How do dermatologists diagnose rosacea?
To diagnose rosacea, a dermatologist examines the skin and eyes. Your dermatologist also will ask questions.
How do dermatologists treat rosacea?
To treat rosacea, a dermatologist first finds all of the patient’s signs and symptoms of rosacea. This is crucial because different signs and symptoms need different treatment.
Treatment for the skin includes:
- Medicine that is applied to the rosacea
- Sunscreen (Wearing it every day can help prevent flare-ups.)
- An emollient to help repair the skin
- Lasers and other light treatments
- Antibiotics (applied to the skin and pills)
Dermatologists can remove the thickening skin that appears on the nose and other parts of the face with:
- Lasers
- Dermabrasion (procedure that removes skin)
- Electrocautery (procedure that sends electric current into the skin to treat it)
When rosacea affects the eyes, a dermatologist may give you instructions for washing the eyelids several times a day and a prescription for eye medicine.
Outcome
There is no cure for rosacea. People often have rosacea for years.
In one study, researchers asked 48 people who had seen a dermatologist for rosacea about their rosacea. More than half (52%) had rosacea that came and went. These people had had rosacea for an average of 13 years. The rest of the people (48%) had seen their rosacea clear. People who saw their rosacea clear had rosacea for an average of 9 years.
Some people have rosacea flare-ups for life. Treatment can prevent the rosacea from getting worse. Treatment also can reduce the acne-like breakouts, redness, and the number of flare-ups.
To get the best results, people with rosacea also should learn what triggers their rosacea, try to avoid these triggers, and follow a rosacea skin-care plan.
Learn more about rosacea: