Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Feeling Red??? April is Rosacea Awareness Month

April is rosacea awareness month!  I usually don't buy into "insert problem" awareness month or awareness day, but since several new treatments have emerged recently for rosacea, we could all stand some updating and overall awareness.

If you have easy flushing and redness and don't have an underlying medical disorder, you may have rosacea.  Other symptoms can include pimples or enlargement of the nose or a dry, scratchy feeling and redness in the eyes.  Not everyone has all of these symptoms, and a fair number of people just have redness and easy flushing. 

The tried and true treatments (topical antibiotics, topical azelaic acid, and oral antibiotics) as well as avoidance of triggers such as hot and spicy foods or alcohol do help a fair number of patients.  If you are left still feeling red, there are two new options.  Mirvaso came out last year and is a topical vasoconstrictor that works for several hours, in other words, it can get you through the day so that you don't have redness while you are at work, at school, taking photos, giving a presentation, etc.  It does wear off at the end of the day, but people who are very red and embarrassed by their redness have benefitted by this, and it can be lifechanging for those individuals.  Another new topical just out is Soolantra.  It is a topical ivermectin which decreases some of the pimples and redness that rosacea causes.  There are tiny little mites that live on everyone's skin, the Demodex species of mite, and for some people, they are likely the trigger for inflammation in rosacea.  Eliminating the Demodex mite is showing really impressive results in terms of reduced redness and inflammation in the skin.

Lastly, we can do a series of photofacials/broadband light treatments to help decrease redness.  Topical antioxidants may also help and may be preventive if used on a daily basis.  As always, keep in mind that daily sun protection with an SPF containing zinc as an active ingredient is very important and should be used by every rosacea patient.  My favorite sunscreen for rosacea patients is Elta MD UV Clear. 

If you need any additional information the National Rosacea Society is a great source!  www.rosacea.org

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