#RosaceaNoFilter Is The Empowering Beauty Hashtag You Need To See

Here at Pretty52 HQ, we are all for a social media trend that uplifts, inspires and empowers women. #RosaceaNoFilter is the skin-positive campaign currently flooding social media, in a bid end the stigma surrounding the skin condition.

It is estimated that over 400 million suffer from rosacea around the world, but it's a skin condition we rarely hear anything about and so many women are quick to cover up.

The new campaign was founded by Galderma, and has seen scores of women sharing make-up free, bare skin selfies to social media to open up conversation and ensure those suffering know that they aren't on their own.

Bloggers, authors and more have all taken to Instagram to share selfies of their rosacea for the campaign, and many others are bravely following their lead for Rosacea Awareness Month (April).

Online influencer and campaign ambassador Lex Gillies (@TalontedLex) is one of those getting involved in the campaign.

"For many people, myself included, rosacea is more than just a visible skin disease - it is a constant daily struggle," she says.

"The very visible nature of rosacea means that we often feel self-conscious and are aware of the judgements of others, which can feel very isolating."

Lex adds: "This is why we need to bring people together, and Rosacea Awareness Month is the perfect opportunity to connect the rosacea community and use our unified voice to raise awareness, break the stigma, and educate people about the hidden realities of this disease."

Statistics further demonstrate how rosacea can affect our self-confidence. An expert-authored report titled Rosacea: Beyond the Visible, published in 2018 showed that 82 per cent of people surveyed felt their rosacea was not fully controlled, and over half of those in active employment (55 per cent) said that it impacted their work productivity.

About 86 per cent admitted to substantially changing their behaviour to avoid triggering flare ups, which in turn affected their daily lives.

"We should be proud to share our no filter experiences of living with rosacea", notes Lex, "By posting our #RosaceaNoFilter selfies, we can inspire others to be open and speak out about the true challenges we face with rosacea, as well as sharing useful hints and tips to support each other."

Rosacea experts are encouraging people to talk about the true personal burden with their healthcare professional.

"During your next rosacea consultation, do not be afraid to bring up the burden you may be facing," says Dr Melinda Gooderham, Medical Director, SKIN Centre for Dermatology and Assistant Professor, Queen's University, Ontario, Canada. "Let us know about the emotional impact this skin disease is having in your daily life, not just the visible features [...] Rosacea goes beyond what is visible on the skin."

According to the NHS, rosacea is characterised by persistent facial redness, flushing, thickened skin, visible blood vessels, papules and pustules. It can affect both men and women, and triggers include stress, certain types of food and drink as well as the weather.

Topics: Hair and Beauty, Skincare

Rachel Andrews

Rachel Andrews is an NCTJ trained Journalist at PRETTY52. She specialises in Fashion and Beauty Journalism, and has experience at a range of online and print publications and joined the team in 2017. Contact her - [email protected]

@rachelandrews_x