Rosacea (Acne Rosacea): another topical treatment
- Rosacea is a common dermatological condition affecting 0,5 – 1 % of the population which represents over 15 million individuals in the United States
- It is sometimes classified in stages 1 (erythema and telangiectasia), 2 and 3 (rhinophyma).
- It is an important cause of distress and social withdrawal. Around 60% of individuals with stage 1 and 85% of those with stage 3 report an influence in social functioning – refusal of food and drinks is quite common (as these are triggers of flares).
- Treatment is symptomatic, not curative.
- Conventional treatments include topical antibiotics (metronidazole), topical azelaic acid, oral antibiotics (cyclines)…
- Recent studies introduce brimonidine tartrate:
- it is a vasoconstrictor with acts selectively on the alpha2 adrenergic receptor.
- it is used at a concentration of 0,5%.
- it is applied topically once a day.
- reduction of redness can already be seen after 30 minutes and studies ssuggest a maximum effect somewhere between 6 and 12 hours after.
- Another vasoconstrictor called oxymetazoline is also currently being investigated.
Contributors
Dr Christophe Hsu – dermatologist. Geneva, Switzerland
Source of information: 2013 (08) – Bowers J, Unlocking the mysteries of Rosacea – Dermatology World.
