Dorothy FarrarReddening of the skin on the face
Redness of the skin on the face includes various types of redness, swelling with discoloration of the skin and skin irritations ending in a reddish discoloration of the skin. Regardless of the medical degree of the problem, those affected suffer from it primarily cosmetically.
What is facial redness?
Redness of the skin on the face is a collective term for various diseases that lead to reddened facial skin as a symptom. The redness of the skin on the face already differs significantly from each other. There are, for example, swollen redness, painful reddened skin areas , punctiform facial redness or also manifestations that are accompanied by rashes with more or less large red dots.
Based on the type of skin reddening on the face, the doctor can often make a suspected diagnosis and then examine it. Redness of the skin on the face is not only caused by skin diseases. The cause is often organic and can be found in the metabolism or the immune system . However, the problem should not be covered with make-up and left untreated, because reddened skin on the face always has a cause and this is not always harmless.
causes
Reddening of the skin on the face can initially be due to irritation of the facial skin. Intolerance to cosmetic products that have recently been used on the face is common. Care creams or decorative cosmetics are suitable for this – the more unnatural the ingredients, the greater the likelihood that they will not be tolerated. Redness of the skin on the face also often occurs as a sign of an allergy, it is then a matter of contact eczema. This is the skin’s reaction to direct contact with an allergen such as an ingredient in cosmetic products.
However, redness of the skin on the face does not occur with every allergy. It is not common with pollen allergies, for example – although the allergen does have direct skin contact. Insect bites can also cause an allergic reaction with reddening of the skin on the face if they happen here. Other causes are systemic or immunological diseases, although these are rather rare. In the case of high blood pressure, for example, the fine blood vessels in the face are constantly under such high pressure that the complexion becomes redder overall, similar to heavy physical exertion.
Diseases such as lupus erythematosus, neurodermatitis or childhood diseases such as mumps or measles also cause very characteristic reddening of the skin on the face. In lupus, an autoimmune disease, they are large and butterfly-shaped, in smallpox it is a matter of punctiform reddening of the skin on the face – and not only there. Another rather rare cause is an infection of the facial skin, for example with a fungus .
Diseases
When to the doctor?
Redness of the skin on the face is usually harmless and occurs, for example, when it comes into contact with irritating substances or after eating certain foods. In this case, the reddening does not require a medical examination.
However, if the redness is accompanied by pain, itching or other symptoms, there may be an underlying condition that needs to be treated quickly. A doctor should also be consulted in the event of reddening of the skin on the face that persists for several days and increases in intensity over the course of time.
If the symptoms occur after taking medication or coming into contact with caustic or toxic substances, we recommend going to the family doctor. In general, reddening is a case for the doctor if it occurs without a recognizable reason and is accompanied by accompanying symptoms.
In children and patients with a weakened immune system, the corresponding symptoms must be taken particularly seriously. It is also advisable to see a doctor if you have reddened skin on your face as a result of sunburn or an allergic reaction. If stress or an anxiety disorder is suspected to be the cause, the symptoms should be addressed in the context of psychiatric treatment.
diagnosis and course
The course of skin redness on the face depends on its trigger. In the case of allergic or infectious causes, the reddening of the skin on the face subsides quite quickly and can also be treated well. As soon as the patient is no longer confronted with the trigger of the reddening of the skin on the face, it disappears again – this can be done with medication, for example. In the case of autoimmune diseases or permanent diseases such as neurodermatitis or couperose, on the other hand, the reddening of the skin on the face is permanent – cosmetic options can be used to combat it.
For diagnosis, the doctor will ask the patient after the first appearance of reddening of the skin on the face and want to know whether new cosmetics have been tried, an insect bite has been observed or other influences are possible.
Depending on the suspicion, swabs , blood tests or skin reaction tests with various allergens can confirm the diagnosis. Allergies, intolerances and similar causes can be identified relatively quickly. If, on the other hand, the cause is a systemic disease or an autoimmune disease, it can take a little longer to make a reliable diagnosis.
complications
Redness of the skin on the face has a variety of causes. Typically, such a reddening occurs in the infectious disease scarlet fever. Even after the disease has healed, it can still cause some late complications. Rheumatic fever can be triggered, which occurs one to three weeks after the illness. This primarily affects the heart and joints. Inflammation of the heart muscle and arthrosis-like symptoms occur. The kidneys can also be affected. Inflammation occurs, which can lead to kidney failure (renal insufficiency).
A substance can also trigger an allergic reaction in the facial area. In addition, the bronchial musculature is usually affected, which swells. This leads to the typical breathing problems. In addition, there are also problems with swallowing. In the worst case, anaphylactic shock can also result. The affected person usually collapses due to the sharp drop in blood pressure and is in mortal danger as this is a medical emergency.
Reddening of the skin on the face is also caused by prolonged exposure to the sun. This can result in a painful sunburn. Frequent sunburns lead to faster aging of the facial skin and increase the risk of skin cancer . Skin cancer can be removed early with hardly any complications. However, the later the stage of skin cancer, the worse the prognosis.
treatment and therapy
Especially if the reddening of the skin on the face has a cause that needs to be treated in the long term, the visible reddening will be visible for a while. On the face, however, they are particularly unpleasant for those affected and represent a cosmetic problem. That is why it is possible to combat some of the triggers of skin reddening on the face by treating them symptomatically. In the case of allergies, for example, cortisone can be used in cream and injection form to reduce the redness and swelling.
Some sufferers are lucky that the reddening of the skin on their face becomes completely invisible. Reddened skin on the face should not be covered with make-up because, depending on the underlying disease, the skin needs space to breathe. If the redness of the facial skin itches, burns or hurts, this should be discussed with the doctor, who can also prescribe medication.
The further treatment consists in the medication of the trigger of the disease, which led to the reddening of the skin in the first place. More difficult to treat are conditions such as lupus, in which facial flushing occurs at some point in the patient’s life and becomes a permanent condition. In the case of diseases such as neurodermatitis, on the other hand, it is still possible to influence how bad the visible symptoms of the disease are, since various influences make them appear stronger or weaker. Those affected should avoid these influences.
outlook and prognosis
The prognosis for reddening of the skin on the face depends on the cause. In the case of redness of the skin on the face caused by stress, cold, heat, irritation or touch, there is no need to take any action. The redness will go away on its own within minutes or hours. If it doesn’t go away, the skin may have been superficially damaged or the reddening is due to an inflammatory process – often acne. There is also no need for action in the event of reddening of the skin during vigorous physical activity. Exceptions are skin reddening of the face, which occurs with little or no stress. They usually only go away when the cause is treated, which is often a blood pressure problem .
However, reddening of the skin that comes on suddenly and causes pain, itching, or tightness requires a doctor’s evaluation if it doesn’t go away quickly. The prognosis depends on whether it is due to a disease, an allergy or something else. There are a large number of physical conditions that can cause facial flushing. For almost everyone, the redness subsides as the body’s defenses or the stress caused by the condition subside.
In skin conditions affecting the face, redness is common and only goes away as the condition resolves. Reddening of the skin also goes away better if the skin is not cleaned with aggressive agents and further irritation is avoided. Products designed to soothe the skin can provide relief, but this depends on what is causing the redness.
prevention
Everyone will have to deal with reddened areas of the skin at some point in life. However, redness of the skin on the face in particular can be avoided if you know what could cause it. Allergy sufferers are advised to avoid the allergen in question as much as possible. No contact with it means they cannot develop facial flushing. Anyone who generally suffers from sensitive skin and knows how the skin reacts to various substances should pay attention to gentle cosmetics that are as natural as possible.
Diseases that the person concerned has never had before are usually difficult to prevent. For childhood diseases that tend to cause facial flushing, such as measles and smallpox, safety precautions should be taken when children are in contact with an adult who did not have these diseases as a child. In addition, reddened skin on the face should not be scratched or rubbed, as this can lead to scars on the skin during the healing process, which will no longer heal on their own.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.