A regimen and a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of rosacea are described. The regimen includes topically applying to the skin of a subject in need of such treatment a pharmaceutical composition comprising about 1% w/w to about 10% w/w benzoyl peroxide as an active ingredient, and the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or excipient, where the benzoyl peroxide is the only active ingredient in the pharmaceutical composition, and the pharmaceutical composition is a cream or an emulsion.