibiotics like metronidazole, which can help to reduce the bumps, redness, and inflammation. Inflammatory lesions, bumps and papules can be relieved by topical azelaic acids, like Finacea and Skinoren. Prevention of blushing or reddening has actually been accomplished by way of a chemical called clonidine. Beta-blockers such as nadolol and propanolol have also been helpful. It is still up for debate as to whether or not this is truly effective against outbreaks, however.
Other Rosacea treatment Options
More recently, CO2 layers have been shown effective against phymatous rosacea, phymatous rosacea being a condition resulting in excess facial tissue. CO2 lasers can be used to remove excess tissue by way of emitting a wavelength absorbed by the skin. The laser beam can also be focused and used as a scalpel which can vaporize excess tissue.
Other CO2 laser treatments include low light therapies In the Victorian era, sulphur was used to treat rosacea. It may sound archaic, but sulphur has actually shown promise recently as a safer alternative to steroids. Most recently, there have been studies showing promise for natural, plant sourced chemicals such as methylsulfonylmethane, or MSM, and Silymarin, as potential rosacea treatments for skin redness. If you develop rosacea on your eyelids, it is very important to adhere to a strict cleansing regimen. You can cleanse your lids with diluted baby shampoo or designated eyelid cleansers, scrubbing gently with a washcloth, daily. Neglect can results in irritated eyes and lids and, sometimes, swelling due to irritation or scratching.
A Cure
There is, technically, no real cure for rosacea. Oftentimes, rosacea may keep recurring indefinitely, requiring lifelong treatment regimens. More often than not, though, rosacea will go into permanent remission after a year or two of regular treatment. However, permanent remission may be a little misleading. Generally, rosacea will not come back if it has been in remission for a year or longer, but it can be triggered again years or decades down the line. There are no studies showing long term benefits of topical treatments alone. Topical treatments such as ointments can help to relieve the symptoms, but recurrence is likely. Antibiotics and medical treatment seem to be the only way to beat rosacea into remission. |
