Skin redness or red skin or reddish patches of skin should be considered distinct from rashes, although they have similar patterns of appearance. Skin redness is generally color changes in the skin that can have both natural causes, such as excitement or exertion. However, skin redness also occurs in the context of disease, such as Lyme disease or hemorrhoids. Redness of the skin is most likely to occur on the head, face and hands, as these parts of the body are usually covered by clothing.
What are skin rednesses?
Schematic diagram showing the anatomy of the skin and the causes and symptoms of allergic skin eczema and skin redness. Click to enlarge. Skin redness is basically any change in the ordinary appearance of the skin that is accompanied by redness. It can be a small, punctual redness, but also more extensive manifestations, which include, for example, wheals. In addition to the redness of the skin, other symptoms may occur: For example, itching or pain of various kinds are common, and in some cases the reddened skin feels hot. Occasionally, however, the redness of the skin is also the sole symptom of an underlying disease.
Causes
Skin redness usually occurs as an infectious reaction to the invasion of pathogens. In part, the change in the skin marks the site where the infection has occurred – in part, the affected area of skin has nothing to do with the focus of the inflammation. Erysipelas, for example, is one of the diseases that cause the affected part of the body to blush. It involves invading bacteria that lie under the skin and from there cause it to change. In hives, on the other hand, red wheals form that are not directly related to the causative disease. Even minor injuries to the skin can cause redness around the wound, but these are not caused by bacteria: They are an immune reaction of the body, it increases the body temperature there as a precaution to prevent bacteria, viruses or fungi from penetrating from the outset. Physical causes can be scratches or insect bites. In the case of a scratch, the redness of the skin is due to a short-term irritation of the skin, but this quickly subsides. In the case of an insect bite, it is a chemical reaction. In addition to the redness of the skin, other symptoms may occur: Common are, for example, itching or pain of various kinds, in some cases the reddened skin feels hot. Reddening of the skin can, of course, have causes that do not involve disease as a consequence. In most cases, these temporary rednesses are signs of increased blood flow. The cause here is excitement, exertion or temperature influences. Reddening of the skin can also occur very quickly, in connection with sweating, hormonal changes or inner restlessness. Furthermore, reddening of the skin can also be caused cosmetically. For example, due to massages, peelings and masks. All these forms are considered rather harmless and not pathological. Reddening of the skin, which is considered to be pathological, occurs, for example, in the case of allergic reactions and other intolerances. They also include reddening of the skin caused by sunburn and by toxins (fungal poisoning) or medications. Furthermore, damaged blood vessels, neurodermatitis, eczema and irritated skin (environmental influences) can be considered as causes.
Diseases with this symptom
- Lyme disease
- Hemorrhoids
- Allergy
- Sunburn
- Larva-migrans-cutanea
- Skin cancer
- Exanthema
- Erysipelas
- Neurodermatitis
- Histamine intolerance
- Rosacea
- Spotted fever
- Hives
- Insect venom allergy
- Thrush
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Phlebitis
- Age spots
Complications
Skin redness is still taken seriously in babies and young children. Most adults, on the other hand, dismiss them as a nonspecific symptom that can occasionally arise – without going any further to get to the bottom of the cause. In most cases they are certainly right, the skin reddens in adults occasionally for quite harmless reasons and then calms down again on its own. Skin redness that lasts longer, recurs or even causes pain, on the other hand, indicates a more serious cause.If they are not taken properly seriously, there is a risk that a cause requiring treatment will not even be recognized. It could be a mild allergy or a skin disease that can be counteracted – if it were recognized. In the same way, a skin redness could be the beginning of an infection that is not recognized as such in time and treated accordingly. This carries the risk that it can spread unhindered on the skin. The earlier an infection of the skin is treated, the easier and less complicated the healing process will be. Even skin redness with a known cause, such as an insect bite, is readily dismissed as a normal reaction of the skin. Nevertheless, they indicate that the cause is a bigger problem for the body than expected. So if skin redness persists for a long time, causes pain, spreads, swells, or the surrounding skin feels warm, it’s better to schedule one too many visits to the doctor than too few.
When should you go to the doctor?
Skin redness can be attributed to a wide variety of causes. For the most part, skin redness, while uncomfortable, is harmless and does not require medical attention. Harmless skin redness usually disappears by itself. If, on the other hand, reddening of the skin occurs over a longer period of time, shows sharp edges and becomes hot, it should be clarified by a doctor. If additional symptoms such as fever, swelling, pronounced itching and fatigue appear, a doctor should be consulted in any case. This is especially true for children and for skin redness that occurs in the context of a childhood disease such as chickenpox, rubella, measles, scarlet fever or German measles. In scarlet fever and rubella, the skin is reddened over a large area; in measles and chickenpox, the skin shows individual reddish pustules. Affected adults should also consult a doctor if they are suspected of being infected with a childhood disease, as childhood diseases often have a more severe and protracted course in adults. Changes in the appearance of the skin in the genital area (groin, penis, vagina) should also be clarified by a doctor in order to rule out infectious skin diseases (e.g. skin fungus). Also, skin redness that occurs after a tick bite should be examined by a doctor to be able to treat a possible infection with borrelia early on.
Treatment and therapy
Falling down and hitting your head, skin redness can also occur on the forehead. The treatment of skin redness should be treated according to the cause. For example, in case of food intolerance, the skin-reddening foods should be avoided. Most skin rednesses do not require treatment because they are harmless. These include, for example, wounds that heal well, minor scratches or insect bites. The latter, especially mosquito bites, can be treated for itching with special ointments or natural lavender oil to relieve discomfort. However, in some forms of skin redness, there is an underlying disease that needs to be treated. These include erysipelas, for example. Skin redness can also occur in various autoimmune diseases. Depending on the cause of the change, either the skin is treated directly, for example with decongestant or anti-inflammatory creams, or disease-specific medications or therapeutic procedures are used to prevent the formation of new skin redness. In principle, all inflammatory or painful redness of the skin should be treated by a doctor, as the pain suggests that it is a more serious inflammation or an allergic reaction.
Outlook and prognosis
Skin redness that is due to infectious diseases such as scarlet fever and diphtheria usually heals without a trace after the underlying disease has resolved. The same applies in principle to childhood diseases such as rubella, measles or chickenpox. Here, however, care must be taken not to scratch open the very itchy blisters and pustules, as otherwise scars may form. In the case of neurodermatitis and other eczemas, it is not the causes but the symptoms that are treated. Acute flare-ups can be quickly alleviated with the help of anti-inflammatory drugs. However, neurodermatitis is a chronic disease. Patients must therefore accept that the symptoms will recur regularly. In the case of food intolerances and contact allergies, the irritants are determined with the help of an allergy test.As soon as the triggers of the overreaction are identified and avoided, the allergic skin redness also subsides very quickly. In the case of hay fever triggered by a pollen allergy, either the symptoms can be treated with antihistamines, anti-allergic drugs and cortisone, or the underlying causes can be cured by hyposensitization. In contrast, the skin disease rosacea, which is accompanied by severe redness, is considered incurable. Patients with this diagnosis must prepare for a lifelong struggle with the disease. However, symptoms can be alleviated with anti-inflammatory creams and low-dose antibiotics.
Prevention
There is no need to prevent a harmless reddening of the skin caused by minimal injury, for example. It is a normal reaction of the body and protects it from worse infections. In the case of wounds, only a protective tetanus vaccination is important; against insect bites, one can apply repellent sprays on the skin. In case of allergic reactions, direct contact with the dangerous substance should be avoided if possible. Then no reddening of the skin will occur. Larger wounds should always be carefully cleaned and disinfected to prevent reddening inflammation. People with weak immune systems may additionally be particularly susceptible to illnesses in which infectious reddening of the skin occurs. They should be especially careful not to break the skin.
Home remedies and herbs
- Make an infusion with 100 grams of fennel herbs. With this addition to the bath will relieve redness of the skin and have a relaxing effect.
What you can do yourself
Home remedies for skin redness are only successful if they are not due to a skin disease. If the skin redness arose as a result of intense sun exposure, sun should be avoided immediately. The skin must calm down, needs cooling and time to recover. Cooling gels, which are also used against insect bites, can bring relief. Soothing compresses with cotton balls soaked in black tea also help. Chamomile can cause even more irritation in some circumstances. Almond oil and olive oil contain numerous vitamins and unsaturated fatty acids that have a soothing and regenerating effect on irritated skin. The ingredients also have an anti-inflammatory effect. A proven home remedy is cucumber slices, which are simply applied. The cooling effect immediately leads to relief of the discomfort. Similarly, curd packs are applied diluted with water and rinsed off with warm water after drying. Sometimes skin redness is caused by an imbalance of minerals. In some cases, magnesium can help. For skin prone to dilated veins, creams that promote cell regeneration help. Skin redness can also be allergic reactions to food, chemicals or other incompatible substances in the environment. In this case, it is necessary to investigate the cause. If they are the consequences of burns, the doctor should be consulted as a precaution. Cooling with a damp cloth is important as a first aid measure. Under no circumstances should greasy creams be used.
