What is rosacea?

Rosacea is a long term condition that affects the skin, mainly on the face. It is most common in women with lighter skin. The cause of rosacea is not known but it can be triggered by things such as spicy foods and alcohol. The main symptoms are redness or spots on the face and a stinging sensation, especially when applying skincare products. Some people may also experience thickening of the skin on their nose.

What are the symptoms of rosacea?

The most common symptom of rosacea is redness in the face, like blushing. This is usually across your cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead. Rosacea comes and goes but as symptoms get worse, your face may be red all the time. You may also get a stinging sensation when you wash your face or apply skincare products. 

Other symptoms can include:

• dry skin
• sore eyelids
• thickened skin after having rosacea for a long time, mainly on your nose
• red or sore eyes
• red bumps or acne
• visible blood vessels

What does rosacea look like?

Rosacea looks like your face is blushing and it often comes and goes. As rosacea gets worse, your skin might be red all the time. This is harder to see if you have darker skin. You may notice small broken blood vessels near the skin that do not go away. Acne rosacea can also cause spots and bumps, sometimes filled with pus. 

What does rosacea feel like?

Rosacea can cause burning or stinging on your face, which will get worse if you wash your face or apply certain skincare products. However, ome people with rosacea do not feel anything from it at all. If you have dry skin, your face may feel itchy and irritated. During a flare up, your skin might feel hot to touch. 

Does rosacea only affect the face?

Rosacea usually only affects the face. It is rare to have rosacea in other parts of your body.

How long does a rosacea flare up last?

Rosacea is different for everyone as are flare-ups and how long they last. Some people will get a rosacea flare up for a few hours, whilst others  may get a flare up for a few days. Medication can help lessen the time of your flare ups. 

What causes rosacea?

The actual cause of rosacea is not known but there may be certain lifestyle choices, medications, and health conditions that increase your chances of getting rosacea. For example, you’re more likely to get rosacea if you’re over the age of thirty and flare ups are more likely if you drink alcohol, but this can differ from person to person. 

What increases your risk of rosacea?

As it is not known what causes rosacea, it is hard to determine what may increase your risk of rosacea. One study found that genetics can increase your risk of rosacea by around 50%, whilst other lifestyle factors like smoking and alcohol consumption contributed to the risk of rosacea too. 

What can trigger a rosacea flare up?

A rosacea flare up happens when your rosacea symptoms suddenly get worse. This means your skin might go red and you may feel burning or stinging on your face. Some common triggers of a rosacea flare up include:

• hot drinks
• alcohol
• spicy food
• exercise
• weather

How is rosacea diagnosed?

If you think you have rosacea you should contact a doctor who can confirm the diagnosis and recommend treatment. It’s important to see a doctor if you have symptoms of rosacea to make sure they’re not being caused by a different condition. 

How is rosacea tested for?

If you think you have rosacea, make an appointment with your GP or use our photo diagnosis service. There is not a specific test for rosacea but your doctor may begin by ruling out other conditions. 

Make sure to keep a diary of your symptoms and any triggers, as this can help with a diagnosis. 

How do I know if I have rosacea?

If your symptoms are the same as rosacea, there’s a chance you might have it. However, there are other conditions that have similar symptoms, so you should always speak to a doctor to get a proper diagnosis.

How is rosacea treated?

The main treatment for rosacea is prescription treatment such as Mirvaso for reducing redness and Soolantra for reducing spots. You can also make lifestyle changes to limit flare ups, like avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and spicy foods. 

Can rosacea be treated?

Yes, rosacea can be treated once you have a diagnosis. Depending on what type of rosacea you have, this will determine what treatment is best for you. 

Can rosacea be cured?

There is currently no cure for rosacea but treatment can help manage symptoms and limit flare ups. 

How to treat rosacea on the face

Superdrug Online Doctor provides 3 treatments for rosacea. Soolantra, Mirvaso, and Metronidazole. Each of these treatments work in a different way to help with Rosacea. Your needs or symptoms will determine which a doctor decides will be most suitable for you to use

If you find these treatments do not help, you can be referred to a dermatologist.

About Soolantra

Soolantra is a prescription cream used to treat inflamed spots that can occur with rosacea. It contains the active ingredient ivermectin, which reduces inflammation and kills skin mites that can make rosacea worse. 

Soolantra has been found to improve acne rosacea in over 60% of patients when used daily for 12 weeks or more. 

About Mirvaso gel

Mirvaso gel is a prescription gel applied to the affected areas of the face. It contains the active ingredient brimonidine, which makes the blood vessels in the face smaller, reducing redness. 

Mirvaso gel is effective at reducing redness and lasts for around 12 hours, meaning it must be applied daily. It is best used in the morning, before applying other products like makeup. 

About Metronidazole

Metronidazole gel is an antibiotic treatment that helps to control inflammation and infection in the skin, and is effective in mild to moderate cases of rosacea. 

Rosacea does not respond quickly to this medicine, so you will want to carry on using it for as long as your doctor recommends, with results usually noticeable within 4 weeks of use.

Other treatments

There are other treatments suitable for rosacea that may not be available through your doctor. This includes intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment, which can help with redness and burst blood vessels. 

You can also find over the counter unperfumed moisturisers which can be used regularly if your skin is dry.

How to prevent rosacea

Preventing rosacea isn’t always possible as it can be genetic, but there are things you can do to reduce the risk of rosacea and flare ups. If you notice certain foods cause redness in your face, you should limit or avoid these foods. Some medications can also cause rosacea, so check the patient information leaflet included with your medication or speak to your doctor if you are worried. 

How to manage rosacea symptoms

If you get rosacea symptoms, you should speak to your doctor as they may want to prescribe treatment. Using a daily treatment like Mirvaso or Soolantra can help manage your symptoms and sometimes antibiotics are needed. You should also try to avoid any triggers that you know cause flare ups. If you become pregnant or are breastfeeding it’s important to discuss your Rosacea treatment with your doctor.

How to reduce rosacea

There are some things you can do to reduce rosacea including:

• managing stress
• using a high SPF sunscreen or moisturiser every day
• covering your face in cold weather
• using skincare products for sensitive skin
• avoiding triggers that cause flare ups, such as alcohol, hot drinks and spicy food

How to cover rosacea

You can cover rosacea with the help of skincare products, such as foundation or powder Concealer can be used to cover blood vessels, spots, and pimples. 

Sources

All About Rosacea (2021) National Rosacea Society (accessed 03 February 2022) 

Genetic vs Environmental Factors That Correlate With Rosacea: A Cohort-Based Survey of Twins (2015) PubMed (accessed 03 February 2022) 

Mirvaso 3mg/g Gel (2022) Medicines (accessed 14 February 2022)

Rosacea (2004) BAD (accessed 14 February 2022)

Rosacea (2014) DermNet NZ (accessed 14 February 2022)

Rosacea (2021) NICE (accessed 14 February 2022)

Rosacea (2020) NHS (accessed 03 February 2022) 

Soolantra (Ivermectin) 1% Cream: A Novel, Antibiotic-Free Agent Approved for the Treatment of Patients with Rosacea (2015) National Center for Biotechnology Information (accessed 03 February 2022)