Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Feb;17(2):47-51.

Topical 10% Tranexamic Acid with and without Microneedling in the Treatment of Erythematotelangiectatic Rosacea: A Split-face Comparative Study

Refaat R Mohamed  1 , Leila Gallab Mahmoud Mohamed  1 , Mofreh Mansour  1 , Mahmoud A Rageh  2
Affiliations

Topical 10% Tranexamic Acid with and without Microneedling in the Treatment of Erythematotelangiectatic Rosacea: A Split-face Comparative Study

Refaat R Mohamed et al. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2024 Feb.

Abstract

Objective: Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea (ETR) is recognized by flushing, persistent centrofacial erythema, and telangiectasia. Many lines of topical treatments have been used for ETR with variable outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of 10% topical tranexamic acid (TXA) with and without microneedling in treating ETR.

Methods: All patients received treatment on both sides of the face, the right side was treated with microneedling combined with 10% topical TXA, and the left side was treated with 10% topical TXA only. All patients received three sessions at two weeks intervals. The final evaluation was done three months after the last treatment session.

Results: The study included 45 females. Their age ranged between 20 and 48 years. The duration of the disease ranged from two months to five years. Both sides of the face showed improvement after treatment. There was a clinically and dermoscopic significant improvement in the side treated with microneedling + TXA compared to the side of the face treated with TXA alone.

Limitations: The small sample size and the lack of long-term follow-up.

Conclusion: This study showed that TXA is an effective and safe treatment modality for ETR. Microneedling can enhance the delivery of TXA and lead to better outcomes regarding erythema and telangiectasia.

Keywords: Rosacea; erythema; flushing; telangiectasia; tranexamic acid.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

DISCLOSURES.: The authors report no conflicts of interest relevant to the content of this article.

Figures

FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 1.
A 43-year-old female patient with ETR. (a, b) Clinical and dermoscopic images of the right side before treatment; (c, d) Clinical and dermoscopic images of the right side after treatment with TXA + microneedling; (e, f) Clinical and dermoscopic images of the left side before treatment; (g, h) Clinical and dermoscopic images of the left side after treatment with TXA alone.
FIGURE 2.
FIGURE 2.
A 38-year-old female patient with ETR. (a) Both sides of the face before treatment; (b) Both sides of the face after treatment; (c) Dermoscopy of the right side before treatment; (d) Dermoscopy of the right side after treatment with TXA + microneedling; (e) Dermoscopy of the left side before treatment; (f) Dermoscopy of the left side after treatment with TXA alone.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. van Zuuren EJ, Fedorowicz Z, Tan J et al. Interventions for rosacea based on the phenotype approach: an updated systematic review including GRADE assessments. Br J Dermatol. 2019;181(1):65–79. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Bageorgou F, Vasalou V, Tzanetakou V, Kontochristopoulos G. The new therapeutic choice of tranexamic acid solution in treatment of erythematotelangiectatic rosacea. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2019;18(2):563–567. - PubMed
    1. van Zuuren EJ, Arents BWM, van der Linden MMD et al. Rosacea: New Concepts in Classification and Treatment. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2021;22(4):457–465. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Tan J, Schöfer H, Araviiskaia E et al. Prevalence of rosacea in the general population of Germany and Russia - The RISE study. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2016;30(3):428–434. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Dessinioti C, Antoniou C. The "red face": Not always rosacea. Clin Dermatol. 2017;35(2):201–206. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources