Eczema on the face

Definition of eczema on the face

In addition to eczema on the body, eczema on the face can also occur. Statistically, other parts of the body are more likely to be affected. In the area of the face, eczema occurs mainly in the cheek region or in the area of the nose.

Facial eczema is an allergic-inflammatory skin irritation that usually occurs suddenly. At first, an acute facial eczema is distinguished from a chronic facial eczema. Acute eczema of the face is usually caused by a substance that hits the skin in the area of the face in the form of an allergic skin reaction.

On first contact with the foreign substance, so-called memory cells are formed which are then stored in the skin. If there is a second contact with the allergenic substance, the immune system of some people may be activated. This is usually an excessive immune reaction.

So-called mediators are released, which ensure that the skin vessels in the affected skin area dilate. This leads to an increased influx of blood, which the affected person notices by a reddening of the skin. Further mediators ensure that the patient feels an agonizing itching and the skin in the face swells.

If an acute eczema occurs on the face, a specific sequence of symptoms will occur: Afterwards, the blisters may open, which can then also become crusty.

  • Skin eradication
  • Itching
  • Bubble formation

The chronic form of facial eczema must be distinguished from this. Here, a toxic effect leads to reddening of the skin, swelling and blistering.

In contrast to acute eczema of the face, however, the symptoms occur together and not one after the other. In chronic facial eczema, the immune system is activated in a different way than in acute eczema of the face. The symptoms are about the same, apart from the order in which they occur.

In principle, all chemical and natural substances that are foreign to the body can cause eczema on the face. In most cases, these are substances with which the affected person has never or only rarely come into contact. Only when the immune system has been able to establish a first contact can an allergic reaction in the face occur.

In the case of facial eczema, it is often metallic substances (nickel) that are worn close to the skin in the form of earrings and touch it, so that it can lead to classic nickel eczema on the ears and cheeks. Besides this common cause, many types of cosmetics cause eczema on the face. Skin creams, powders or lotions are particularly dangerous.

In the case of the so-called “stewardess disease”, eczema on the face is caused by too frequent facial treatment with creams, lotions or powders. Those affected have no choice but to change the cosmetic products or to stop using them completely for some time. In a large number of cases, however, the triggering substances that cause eczema on the face are not known.

Testing makes only limited sense in this respect because one will never be able to test all natural and chemical substances in the skin area. It has been known for a long time that psychological stress can enormously aggravate a variety of skin diseases. Especially inflammatory skin diseases such as neurodermatitis or psoriasis (psoriasis) cause particularly strong and unpleasant eczema under stress.

See also: Psoriasis on the face The researchers’ theory of why stress can lead to skin rashes says that chronic stress throws the body’s immune system out of balance. Stressful situations cause a complicated adaptation mechanism of the hormonal, nervous and immune systems. Blood pressure and pulse rate increase, stress hormones are released and inflammatory processes are also set in motion.

To fight potential pathogens, cells of the body’s own defense system migrate from the blood into the tissue. If the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline are simultaneously imbalanced, stress situations do not result in the protective suppression of the inflammatory reaction, for example, inflammatory skin eczema occurs. Other skin reactions in the face, such as pimples or acne, are also made worse by the hormonal imbalance in stress.

The most important measure to prevent stress-related eczema is to avoid stress in everyday life. Learning specific stress management strategies can also be helpful for sensitive people. A very common trigger of facial eczema is prescribed cortisone ointments and creams.

These creams containing cortisone are very often prescribed and often used for too long.In many cases, if an allergy with skin involvement is suspected, such a cream is prescribed and if the symptoms do not improve, the cream is applied in increasing doses. This can lead to a strong aggravation of the skin condition and to the so-called steroid acne. It is important to care for sensitive skin with protective creams.

Basic products such as Bepanthen, Linola Fett or Vaseline are suitable for this purpose. Women are slightly more frequently affected by eczema on the face than men. However, the reason can also be the, usually much higher, application of care products that are used.

The age spectrum of the patients ranges from infancy to about 50 years of age. Older people have relatively little to fight with eczema on the face. It is assumed that one reason for this is that the older person’s immune system no longer reacts as quickly and strongly as in young people.

Children can suffer relatively often from eczema on the face. This is often a genetic predisposition, which is then inherited from the parents or even grandparents. As a rule, these children are also much more at risk of developing atopic dermatitis.

One of the most common skin diseases during pregnancy is the so-called atopic pregnancy dermatosis. Itchy reddened skin and nodules form, especially in women who have a certain predisposition (athopic diathesis). Neurodermatitis, allergic bronchial asthma and hay fever, for example, are among the diseases of the atopic group, but stress, infections and hormonal changes during pregnancy can also cause eczema on the face.

Atopic pregnancy dermatosis occurs early in pregnancy, and about 80 percent of women have never been affected by such eczema before. The face, neck and décolleté are the most typical areas where the eczema spreads in the form of extensive redness; the crook of the arm and the hollow of the knee can also be affected. Severe itching and dry skin are also typical symptoms.

The skin disease does not endanger the health of the unborn child. An important measure in the treatment of atopic pregnancy dermatosis is, for example, a short shower instead of extensive bathing to prevent the skin from drying out. In addition, only mild skin-friendly washing lotions should be used and the affected skin should be treated with moisturizing creams or ointments after every shower.

If facial eczema is very pronounced during pregnancy, further measures can be tried in consultation with the doctor and after weighing up the benefits and risks. For example, a mild cortisone ointment or light therapy (phototherapy) with UVB light can be helpful. Cooling in the form of cool packs or cooling creams can be used to combat itching.

The most common cause of eczema on the face in small children is neurodermatitis (atopic dermatitis or atopic eczema). The causes of the disease are not yet clearly understood, a familial predisposition can be observed and it is often associated with hypersensitivity reactions and other allergic diseases. The so-called milk crust in infancy can be a first sign of neurodermatitis.

This leads to reddened, weeping and scaly crust-covered skin on the face and on the outer sides of the arms and legs. This can lead to very itchy eczema, especially on the face, ears and generally in the head area. The treatment of eczema on the face of a toddler consists of careful skin care.

The skin should be treated with moisturizing creams and further drying of the skin should be prevented. In many cases the skin appearance improves again in infancy, but the risk of other allergic diseases such as hay fever or bronchial asthma is still increased in later years of life. Eczema on the face may indicate an allergic reaction in the baby, for example to care products.

Especially if the eczema occurs after the application of cream, this possibility should be considered. Neurodermatitis can also be a reason for eczema on the baby’s face. The neurodermatitis in babies is called cradle cap.

The cradle cap usually breaks out on the face, scalp and the extensor sides of the arms and legs, but can also affect the rest of the body. The cradle cap usually appears from the third month of life. It comes to strongly itchy nodules and blisters with yellow-white scaling.

The spots may partially wet. Since the danger is very high that the eczema regions are scratched open by the strong itching, the skin can become infected.Therefore a treatment of the skin is very important. Once the cradle cap has been recognized in the baby, preventive skin care with compatible skin care products should be applied – especially during the cold winter months.

As a differential diagnosis of facial eczema, the so-called childhood diseases should also always be considered. In contrast to eczema, this is an infectious inflammation of the skin. For example, rubella, triggered by parvovirus B19, can be accompanied by reddening of the skin on the face, especially on the cheeks, and mild itching.

The diagnosis of eczema in the face is usually made by a gaze diagnosis. The skin areas shown by the patient are typically reddened, usually sharply defined, very itchy and of relatively small area. Eczema rarely spreads over the entire face.

Mostly smaller skin areas and areas are affected. The patient’s medical history is of exceptional importance for the diagnosis of facial eczema. For example, patients should always be asked whether they have changed and tried new cosmetics in the last few weeks or whether they have worn new earrings or necklaces before the skin change occurred.

If certain substances are shortlisted, a skin test can be useful. In this procedure, also known as a prick test, the corresponding substance is applied to the skin using a test strip. If the related substance is a substance that causes eczema on the face, redness will appear on the skin after about 20-30 minutes.

The patient will also complain of itching in this case. In this case the test strip should be removed from the skin. If left on the skin, this would lead to the entire development of eczema with blistering etc.

The most important treatment for facial eczema is to switch off the triggering substance. Suspicious skin creams, powders or lotions should therefore no longer be applied. Nickel products and other metallic substances found in jewelry should also not be worn for the time being.

The further treatment of eczema on the face depends on the severity and the stage of the disease. If an acute facial eczema is accompanied by redness and itching at the beginning of the reaction, creams containing cortisone, such as hydrocortisone, are used. Severe eczema that does not respond to other medications must be treated with cortisone-containing preparations.

Here however special caution is required. The Kortison should not be dosed too high in addition, not too low. The application should be strictly supervised and a certain maximum duration should not be exceeded.

The skin on the face should only be treated for about 1 week. The eyelid only for a maximum of 2 days and areas directly under the eye should not be treated with cortisone containing medication. If blisters with oozing have already occurred, moist pads should be used, which consist either of high-fat and moisturizing lotions or by skin-soothing medicinal lotions, such as chamomile.

Black tea is also said to have a soothing effect on the affected skin areas. For this reason, soaked tea bags can be placed on the area and left there for some time. If blisters have already formed with wetting, moist pads should be used, which consist either of fat-rich and moisturizing lotions or skin-soothing medicinal lotions, such as chamomile.

Black tea is also said to have a soothing effect on the affected skin areas. For this reason, soaked tea bags can be placed on the area and left there for some time. Sometimes it is necessary to treat eczema on the face with cortisone cream.

This is often the case if the eczema is very inflamed, particularly large or has existed for a long time and does not seem to disappear on its own. However, since the use of cortisone in the face should be done with caution, it is important to consult a dermatologist. Cortisone has side effects, such as thinning of the skin if it is applied frequently.

Therefore, when applied to the face, care should be taken to ensure that only a weakly effective cortisone (hydrocortisone) is used. Besides the treatment of facial eczema with chemical substances, a variety of herbal substances are also used. This is also known as phytotherapy.

Besides the already mentioned chamomile, which has a particularly anti-inflammatory effect, sage leaves are also used. One is attributed to them.Calendula, also known as Flores calendulae, is also said to be anti-inflammatory, virostatic, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory. However, extreme caution must be exercised when using these products, as it is possible that the skin may also react allergically to preparations containing this active ingredient.

This would result in a contact allergy. The use of witch hazel causes the blood vessels of the skin to contract, which means that less blood can flow into the affected skin area. The itching and reddening will subside.

Bittersweet gel has a disinfecting effect and also stimulates the macrophages to flow into the affected skin area. It also has a cortisone-containing effect and, if necessary, supplements chemical lotion therapy already begun with cortisone-containing preparations. In the alternative medicine also sometimes the so-called aroma therapy is used.

Here above all oils with intensive smells are used, in order to obtain an anti-inflammatory, antiviral or bacteria-destroying effect. Lavender is attributed exactly this effect in addition to its calming effects. Lemon balm is said to have an antiviral effect, while thyme is also said to have an antispasmodic effect.

The scents of peppermint are also said to have an antispasmodic effect.

  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Disinfecting
  • Antibacterial
  • Fungicidal (fungistatic) and
  • Virus-inhibiting (virostatic) effect

In addition to local treatments with chemical or herbal substances, baths are also used. Here the active ingredient, whether chemical or herbal, is added to the bath water.

The effect takes place as soon as the patient lies down in the bath and the skin has come into contact with the substance. When the patient gets out of the bath the active substance remains attached to the skin and therefore a long-term effect can be achieved. The bath therapy is used however with the eczema in the face only in modified form.

Here, facial wraps or steam baths can be used. Classically, camomile extract dissolved in hot water is used here. When the head is held over the steam, this extract acts on the affected skin area.

In case of recurring eczema on the face, a change of climate should be attempted. In this case, regions by the sea with salty air or high altitude air in the low or high mountains are recommended, as this air has a lower allergen density (less allergenic) compared to lower altitudes. Various homeopathic remedies can be used for eczema and can help to prevent the onset of eczema or alleviate the symptoms.

An important remedy for eczema is sulfur. It can be used for dry, scaly eczema as well as for itching or weeping skin irritations. Arsenicum album can be used for severe itching.

Rhus toxicodendron can also be used for itchy eczema. Which remedy and whether homeopathy can provide relief must be examined individually. Information to read up on: All topics published so far in the field of dermatology can be found under Dermatology A-Z.

  • Skin rash
  • Skin changes
  • Skin itches
  • Skin scales
  • Neurodermatitis
  • Atopic Dermatitis
  • Eczema of the eyelid
  • Eczema in the ear
  • Eczema on the foot
  • Eczema between the toes
  • Eczema scalp
  • Eczema hollow of the knee
  • Eczema on finger
  • Eczema auditory canal
  • Eczema Acorn
  • Eczema on the Po
  • Eczema Baby
  • Eczema skin
  • Hand eczema
  • Red spots on the neck
  • Dry skin eczema