Metrogel (metronidazole) is a topical antibiotic treatment for rosacea. I used it for quite a few years, and it worked for me.
At first I used it twice a day, but then they came out with a stronger once-daily product. I tried that, too, and it was fine. Some people say it makes their skin drier, but for me that wasn't a problem because I had really oily skin.
Some people are flat-out allergic to metronidazole, too, so be aware of that. And since it is an antibiotic, theoretically, it could contribute to antibiotic resistance since some is absorbed by the skin. How much, I don't know, but I put that out there for full disclosure, so to speak.
My dermatologist took me off of it when I was pregnant. My skin was amazing during pregnancy--no rosacea and no acne! Boy, was it so much faster to get ready in the morning when I didn’t have anything I had to cover with makeup! Those were good days.
The primary idea behind why they think metronidazole works is that it may kill the Demodex mites. If that were true, then once you kill them off, why does it come back? The real truth is that nobody understands why it works, which is true of a lot of drugs, honestly. If you have a prescription plan that covers it, you might give it a try. Many of the antibiotics are also anti-inflammatory, and perhaps that is the real reason metronidazole works.
When I used it, sometimes it stung after I applied it, but it didn’t continue to hurt. A friend of mine who used it really complained about the burning sensation when applying it. It wasn't that bad for me. It didn’t make my face peel or turn red either, which are also common complaints. All in all, it worked well for me. However, post-pregnancy, I didn't go back to it because I didn't seem to need it anymore.
The brand Metrogel is expensive, so here is a link to a coupon. There are generics now, which I didn't try because they weren't available when I was using it. I would recommend trying the generic to see if it works for you, and if it doesn't, then you could try the brand. I think that pretty much any treatment for rosacea is trial and error and what you can afford!