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Rosacea - Management
What self-care advice should I give about rosacea?
- Reassure the person about the benign nature of rosacea and that progression to severe disease, such as rhinophyma, is uncommon (especially in women).
- Recommend the frequent application of high-factor sunscreen (minimum sun-protection factor 30) to the face whenever the person is going to be exposed to sunlight. In addition:
- If flushing is problematic, advise the avoidance of trigger factors (where practical). Possible triggers include extremes of weather (in particular heat, and cold winds), sunlight, strenuous exercise, stressful situations, spicy food, alcohol, and hot drinks.
- If the skin is dry, advise the use of skin-care products as required (e.g. hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic emollient creams). The use of abrasive products or topical corticosteroids on the face should be avoided (even if they appear to help in the short term).
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