– Global Rosacea Tweetathon set to bring the realities of living with rosacea under the spotlight #ChatRosacea
Today the world’s first Global Rosacea Coalition, supported by the National Rosacea Society and many leading rosacea experts, called for greater access to accurate information to help the many millions of people with rosacea find solutions for their symptoms. The announcement marks the first Global Rosacea Awareness Month in April, connecting the many dedicated organisations and individuals committed to improving rosacea awareness. Their specific aim is to highlight the personal impact of the condition, including the psychological aspects of living with rosacea, and encourage sufferers to better recognise the symptoms and seek professional help.
For almost half of the estimated 40 million rosacea sufferers[1] who remain unaware that they have a medical condition, finding accurate information and access to healthcare professionals are critical steps to understanding the disorder and finding the right solutions.
Speaking about the initiative, actress and Coalition spokesperson Cynthia Nixon said, “I’m excited to support the Global Rosacea Coalition. With a dedicated Global Rosacea Awareness Month the Coalition aims to reach the millions of people around the world who may be suffering in silence with this condition without the support and help they deserve. Rosacea not only affects the skin but the confidence of sufferers and from my own personal experience I know how debilitating its effects can be. We want all sufferers to understand their symptoms better and know that there is help and professional support available.”
“For more than 20 years, our Rosacea Awareness Month each April has made significant progress in the United States toward improving the lives of the untold millions who suffer from this common, often life-disruptive disorder,” said Samuel Huff, executive director of the National Rosacea Society. “We are pleased to join this important effort to spread awareness and understanding of rosacea throughout the world.”
Facial redness is a very common symptom for people with rosacea.[2] Many people who suffer from rosacea may assume that they just blush easily and/or that they might be sun-sensitive. Sufferers usually have a characteristic pattern of persistent facial redness with intermittent flushing on the forehead, chin, cheeks or lower half of the nose, often started or exacerbated by particular triggers.[3] Facial redness associated with rosacea is often mistaken for acne, eczema, excessive skin exposure to sun, or a skin allergy.
Global Rosacea Awareness Month activities, spearheaded by the Global Rosacea Coalition, culminate in the world’s first ever Global Rosacea Tweetathon (#ChatRosacea) on Monday 27th April. Coalition experts including doctors, sufferers and bloggers will take part in a Twitter discussion over multiple time zones covering core rosacea topics from diagnosis and the impact of living with rosacea to managing symptoms. The conversation begins in Europe and Australia before moving to Latin America and then to the U.S. and Canada.
Dr Linda Papadopoulos, Psychodermatologist, commented, “As the symptoms of rosacea are predominantly in the facial region, the condition affects the physical appearance of a sufferer and is instantly visible to others. As well as the physical challenges, rosacea can create significant worry and embarrassment for sufferers. Global Rosacea Awareness Month and the Tweetathon will really help those affected understand their condition better and help them realise that help and support is available.”
Global Rosacea Awareness Month and the Global Rosacea Coalition are supported by Galderma as part of their Act on Red rosacea awareness programme.
Global Rosacea Coalition
The Global Rosacea Coalition is an independent group of internationally renowned dermatologists, media medics, rosacea sufferers, bloggers, celebrities and professional organisations, all of whom are dedicated to improving the lives of people with rosacea. Key members include: the National Rosacea Society (U.S.), Dr Linda Papadopoulos (psychodermatologist, UK), Professor Dr Thomas Dirschka (dermatologist, Germany), Cristiana Oliveira (Actress and rosacea sufferer, Brazil) and Dr Christoph Martschin (dermatologist, Sweden).
The Coalition has agreed a set of core principles:
Raise awareness of the symptoms associated with rosacea (>50% are unaware that their symptoms are caused by rosacea)
De-stigmatise rosacea and help sufferers understand it’s a common medical condition
Deliver high quality information and resources to people affected by the condition and who may have previously struggled to get the help they need
Encourage sufferers to have the confidence to speak with their doctor
A number of the Coalition members will be participating in the first Global Rosacea Tweetathon (#ChatRosacea) on Monday 27th April.
Global Rosacea Tweetathon
The Global Rosacea Tweetathon is a Twitter based conversation between experts in rosacea, sufferers and anyone wanting to better understand the condition. People can join and follow the conversation using #ChatRosacea.
REGION/COUNTRY LOCAL TIME TIME CEST
UK 09:00-10:00 BST 10:00-11:00
EU 10:00-11:00 CEST 10:00-11:00
Australia 18:00-19:00 AEST 10:00-11:00
Mexico (Mexico City) 09:00-10:00 CDT 16:00-17:00
Brazil (Rio de Janeiro) 11:00-12:00 BRT 16:00-17:00
US (Chicago) 11:00-12:00 CDT 18:00-19:00
Canada 12:00-13:00 EDT 18:00-19:00
Act on Red disease awareness programme
The Act on Red programme, supported by Galderma, is a global programme providing information and educational resources on facial redness associated with rosacea. The Act on Red programme has a number of different elements including online resources Face Values:Global Perceptions Survey report and video content to address the needs of people with rosacea.
About Galderma
Galderma is a global company founded in 1981 committed to delivering innovative medical solutions to meet the dermatological needs of people throughout their lifetime, while serving healthcare professionals around the world. The company has 34 wholly-owned affiliates with a worldwide network of distributors and more than 5,500 employees. Galderma’s extensive product portfolio is available in 80 countries and treats a range of dermatological conditions including: acne, rosacea, onychomycosis, psoriasis and steroid-responsive dermatoses, pigmentary disorders, skin cancer and medical solutions for skin senescence.
Galderma is the operating company of Nestlé Skin Health, a global leader focused on enhancing the quality of life by delivering science-based solutions for the health of skin, hair and nails. Five state-of-the-art R&D centers and six manufacturing sites are dedicated to providing a wide range of innovative medical solutions which meet the highest standards of safety and efficacy.
References:
Shanler S, Ondo A. Successful treatment of the erythema and flushing of rosacea using a topically applied selective a1 adrenergic receptor agonist, oxymetazoline [abstract taken from J Am Acad Dermatol. 2008;58(2):AB9]. Presented at: American Academy of Dermatology 66th Annual Meeting; February 1-5, 2008; San Antonio, TX.
National Rosacea Society: All About Rosacea.
Wilkin J, Dahl M, Detmar M, et al. Standard grading system for rosacea: report of the National Rosacea Society Expert Committee on the Classification and Staging of Rosacea. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2004;50:907-912
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