III. Treatment:

Antibiotics such as MetroGel, MetroCream and sulfur preparations applied to the skin one to two times a day work well for many people with rosacea.

Retin-A is an effective Rosacea treatment and can decrease the number of small blood vessels.

Topical vitamin C creams such as Vitamin C Serum, Obagi Cffectives &  LaRoche Posay C will lessen the redness that is caused by rosacea.  It should be applied once a day.

Use of sunscreen and avoidance of sunlight will help to prevent flares.

Antibiotics taken by mouth are usually an effective rosacea treatment, and can be used for people not controlled by topical antibiotics. Tetracycline is the most common antibiotic used for treating rosacea.

Treatment only controls rosacea. There is no cure for this condition. Most people with this condition need to continue applying Metrogel and Retin-A or taking antibiotics for months to years.

Accutane is a drug taken by mouth which is reserved for severe rosacea. Accutane has many side effects and if taken during pregnancy will cause birth defects. Patients taking Accutane must have periodic blood tests and checkups.

The red face of rosacea can often be improved with tunable dye laser treatments. This type of treatment is time consuming and expensive. It is not covered by insurance.

Rhinophyma (nose swelling and tissue overgrowth) can be best treated with the CO₂ laser or surgical shaving. This is often covered by insurance because it the disease is so disfiguring.

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