Question:
This is my very first posting. Thank you in advance for your patience. I was recently diagnosed with Rosacea and know very little about it. I have just begun my homework. I do not have the typical "acne" - at least not yet. What I do have, though, is the constant ruddyness, spider veins on my cheeks, and the intermittent "flushing" - making me appear even redder. I also have (and I understand that this is not typical to Rosacea) extreme oiliness and enlarged pores (Lovely!) I am watching for possible dietary triggers (nothing I can do about temperature or stress!). I am currenly using metrocream, with no success. I am considering laser surgery which my Dr. says will remove the spider veins and overall redness - at least for a while. Is there anyone out there with similar symptoms? And what treatments (traditional or non) have you used that have been successful? Have you tried laser surgery? Did it work (especially for the overall redness) and for how long? And what about this possible connection to colon disorders? Any other groups/sources of info you can recommend? Any info would be most helpful.

Answer: Before this radical treatment, try all medical-based therapies. You've only begun on this search. Don't give up yet! Try tetracycline HCl, 500mg four times a day for eight weeks (large dose, I know, but I like to hit them hard), and see how it goes. If no luck, switch to oral metronidazole, 400mg three times a day for eight weeks. Laser surgery should be a near-last resort.