Flushed, red skin can be attributed to a number of different factors — sun damage, rosacea, seborrhea or even acne, to name a few. While none of these conditions are caused for extreme concern, they don’t feel or look the most pleasant. In fact, with face redness comes irritation and itchiness, and might hinder ones’ confidence.
Here’s a list of simple ways to diagnose exactly where your redness is coming from, and how to help reduce it, after the fact:
Sun damage and rosacea typically go hand in hand; excessive sun exposure often leads to a permanent stretching of small blood vessels, giving the skin a mottled, red appearance. To protect yourself from the sun, extra layers of sunscreen are important. After being out in the sun all day, aloe vera gel can help to reduce the effects of a sunburn or itchiness and redness of the skin.
Redness from rosacea is pretty common; this chronic skin condition mimics acne and typically presents itself in the center of the face. The key to bringing down the inflammation in the face is to treat rosacea gently; this means using a cleanser for sensitive skin, opting for fragrance-free products and most importantly, being sun-safe. Failure to follow these instructions can lead to flare-ups, which don’t feel very nice on the skin. One suggestion is to place ice packs on your face, or by using essential oils like green tea to soothe and calm the skin.
Additionally, any product containing licorice root, chamomile, niacinimide or even cucumber also help to soothe redness.
Seborrhea is a common skin condition, but an uncomfortable one at that. This type of dermatitis is typically found on the scalp (but is also found on other parts of the body) and is made up of red, itchy patches. Since it is the overgrowth of yeast in a particular area, it can lead to inflammation, redness and scaling.
Atopic dermatitis, or eczema, often makes its debut showing up as dry, itchy inflamed skin. While gut health and stress can contribute to these awful flare ups, it’s important to get it under control as quickly as possible to avoid compromising your skin barrier and skin immunity. Topic treatments typically purchased over-the-counter are the best at counteracting this painful condition.
Everything aside, it’s important to remember that not everyone has perfect skin and flare-ups are bound to happen to everyone. The best way to avoid them? Knowing your triggers. Is it stress? A certain product or scent? Alcohol? A laundry detergent you might be allergic to? Extreme temperatures and bouts of different weather? Play around your triggers to avoid experiencing aggravated skin.
If you have consistent redness and inflammation and aren’t sure where to start, email us a skinstudiotoronto@gmail.com for a free skincare consultation!
