Rosacea Treatment for Aging Skin
Skin ConditionsRosacea

How Should Your Rosacea Treatment Change as You Age?

How Should Your Rosacea Treatment Change as You Age?
James Mutter/iStock; Everyday Health
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Published on April 30, 2026
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Rosacea is a chronic, progressive skin condition marked by facial inflammation and redness.

 It's commonly diagnosed between ages 30 and 50, and the skin-care strategies that helped you manage rosacea in earlier years may need a revision as your skin changes with age. Here’s what dermatologists recommend.

The Science of Aging and Rosacea

Rosacea symptoms — redness, spider veins, and lesions (inflamed bumps) — can be more severe for older adults.

 In part, that’s because skin becomes more sensitive and fragile with age. “We see more redness in rosacea with age because collagen and elastin decrease, allowing for blood vessels to become more visible,” says Adekemi Akingboye Harvey, MD, a dermatologist and clinical associate at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Columbia, Maryland.

Plus, your skin typically gets drier as you age, she says. While this is true whether you have rosacea or not, changing moisture levels can affect your skin’s sensitivity as well as your choice of skin care.

Then there’s the progression of rosacea itself. “Some features of rosacea can progressively worsen over time. For example, redness or broken blood vessels can become more severe and bothersome with age in people with rosacea,” says John Barbieri, MD, an associate professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School in Boston who specializes in treating inflammatory skin conditions. As skin barrier dysfunction increases with age, skin sensitivity in rosacea may also worsen, he says.

Rethinking Your Topical Regimen

Your rosacea treatment itself likely won’t change with age. “For 95 percent of patients, rosacea management is the same whether they’re 40 or 90,” says Dr. Barbieri. Rosacea is classified and treated based on which symptoms are dominant:
  • Persistent erythema (redness)
  • Phymatous changes (thickening or enlargement of the skin, most commonly on the nose)
  • Papules and pustules (lesions)
  • Telangiectasia (visible blood vessels)
  • Flushing
  • Ocular (eye) rosacea

Many people have a mix of these. “The most important thing is identifying what features of rosacea a person has and individualizing their treatment to help those features,” Barbieri says.

Beyond specific rosacea treatment, general skin care is also important.

Always use sunscreen. Sun exposure worsens rosacea.

 Barbieri recommends a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 50 or higher. Higher SPF helps compensate for the tendency to not use enough or reapply as often as we should, he says. Either mineral or chemical sunscreen is okay as long as you choose one that feels good on your skin.

Check your face cleanser. What you use to clean your skin matters. Choose soap-free cleansers that do not contain fragrance, says Dr. Harvey. These will be less drying and irritating, meaning less disruption to your skin barrier.

Reevaluate your moisturizer. Moisturizers help trap water in your skin and restore the lipids that your skin needs for a healthy barrier.

 “You want one that feels right on your skin,” says Barbieri. Look for those with a thicker texture and ingredients like dimethicone and ceramides, which can help protect and repair your skin barrier, he says.
Reconsider retinoids. Retinoids and retinols are vitamin A–based products that encourage cell turnover and collagen production, which brightens skin tone and helps lessen the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

 Downsides include a risk of irritation and greater sun sensitivity — something people with rosacea don’t need. Harvey typically recommends that her patients avoid retinoids. That said, it depends on the individual. Using retinols less often, such as once a week, and in the appropriate texture — a more moisturizing cream over gel — can reduce the risk of side effects, she says.

For some people with rosacea, especially those with oilier skin and more rosacea papules and pustules, a retinoid or retinol in a cream can often be well tolerated, says Barbieri. To better understand what choices might be good for you, he advises talking to a dermatologist who specializes in rosacea treatment.

An alternative ingredient for antiaging is azelaic acid. “I like azelaic acid for patients with rosacea, especially as an alternative antiaging treatment if you can’t tolerate a retinoid or retinol,” says Harvey. Azelaic acid decreases inflammation, is antibacterial, and has antioxidant properties.

Use a patch test before trying anything new. When you have sensitive skin, there’s a risk that new topical products could cause irritation. Barbieri recommends trying a small amount of a new product on your forearm for a few days to see how your skin reacts.

The Role of Lasers and Light Therapy

Laser and light-based therapies can be helpful for symptoms of redness and visible blood vessels, says Barbieri. In one study, people with vascular rosacea (redness and visible blood vessels) received up to four intense pulsed light sessions. All of them had at least 50 percent visible rosacea clearance in treated areas, and most had at least 75 percent clearance.

 Light therapy targets blood vessels just under the skin to destroy these vessels, reduce redness, and stimulate collagen production. Laser treatments may be used to reduce redness, as well as skin thickening.

Light and laser therapies are typically used only if medication and general skin care aren’t effective. “I usually don’t start with a conversation about these procedures since most people are looking for a daily treatment that can improve their rosacea in a more practical, cost-effective way,” says Harvey.

Lifestyle Adjustments for the Long Haul

The most important lifestyle adjustment for people with rosacea, no matter your age, is decreasing sun exposure, says Harvey. “How you behave in the sun is a huge factor in rosacea management,” she says. Wear sunscreen when you go outside and reapply every two hours and after swimming or sweating.

 She also recommends wearing a UPF protection hat: a wide-brimmed hat that has built-in UV protection to shield your face.

In addition, Harvey recommends the following lifestyle adjustments to reduce the risk of rosacea flares:

  • Avoid alcohol. Alcohol triggers flares in the short term and can increase the severity of the disease in the long term.
  • Rethink food and drinks. Hot drinks, spicy foods, and caffeine can make you feel warm, possibly triggering a rosacea flare.
  • Manage stress. Stress is a part of life, but developing go-to stress management habits like taking walks, reading, and staying off social media can help reduce flares.
Finally, take menopause symptoms seriously. Many people in menopause find that symptoms like flushing worsen due to hot flashes.

 Decreasing the likelihood of having a hot flash with strategies like dressing in layers, using a portable fan, and lowering the temperature of your surroundings may help you manage rosacea.

Resources We Trust

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Rosacea. Harvard Health Publishing. September 17, 2024.
  2. Lee JJ et al. Rosacea in Older Adults and Pharmacologic Treatments. Drugs & Aging. April 23, 2024.
  3. Rosacea Treatment Algorithms. National Rosacea Society.
  4. Morgado-Carrasco D et al. Impact of Ultraviolet Radiation and Exposome on Rosacea: Key Role of Photoprotection in Optimizing Treatment. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. March 4, 2021.
  5. 7 Rosacea Skin Care Tips Dermatologists Recommend. American Academy of Dermatology Association. April 3, 2024.
  6. Retinoid or Retinol? American Academy of Dermatology Association. May 25, 2021.
  7. Sauer N et al. The Multiple Uses of Azelaic Acid in Dermatology: Mechanism of Action, Preparations, and Potential Therapeutic Applications. Advances in Dermatology and Allergology. January 8, 2024.
  8. Menashe S et al. Effective Treatment of Rosacea and Telangiectasias Using IPL. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology Association. July 30, 2025.
  9. Lasers and Lights: How Well Do They Treat Rosacea? American Academy of Dermatology Association.
  10. How to Apply Sunscreen. American Academy of Dermatology Association. August 15, 2025.
  11. Menopause. National Rosacea Society.
  12. Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? National Institute on Aging. September 30, 2021.
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Susan Bard, MD

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Susan Bard, MD, is a clinical instructor in the department of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medicine and an adjunct clinical instructor in the department of dermatology at Mount Sin...

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