If you suspect you have rosacea (or any other skin problem), bring the problem to the attention of your general practitioner. Although a number of skin conditions can impact on the face including eczema, psoriasis, and shingles, rosacea is typically recognized and identified by the family doctor without a number of costly tests.
Most patients with or suspected of dealing with rosacea are referred to a skin specialist (dermatologist). Since the disease is long-term and chronic (though characterized by periods of remission with treatment and careful management), a strong working relationship should be maintained with an expert in the area of skin care.
After an initial consultation and treatment, most patients follow up with a few visits until the condition is under control. Once controlled, most medical care is on as as-needed basis. Some patients may need reevaluation periodically. Some may rarely ever need to seek intervention once on track with a diligent avoidance program in place.
Management of Rosacea
Though doctors do not know what causes rosacea and though no cure exists at the present, current treatments have proven to be fairly effective as far as keeping the condition in check.
Most patients presenting with active stage rosacea are given both oral steroids and topical creams for initial treatment. Low dose oral antibiotics (usually tetracycline) are prescribed to be taken daily along with and then followed by the use of topical antibiotics. In other words, patients take pills for a period of weeks along with using a lotion and then continue with lotion for a short period following the treatment or on an as-needed basis.
In most cases, the dual attack works but may take two months or more to bring about partial or total remission. Typically, the oral antibiotics are discontinued when solid improvement is noted, since some of the side effects of oral antibiotic use can be rather unpleasant (stomach upsets, photosensitivity, yeast infections). Given the low doses prescribed, most patients do not have problems with the side effects, and very few experience difficulties with the maintenance antibiotic creams. Creams too can be discontinued when the condition stabilizes or clears.
With a generation raised on antibiotics, concerns do exist with the prolonged use of condition-fighting medications in dealing with infections which can change over time and become resistant to current treatment combinations. As in other medical areas dealing with bodily infections, researchers look at and evaluate the effectiveness and continued usefulness of current antibiotic treatments. Facial infections related to rosacea continue to shift meaning that antibiotic treatments can (and have to some extent) become less effective over time. Overall, though, the classic treatment for rosacea has been working for most patients.