Rozex (Metronidazole) 0.75% Gel

What is rosacea?

Rosacea is a skin condition that causes redness, visible blood vessels in your face, and small, red, pus-filled bumps. They usually appear across the nose and cheeks. It’s a long-term condition that’s more common in women than men, particularly those with lighter skin tones. The underlying cause is unknown; however, triggers include alcohol, spicy food, hot drinks and exposure to sunlight.

Do I have rosacea or acne?

Rosacea is commonly confused with acne, as the two conditions can look similar due to the appearance of raised and bumpy skin; however, they do have different symptoms. Rosacea tends to only affect the centre of the face, whereas acne can appear on the face, neck, back and other areas of the body. Additionally, acne is a result of hormonal changes in the body, which is why it tends to affect teenagers (although adult acne can occur), while rosacea is more common among those over 30 years of age.

Read more in our Acne or Mild Rosacea guide.

How does Rozex Cream/Gel work?

Rozex Cream/Gel works quickly to treat rosacea, a chronic condition caused by inflammation. Rosacea usually occurs on the cheeks, nose, forehead, chin and eyelids. It can result in acne-like outbreaks or increased redness in these areas of the face. When you apply Rozex Gel or Cream, it treats the skin infections that cause or worsen skin irritation, bringing down the inflammation and redness.

Once you start using Rozex, it will usually take two to three months for the skin to become clear from spots. Even if you’re not seeing results after several weeks, it is recommended that you finish the prescribed treatment. Treatment with Rozex Cream/Gel doesn’t normally go on longer than four months (your doctor will inform you if there's a good reason to use it for longer than that). Read our full guide on how long Rozex takes to work for a better understanding of what to expect.

Metronidazole — a powerful antibiotic

Rozex works because of metronidazole, its active ingredient. Metronidazole belongs to a group of medicines called nitroimidazole antibiotics. It is used to treat infections caused by bacteria and other microorganisms called protozoa. It eliminates them by damaging their DNA, leaving them unable to multiply.

How to apply Rozex Cream/Gel

To apply Rozex Cream/Gel, simply follow these steps:

• First, wash and dry the affected areas of your skin.
• Apply a thin layer of the gel to all the affected areas. Rub the gel in well.
• Always replace the cap and wash your hands after use.
• Rozex Cream/Gel should be used in this way twice a day, morning and evening.

If used for three to four months, Rozex Cream/Gel should help clear up your rosacea (Rozex Cream/Gel should be used for a minimum of three months to see the full effect). If your rosacea has not fully cleared up after three or four months, you might want to undergo another three to four-month course of treatment. See what your doctor recommends.

Applying Rozex Cream/Gelwhen pregnant or breastfeeding

Metronidazole, the active ingredient in Rozex, enters the bloodstream in low amounts after being applied, and it’s unknown how that might affect a pregnancy or a breastfed baby. Unless your GP says otherwise, do not use Rozex while pregnant or breastfeeding.

Rozex ingredients

Rozex contains 0.75% w/w of the active substance Metronidazole which is mainly used to treat the symptoms of rosacea. Because of its potency, it is classified as a prescription-only medicine, and every 40g tube of gel (cream comes in a tube of 50g) comes with a comprehensive Patient Information Leaflet.

The other ingredients are as follows:

• Carbomer 940
• Disodium Edetate
• Methyl Parahydroxybenzoate
• Propyl Parahydroxybenzoate
• Propylene Glycol
• Sodium Hydroxide
• Purified Water

Be sure to speak to a doctor or pharmacist before and during your Rozex treatment.

Rozex side effects

Like all medicines, Rozex can cause side effects, which are most likely to occur at the start of treatment. Most side effects last for less than a week and are mild.

Common side effects of Rozex Gel can include:

• Dry skin
• Redness of the skin (erythema)
• Itching of the skin (pruritus)
• Skin discomfort (burning, pain, stinging)
• Skin irritation
• Worsening of rosacea

If you experience side effects when using Rozex Cream/Gel, you can try decreasing the frequency of application to once daily for a week or so, then build back up to twice daily if the side effects have abated. For further information on Rozex Cream/Gel and its side effects, see the Patient Information Leaflet contained within your medicine, or consult our medical team.

Rozex warnings

Do not use Rozex if you are allergic to metronidazole or any of the other listed ingredients. An allergic reaction to Rozex may produce a rash or itching. Do not use Rozex while pregnant or breastfeeding unless a doctor says it’s essential.

Before using Rozex, talk to a doctor or pharmacist, and take the following precautions:

• Avoid contact with the eyes. If you get Rozex Cream/Gel in your eyes, rinse thoroughly with large amounts of warm water or eye wash until it’s completely gone from the area.
• If you suffer from any blood disorders, be sure to get confirmation from your doctor that Rozex is safe for you before you use it.
• Do not use Rozex to treat children.
• Avoid strong sunlight (including sunbathing) and exposure to ultraviolet light (eg. solariums, sun lamps) while you are using Rozex.
• Once your rosacea has fully cleared up, stop your course of treatment.

If you are taking, have recently taken, or intend to take any other medicines in the near future, inform your doctor before using Rozex. It could interfere with certain other drugs used to reduce blood clotting (anticoagulants) such as warfarin and dicoumarin.

Because metronidazole can react with alcohol (and contains cetostearyl alcohol), it is advised that you avoid alcohol while using Rozex Cream/Gel.

Rozex 0.75% Cream/Gel Patient Information Leaflet:

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.924.pdf

Alternative medical treatments for rosacea

Rozex is a great choice for treating mild to moderate skin eruptions and inflammation in rosacea sufferers. It is used twice a day and needs to be used continuously for several weeks for an improvement to be seen. Side effects are moderate, as it is applied locally and little is absorbed into the bloodstream. Metrogel is an alternative to Rozex that also contains metronidazole.

Mirvaso Gel is specifically used to reduce the skin redness that occurs in rosacea. You can apply it once per day, and it will work to reduce redness for as long as you need it. The main side effect of Mirvaso Gel is worsened redness at the start of treatment.

For more serious flare-ups, Finacea Gel can be used — with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, it treats rosacea very effectively (it contains azelaic acid, which is also believed to be beneficial for the skin in many other ways).

A relatively new rosacea application that many people are finding success with is Soolantra, which contains the active ingredient ivermectin. Both anti-inflammatory and anti-parasitic, it attacks the human skin parasites commonly linked with rosacea — as such, it may prove effective in cases where Rozex has no success.

Erythromycin is an oral antibiotic used to treat the same symptoms as Finacea and Rozex, but it is only considered when rosacea is very severe or unresponsive to creams and gels. It takes 4 to 6 weeks of treatment for Erythromycin to show results, and it cannot be taken with any foods or medicines that contain metal ions (anything containing calcium or large quantities of iron or calcium will combine with Erythromycin and prevent it from being absorbed). Erythromycin should be taken in courses of 6 to 12 weeks.

Home remedies for rosacea

Although rosacea treatments are very effective, you can also calm your rosacea symptoms through lifestyle changes. Rosacea is a long-term condition, so knowing your triggers will allow you to reduce rosacea symptoms in other ways.

Here are the common triggers for rosacea and what you can do to minimise flare-ups:

• Exposure to hot or cold temperatures: In hot temperatures, wear a hat or stay in the shade to minimise exposure. In cold weather, it’s a good idea to cover up with a scarf.

• Alcohol, spicy foods and hot drinks: It’s not uncommon for some people to become flushed when they have particular foods or drink alcohol; if you have rosacea, it can exacerbate your symptoms.

• Sunlight exposure: Sunlight can cause uncontrollable flushing and redness on rosacea-prone skin. Wear a high factor sun cream to protect your skin.

• Stress: Psychological factors, such as stress and anxiety, may even aggravate flushing in rosacea — so managing stress properly is key.