600125 A method of treating or preventing acute erythema in a human in need thereof by topical administration of an effective amount of an alpha adrenergic receptor agonist or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is claimed. The alpha adrenergic agonist may be: Brimonidine, oxymetazoline, phenylephrine, methoxyamine, tetrahydrozaline, naphazoline, xylometazoline, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. The preferred alpha adrenergic receptor agonist is brimonidine (i.e. (5-Bromo-quinoxalin-6-yl)-(4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)-amine). A method of preventing secondary inflammation caused by acute erythema by topical administration of an effective amount of an alpha adrenergic receptor agonist or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is also claimed.
