Choosing a Rosacea Treatment that is Right for You
Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
As with so many other conditions, there are many different rosacea treatments to choose from, from prescription medications to numerous over-the-counter treatments. Because rosacea is a chronic skin condition and there is currently no cure for rosacea, the condition has to be treated on a daily basis to keep symptoms under control. This is why it is essential to pick a rosacea treatment that you will feel comfortable with putting on your skin on a daily basis. This article will describe what to look for in a rosacea treatment and what ingredients you may want to avoid.
Rosacea is a skin condition that progresses in several phases. The early stages of rosacea frequently go unnoticed in many sufferers as the early signs of red, blotchy skin and prolonged flushing are usually not causing enough discomfort for most people to see a doctor. However, when the disease progresses and the skin becomes more inflamed, itchy and pus-filled pustules and papules start to appear on the skin, many rosacea sufferers will take the first step to see a doctor about their skin condition.
Prescription-based Rosacea Treatments
A prescription-based rosacea treatment is frequently chosen by your dermatologist. The antibiotics contained in such prescriptions are aimed at lowering the level of inflammation in the skin. Often, an oral tetracycline regimen is prescribed in addition to the topical treatment. Tetracycline should never be used for prolonged periods since it can turn teeth yellow and cause undesired gastrointestinal problems. Depending on how dry the skin is, either a creme with an antibiotic such as azelaic acid is prescribed or a topical gel with metronidazole.
Herbal-based Rosacea Treatments
Because rosacea is a chronic condition, many rosacea sufferers worry about the long-term side effects of their rosacea treatment. While all rosacea medications on the market today have been thoroughly tested in clinical trials for effectiveness and safety, not enough data is available about the long-term health effects of chronically using such medications. For example, metronidazole has been reported to cause cancer in rats. For these reasons, many rosacea sufferers ultimately start looking for alternative treatments.
Natural rosacea treatments have been available for at least 10 years now. Many of those treatments consists of a blend of herbal extracts, which are aimed at reducing the severity of the inflammation and often contain herbs that act as a natural anti-histamine. A good natural rosacea treatment should also have a calming effect on the skin and can often reduce the facial flushing by reducing the widening of the small blood vessels just underneath the skin.
Preservatives are an important point to consider when choosing a rosacea treatment. Since you will be applying the treatment on a daily basis for many years, consider the safety of preservatives that are used in the rosacea product. Parabens for example, have been suggested to have a negative effect on our health due to the estrogen-like structure of parabens.
Even when you think you have chosen the best rosacea treatment for your type of skin, there is always the possibility that it will not give the expected results. People react differently to various treatments, in particular to natural treatments, so it may take some time of trial-and-error to find the right rosacea treatment.
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