A recent National Rosacea Society (NRS) survey found that 65% of rosacea sufferers were aware of the disease before their diagnosis. However, that percentage varied depending on how long ago diagnosis occurred. Of those diagnosed within the last five years, 76% had heard of rosacea before their diagnosis. In comparison, only 50% of respondents who were diagnosed more than 10 years ago had heard of the condition prior to diagnosis.

While public awareness of rosacea as a medical disorder has grown significantly in the past two decades, knowledge of its wide range of potential signs and symptoms continues to lag, according to a new patient survey conducted by the National Rosacea Society (NRS). Only 47 percent of the 1,459 survey respondents said they had never heard of rosacea prior to receiving their diagnosis, compared to a 1997 Gallup poll that showed 78 percent of Americans had no knowledge of rosacea.

For many individuals with rosacea, every social occasion can feel like a minefield no matter how mild their condition, according to a new survey by the National Rosacea Society (NRS).  April was designated as Rosacea Awareness Month by the NRS to alert the public to the early warning signs of this chronic and conspicuous facial disorder now estimated to affect more than 16 million Americans.

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.

While rosacea has grown increasingly common as the baby boom generation enters the most susceptible ages, mounting evidence has shown that this conspicuous red-faced disorder may be more devastating and prevalent than widely believed. The National Rosacea Society (NRS) designated April as Rosacea Awareness Month to alert the public to this chronic and often embarrassing condition now estimated to affect well over 14 million Americans.

You may have heard them before: hushed whispers or suspicious comments about your appearance. Because rosacea is often misunderstood, here are some tips to keep handy for those uncomfortable moments when you just need to get the truth out about rosacea.

During Rosacea Awareness Month in April, the National Rosacea Society alerted the public to the warning signs of this chronic disorder affecting 14 million Americans, and encouraged individuals to seek medical help before it increasingly disrupts their lives.

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."

At some point, many rosacea patients may be confronted with tactless queries or unspoken suspicions about their facial appearance. Whether it is a blunt question such as "What's wrong with your face?" or simply a puzzled stare, rosacea sufferers can handle these situations constructively without undermining their self-confidence or self-esteem by using them as opportunities to educate others about the disorder.

A recent Gallup survey found that 78 percent of Americans have no knowledge of rosacea, even though it has become increasingly widespread as the 76 million baby boomers enter their 30s, 40s and 50s -- the most dangerous years for first acquiring this chronic disorder.