Unfortunately, there is no cure for rosacea. Without treatment though, it can only get worse and lead to permanent skin damage. Want to know what is the best way to treat rosacea? There are a multitude of ways to keep it under control. Read on to find out the best course of action for you.

No matter what you do, you must visit with your doctor to discuss skin treatments and rosacea medications. You’ll learn what antibiotics are used to treat rosacea as well as how to keep it from flaring up.

Rosacea treatments and medications

Depending on the type of rosacea you have, your treatment could vary. Again, discussing with your doctor is the first step toward gaining control over this skin condition. Most of the treatments come in the form of topical creams and oral medications. Often, doctors prescribe both to combat it from outside to inside. Antibiotics are often used to ease the inflammation and swelling used though because rosacea isn’t caused by bacteria, it won’t make it disappear forever.

Rosacea creams and gels

You will likely be prescribed certain creams or gels to use on your face. Your doctor will tell you how often you should apply them. Some of the most common are:

• Azelex and Finacea (Azelaic acid)
• Mirvaso (Brimonidine)
• Cleocin and ClindaMax (Clindamycin)
• Erygel (Erythromycin)
• Soolantra (Ivermectin)
• MetroCream or MetroGel (Metronidazole)
• Clenia and Plexion (Sodium sulfacetamide and sulfur)

In very extreme cases, a retinoid called Tretinoin (Avita or Retin-A) will be prescribed. All of the treatments have the potential to cause side effects such as skin irritation so it may be necessary to try different creams before you find one that helps. You’ll also have to adjust your skincare routine to keep it from irritating your skin. If you are pregnant or planning on having children, discuss it with your doctor to avoid a conflict with medications.

What antibiotics are used to treat rosacea?

In more serious cases or when ointments don’t seem to be working, your doctor will have you take antibiotics in addition to the creams. If you also have ocular rosacea, which is rosacea for the eyes and tends to occur with those who already have rosacea, you will also be prescribed antibiotics to help relieve your symptoms.

Common antibiotics that are prescribed for both rosacea and ocular rosacea:

• Doxycycline (Vibramycin)
• Erythromycin (ERYC)
• Metronidazole (Flagyl)
• Minocycline (Dynacin)

Using antibiotics is a long-term treatment that also can have side effects. Other drugs may be used if your body doesn’t respond to the ointments, creams, or antibiotics. The side effects are more extreme though so doctors typically only reserve these for very extreme cases.

What other ways can be used to treat rosacea?

With rosacea, it’s important to know that while there is no cure, you do have many options. For ocular rosacea, you can use liquid tears and cleanse your eyelids with warm water. Seeing an eye doctor is recommended to prevent permanent vision problems. With rosacea, you can also have laser treatments done to get rid of the blood vessels and redness. This is recommended for those with bulbous nose and a swollen appearance.

What is the best way to treat rosacea?

Along with whatever guidance your doctor provides, it’s important that you find out what triggers your rosacea flare-ups. You should journal about it to track your pattern. In this way, you can avoid the things that trigger it. You will likely need to change up your lifestyle to help keep problems from arising. You should also take care of your skin. With rosacea, you must treat the skin delicately. Sensitive skin products will be your best friend while living with rosacea.

Check the links below to discover the best products to use for effective skincare with rosacea as well as how to keep it from irritating you daily with lifestyle changes and more!