From: ICaryna Shuliak To: Karina Shuliak Subject: Rosacea treatment shifts focus I Dermatology Times Date: Wed, 07 Dec 2016 06:15:09 +0000 http://dermatologytimes.modemmedicine.comidermatology-times/newskosacea-treatment-shifts-focus?page=0,0 Rosacea treatment shifts focus Rosacea has always been challenging to treat, but continued research of late has forged a better understanding of the potential pathogeneses of the disease, with the common denominator appearing to be inflammation. Although more work needs to be done, this relatively new insight into rosacea has already opened the door for novel effective therapeutic approaches, bringing much needed relief to rosacea patients. Read: Rosacea's surprising genetic link Much has been learned over the past decade about rosacea, but perhaps one of the most important pieces of the rosacea puzzle is that it is now understood to be a chronic inflammatory disorder; as such, the focus of treatment options has slowly shifted towards the anti-inflammatory and away from the antibiotic approach. "We now know that rosacea is not an infectious disorder but a chronic inflammatory disorder, all of which leads to the concept that antibiotics are not the right way to go about treating it," says Hilary E. Baldwin, M.D., Department of Dermatology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York. Although antibiotics are effective in the treatment of rosacea, they work by being anti- inflammatory agents. When full dose antibiotic agents are used, Dr. Baldwin says that more harm is ultimately caused than good, including the potential development of antibiotic resistances. According to Dr. Baldwin, the tetracycline class of antibiotics frequently used in rosacea is, in fact, a very good anti-inflammatory drug and in order to maximize the anti- inflammatory effect, lower doses of the antibiotic should be used. EFTA00566667