Facial Redness and Warmth
Facial redness occurs due to the dilation of hundreds of small blood vessels beneath the skin, leading to an increased blood flow that causes the skin to appear red or pink. This redness may be accompanied by warmth when touched and can sometimes result in a slight burning sensation. While facial redness is often temporary and benign, it is important to be aware of other accompanying symptoms that may warrant a visit to a healthcare professional.
Causes of Facial Redness and Warmth
There are numerous reasons that can lead to facial redness and warmth, including:
- Seborrheic Dermatitis: This common skin condition often results in a red rash primarily on the face, as well as dry and flaky skin.
- Skin Irritation or Allergies: Certain substances can irritate the skin and lead to a condition known as contact dermatitis. The face is notably susceptible to these reactions. Examples of irritants include soaps, hair dyes, poison ivy, perfumes, and latex.
- Atopic Dermatitis: Also known as eczema, this skin disorder can cause a rash, particularly on the faces of children, which may be accompanied by severe dryness, peeling, and itching.
- Lupus: This autoimmune disease occurs when the immune system attacks the body’s tissues, resulting in skin redness, swelling, and a butterfly-shaped rash on the face.
- Alcohol: Alcohol consumption can raise blood pressure and cause blood vessels to expand, potentially leading to skin dryness and redness.
- Rosacea: A chronic skin condition that causes facial redness, with bumps appearing on the skin. Visible blood vessels may also be noted. While the precise cause remains unknown, certain triggers like stress, sun exposure, temperature extremes, specific foods and drinks, and certain medications may exacerbate symptoms.
- Carcinoid Syndrome: A rare condition that causes facial and chest flushing, affecting about 10% of individuals with carcinoid tumors. These tumors typically start in the gastrointestinal tract and may spread to other organs like the liver, pancreas, and lungs. The syndrome may also include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and breathing difficulties.
- Thyroid Cancer: Thyroid cancer, particularly medullary thyroid cancer, can cause hormonal changes leading to facial redness.
- Psoriasis: This condition causes skin cells to proliferate rapidly, resulting in build-up on the skin’s surface and the appearance of scaly patches.
- Sézary Syndrome: A rare type of blood cancer affecting T-lymphocytes, this syndrome manifests as widespread red rashes and severe itching, along with lymph node swelling, hair loss, skin edema, thickening of the skin on the palms and soles, and nail deformities. It primarily affects individuals over 60 years of age.
Other Causes of Facial Redness and Warmth
Additional causes of facial redness or warmth include:
- Menopause: Symptoms of menopause may include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, pain during intercourse, insomnia, frequent urination, reduced sexual desire, mood swings, and vaginal atrophy.
- Fifth Disease: A viral infection affecting children aged 5-15 years, also known as infectious erythema, caused by parvovirus B19. It typically results in a distinctive red rash on the face. After a few days, the rash may spread to the trunk and limbs and usually lasts one to three weeks. In older children and adults, joint swelling and pain may also occur, which can persist for weeks to months.
- Phobias: Anxiety disorders and specific phobias can cause individuals to avoid situations they perceive as trapping or embarrassing. This condition is more prevalent in women than men and may include symptoms such as fear, nausea, rapid heartbeat, chest pain, dizziness, shivering, sweating, chills, and diarrhea.
- Scarlet Fever: This condition often coincides with a sore throat, characterized by a widespread red rash except on the hands and feet, along with small bumps on the skin that give it a sandpaper-like texture.
- Cluster Headaches: These headaches cause intense or deep pain on one side of the head, often centered around or behind the eye, with potential spreading of pain to the forehead, teeth, nose, neck, or shoulder on the same side. Additional symptoms may include drooping eyelids, constricted pupils, reddened eyes, light sensitivity, runny or blocked nose, and nausea.
- Autonomic Hyperreflexia: A serious medical condition that arises from spinal cord injury in the upper back, affecting the autonomic nervous system and resulting in dangerously high blood pressure, reduced heart rate, and an increased risk of stroke, seizures, or heart attacks.
- Cushing’s Syndrome: This syndrome occurs due to prolonged exposure to high cortisol levels, whether from oral corticosteroids or excessive cortisol production. It is characterized by fat accumulation between the shoulders, a rounded face, purple or pink stretch marks on the skin, high blood pressure, decreased bone density, and sometimes type 2 diabetes.
- Medication Side Effects: Several medications can lead to facial redness, including:
- Excessive doses of niacin (Vitamin B3)
- Corticotropin-releasing hormone
- Doxorubicin
- Glucocorticoids
- Vasodilators
- Calcium channel blockers
- Morphine and other opioids
- Nitrates
- Bromocriptine
- Tamoxifen
- Cyproterone
- Oral triamcinolone
- Cyclosporine
- Rifampin
- Sildenafil