Rosacea Remedies

In this section you'll find articles on various aspects of rosacea and its treatment. You can opt for orthodox medicine remedies or for natural treatments and alternative therapies.

If you want to try the alternative path, I recommend you take a look at the Banish Rosacea ebook which gives an all-natural two step approach that will permanently stop rosacea.

Whichever path you decide to pursue, have a look at my rosacea skin care tips which you would be well advised to follow.

The effectiveness of various treatment seems to vary from individual to individual and so there may be some trial and error required to find the best treatment for you.

CONVENTIONAL TREATMENTS

The main drug-based medical treatments are:

• oral antibiotics which are used to bring the symptoms under control and aren't used long term. Highly effective for papulopustular rosacea. There is no evidence that rosacea is a bacterial infection and so it seems to be the anti-inflammatory property of the antibiotics which makes them effective.
• topical antibiotics which are used to keep the symptoms under control and must be continued indefinitely since there is no cure according to orthodox medicine
• oral steroids - usually in five to seven day packs for moderate to severe rosacea. They can be used to reduce facial inflammation and swelling but then are discontinued and the patient moves onto topical treatments
• topical steroids are sometimes prescribed for short periods but if used for longer periods they will aggravate the condition.

The following acne remedies are sometimes used for rosacea but are not recommended:

• topical retinoids - the evidence is mounting that these should not be used for rosacea since they aggravate the underlying vascular disease
• topical azelaic acid - not recommended for rosacea since a recent study found it caused adverse skin reactions in 40% of the patients
• benzoyl peroxide - not recommended for rosacea because it usually aggravates the condition.

Laser therapy is another option which has been shown effective for treating:

• Dilated blood vessels

• Persistent redness of the skin

• Thickening skin on nose and cheeks (rhinophyma).

Intense pulsed light treatment has been shown effective for:

• Dilated blood vessels

• Persistent redness

• Flushing of the skin

• Skin breakouts like acne.

NATURAL TREATMENTS AND ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES

Herbs

A number of herbs have been shown to be beneficial for rosacea and can be found in various commercial products now. See Best Herbs For Rosacea for more information.

Topical Vitamins

Various vitamins have been shown to be beneficial when applied topically to the skin and can be found in commercial products today. The vitamins A, C, E, niacinamide and niacin are all found in the skin. Their presence can be reduced by smoking, sunlight and pollution. Applying them topically has been shown to have potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Nutritional Supplements

The following supplements are commonly recommended for their antioxidant properties and their ability to strengthen blood vessels:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Selenium
• Zinc (you should also supplement with copper to avoid a deficiency when taking zinc)
• Pine bark extract (pycnogenol)
• Grape seed extract.

Supplementation with Omega 3 essential fatty acids (for example fish oil or flax seed oil) helps to reduce inflammatory responses.

It has been found that 90% of rosacea sufferers have reduced stomach acid (hypochlorhydria) and so supplementation with betaine hydrochloride may be beneficial. However, it should only be taken under medical advice.

Rosacea sufferers also often have reduced levels of pancreatic lipase and so supplementation with pancreatic enzymes may be beneficial.

Acupuncture

With Traditional Chinese Acupuncture each case is assessed based upon the symptoms, reading the pulses and taking a case history. Traditional Chinese Medicine is based upon a completely different view of disease from Western medicine. At least three clinical studies have shown acupuncture to be very effective in treating rosacea. If you want to try this method you should consult a qualified practitioner of Traditional Chinese Acupuncture.

Homeopathy

Again, homeopathic prescriptions are based upon the details of each individual case. There are certainly reports of rosacea sufferers who have been helped by homeopathy. With this kind of alternative medicine it is vital that you consult a qualified homeopath.

I hope that I have given you some options to look into. Please check out the other articles on the site. For a natural treatment that you can employ on your own at home, take a look at the Banish Rosacea guide. Complete remission is guaranteed or you get your money back!