New online surveys of the general population, developed with the National Rosacea Society, point to a need for greater education about this often life-disruptive disorder.

In a survey of 500 people who had not been diagnosed with rosacea, more than 30 percent did not know what rosacea was, and only 14 percent said they were familiar or very familiar with its symptoms. However, when asked how important the appearance of their skin was to them, 87 percent said it was important or very important.

A simultaneous poll of people who said they had rosacea underscored the importance of physical appearance and how much of an emotional burden rosacea can be. Forty-two percent of the 508 respondents reported feeling sad or depressed about the appearance of their skin. In addition, rosacea was second only to weight gain as their top age-related physical concern, beating out other appearance-related worries such as wrinkles, thinning hair and cellulite.