Altering your lifestyle to reduce or eliminate rosacea tripwires helps effectively control rosacea, according to a survey of 1,221 sufferers conducted by the National Rosacea Society.

Forty-nine percent of the survey respondents reported they had made lifestyle changes to avoid or reduce rosacea flare-ups, and an additional 43 percent said they had modified their lifestyles somewhat for this purpose. Of those who said they had made lifestyle changes, 57 percent said they had reduced their flare-ups and an additional 38 percent said they had reduced their flare-ups somewhat. In contrast, of those who said they had changed their lifestyle somewhat, only 22.5 percent said this had reduced their symptoms and 67 percent said it reduced their symptoms somewhat.

Of those who believed they had identified the major lifestyle factors that cause flare-ups in their individual cases, 96 percent said avoiding these trigger factors had reduced their flare-ups. More than 90 percent of all respondents said they had adjusted to the lifestyle modifications they had made.

Eighty-two percent of the respondents said they avoided sun exposure to avoid rosacea flare-ups, and 57 percent said they avoided stress and hot weather respectively. Fifty-three percent had changed skin-care products, while 41 percent now avoid spicy foods and 40 percent limit alcoholic beverages.

Respondents also reported making lifestyle modifications for various other common rosacea tripwires, including hot baths (40%), hot drinks (30%), wind (29%), exercise (28%) and cold weather (28%). Among a very wide range of less common personal tripwires reported were chocolate (2.5%), citrus fruits (2%), medications (1.5%) and humidity (1%).

A rosacea diary checklist and a new booklet, "Coping with Rosacea," are available on this website and can be printed and used to help rosacea sufferers identify and avoid their individual tripwires, or a hard copy may be obtained by writing the National Rosacea Society at the address below or sending your name and address via e-mail: info@rosacea.org.