Rosacea
Phenotype-based diagnosis (ROSCO and NRS), the acne, lupus and steroid traps, treatment matched to each feature from brimonidine to ivermectin, doxycycline and low-dose isotretinoin, and when ocular rosacea needs an ophthalmologist.
Tier 1Condition
Written with AI assistance and fact-checked against the sources below. For exam study, not clinical decisions. How notes are made
At a glance
- A chronic inflammatory disease of the central face: cheeks, nose, chin and forehead. Onset is usually after 30, and it is commonest in fair skin, though under-recognised in skin of colour.
- Diagnosis is clinical and now phenotype based (ROSCO 2019, NRS 2017). The old four subtypes overlapped too much to guide treatment.
- No comedones. That one sign separates it from acne.
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Sources
- Therapeutic Guidelines: Dermatology (rosacea)AU/NZTherapeutic Guidelines Limited (eTG complete), Version 5, 2022 (no newer edition found, November 2026)
- Schaller M et al. Recommendations for rosacea diagnosis, classification and management: update from the global ROSacea COnsensus 2019 panel. Br J Dermatol 2020;182:1269-76British Journal of Dermatology (ROSCO panel), 2019 panel, published 2020 (no later ROSCO update found, November 2026)
- Gallo RL et al. Standard classification and pathophysiology of rosacea: the 2017 update by the National Rosacea Society Expert Committee. J Am Acad Dermatol 2018;78:148-55National Rosacea Society, 2017 update
- Clanner-Engelshofen BM et al. S2k guideline: Rosacea. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges 2022;20:1147-65German Dermatological Society, 2022 (current S2k guideline)
- Taieb A et al. Superiority of ivermectin 1% cream over metronidazole 0.75% cream in treating inflammatory lesions of rosacea (ATTRACT). Br J Dermatol 2015;172:1103-10British Journal of Dermatology, 2015
- Taieb A et al. Maintenance of remission following successful treatment of papulopustular rosacea with ivermectin 1% cream vs. metronidazole 0.75% cream: 36-week extension of the ATTRACT randomized study. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2016;30:829-36Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2016
- Roaccutane (isotretinoin) Australian product informationAU/NZTherapeutic Goods Administration, 12 October 2026
- Last updated
- 14 November 2026
What changed
- 14 November 2026 Deploy to Cloudflare on push to main