Red skin (or redness) can be uncomfortable, but there are several ways to do something about it.
One of the best is to contact a dermatologist who can help find the cause of skin redness.
Contents
Causes of red skin or redness
First, let’s consider the most common causes:
1. Climate change. The reddening of the skin can occur both in winter and in summer. In winter, the causes are:
- Cold
- Temperature fluctuations (cold-heat)
If the outside temperature drops and the heating in closed rooms is turned up strongly, you can observe a change in the skin due to the low humidity.
During the winter time, especially people with dry skin suffer because it is more sensitive.
In summer, the skin may redden for various reasons, including:
- sunburn,
- sun allergy,
- profuse sweating (miliaria, also called sweat blisters or heat pimples).
2. Allergy. Various substances in perfumes, preservatives, etc. can cause allergic reactions of the skin.
Food allergies can manifest themselves as:
- Erythema
- Inflammation
- Burning sensation on the skin.
If an allergy is suspected, the dermatologist should be consulted for a patch test to determine the ingredients and irritating substances to be avoided.
3. Rosacea. The symptoms of acne rosacea are:
- red spots on the face,
- Burn
- dilated blood vessels in the face,
- formation of pustules, especially on the nose,
- enlargement of the sebaceous glands (which appear as yellowish elevations).
Other less common causes:
- Pregnancy: as a rule, a pregnant woman has much drier skin and tends to reddening due to hormonal imbalance.
- Mycoses, especially between the toes and in the genital area, can cause:
- itching on the skin,
- Irritation.
- Melanoma: a skin tumor, can cause redness of the skin around the birthmark.
- Shaving and waxing treatment: Shavers and depilation irritate the skin and can cause redness and small pimples. This rash is temporary and passes within 24 hours.
- Insect bites, especially from mosquitoes, wasps and bees, can cause red and swollen skin.
- Radiotherapy: the skin may redden in the affected area.
- Hot flashes, a common reaction in menopausal women
What to do in case of redness?
1. Strengthening the skin barrier.
If redness and irritation occur frequently, the inflammation can be tackled by strengthening the skin’s natural defenses.
Application of topical ingredients such as:
- ceramides,
- phytosterols,
- Glycerol
- Stearic acid
- Hyaluronic acid.
2. Choose skin care products carefully.
Among the dietary supplements and pharmaceuticals against red skin there are:
· Niacinamide
· Licochalcone A
· Sulphur
· Sulfacetamide
· Salicylic acid
But when it comes to redness, disturbing products must be avoided:
- Benzoyl peroxide – this is an effective substance against acne, but can cause side effects, such as:
- Erythema
- Burn
- Itch.
- Alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), as well as lactic acid and glycolic acid, can be too aggressive for reddened and very sensitive skin.
- Mint products, peppermint oil, cinnamon oil and menthol are common causes of redness and irritation in sensitive skin.
- Vitamin C can cause redness when applied locally. This excellent antioxidant should only be used orally.
- Cream with hydrocortisone or other steroids: these products can cause side effects, such as allergic contract dermatitis, which causes:
- Rashes
- Itch
- Burn.
- Avoid abrasive products: coarse exfoliating products for skin cleansing are too aggressive for sensitive skin and aggravate the course of inflammation.
In the case of rosacea, it is importantto avoid everything, which can make redness worse. Includes:
- smoking,
- Caffeine
- hot and spicy food.
3. Choose professional treatment: Beauty treatments for the skin can additionally irritate sensitive skin, especially in those who suffer from rosacea, for example:
- facial cleansing,
- microdermabrasion,
- hot wax,
- Sauna
- Turkish bath.
Certain dermatological procedures can be very effective in treating chronic reddened skin.
Vascular treatments (sclerotherapy, sclerotherapy) can quickly solve the problem of ruptured veins.
Home remedies for red skin or redness
Red skin or red spots on the skin can also occur due to inflammation in dry, allergen-irritated skin and acne.
Red skin can be treated with:
- Honey
- Cucumber
- Bags of black tea or chamomile (fermented)
- Aloe vera
Cucumber
cucumber slices can be placed directly on the red spots to:
- to cool,
- to calm down,
- reduce redness.
You can also make a simple mask by mixing a cucumber and a cup of oatmeal or yogurt.
Aloe vera Another natural remedy for red skin is a mask made of aloe vera
.
Mix yogurt with the aloe gel to make a tough paste.
Apply the mixture to the skin for 20 minutes and then rinse with lukewarm water.
Honey
honey has natural anti-inflammatory properties. You can therefore try it with a honey mask on the skin.
First rinse the skin with warm water, then apply honey to the reddened areas and leave on for about 10 minutes, then remove again.
If the skin is reddened due to extreme dryness, you can also try a mask made from the pulp of an avocado to keep it moist.
One should not apply honey to reddened skin if the cause is a sunburn or burn.
Oatmeal Oatmeal
is another natural and anti-inflammatory agent.
A bath with added oatmeal is not only moisturizing dry skin, but can also reduce inflammation that causes reddened skin.
Natural remedies for sunburn
Aloe vera and vinegar If the skin is reddened due to sunburn, a mixture of aloe vera, white vinegar and apple cider vinegar
can be beneficial.
In addition to the old home remedies, there are the following other ways to soothe sunburned skin:
- Potato (raw slices)
- Lavender oil
- Chilled tea (chamomile is especially soothing)
- Cucumber slices
Coconut oil
An excellent remedy is coconut oil, which can soothe sun-reddened skin with its antioxidant and antibacterial properties.
Pure coconut oil is the best remedy for sunburn.
Although the exact mechanism of action is unknown, it is often used in Ayurvedic medicine.
Coconut oil is believed to be absorbed by the connective tissue of skin cells and protects against damage caused by UV radiation.
However, it must not be used as a sunscreen.
Red skin in newborns
The skin of a newborn is exposed to any type of rash. Fortunately, most skin irritations are harmless and disappear on their own.
Frequent rashes in newborns
Neonatal acne Red pimples or the “newborn acne
” are caused by the action of maternal hormones when the child was still in uterus.
Therapy is not necessary, because they pass over time.
Newborn acne can persist on the baby’s skin for weeks and even months.
Toxic neonatal erythema
Toxic erythema is another common rash in infants.
The red and slightly raised spots with poorly defined edges may have a small white or yellowish dot in the center.
The cause is unknown, but it is not a disease.
Toxic erythema heals without treatment after a few days or weeks.
Seborrheic dermatitis or cradle cap
Dry and scaly skin on the head can be observed in almost all healthy infants.
The skin underneath is:
- completely normal,
- soft
- and damp.
Occurs after the second week of life and usually passes after three months.
Milia The white dots on the nostrils and face (milia
) are caused by blocked sebaceous glands. As soon as the children’s sebaceous glands expand and open in a few days or weeks, the white dots disappear again.
Angioma of the newborn
The angioma of the newborn (also “stork bite” on the neck) is a simple thickening of the blood vessels, which passes by itself after a few weeks or months.
Red skin after scab formation
- The skin is an elastic part of the body. An incision in the skin begins to heal immediately by forming a blood clot (blood clot) to prevent further severe blood loss.
- A blood coagel is formed when the platelets release various proteins.
These proteins form a “network” that catches the blood cells from inside the body.
During this phase, blood vessels narrow to reduce blood flow and facilitate clotting.
A few hours after
the original injury, the skin cells begin to divide to close the gaps created by the injury and form a crust.
For deeper incisions, this process can be supported by a suture that holds the skin together during the coagulation process.
A few weeks later
After one or two weeks, the scab falls off, leaving a new, fresh skin. The skin under the scab is red and forms a skin depression.
The skin develops quickly because it has regenerating collagen fibers.
The time necessary for healing after the scab discharge varies from person to person.
Factors that affect the duration of reddened skin include:
- number of platelets in the body;
- medication for Coumadin, an anticoagulant;
- certain diseases such as diabetes;
- the wound area, for example, takes longer in less perfused areas, such as the outside of the buttocks (where you can feel the bone) or on the shin.
Usually, a wound heals completely in 2-3 weeks, but it is possible that the redness of the skin after the scab has fallen completely takes more than a year.
Why does the skin not become the same after a tattoo?
Professional tattoos are created by piercing the skin to inject the ink droplets into the skin.
The epidermis is constantly in motion due to cell regeneration.
Due to the fact that ink has been introduced into the entire skin and not only into the epidermis, the motif remains and permanently retains its shape.
Red and dry skin
Red and dry skin is often seen on the face where the skin is thinner and exposed to the sun and other irritating substances, especially:
- around the nose area,
- on the chin,
- on the cheeks.
Dry facial skin becomes easily cracked, rough and scaly.
Causes of dry facial skin Among the causes that reduce the natural fat in the skin are:
- excessive use of soap and water,
- cold temperatures,
- contact with aggressive chemical substances,
- various dermatological diseases, such as eczema and contact dermatitis,
- frequent washing with soap removes natural fats from the skin, making it dry and rough.
Remedies for dry and reddened skin The best way to treat dry skin
is to determine the cause.
- Using too hot water when showering dries out the skin. So it is better to avoid frequent showers and use lukewarm water for washing.
- Apply a moisturizer to combat dry and flaky skin.
Moisturizers containing ingredients such as ceramides, shea butter, jojoba oil, and niacinamide are the best solution.
Diet and nutrition for redness
According to hygienism (healthy and natural lifestyle), redness is caused by the accumulation of toxins in the blood.
The body can excrete waste products of digestion via:
- Urine
- stool (diarrhea leads to faster discharge of waste material),
- respiratory tract (by cough and phlegm),
- Mouth (by vomiting)
- skin (due to the formation of pimples, psoriasis, etc.).
Some people collect the toxins at the level of the skin, which can result in redness.
To prevent these skin signs, hygienists recommend eating plant-based, preferably uncooked foods:
- juicy fruit and nuts,
- Vegetable
- sprouted cereals, because germination eliminates the phytates (which prevent nutrient absorption).
- legumes – they need to be soaked in water for a whole day,
- boiled potatoes.
