There are many treatment choices for rosacea depending on the severity and extent of symptoms. Available medical treatments include antibacterial washes, topical creams, antibiotic pills, lasers, pulsed-light therapies, photodynamic therapy, and isotretinoin.

With the proper treatment, rosacea symptoms and signs can be fairly well controlled. Popular methods of treatment include topical (skin) medications applied by the patient once or twice a day. Topical antibiotic medication such asmetronidazole (Metrogel) applied one to two times a day after cleansing may significantly improve rosacea. Azelaic acid (Finacea gel 15%) is another effective treatment for patients with rosacea. Both metronidazole and azelaic acid work to control the redness and bumps in rosacea.

Some patients elect combination therapies and notice an improvement by alternating metronidazole and azelaic acid: using one in the morning and one at night. Sodium sulfacetamide (Klaronlotion) is also known to help reduce inflammation. Other topical antibiotic creams include erythromycin andclindamycin (Cleocin). Topical ivermectincream (Soolantra Cream, 1%) is also available.

Recently, a new topical prescription gel has become available designed to relieve the redness so characteristic of rosacea.Brimonidine gel (Mirvaso) applied once a day can produce a prolonged period of blanching of previously red skin in rosacea patients