Unless effectively controlled, rosacea can play havoc on job interactions and employment, according to a new survey by the National Rosacea Society (NRS) on the impact in the workplace of this red-faced, poorly understood disorder now estimated to affect more than 16 million Americans.

In the survey of 1,134 rosacea patients, 60 percent of all respondents and 88 percent of those reporting severe symptoms said the disorder had negatively affected their interactions with others in the workplace. Among those with severe symptoms, 51 percent said they had even missed work because of
their condition.

“Because the signs and symptoms appear on the most visible part of the body, rosacea is much more difficult to ignore than many other conditions,” said Dr. Boni Elewski, professor of dermatology at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. “Beyond physical discomfort, such as facial burning and stinging or eye irritation, the effect of rosacea on personal appearance can be emotionally and socially debilitating.”

In the new survey, 69 percent of all respondents and 87 percent of those with severe symptoms said they had noticed others staring at their face when they were experiencing a rosacea flare-up. Forty-five percent of all respondents, including 66 percent of those with severe symptoms, had also heard rude or inappropriate comments in the workplace about their facial appearance.

Moreover, many of the patients reported that rosacea had inflicted direct damage to their careers. Nineteen percent of all respondents and 39 percent of those with severe symptoms felt they did not receive a job offer because of their condition. In addition, 19 percent of all respondents and 41 percent of those with severe symptoms believed they were denied a promotion or new responsibilities because of the way they looked. Of the survey respondents who were affected by rosacea in the workplace, 78 percent said effective medical treatment had improved their professional interactions with others. For more information, visit www.rosacea.org