Rosacea is a skin condition that is characterized by a rush of blood to the facial area, so a person would seem to be blushing. In some cases, it is accompanied by visible blood vessels and sometimes even small, pus-filled bumps on the face. It is often mistaken for natural ruddiness or for a case of acne, and thus goes untreated. Any symptoms that appear can remain in place for several weeks or several months, after which they may subside for a period of time before returning. Rosacea can affect people of all ages, but for some reason is more prevalent among middle-aged white females.

There is no known cure for rosacea, but it can be effectively managed by various forms of treatment. Unfortunately, every case of rosacea is different, and that means a treatment may be effective for one person, but it could be totally ineffective for someone else. Doctors will be forced to try a variety of treatment options before finally discovering the one which is most effective for their patient. In this article, we'll discuss some of the most popular treatments for rosacea, and if you're currently suffering from the disease, one of these is likely to be the best rosacea treatment for you.

Medications

A number of relatively new medications for treating rosacea have been developed in recent years. If your doctor prescribes medications for you, the ones chosen will be on the basis of the symptoms you are exhibiting. In some cases, a combination of medications may be prescribed as giving the best chance for managing those symptoms effectively. Here are some of the most useful medications in fighting rosacea:

• oral acne drugs -  these are recommended for severe cases of rosacea that don't respond to other forms of treatment. Isotretinoin is the active ingredient in several acne medications that can provide powerful relief for the acne-like lesions that can form during rosacea. Women who are expecting should not take this drug though, since it is known to be associated with birth defects.

• oral antibiotics - a person experiencing moderate to severe rosacea, including pimples and other bumps, may be helped by taking oral antibiotics like doxycycline. 

• topical drugs - topical drugs can be applied to the facial area to relieve the symptoms of rosacea, especially the flushed look. These topicals work by constricting blood flow to the vessels throughout the facial area. The medication takes effect within 12 hours, but it's also a temporary kind of relief that requires re-application periodically. Brimonidine and oxymetazoline are especially good at reducing the flushed look. For eliminating pimples and bumps, other topicals like azelaic acid, metronidazole, and ivermectin are especially adept at managing this. These topicals will take longer before they start to show results, but the results will last longer than those which treated simple flushing.

Laser therapy

Laser therapy has the ability to reduce the size of enlarged blood vessels, thus lessening one of the symptoms of rosacea. However, laser therapy operates by targeting veins that are highly visible, so any patient who has dark skin, either from tanning or from their ethnic heritage, will probably not be a good candidate for the procedure. There's also the possibility that there might be some bruising or swelling that lasts several days after laser treatment, although most patients experience only minor side effects from treatment. When this occurs, it's usually necessary to treat the affected area with ice, to encourage the swelling to subside.

It generally requires several weeks to pass before results are noticeable, and it's often necessary to repeat treatments several times in order to manage recurring outbursts of flushing. While this is a fairly effective form of treatment, it's also considered by most insurance carriers to be a cosmetic treatment, and therefore not a medical treatment that would be covered under insurance. Also, if the patient has other symptoms besides the flushing, for instance pimples or lesions, the laser therapy will not be as effective in treating those.

Home remedies

There are a number of lifestyle changes a patient can make when troubled with rosacea that will reduce the severity of the symptoms, and make them more manageable. Some of these are just good self practices, while others involve incorporating various home remedies into your routine to lessen the symptoms.

• some kinds of makeup - applying makeup to the flushed area of your face can completely cover up the increased blood flow to the face, and can make the facial area look quite normal

• be kind to your skin - avoid excessive rubbing, scratching, or touching of the facial area, since this will only exacerbate the problem. Even soap can be harsh on your skin, so you should use a non-soap cleaning agent twice a day, and keep your skin moisturized so it doesn't dry out. Any products you use for facial treatment should be free of fragrances or other additives like alcohol, menthol, or camphor. These will irritate the skin and cause it to become redder than normal.

• identify outbreak triggers - take note of those triggers that seem to cause an outbreak on your face, and avoid them. This may require keeping a notebook over a period of time, so you can compare notes over an extended period. If you're able to identify those things which trigger an episode of flushing, pimples, or lesions, you can simply avoid those triggers and stay closer to normal.

• protect your face - your facial skin can be damaged by prolonged exposure to the sun, so whenever you're outdoors, you should take steps to protect your skin from damaging sun rays. The best product to use is a broad-spectrum sunscreen that blocks both Ultraviolet A and Ultraviolet B rays, and it should be at least SPF 30. If you also apply some kind of topical medication, the sunscreen should be applied over the top of that. It is advisable to also wear a hat for protection, and to avoid going out in the hottest part of the day. Your facial skin also needs protection in the wintertime, from cold, windy conditions that can severely dry out your facial skin. Wearing a scarf or ski mask will go a long way toward providing the kind of protection you need from winter weather conditions.

Technology that can help improve rosacea

Skin Science Solutions is the North American distributor for a number of high-tech products marketed by Pagani that can all have a highly positive impact on the treatment of rosacea. Three of the most prominent products in this class are described below. After reading about them, you may want to contact your doctor and ask about outlets that have this technology and offer it to the public.

STAR Face - this product was specifically designed to rejuvenate the skin in the area of the face and neck, and that's why it can be so effective in treating rosacea symptoms. One of the first effects of the STAR Face device is that it will reduce any swelling in the facial area, and this can cause the flushed look to subside. It also triggers the influx of more oxygen and nutrients to the facial area, which has the effect of rejuvenating the skin there. Collagen and elastin production is increased in the target area, and this also causes new skin cells to be developed and to rise to the surface. This device is so effective at producing results that they can generally be observed by the naked eye even after a single treatment. It is sometimes necessary for follow-up treatments, but for immediate help this is an especially good choice.

CRYO STAR 5.0 - this system makes use of the scientific principle of thermal shock to introduce change for the better to the facial area. Not only does it firm up and tighten loose skin, CRYO STAR 5.0 also stimulates the production of more elastin and collagen, thereby introducing fresh skin cells to replace worn-out or damaged cells. This is what provides a fresher, more youthful look to patients, and it's a great strategy for replacing troubled facial tissue with undamaged, newer skin cells. The CRYO STAR employs cold to reduce capillary size. Results are quickly apparent, even after a single session of treatment.

CRYO STAR 6.0 - this is a newer version of the previous device, and it comes with a 32 mm wand that can be passed over the skin of the facial area. CRYO STAR 6.0 retains all the same curative properties of the CRYO STAR 5.0 device, but includes several more features that can be advantageously put to use treating rosacea. Any one or all of these devices may be used at a clinic near you, so it will be necessary to consult with your family doctor to find out if there is a clinic in the area that offers these treatments. Each of these devices represents the fastest treatment program you might encounter, and they will often deliver the longest-lasting results as well.