Health Conditions

What is on the horizon?

Even though no cure exists for rosacea, studies are being performed to find better treatments for the condition. For instance, drugs approved for other conditions are potential new drug treatments for rosacea. They include:

• A topical form of azithromycin, an antibiotic similar to erythromycin
• Permethrin, a drug commonly used to treat scabies and other skin conditions
• Adapalene, a topical retinoid currently approved to treat acne

Zinc sulfate is a mineral that may have antioxidant properties. Oral zinc sulfate has been found to be effective in managing several dermatological conditions, including acne, and is currently being studied to see if it is an effective treatment for rosacea.

Additionally, some researchers have noticed that many individuals with rosacea also have stomach ulcers and that rosacea symptoms may improve when ulcers are treated. This possible link between rosacea and the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, a cause of peptic ulcer disease, is under investigation.

A new laser therapy, Intense Pulse Light (IPL), is also beginning to be used for rosacea. Similar to Pulsed Dye Laser (PDL) treatments, IPL uses more wavelengths of intensified light. IPL is believed to focus better on the damaged blood vessels and eliminate more of them permanently. Possibly, less normal tissue may be damaged and less bruising, pain, and swelling may result. Therefore, treatments may be scheduled more often and fewer treatments may be needed. Studies are currently being performed to determine efficacy and safety of this new laser therapy.

Research is also in progress to learn more about what causes rosacea. One promising area of research centers on the endoglin gene. Early study results seem to show that a mutation in the endoglin gene may make an individual more likely to develop telangiectasia (widened or broken blood vessels under the skin) when the face is exposed to environmental factors that can contribute to rosacea. Although all the functions of endoglin are not yet understood, it is known to have a role in the development and maintenance of blood vessels.

Higher than usual amounts of another natural body chemical, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) may also be involved in rosacea. Researchers have found increased VEGF levels in skin that was exposed to ultraviolet light. Although the reasons for increased VEGF levels and their possible relationship to rosacea are not known, research into a potential link is ongoing.

Other researchers are investigating whether abnormal amounts of natural body chemicals may be associated with developing rosacea. For example, nitric oxide ? a chemical produced mainly in the linings of blood vessels ? may be overproduced in rosacea patients. Nitric oxide not only may promote inflammation, it also causes blood vessels to widen. Abnormal amounts of other natural substances, known as cathelicidins, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) may either cause rosacea or contribute to its development among individuals who are prone to get it. In addition, immune system malfunction may be associated with rosacea. All these theories are under study, but none has been proved, yet.