Editor's Note: It’s important to note that findings of comorbidity studies like this one only suggest a potential association. To determine any cause and effect relationship, further study is required.

Several eye diseases, including the potentially blinding glaucoma, are now among the many serious systemic disorders that have been found to occur more often in individuals with rosacea, according to recent separate studies in Taiwan and South Korea.

Are they a cause or simply a coincidence? Demodex mites have long been a conundrum for rosacea patients. Unlike other environmental triggers, they are unavoidable, as they are normal inhabitants of facial skin, but they do exist in greater numbers on the skin of individuals with rosacea.^1,2

We try to explain scientific studies in plain, easy-to-understand language, but some terms may still need additional explanation.

While rosacea may make some patients want to tear their proverbial hair out, a recent small study discovered a potential association between the disorder and a form of progressive hair loss in women. 

Researchers have attempted to determine the global prevalence of this widespread disorder for the first time.

A recent NRS-supported study in twins has found a significant correlation between severity of rosacea and facial bacterial dysbiosis, potentially providing a basis for future research into what causes rosacea and how to treat it.

While avoidance of trigger factors, gentle cleansing and a variety of medical therapies are among today’s options for controlling ocular rosacea, continuing research on its pathophysiology is uncovering potential avenues for the development of important new advances in its treatment, according to Dr. Edward Wladis, associate professor and vice-chairman of ophthalmology at Albany Medical College, in a recent article in the medical journal Survey of Ophthalmology.¹

The National Rosacea Society (NRS) has awarded funding for three new studies, in addition to continuing support for three ongoing studies.

A recent study in the European Journal of Dermatology investigated the possible connection between rosacea and insulin resistance.

Researchers conducting a nationwide study in Denmark found that rosacea may be associated with increased risk of certain gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, but whether there is a cause-and-effect relationship is unknown.