While rosacea today is well-recognized as a skin disorder affecting millions of people worldwide, it was not until the end of the past millennium that it came to be understood as a distinct disease, and only recently have advances in therapy allowed for its effective treatment.

Weather conditions are a substantial factor in aggravating symptoms in most rosacea sufferers, according to a new survey by the National Rosacea Society. Fortunately, protective measures are nearly always effective in reducing these effects.

In the recent survey of 683 rosacea sufferers on weather-related tripwires, 88 percent of rosacea sufferers in areas with severe weather said outdoor activities during cold periods worsened their rosacea, and nearly half of the respondents even in areas with mild weather said outdoor activity during the cooler months had caused flare-ups.

Rosacea can be a complex disorder with a diverse range of symptoms that can be triggered or aggravated by an even wider array of potential lifestyle and environmental factors. Because this is a chronic condition that is treated with prescription medications, periodic visits with your dermatologist are likely. Here are some ways you can make those visits especially worthwhile.

• Prepare for your visit. If you have concerns or questions about your rosacea, write them down and take them with you.

Despite its conspicuous nature, most Americans still do not know what rosacea is or what to do about it. April has been designated Rosacea Awareness Month by the National Rosacea Society to increase public awareness of rosacea and to spotlight the warning signs of this widespread but little-known condition.

Susan Stover thought she was going through another streak of bad luck with her complexion. Since the age of 12, she had battled periodic outbreaks of acne and pimples. Now, at the age of 37, she found herself again in the midst of a fight for clear skin.

Yet something was different this time. "I was bright red with pimples on my cheeks, nose and chin. I thought it might be due to my makeup," she said.

Most cases of rosacea can be controlled with oral and long-term topical antibiotics, combined with avoiding lifestyle and environmental factors that may aggravate the disorder in individual cases. In certain patients, however, dermatologists may prescribe additional medication to prevent flushing and reduce severe redness that may not be well-controlled by other means.¹

Q. I suffer from bumps or pimples that aggravate my lips. Is this caused by my rosacea?