A slight, rosy blush to the cheeks conveys health and youthfulness. The opposite can be said for skin conditions that flush the face an angry, inflamed red. One of these maladies is rosacea, which starts as blushing redness across the cheeks, nose, chin or forehead. An estimated 14 million Americans suffer from rosacea. Small blood vessels in these areas dilate and show through the skin, often appearing like red spider veins that are called telangiectasias. Sometimes, rosacea produces small pus-filled bumps on the face. While no cure exists for rosacea, special products help alleviate symptoms.
Topical Medications and Oral Antibiotics
Control inflammation and redness with topical medications you daub on your skin once or twice a day. Common topical medications include antibotics (such as metronidazole, commonly known as Metrogel), tretinoin, and products containing benzoyl peroxide, azelaic acid and zinc oxide . Dermatologists often prescribe topical medications by themselves, or in conjunction with oral antibiotics to speed up the lessening of inflammation.
Accutane
In the case of severe cystic acne associated with rosacea, a dermatologist may see fit to prescribe Accutane, a powerful oral antibiotic that works by inhibiting oil production in the sebaceous glands. If you are put on Accutane, you need to be closely monitored, since the drug can have serious side effects, such as sensitivity to sunlight, dizziness, hearing problems, high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and certain mood disorders.
Cortisone Creams
A dermatologust may prescribe cortisone creams to reduce redness, but rosacea sufferers must be careful and follow the doctor's instructions, as improper or overuse of cortisone can cause thinning of the skin.
Natural Remedies
Alternative or natural remedies to treat the symptoms of rosacea include colloidal silver, emu oil, laurelwood, oregano oil and vitamin K. The effectiveness of these alternative therapies have not been proven conclusively, and doctors suggest caution when a product or regimen claims to "cure" rosacea, since the skin condition never goes away completely. You can manage this cyclic disease through proper treatment.
Lifestyle Changes
Dermatologists do advise certain lifestyle changes to allieviate or lessen symptoms. Avoid or limit scalding-hot foods or beverages, spicy foods, alcohol, and hot tubs and saunas, to help with the flushing cheeks and nose. Keep your skin cleansing and moisturizing ritual simple and purchase gentle products that are noncomedogenic, which means it won't clog your oil glands. Products containing alcohol can irritate skin exhibiting signs of rosacea, as can rubbing your face too hard. Always use sunscreen, since rosacea-prone skin is often sun-sensitive.
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