Oral antibiotics

If oral antibiotics are prescribed, they are usually for a relatively prolonged course of around 6–12 weeks, the dose depending on disease severity. Metronidazole should be swallowed with water before or after a meal whereas the tetracyclines should be taken on an empty stomach to aid absorption.

Whilst the above treatments should be effective to some degree, none of them are curative. Once they have been discontinued, it is quite likely that the rosacea will recur.