When 41-year-old Julie Golubovic of Florida was diagnosed with rosacea last year, her family went to great lengths to make sure she felt comfortable with her condition. On her first visit to her mother-in-law's house following the diagnosis, she was greeted by family members sporting a red circle painted on each cheek.

As far back as she can remember, Carole Storme's red nose was a fact of life, especially during the holidays and at family gatherings. Photos clearly documented the condition, but her doctor attributed it to her Irish heritage.

"Every time I would ask why my nose turns red, he would just laugh and say, 'It's because you're Irish,' " she explained.

Nat Dean, a 51-year-old artist, designer and writer from Santa Fe who was diagnosed with rosacea in her late 40s, was among the many rosacea sufferers who feel self-conscious about their appearance during outbreaks -- but not anymore.

Nat said her dermatologist diagnosed her condition when she began to develop a few small pustules on her cheeks, and he prescribed a topical medication that she continues to use to this day. She also applies a special face wash and a rotation of lotions to combat the dry New Mexico climate, in addition to avoiding her rosacea triggers.

Managing rosacea is a challenge for many people, but Sylvia Hasson has an added difficulty: Her treatment options are limited by multiple allergies, including an allergic reaction to oral antibiotics. Nevertheless, Sylvia, who was well into her 60s before she suffered her first rosacea flare-up, said she has been able to cope with the help of her dermatologist.

Success can be measured in so many different ways. For Rita Schauf, a 66-year-old California retiree who has suffered from rosacea for 20 years, success is going a week or two without a flare-up.

Rita is well aware of and studiously avoids her personal triggers -- including spicy foods, hot weather and hot showers -- but even her best efforts are frequently thwarted by an unexpected flare-up.

When nurse practitioner Margaret Bobonich was diagnosed with rosacea in her late 20s, she had no idea she would be on television. As a healthcare professional, she knew rosacea was a chronic condition that required long-term medical therapy along with lifestyle modifications.

"Through the years, I had my share of flare-ups and sometimes they would be severe," Bobonich said. "I just tried to maintain a healthy lifestyle, comply with prescribed therapy, reduce stress and participate in sports activities to keep fit."

After having signs of rosacea for 30 years and being told by doctors that she just blushed easily, Marge Proctor has finally been diagnosed with the disorder by a dermatologist.

"I thought my red face, bumps and pimples and burning and itching eyes were something I just had to learn to live with, until the Internet led me to the National Rosacea Society's Web site at rosacea.org," she said. "I subscribed to the newsletter and began to read and inform myself about this complex disorder."

Looking back, Susan Boyce remembers blushing easily as a child and not having any acne problems until well into her 20s, when she was diagnosed with "adult acne" and prescribed oral antibiotics to control it. "After seven years on the antibiotics, I became worried about long-term use and discontinued them," she said.

From the time she was 13 years old and tried a popular moisturizer on her face that brought "catastrophic red results," Cheryl Costello knew she had very sensitive skin.

Over the years, the redness on her face intensified. Next, blood vessels became noticeable and bumps (papules) began to appear.

"I had no idea what was happening, but I knew it was serious," she said. "I saw several doctors who thought it might be rosacea. One prescribed a topical ointment, which made my face worse, so I thought I just had to live with it."

Homai Baria of India felt quite alone when she was diagnosed with rosacea.

"In India, I have still not heard much about the term rosacea," Baria said. As a result, many people in her country don't understand her condition.

"My family, friends and colleagues at work would sometimes make unkind comments about what was happening to me," she said, referring to her red face and rosacea flareups. "I went to the point of avoiding going to parties and social gatherings. I would often cry when I was alone."