Rosacea Treatment Guide

There are many different medications, products, and drugs used in the treatment of the skin condition known as Rosacea. These treatments are intended to reduce the extremity of the symptoms of rosacea. This includes the ever present red or flushed appearance common to all types of rosacea, along with the itching and burning sensations experienced, as well as the pastules and bumps associated with rosacea, that appear on the face and neck.

Any substance, environment, or even emotional states or situations that cause an increase in these symptoms can be rightfully called a trigger. Rosacea triggers are varied and are unique each person, yet there is certainly many patterns that can be deduced from tracking data on what triggers people experience. Some of the more common triggers are ironically present in many medications that otherwise would be used to treat rosacea. This includes skin treatment products made with alcohol and other harsh chemicals. At the same time, products designed specifically for acne and rosacea treatment even act as a trigger for some people!

This has led to what many refer to as “natural rosacea treatment”. Natural rosacea treatment includes things such as all natural products, such as ZenMed, or the use of herbs in their natural state, such as green tea leaves, boiled and later placed on the skin to offer erythema relief.

These natural treatments are used by many of the tens of thousands of people, mostly women, who find themselves looking for less pharmaceutical based solutions and more natural, plant based solutions. However, while treatment can be improved the addition of naturally based products, it’s important to make such a strong distinction between natural and so-called unnatural treatments for rosacea. Why? Because in the end this can lead to a situation in which a patient shields him or herself from otherwise effective rosacea treatment that is deemed unnatural!

If a proper perspective can be kept on treatments for rosacea, then this is obviously not a problem. The best approach is to always work with your doctor, taking care to note your own triggers to avoid them, and have an open mind on various treatments – whether they’re called an OTC, prescription, or natural rosacea treatment!

Some people who have medical problems do not like the idea of seeking treatment. This is especially true if the condition – while have dramatic effects – does not actually threaten the life of the person with the condition. Rosacea is a skin condition that meets this definition. The problems caused by rosacea can lead to terrible self confidence issues, especially for younger folks who find themselves dealing with rosacea in their developing years in front of their peers at school, but it’s not going to put anyone in the hospital, and no matter how severe it gets, it does not lead to death.

Men tend to be more reluctant to go to a doctor than women, generally speaking. For rosacea, this makes for an interesting twist because by and large women are effect in far, far greater numbers than men. However, most people do not even know what rosacea is yet I bet they can recall a man they’ve seen with it, even if they didn’t know it was rosacea! The stereotype of the old cranky man with a red, bulb-like nose is actually related to the real life skin condition known as Rhinophyma Rosacea. It’s more common in men than in women, and when left untreated, it can lead to tissue buildup around the nose, accompanied with a red appearance, thus creating the stereotype of the old man with a bulb nose.

Is this what happens without rosacea treatment? Yes, absolutely, this is what can happen if treatment is not done. Now the case of a person with a grossly shaped nose caused by rosacea is rare, and occurs when treatment has been delayed or non existent for many years, if not the lifetime of the person.

But what about others with rosacea?

The truth is that while medical professionals estimate something in the range of 40 million people worldwide have rosacea, the majority of those people in the eye popping number have only a mild to moderate form of rosacea. Many of them are never even officially diagnosed with rosacea! This means they probably believe they have common acne or just, for whatever reason, tend to flush easily. For very mild cases of rosacea, not having treatment means they’ll simply have to deal with the mild symptoms they have.

For those with moderate to severe rosacea, the lack of treatment has more dire consequences. For one it means a lifetime of irritation and discomfort on the face and neck. This obviously is not an ideal situation. Over time, it can lead to scar tissue development on the skin, leading to facial disfigurement. This second part often scares those who might be tempted to not bother with treatment, and yet it’s hard to say what’s worse. Decades of facial burning and itching, not to mention constant redness, or scar tissue problems on the face? Either one is something no individual should experience.

For this reason, it’s very important to seek a proper diagnosis from a doctor on any skin problem that bears resemblance to rosacea. If diagnosed, the next logical step is the addition of antibiotics and prescription as well as  OTC rosacea treatment medications designed to reduce the symptoms.

The bad news is that without treatment, the consequences are real and while not deadly, are certainly not pleasant. The good news is that with proper treatment, most people with rosacea find a middle ground that keeps their symptoms at bay and then from there, life goes on with rosacea treatment – and rosacea! – receding to the background.

Dealing with the skin condition known as rosacea is a part of the lives of many people all over the world. Often mistakenly thought of as bad or severe acne by outsiders, the skin condition – although similar to acne – effects a person quite differently, and one does not “grow out of it” with age, as is the case with acne and young adults. Rosacea actually becomes more common as a person moves from youth to adulthood, targeting by and large caucasion women in their 30’s to 50’s.

This is the age range in which symptoms begin to appear for most people. How the skin condition develops is not known, but it is not contagious or infectious. It’s speculated that its origins are genetically related but this has not been proven, and the official word is that rosacea has an unknown cause.

In any case, one symptoms begin to appear is when a proper diagnosis and treatment should begin. Symptoms typically come on as a redness of the face – known as erythema, along with red bumps known as papules and pastules (and thus the mistaken correlation to acne is made.)

It’s estimated that 1 of 5 diagnosis made by dermatalogists is a diagnosis for rosacea. It is because of these high numbers thats nearly any dermatologist you work with is going to be quite familiar with rosacea and the proper treatments for this skin problem.

The first rosacea treatments prescribed to a new patient are typically two-fold with antibiotics. This includes a topical antibiotic, such as a Metronidazole. The term “topical” means that the substance is applied to the surface of this skin. In this case, it means applying an OTC acne product or gel such as Metronidazole to the skin for relief. Secondly, oral tetracycline antibiotics are prescribed to the patient as well – interestingly, the same ones of which are also prescribed for acne treatment, too. These are swallowed in the form of a pill. Oral tetracycline antibiotics are actually used to target a variety of health conditions, and they are usually successful at reducing the severity of symptoms for rosacea as well. These symptoms include redness, irritation, inflammation, and the presence of papules and pastules, on and around the face and neck.

If the initial rosacea treatment in the form of antibiotics doesn’t meet the desired results i.e a reduction in symptoms and relief for the patient – doctors and dermatologists have a number of other medication that can be used. There is also the question of avoiding rosacea triggers so as to minimize outbreaks or the severity of outbreaks.

Treatment for rosacea is not an overnight event. It’s actually more a lifelong process between the doctor and the patient, along with the lifestyle of the patient and how this effects the rosacea condition. The good news is that the earlier treatment begins, the better off the patient is at getting rosacea treatment that meet their needs and keeps their conditions under minimized and under control.

There are many different products available over the counter for treating the symptoms of rosacea. From creams to gels to lotions to facial masks to pills, the options are wide and seemingly work in different ways in an effort to all get to the same goal for the consumer. That is to say, all these products purport to reduce the severity of symptoms experienced because of rosacea.

Depending on the type of rosacea, these symptoms are different for different people. Additionally, most products – especially those sold over the counter – focus on one subset of symptoms more than others. OTC medications are more effective at reducing the overall redness and inflammation experienced than something more specific, such as the itchiness of the eyes, which is the main symptom of whats known as “ocular rosacea”.

The question then that many have who want to help their rosacea is this: what is the best rosacea treatment available over the counter? In other words, what’s going to help the most that can be bought at the store or over the internet without a prescription?

The trouble with this question is that is assumes there is one type of rosacea, one symptom, and one medication that works for all. As many rightfully suspect from the get go, the truth is more complicated and not nearly as black and white as the phrasing of the question indicates.

The best over the counter rosacea treatment medicine is the one that works best for each person, individually. For some this may be something like Booster Blue cream. Others it might be MetroGel. Some people with rosacea swear by the product called ZenMed. There are a dozen other products sold without a prescription that help people with rosacea, and for other people, it’s these products that are the best treatment for them.

What it all means is this:

It’s clear that there’s not simply one spectacular OTC drug that does all the work that others cannot. The truth is that it takes time, experimentation, and patience to find what works best for an individual, and then – and only – then – can the question rightfully be answered as to what is the best rosacea treatment!