What Is Rosacea? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

Once your doctor makes a definitive diagnosis, you’ll work together to determine the best treatment plan for your skin. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Your doctor may prescribe a medication, monitor your skin for improvement, and then recommend a different medication if the one you’re currently taking doesn’t work.

Medication Options

Or you may receive a topical cream designed to constrict the blood vessels in your face. This helps reduce blood flow, and subsequently lessens flushing and redness.

Along with medication to constrict your blood vessels, your doctor may prescribe a drug to kill bacteria on your skin, which can improve rosacea pimples and acne, along with redness and other skin irritation. Results aren’t immediate; it can take up to three to six weeks to see improvement.

Oral Medication

Nonmedical Therapies

Light Therapy If oral medication and creams don’t improve skin, talk to your doctor about laser or light therapy. This type of therapy can reduce the size of blood vessels in your face and remove excess skin around your nose.

Alternative and Complementary Therapies

Starting a rosacea diary is one of the first steps to pinpointing your triggers. Keep track of days when symptoms appear or worsen, and then write down everything that happened on this day. What did you eat? What type of activity did you perform (such as exercise or working in the garden)? Were you exposed to cold or hot temperatures?

Also, make a note of your emotional state during this time. Were you under a lot of stress or anxiety? This type of diary can help narrow down the underlying cause of your flares.