Low-dose Oral Isotretinoin and Topical Tretinoin Effective for Rosacea

The general consensus among dermatologists is that topical metronidazole and oral tetracycline are the two most effective treatments for rosacea. In an effort to find alternative therapies, Albert Kligman and co-workers studied the effects of both topical tretinoin and oral isotretinoin on patients with rosacea. Prior studies have shown that 1 mg/kg/day of isotretinoin is effective for rosacea, but this treatment is not standardly used because of the potential for long-term complications. Topical tretinoin has been avoided in the treatment of rosacea because of concerns that it may cause flaring of patients' already sensitive skin. For these reasons, this study of 22 patients with severe or recalcitrant rosacea used low doses of the two dru…