Re: Embarassment and Education (Was Bill Clinton)

[Guest guest]

When it comes to my rosy cheeks, I usually make a pre-emptive educational

strike. I always tell my friends and acquaintances about rosacea, when

the moment seems right. It makes me sound preoccupied, to those who have

heard it more than once, but nobody has ever made a rude remark to me

about it (in fact, the response I occasionally get when I tell people

about it is " no way - but you have such beautiful skin; I just thought you

had rosy cheeks " ).

The times I bring it up are usually when I'm doing something naughty (or

avoiding doing something naughty) that might cause a flare-up. I don't

tell people I have a " skin disease. " Instead, I tell them I have a

" vascular disorder. " (The connotations are very different. You say " skin

disease, " and people suddenly think you're a leper, or something.) I tell

them about other famous people who have had the same thing, and what sorts

of things trigger it. Sometimes, they will even have someone in their

family with the same thing, and they never realised what it was, until I

explained it. (One poor guy at one party has *classic* pre-rosacean

flushing, and started getting scared that he'll develop it, too.)

All-in-all, it works out pretty well. When my friends see me drowning

myself in sunscreen before we go out to play football, they go, " Oh yeah, "

and don't ask me dumb questions about it. I almost never wear makeup, but

no one ever makes rude remarks.

Tess

[Guest guest]

Tess, I agree with you. I tell people too about my rosacea - nose swelling

and getting red. It's better than worrying that someone will notice it, or

feeling ashamed or embarrassed about it. And, it does educate folks. A

friend of mine has rosacea and never realized what it was until I told her

about mine and other ways it affects people. Now she can get some medical

help (although she seems to have avoided doing anything about it yet - but

that is her call).

Re: Embarassment and Education (Was Bill Clinton)

>When it comes to my rosy cheeks, I usually make a pre-emptive educational

>strike. I always tell my friends and acquaintances about rosacea, when

>the moment seems right. It makes me sound preoccupied, to those who have

>heard it more than once, but nobody has ever made a rude remark to me

>about it (in fact, the response I occasionally get when I tell people

>about it is " no way - but you have such beautiful skin; I just thought you

>had rosy cheeks " ).

>

>The times I bring it up are usually when I'm doing something naughty (or

>avoiding doing something naughty) that might cause a flare-up. I don't

>tell people I have a " skin disease. " Instead, I tell them I have a

> " vascular disorder. " (The connotations are very different. You say " skin

>disease, " and people suddenly think you're a leper, or something.) I tell

>them about other famous people who have had the same thing, and what sorts

>of things trigger it. Sometimes, they will even have someone in their

>family with the same thing, and they never realised what it was, until I

>explained it. (One poor guy at one party has *classic* pre-rosacean

>flushing, and started getting scared that he'll develop it, too.)

>

>All-in-all, it works out pretty well. When my friends see me drowning

>myself in sunscreen before we go out to play football, they go, " Oh yeah, "

>and don't ask me dumb questions about it. I almost never wear makeup, but

>no one ever makes rude remarks.

>

>Tess

>

>

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