Diseases and Medical Conditions Linked to Rosacea

Over the years, a number of diseases and medical conditions have been linked to rosacea. If you're like me, each report raises a few more concerns. What are the odds that you could have another health issue because of your rosacea? Here's a closer look at the many studies that have been completed.

Rosacea Study and the Possible Link to Other Issues

Johns Hopkins University led a study that looked at people with rosacea and the prevalence of them also developing chronic systemic diseases. In this study, 130 people were selected to participate. Half had rosacea and half didn't. Each participant then filled out a health survey to see who smoked, who drank, who spent time in the sun, and who drank caffeinated beverages.

What the study found is that a higher percentage of the group with rosacea also were found to have high blood pressure, food allergies, GERD, hormonal imbalances, and diabetes. In and addition, those with more severe cases of rosacea were found to have higher incidences of heart disease and high cholesterol.

In the same John Hopkins University study, researchers found that people with rosacea were more likely to be diagnosed skin cancer if their rosacea was mild. It's believed that people with more severe cases of rosacea see a dermatologist more often and skin cancer is caught earlier.

Is It Worth Worrying About?

Now it's worth thinking about these numbers. The people in this study that have rosacea numbered 65. Rosacea.org reports that 16 million people in the U.S. have rosacea. So if you think about the study, it was based on the survey results of 65 out of 16,000,000.

That study only included 0.000004 percent of rosacea sufferers. Therefore, it's really a little premature to start worrying. Hopefully, a more in depth study with a larger group of rosacea patients will help researchers gain greater insight into the potential link.