What Does Face Redness Mean?

Sometimes the face develops a red shade to it, and it’s not clear why. However, it does affect your appearance and it may also be a sign of a health issue like allergies. If face redness does happen to you, be rest assured that there are methods for eliminating the problem. Many of these are natural, change of lifestyle techniques that are fairly easy to do.

It’s not the case that every time your skin turns red there is a skin problem. Face redness can occur due to a hot flash for a menopausal woman. It can also happen for emotional reasons, such as embarrassment or anger.

Alcohol often causes the face to go a red shade. In addition, the redness could be a reaction to a medication. Therefore, if you’re taking something new, go to the doctor right away and get it checked.

facial redness
Photo by Rafael Henrique from Pexels

What Causes Face Redness?

There are a number of skin conditions as well as other factors which can cause facial redness. These include some of the following:

Eczema – This is also called atopic dermatitis. It causes a rash and dry, scaly skin. It can occur anywhere on the body, including the face. It can cause terrible itching. People with this skin problem have to live with it because there’s no cure. There are medications you can get from a dermatologist which ease some of the symptoms. (2)

Lupus – With this condition, your immune system attacks your bodily organs. This can lead to a lot of inflammation and you can develop face redness. This condition also leads to joint pain, fatigue, and headaches. (3)

Rosacea – With this condition, the blood vessels in the face become bigger and you can see them. This leads to the appearance of being flushed. It sometimes goes along with red bumps, dry eyes, and swollen eyelids. (2)

Allergies – Your face redness could be due to an allergy to something you ate or otherwise came into contact with. If you think this is the case, do seek medical attention right away and try to find the source of the allergic reaction.

Cushing’s Syndrome – With this syndrome, your body makes a lot of extra cortisol. It can lead to flushing as well as weight gain, a round face, and short-term memory loss. You have to go to a medical doctor for treatment for this condition. (2)

Hormones – Changes in hormones could cause facial redness. This often happens to women during menopause. A good menopause supplement could help with this problem.

Spicy Foods – Some people are very sensitive to spicy foods, and it causes their faces to redden. This is a reaction which should pass within a few hours.

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What Helps Face Redness?

If your facial redness is a result of a particular medical condition, see a dermatologist right away to begin face redness treatment. Otherwise, there are a number of methods you can use to lessen red skin and soothe the irritation.

Use an Ice Pack – Apply either an ice pack or anything cold to your face to reduce the inflammation. Wrap a towel around the ice pack before you put it next to your face. Do this for about 20 minutes and it should do a lot to lessen the facial redness.

Take Colder Baths or Showers – Stop taking hot showers and baths for a short while and try for colder temperatures. This should bring down some of the face redness because it shrinks the capillaries.

Apply a Honey Mask – Honey is an ideal ingredient to use as a face redness mask. It has both anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It can kill bacteria on the skin and reduce swelling and face redness. Apply a thin film to your face and leave it on for about 20 minutes, then wash off. You can do use this face redness remover twice a week.

Avoid Spicy Foods – Spicy foods can cause a reaction in some people, so they get face redness. To be safe, avoid eating spicy foods – especially if you’re sensitive.

Eat Foods with Anti-Inflammatory Properties – There are a number of foods which are rich in anti-inflammatory properties, such as green leafy vegetables, fruits like berries and oranges, nuts, olive oil, tomatoes, and fatty fish like salmon and maceral. (4)

Check Your Medications – It’s important to make sure that the red flush in your face is not a side effect of one of the medications you are taking. Therefore, make an appointment with your doctor and check this possibility. This is especially true if you’re taking a new medication.

Use an Organic Cream – There is face redness cream on the market which can soothe the skin. They contain ingredients such as aloe and coconut oil which are hydrating and gentle on the sensitive skin. Therefore, they may be an excellent face redness remover.

How to Prevent Redness on Face

There are some methods you can use for preventing face redness. Here are some tips:

  • Use a gentle, natural cleanser twice a day. Check to make sure it doesn’t have any chemical or artificial ingredients. Then use a cream for face redness.
  • Avoid going into direct sunlight as much as possible, and if you do use a good sunblock.
  • Apply a face mask with soothing ingredients such as peptides and vitamin E twice a week.
  • Spot test any new skin product like Jeunesse, Mario Badescus, and Nu Skin on a small area before you begin using it, to make sure it doesn’t give you a reaction.
  • Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and spicy foods. Face redness when drinking can be especially damaging.

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People Also Ask

Q: How to Cover Face Redness

A: There are ways to cover face redness using makeup. You can try green-tinted makeup. In addition, the key is to find a good quality concealer and apply it with a brush, so you reach every area of your face well. You may want to begin with a primer or face redness cream like Advanced Dermatology, SIO Beauty, Obagi Products, and Perricone MD before the concealer, so the makeup stays on during the day. Use a good foundation over the concealer, and this finishes off with a powder tinted yellow.

Q: Can Alcohol Cause Face Redness?

A: Yes, alcohol can cause your face to become flushed and red. After years of drinking, the blood vessels under the skin can begin to break and become visible. Face redness from alcohol can become a serious problem.

Q: Do Foods Cause Face Redness?

A: Mostly it’s spicy foods that lead to facial redness. In addition, citrus fruits can lead to red skin because they release histamines. Vegetables that are in the sour category can also cause facial redness, such as eggplant, spinach, radishes, carrots, tomatoes, and hot peppers.

Q: Can Allergies Cause Face Redness?

A: Yes, allergies can certainly cause facial redness. This may be a food allergy or a reaction to a product you put on your face. It could also be an environmental allergen.

Q: Can Gluten Cause Face Redness?

A: If you have an allergy to gluten, it can certainly cause your face to become red and flushed. Some people simply have an intolerance to gluten that only affects their skin. It’s a substance that tends to cause inflammation.

Q: Can Anxiety Cause Face Redness?

A: For many people, emotions like anxiety or anger can lead to facial redness, dark circles under eyes, and crow’s feet. For some people, this is their natural reaction to having feelings of nervousness or anxiety. Methods for reducing emotion like mediation or mindfulness should help with this issue.

Conclusion

Face redness can be caused by allergies, the sun, medications, alcohol, skin condition, and a number of other reasons. Many people feel uncomfortable when this occurs as they feel it mars their appearance. However, there are things you can do to lessen your chances of getting skin redness. This includes using gentle products like La Mer Cream, Rodan and Fields, Clinique Skin Care, Mary Kay Skin Care, cream for face redness, anti aging cream eyes, having a regular skin routine, and avoiding alcohol or spicy foods.

If you do experience face redness, use green makeup, concealer, and foundation to cover it up. Make an appointment with a dermatologist to check whether you have a skin condition that requires medication. In addition, purchase some natural skin care products such as Meaningful Beauty, The Ordinary, Image Skin Care, and Murad Skin Care with organic ingredients.

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Elaine Martinez

By Elaine Martinez

I am a medical assistant for 21 years. I am bilingual in Spanish. I started out in Internal Medicine, then Cardiology, and ended in Dermatology.

References

[1] https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/face/facial-redness
[2] https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/blushing-causes#1-4
[3] https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/face/facial-redness
[4] https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation