BARRINGTON, Ill., April 21 /PRNewswire/ — If you are like many men and women across America, you take care to maintain and improve your appearance. But of the 14 million Americans with rosacea, a chronic inflammatory skin disease often characterized by facial redness, bumps and pimple-like blemishes, many would make considerable sacrifices if it would mean getting rid of their condition. According to a new survey of approximately 500 rosacea sufferers and approximately 500 non-sufferers released today by the National Rosacea Society (NRS), 58 percent of respondents with rosacea said that they would be willing to modify their lifestyle by giving up shopping or eating out at restaurants for six months or longer, if it were possible to get rid of their rosacea forever.
The survey findings revealed that the impact of rosacea goes far deeper than physical effects: it impacts the emotional health of sufferers. Forty-two percent of respondents with rosacea felt sad or depressed about the appearance of their skin, and more than half (55 percent) said rosacea was one of their top three physical concerns as they age, second only to weight gain (in a list that included wrinkles, high cholesterol and thinning hair). Rosacea patients also take steps to hide their condition. Nearly one in six respondents made excuses and stayed home from work/social events to hide their rosacea.
“These survey results underscore the need for rosacea sufferers to get the treatment and care they need so that they can regain self-confidence and get back to enjoying life,” said Samuel Huff, executive director of the NRS. “April is Rosacea Awareness Month, so our goal is to raise awareness of the condition and encourage those who may have rosacea to see a dermatologist for a diagnosis and appropriate therapy.”

In addition to exposing the emotional and social impacts of rosacea, the survey results underscored the need for education among people with and without the condition. Nearly half of the respondents with rosacea reported they experienced symptoms for a year or more prior to receiving a diagnosis by a healthcare provider. In the general population without rosacea, more than a quarter of respondents did not know what rosacea was, despite its prevalence, and only 14 percent were familiar or very familiar with its symptoms.