While rosacea has grown increasingly common as the baby boom generation enters the most susceptible ages, mounting evidence has shown that this conspicuous red-faced disorder may be more devastating and prevalent than widely believed. The National Rosacea Society (NRS) has designated April as Rosacea Awareness Month to alert the public to this chronic and often embarrassing condition now estimated to affect well over 14 million Americans.

Although rosacea rarely appears in children, its potential occurrence should be considered during medical examinations because of the possible severity of ocular (eye) involvement, according to a report in the February 2008 issue of the Archives of Dermatology. Researchers Dr. Mélanie Chamaillard and colleagues at the National Reference Center for Rare Skin Disorders, Bordeaux, France, suggested that an ophthalmologic (eye) examination be carried out for all children with skin signs of rosacea.

As rosacea becomes more familiar to the public, the "frequently asked questions" about the condition have evolved. So, the National Rosacea Society has updated the FAQ page on rosacea.org with new questions, including:

Although surveys have found rosacea can inflict significant damage to quality of life and emotional well-being as it becomes increasingly severe, medical help is available to control or prevent its potentially devastating effects on facial appearance. The National Rosacea Society (NRS) has designated April as Rosacea Awareness Month to alert the public to the warning signs of this chronic and conspicuous disorder of the facial skin, now estimated to affect more than 14 million Americans.

The National Rosacea Society (NRS) announced that four new studies have been awarded funding as part of its research grants program to advance scientific knowledge of the potential causes and other key aspects of this chronic and potentially life-disruptive disorder that affects an estimated 14 million Americans.

A new booklet for patients, "Managing Rosacea," is now available to National Rosacea Society (NRS) members. The new publication gives tips on what to tell your doctor, describes management options for each subtype and provides guidance on lifestyle and personal care. Members may obtain a free copy -- via postal mail -- by emailing a request to the NRS at rosaceas@aol.com, or by calling 1-888-NO-BLUSH toll free.

Special care may be needed for rosacea patients with severe forms of ocular rosacea (eye symptoms), according to Dr. Sandra Cremers, instructor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School. As part of a National Rosacea Society (NRS) research grant, she recently developed a scoring system to identify severe cases of this rosacea subtype, which may affect half of all rosacea patients.

The incidence of rosacea may be higher than widely believed, according to a preliminary study presented at the recent rosacea research workshop, sponsored by the National Rosacea Society (NRS) during the annual Society for Investigative Dermatology meeting. In addition, an ongoing Irish study found similar prevalence rates of subtype 2 (papulopustular) rosacea in both indoor and outdoor workers.

New grants are available from the National Rosacea Society (NRS) in 2007 to support research into the potential causes and other key aspects of rosacea, a chronic and often life-disruptive disorder of the facial skin and eyes, now estimated to affect 14 million Americans. The awarding of five research grants totaling $125,000 was announced earlier this year.