Rosacea Review

Spring 2009

• FEATURE: National Rosacea Society Awards New Grants for Medical Research
• FEATURE: Essential Steps Help Keep Rosacea at Bay
• FEATURE: Rosacea Patients Cite Summer as Season for Most Aggravations
• Q & A: Answers to Readers' Questions
• TIPS: Handling Hurtful Comments
• READER SURVEY ON ROSACEA
• BRIEF: Family History, Sun Linked to Rosacea
• SUCCESS STORY: Patient Overcomes Five-Year Break in Medical Therapy

Family History, Sun Linked to Rosacea

Both a blistering sunburn and a family history of rosacea were associated with the presence of rosacea, according to study results presented by Dr. Alexa Boer Kimball, associate professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School, at the recent annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.¹

In the study, 65 individuals with rosacea and 65 healthy control subjects underwent a facial skin exam, completed a questionnaire, and were measured for height, weight and blood pressure. In general, Dr. Kimball said, the cases of rosacea were moderate to severe.

The researchers found that individuals with rosacea were three times more likely to have a family member with the disease, compared to the control subjects. In addition, rosacea patients had significantly higher rates of blistering sunburns than those without rosacea - 44 percent versus 5.2 percent.

The results show that it may be especially important for patients with rosacea to consistently protect against sun exposure and use a sunscreen with an SPF (skin protection factor) of 15 or higher.

Associated Reference

1. Kimball AB. Study finds family history, higher incidence of sunburns associated with rosacea. Findings presented at: 67th annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology, San Francisco, March 2009.