New Survey Reveals Negative First Impressions of People With Rosacea

The National Rosacea Society (NRS) and Galderma Laboratories developed a unique digital perception survey using contrasted images of women with signs of mild to moderate papular/pustular rosacea and images of women with clear skin. According to the NRS, the survey was taken by 1,511 people — 1,009 members of the general population and 502 women with rosacea. For the survey, these adults were asked to give their opinions of women based solely on photographs of their faces: half of the photographs featured the women with clear skin and half of the photographs were digitally enhanced to simulate rosacea symptoms on their faces. The survey found that based on first impressions of the images, when it comes to attributes such as confidence, attitude and intelligence, women with rosacea symptoms were consistently ranked differently than their clear-skinned counterparts. The results, which are part of the national educational campaign Rosacea SKINsights sponsored by Galderma Laboratories, also revealed the lengths that women with rosacea would go to if they could get rid of their rosacea forever, and highlighted the low awareness and complicated diagnosis path for this common condition. According to the NRS, on average, women with rosacea waited at least seven months before receiving a correct diagnosis, and only half of respondents had ever heard of the condition at the time of diagnosis, which shows a high level of misunderstanding and confusion surrounding rosacea. Survey Highlights According to the survey results, women with rosacea are more likely than women without the skin condition to be perceived by others among the general population as looking unhealthy (11% vs. 2%) and tired (43% vs. 32%). Survey respondents also formed personality judgments about women with pustular/papular rosacea, describing them as more likely to be insecure (33% vs. 13%) and shy (34% vs. 18%) than their counterparts. In contrast, women with clear skin were more commonly perceived as having positive social characteristics such as confidence (49% vs. 27%) and happiness (54% vs. 36%). The appearance of rosacea also influenced survey respondents’ perceptions of personal characteristics that could negatively impact how rosacea sufferers are viewed in the workplace. Compared to women with clear skin, women with rosacea symptoms were considered to be less intelligent (36% vs. 43%) and not as successful (18% vs. 32%). Women with rosacea symptoms were also perceived to be more stressed (40% vs. 23%) and more likely to have entry level positions (22% vs. 11%). The survey results also showed that Americans thought that women with rosacea were less lucky in love, including less likely to be in a relationship (64% vs. 81%) and less likely to go on weekend dates (14% vs. 22%). One in five women (19%) with rosacea surveyed would even rather have clear and smooth skin than an eternally fulfilling love life. The women with rosacea who participated in the survey judged rosacea as the negative focal point of their faces. In order to achieve clear skin, women with rosacea said they would be willing to forgo wearing make-up (33%), exercising (22%) and watching television for one year (21%). They would also give up eating chocolate (44%) and dating (25%) for one year if that meant that they did not have to deal with their skin condition on a daily basis. Women with rosacea said they would pay an average of nearly $6,000 and 14% would reduce their income by 10% for 5 years, to have clear and smooth skin forever. Nine percent would choose clear skin over being financially well-off for life. “The survey results confirm that rosacea can have a strong impact on people professionally, socially and romantically,” said Samuel Huff, Executive Director of the National Rosacea Society. “The National Rosacea Society urges people to educate themselves about this widespread, yet often misunderstood disease, and encourages anyone who thinks they may have rosacea to see a dermatologist to receive a timely diagnosis and appropriate therapy.” "Unfortunately, many people with rosacea do not recognize the symptoms and often mistake their rosacea for another skin condition; therefore they are not taking advantage of the effective medical solutions that are available," said Dr. Doris Day, dermatologist and clinical assistant professor of Dermatology at the New York University Langone Medical Center. "Without proper treatment, rosacea flare-ups can progressively worsen so it is critical to visit a doctor for an accurate diagnosis. Your skin's appearance can be a prominent factor in how you perceive yourself and how others perceive you, so it is very important that everyone takes control of their skin and puts their best face forward." Encourage your patients to visit www.rosaceafacts.com.