Rosacea

NICE CKS Rosacea. Last revised: Dec 2024.

Guidelines

  • Avoid trigger factors if possible (e.g. smoking, alcohol, spicy food)
  • Sun protection with high-factor sunscreen

General skin care measures:
  • Regular use of non-oily emollients if skin is dry
  • Use gentle soap-free OTC cleansers
  • Cosmetics (yellow / green tinted) to camouflage skin erythema

Choice of drugs depends on the clinical phenotype and severity
 

1st line:  topical brimonidine 0.5% gel once daily or PRN
  • Advise that it only offer temporary relief of symptoms (may reduce erythema within 30 min, reaching peak action at 3-6 hours, but after erythema will return to baseline)

Mild to moderate:  topical ivermectin once daily for 8-12 weeks
  • Pregnancy: topical metronidazole / azelaic acid 

Moderate to severe (of if topical ivermectin not effective alone):  topical ivermectin + oral doxycycline 40mg once daily for 8-12 weeks
  • Pregnancy: topical metronidazole / azelaic acid + oral erythromycin

Consider oral doxycycline 40mg once daily for 6 weeks

References

Author: Adams Lau
Reviewer: 
Last edited: 15/07/25