The symptoms of rosacea primarily appear on the face and are difficult to conceal, often having a significant psychosocial impact on the lives of patients. A recent study conducted by the National Rosacea Society (NRS) involving 1,235 patients reported that 68% of the respondents felt a decrease in their self-esteem and confidence following the onset of their rosacea. Approximately 55% said they were embarrassed by this disease and an equal number expressed feelings of frustration. 30% felt helpless in the face of the disease, 25% reported feeling anxious, and 20% had been depressed due to their rosacea. Finally, 43% reported that their outlook on life had been negatively affected by their rosacea. Furthermore, another study showed that patients were willing to pay an average of €2,880 to be completely cured, with the amount correlating to the deterioration of their quality of life.
Furthermore, numerous cases of erythrophobia have been documented in individuals with somatic causes of blushing, such as rosacea. Erythrophobia is an anxiety disorder classified within the family of social phobias and is characterized by the fear of blushing in public. Individuals who blush easily do not wish to show others that they are affected by certain topics as they interpret this as a form of weakness. However, patients have no control over the onset of redness. This redness can indeed occur following a simple physical effort or under the influence of an emotion. A vicious cycle then sets in: the person becomes anxious about their next rosacea flare-ups, while this emotional state promotes the appearance of symptoms.
This disease can thus be a hindrance in social life of the affected individuals. During periods when the symptoms are most visible, many patients tend to avoid social outings or family gatherings, out of fear of stares and judgments, or simply because of their discomfort. Finally, rosacea also has a impact in the professional sphere, confirmed by a recent study conducted in various countries around the world (United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland, Denmark, Ireland). This study showed that people suffering from erythrosis were nearly twice as less likely to be hired than others.