Denise Balzo had always taken great pains to look her best. She exercised nearly every day and was blessed with a clear complexion. Then, two years ago the heartache began.

"It started after a death in my family," Balzo said. "I was under such tremendous stress, I started to break out."

Balzo developed a red area on her cheeks and across her nose. More alarming than the redness, though, was the severity of the bumps and pimples that appeared.

Rosacea sufferers may feel dismay when the conspicuous and embarrassing symptoms of a flare-up appear for the first time. But if they resist accepting that they have a medical disorder, sufferers may be turning what could be an easily managed situation into one of considerable psychological distress as their condition worsens.¹

Ocular rosacea may be more common than widely believed, according to Dr. Guy Webster, professor of dermatology at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, who spoke at the recent American Academy of Dermatology annual meeting in San Francisco.

Dr. Webster, whose practice is located near an eye hospital, said about half of his rosacea patients have eye symptoms. The ocular symptoms are often subtle, however, and many patients do not even know they have a problem. "It's only after being treated that they realize rosacea had affected their eyes," he said.

Some rosacea sufferers have reported that the physical effects of the disease have led to rude comments, stares or even jokes about their appearance. Here are some ways you can take control of these situations and feel good about yourself:

• Realize that most individuals are unaware of rosacea, so take into account that most reactions are simply caused by curiosity and ignorance of the disease, rather than some negative intent.

In a recent National Rosacea Society survey of more than 1,022 rosacea sufferers on compliance with medical therapy, 74 percent said their condition worsened if they failed to take their medication as directed by their physicians.

More than half of the respondents said a flare-up eventually occurred if they did not use medication as prescribed, and 28 percent said their symptoms became more severe. Only 4 percent said their symptoms stayed under control without proper use of medical therapy.

Q. Will laser surgery get rid of telangiectasias (spider veins or tiny visible blood vessels)?

A. Laser surgery using a pulse dye or other laser can be an effective way to treat telangiectasias on the legs. For many sufferers, laser treatment can provide long-term relief from these unwanted spider veins.

Unlike the lyrics in the Gershwin song, when it's "summertime" the living can be anything but easy for rosacea sufferers. Fortunately, while it's the season when rosacea tends to heat up just like the outdoors, most of these problems can be overcome with proper precautions.

In a National Rosacea Society survey of more than 700 rosacea patients, 71 percent said their condition was affected by changing seasons and 57 percent named summer as the time when their rosacea is at its worst.