A New Drug For Rosacea - Is It Safe?
Rosacea is common but not well understood. It affects both sexes, but it’s nearly three times more common in females. It primarily affects people with fair skin, especially those of northern Europe heritage.
There are many subtypes of rosacea, and it’s not uncommon for the sufferer to be affected by more than one subtype. One of these types,called Phymatous rosacea causes the thickening of the skin and an enlargement of the nose.
Rosacea begins with redness and flushing of the skin, spreading across cheeks, nose and forehead. It can sometimes also affect the neck.
In time, other symptoms may appear, including dilation of the superficial blood vessels of the face, burning sensation, red and dry eyes.
In 2006 the FDA approved a new drug, called Oracea (marketed by CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals), to treat the papules and pustules commonly seen with this disorder.
The results appeared encouraging, with a mean 46% reduction of the lesions.
However, please remember that Oracea is a special formulation of the antibiotic doxycycline, which belongs to the family of tetracycline drugs. These drugs can cause fetal damage. Therefore any pregnant woman - or those contemplating pregnancy - should absolutely avoid Oracea and any other tetracycline drugs!
Oracea should be taken on an empty stomach, and not just before bedtime. Doing so may increase you risk of esophageal irritation.
Some patients complain of upset stomach after taking their Oracea dose. In this case, some practitioners advise taking it with a glass of milk. However, milk - and all other foods high in calcium - may decrease the effectiveness of the drug.
Also, the patient should wait at least two hours before taking medications that contain aluminum and/or magnesium because they will bind with the active ingredient in Oracea and decrease its absorption.
If you be interested to know that CollaGenex is presently conducting studies on the effects of Oracea on human sperm. The test results should be available in early 2010.
Patricia M Lalonde - Health care practitioner
Tags: acne, Oracea, rosacea, skin care