Individuals suspecting that they have rosacea will need to be evaluated by a physician in order to have the diagnosis needed to decide on a treatment plan.

Treatment starts with identifying the triggers so that they can be avoided. Common triggers for those with rosacea are extreme weather changes, wind, hot drinks of tea or coffee, caffeinated drinks, strenuous exercise, spicy food, consuming alcohol, becoming emotional. Some topical products can irritate rosacea.

Individuals with rosacea are usually told to avoid using astringents, toners, products that contain menthols or camphor. It is advised to avoid waterproof cosmetics that require solvents in order to remove them from your face. It is important to look at labeling and to avoid any product that contains sodium lauryl sulfate.

One treatment that has been effective for rosacea has been nonablative laser. Laser treatments can remodel connective tissue and improve epidermal barrier. The cost can be a disadvantage and in most cases is not covered by insurance. Laser treatments usually require 1 to 3 treatments that are spaced 4 to 8 weeks apart. This regimen usually gives the best result.

The usual course of treatment is to treat symptoms with various methods until one works to reduce or relieve the symptoms. Treatment may include the following: artificial tears, lid hygiene, topical and oral anti-inflammatory medications and surgical intervention if other methods do not work.

Lid hygiene involves hot compresses that are applied to the affected eyelid to help liquefy thick gland secretions. diluted baby shampoo can be used to cleanse the eyelid or commercially prepared eyelid cleanses. The individual can also apply light pressure to the eyelids to express fluid.
Females should speak with their doctor is hot flashes associated with menopause may be a trigger so that options can be explored to assist with those.

Certain moisturizers, soaps, sunscreens and other topical products may also be recommended by your doctor to use on your face.

Anti-inflammatory topical antibiotics may be prescribed such as Metrocream, Metrogel, or Noritate.

To reduce redness and the swelling associated with rosacea, Azelex or Finacea may be prescribed.

Faster relief may be realized when oral antibiotics are used in conjunction with the topical treatment to hasten the recovery. After the initial treatment period the doctor may prescribe topical antibiotic medication to be used long-term such as doxycycline, erythromycin, minocycline or tetracycline.

If you have Ocular rosacea (eyelid) you will most likely be treated with oral antibiotics.

The length of treatment will depend on the type and severity of the symptoms you present with. The typical duration of treatment is approximately 1 to 2 months. To prevent reassurance of symptoms long-term medication treatment is generally recommended.

An important part of the treatment is what you do for yourself at home; it is called "self-care". Self-care are all of the measure you do to control rosacea including minimizing the triggers that cause your rosacea to appear.

Self-care measures:

Sunscreen worn faithfully of an SPF of 15 or higher

Wear a scarf or ski mask during the winter to protect your face from extreme cold

Avoid touching your facial skin which could cause irritation

Avoid any facial product that contains alcohol or other irritants

Apply facial moisturizer only after your topical medication has dried

Avoid overheating

Green or Yellow-tinted prefoundation creams and powders are designed to counter skin redness so apply before putting on makeup

Avoid consuming alcoholic beverages

Acupuncture is an interesting way to treat many different type of medical conditions. It has been used for thousands of years and many people believe that acupuncture is the only way to treat everything from menstrual cramps to back pain. In fact, there are people who advocate acupuncture as a viable treatment for rosacea. Does it work? Here is a closer look at acupuncture and its use for treating rosacea.

What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture has literally been around for ages. The ancient Chinese used acupuncture as a means to treat just about any ailment. It is believed that inserting the very small and thin needles into the body helps adjust the blood flow and thus results in healing. Acupuncture involves inserting and moving the needles into certain points on the body. It is said that this can then restore the feelings of well-being and health and can help fight disease. Not all acupuncture techniques are the same. Practitioners from Tibet, Korea, Japan and China all have different ways of practicing acupuncture. Whether or not it works is often a matter of opinion.

How does acupuncture work for rosacea?
Many acupuncture practioners believe that the right kind of acupuncture can help ease the symptoms of rosacea. It is said to help open the channels of the face, which will then ease the rosacea symptoms. Some practioners looking to ease the symptoms associated with this skin disease report using the heat method, where the needles are heated in a fire and directly inserted and then pulled out of the skin at once. According to some acunpucture practioners, this method does seem to alleviate mild forms of rosacea.

Finding an acupunture practitioner for rosacea:
If you suffer from rosacea and are interested in trying acupuncture, you can find someone in your area willing to treat your condition. Look for a practitioner that is certified in his or her field and will be willing to talk to you about your medical concerns. Most states have requirements for acupunture practitioners and you should make sure you find one that has the correct training and creditials. Also, you might want to talk to others that have used this person to get opinions. Word of mouth is always a great way to find someone who can help you. In addition, many people choose to go to a regular doctor before getting acupuncture. This is always a good idea because practitioners in the field of acupuncture are not doctors and while they can help you treat a condition, if you have underlying health problems, then this method may not be right for you.

Rosacea is a very common skin condition that is easily identified. If you have a mild form of this disease, you may very well find relief by using acupunture, especially if you have tried other treatment options with very little success. If you are open minded to natural and alternative healing options, then get online and find an acupunture practitioner near you. You may find the relief you are looking for.

Rosacea is a troublesome skin condition for many people. It is visible on the face, making it even more frustrating for the sufferer. There are varying degrees of rosacea, too. Some people have much worse conditions than others. In fact, researchers and doctors who deal with rosacea patients on a regular basis have come up with a grading system. This grading system gives patients and doctors a method for accurately describing and treating rosacea. This accepted grading system also allows for standard in which rosacea is assessed from doctor to doctor.

When a patient comes in to be assessed for rosacea, it is very common for health care providers to use a standard “score card” to assess the situation. They will look for signs and symptoms to make an accurate diagnosis. The grading of the symptoms and signs will include descriptions such as absent, mild, moderate and severe (or on a scale from zero to three, zero meaning absent of a certain symptom and three meaning the most severe). Doctors will look for flushing, dry appearance, and the presence of rosacea in the eyes, and burning and stinging.

Looking at Primary Features:
The first thing a doctor will look for when diagnosing rosacea are primary features, which include flushing of the face, a dry appearance (also called nontransient erythema) and pustules or papules. The doctor will rate each feature on the scale of 0 to 3 and will also ask the patient about the intensity and the frequency of the breakouts. He or she may also identify whether or not the flushing occurs during certain times. The severity of the pustules will also make a difference in the diagnosis.

A Look at Secondary Features:
Next, the doctor will look at secondary features. These are symptoms that not all patients with rosacea with have all the time. These include burning or stinging, plaque (or large spots of inflammation), dry appearance on the face, edema (swelling), manifestations of the rosacea in the eye (also called ocular manifestation), peripheral locations (such as spots on the neck, chest, ears or scalp) and changes in the shape and appearance of the nose. All of these symptoms are of interest to your doctor because it will give him or her a chance to understand your condition and how best to treat it.

After these assessments are made, the doctor will take a look at the different areas on the face and rate the severity. For example, some people may have problems on their cheeks and forehead and have no signs on their nose or eyes. Other may have severe problems in their eyes and other may experience disfigurement on the nose, which will require a more aggressive treatment. Some may have all of the above outbreaks at the same time.

Have a standard grading system for rosacea is very important to the doctor and patient both. This ensures that the doctor can give an accurate diagnosis of the condition and the patient can receive the right type of treatment.

Rosacea, a common skin disease, can be a devastating condition for many people. This condition affects about one-third of the face and leaves the sufferer with a red, acne-like rash on the forehead, cheeks and nose. It can leave a person feeling frustrated with treatment options, the recurrence rate and feeling embarrassed and self conscious. The good news is that there are treatments for rosacea and while the condition never really goes away completely, there are things you can do to help. Here is a closer look at rosacea.

What exactly is rosacea?
Rosacea is a common skin condition that affects more middle-aged adults than anyone else. It most commonly strikes people who are fair skinned and is more frequent in women than men. Men who do suffer from this problem find that their cases are often more severe than women. When rosacea strikes, it affects primarily the face. You can often see redness on the forehead, the nose and the chin. Often, the cheeks are also affected and can look similar to sunburn or an acne break out. During a breakout of rosacea, the tiny blood vessels in the face dilate and they become more visible on the face.

The exact causes of rosacea are unknown, but it is known that more middle-aged women than anyone else are affected. Those who blush easily are also affected by this condition. It is thought that certain triggers can cause rosacea. These triggers vary, but it is believed that emotions play a large role—stress, fear and even anxiety can trigger a rosacea episode. In addition, some doctors and researchers believe that mites that are often find the hair follicle may also relate to rosacea. Stomach bacteria may also be a cause, although there are no proven facts that support these claims.

When a person first experiences rosacea, they may mistake it for an acne break out. This is because the redness looks much like acne. This will lead people to treat it like acne, but this can actually exacerbate the problem. After the first breakout of rosacea, it is very common for the condition to appear for a time and then disappear for sometime. Many people will notice that their skin never really looks the same again and the color may be “off” or pimples could actually follow the rosacea. In fact, rosacea never really goes away. It can get better, but it will always be present and if it is left untreated, the patient will find that their condition worsens. That is why a good diagnosis is important.

Once you have been diagnosed with rosacea, you might want to consult a dermatologist for a treatment. You have many treatment options depending on the severity of your case. Your doctor will help you find the one that is right for you. Most of the time, a topical solution is given. A good moisturizer and lotions may help lessen the redness and irritation. A certain diet may also help during the worst breakouts.