Rosacea Treatment
Order a prescription for your pharmacy of choice for rosacea treatment.
Simply fill in a brief questionnaire. One of our doctors will review your order and prescribe a suitable treatment. How to Order
Rosacea is a skin condition which causes facial redness, flushing, visible blood vessels and spots. It is caused by the enlargement of the blood vessels on a person’s face.
Mirvaso is a medical treatment for rosacea. Applying Mirvaso gel reduces the symptoms of rosacea by narrowing the blood vessels. In order to be effective, the gel needs to be applied to the affected areas daily.
Order a prescription for Mirvaso online from ZAVA - our service is fast, confidential and discreet. When you place your order, you will fill in a brief medical questionnaire.
One of our doctors will check if the medication is suitable for you and issue your prescription to a local pharmacy in Ireland. Alternatively, you can choose to have your medication delivered directly to your door.
A consultation for Mirvaso prescription costs €21.50.
Rosacea Treatment
What are the different types of rosacea?
Rosacea is an inflammatory skin condition that affects around 2-10% of the population. This condition normally lasts throughout a person’s life and the severity of symptoms vary over time.
There are four different types of rosacea, each with slightly different symptoms. It is quite common for one person to have two or more types of rosacea at any one time.
The different types of rosacea and some common symptoms associated with them are outlined below.
Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea (ETR)
- Flushing
- Constant redness around the centre of the face
- Spider veins (larger veins that appear close to the surface of the skin, giving the impression of a spider web)
Papulopustular (acne) rosacea
- Constant redness around the centre of the face
- Papules (small red bumps on the skin)
- Pustules (small red bumps on the skin that are filled with pus)
Phymatous rosacea
- Thickening of the skin
- Irregular nodules (growths) on the skin
- If left untreated – may result in rhinophyma (a layer of thickened, irregular skin, mostly on the nose)
Ocular rosacea
- Inflammation of different parts of the eyelids
Over time, a person with rosacea may notice their symptoms vary while some may even find their rosacea changes from one subtype to another.
What causes rosacea symptoms?
The exact cause of rosacea is poorly understood. The most recent studies have found a person’s genes, immune system, and the makeup of their blood vessels determine if they develop rosacea. However, how exactly these factors result in a person having rosacea is still unknown.
Rosacea may be made worse by “triggers”, which are different from person to person. Some of the common ones are:
Environment: Hot baths, saunas, hot weather, cold weather, sunlight, wind.
Chemicals: Skin products, topical steroids, blood pressure medicines, some painkillers (like triptans).
Stress: Vigorous exercise, anxiety, sudden changes in emotions – such as feeling embarrassed.
Diet: Alcohol, spicy food, hot food, drinks.
Medical conditions: Menopause, chronic cough, caffeine withdrawal.
Unfortunately, while exercise is essential to a balanced lifestyle, it tends to make rosacea worse. There are some things that you can do to minimise the effect of exercise on rosacea. For instance, you can split one long workout into a few shorter segments.
Furthermore, you can avoid exercising outdoors in hot weather, using a fan when exercising indoors, and putting a cool cloth on your face immediately after a workout.
It might be helpful to know things that make your face flush often also make your rosacea worse. You can keep a diary to help you figure out which of the common triggers affect your rosacea.
Can you treat rosacea naturally or with your diet?
As rosacea symptoms can be triggered by certain lifestyle factors or foods, avoiding these triggers can help you manage your symptoms without medical treatment.
Some people use natural treatments to manage their rosacea symptoms, but these are not evidence-based treatments, so they may not work for everyone. They could also worsen the symptoms in some people.
You can make your own ointments for your face using the following ingredients:
- Green tea – soak a cloth in cooled green tea and apply it to your face to help with rosacea symptoms
- Honey – applying honey to your face and letting it sit for 20 to 30 minutes before washing off may soothe the skin and help retain moisture
- Aloe vera – applying aloe vera to your skin may help with its healing process, reducing irritation
- Cucumbers – placing cucumbers on the red areas of the face can have a cooling effect
There is a large community online made up of people going through similar experiences. For some, these online communities and forums make up a significant part of living with rosacea as they offer a supportive environment as well as some tips they have found effective to lessen their symptoms of rosacea.
Everyone’s condition and symptoms are different, however, so it is important to remember that what works for one person may not work as effectively for you. Some examples of these rosacea forums are:
Can I use makeup for the redness in my face caused by rosacea?
Yes, you can. Many people use foundations, tinted moisturisers, concealers, and green colour correctors to neutralise the redness on their face caused by rosacea. Some people also combine the use of treatment gels with makeup to reduce the appearance of redness and acne.
It is important to remember, however, that some skin products may increase irritation on your skin. Before using any new makeup or products, apply a small amount to a patch on your face and let it sit for 48 hours to see if any new redness or irritation occurs.
Mirvaso
Mirvaso needs to be applied daily to reduce the symptoms of rosacea. If you forget to apply the gel, your skin will show signs of rosacea again. A pea-sized amount of Mirvaso should be applied evenly across your face, covering your forehead, cheeks, chin and nose.
Mirvaso must not be used on eyes, lips or inside the nose. If it enters any of these areas, wash it off immediately using plenty of water. Wash your hands immediately after applying the gel. Make-up or other creams and cosmetic products should only be applied after the gel has been absorbed and dried.
Rozex
How it works
Reduces the appearance of acne by killing bacteria which causes acne.
Side effects
Side effects can include:
- redness of the skin (erythema)
- dry skin
- itching of the skin (pruritus)
- skin discomfort (burning, pain of skin / stinging)
- skin irritation
- worsening of rosacea
Who can use it
Tell your doctor before using Rozex if you’re taking other medicines, especially Antabuse, Lithium and blood thinners.
Skinoren
How it works
Reduces the appearance of rosacea through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms.
Side effects
Possible side effects include a burning or itching sensation on the skin where Skinoren is applied, as well as skin dryness or redness.
Dr Kathryn Basford is an IMC and GMC registered GP who works with our Irish team here at ZAVA. She graduated from the University of Manchester and completed her GP training at Whipps Cross Hospital in London.
Meet our doctorsLast reviewed: 08 Jan 2021