“Unfortunately, rosacea sticks with you through life and cannot be cured,” says Dr. Shereene Idriss, a board-certified dermatologist and the founder of Idriss Dermatology in New York City. She notes the most important thing you can do is to understand your skin and learn how to manage the symptoms and minimize any flare-ups: “I cannot stress enough the importance and power of a consistent, targeted skin-care routine with over-the-counter products.”
Of course, prescriptions help too if your symptoms are in need of a more powerful treatment. Idriss and Shainhouse says the below categories are common prescriptions for rosacea, but consult with your own dermatologist first to see what’s the best option for you:
Topical anti-inflammatory creams can help to reduce inflammation, redness, and the development of new pimples. You’ll want products with azelaic acid, sulfur, or topical calcineurin inhibitors like pimecrolimus cream.
Topical antibiotics can help treat and prevent new acne lesions. You’ll want products like metronidazole and minocycline.
Oral antibiotics can help block the pro-inflammatory enzymes in the skin. You’ll want low-dose tetracyclines like doxycycline.
Topical anti-redness ingredients can help temporarily shrink the superficial blood vessels to reduce redness. You’ll want products like brimonidine and oxymetazoline.
