While the sunny days of summer may be associated with outdoor fun, new survey results show that it is also the time when people with rosacea must take the most precautions to prevent flare-ups of this unsightly, red-faced disorder now estimated to affect well over 14 million Americans. For many, the survey also found that even the cold days of winter can present special challenges.

As if today's economy were not stressful enough, growing millions of Americans now face the embarrassment of a mysterious red-faced disorder that can wreak havoc on their emotional, social and professional lives. April has been designated as Rosacea Awareness Month by the National Rosacea Society (NRS) to alert the public to the warning signs of this chronic but treatable facial disorder now estimated to affect well over 14 million Americans.

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.

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.

While the negative impact of rosacea on personal and professional life is increasingly recognized, new research continues to suggest that this often life-disruptive disorder may be far more common than is widely believed. The National Rosacea Society (NRS) has designated April as Rosacea Awareness Month to alert the public to the warning signs of this conspicuous, red-faced condition now estimated to affect well over 14 million Americans.

A new study funded by the National Rosacea Society provides further evidence that rosacea may be far more common than widely believed, and also assesses the potential significance of sun exposure.

The recently completed study, presented at the 2008 British Association of Dermatologists meeting by Dr. Maeve McAleer and colleagues at Mater Misericordiae University Hospital and the School of Public Health and Population Science, University College, Dublin, found that 14.4 percent of 1,000 subjects examined in Ireland had rosacea.

In an article [PDF] in Experimental Dermatology, Dr. Richard Gallo and colleagues at the University of California-San Diego reported that vitamin D3 may be a critical step in an inflammatory pathway that could be a therapy target against the bumps and pimples of rosacea.¹

In addition to complying with medical therapy, an important part of managing rosacea for many patients is to identify and avoid environmental and lifestyle factors that may trigger or aggravate their individual conditions.

Now you can make your voice heard with the simple click of a mouse. For the first time ever, the Reader Survey that long has been a staple of the Rosacea Review newsletter is available in an interactive format on rosacea.org.

The Spring 2008 Rosacea Review is now online at rosacea.org. This issue highlights the National Rosacea Society's efforts to increase visibility of the condition during Rosacea Awareness Month, including evidence of rosacea's impact and prevalence and news of a college student's project that raised both public awareness and funds for the NRS research grants program.