What Causes Facial Redness?

Permanent vs. Temporary

Simple flushing, like when you are embarrassed, pleased, hot, or cold has to do with the dilation of blood vessels in the face and neck, which produces a rosy glow under the skin. Unfortunately, there are a wide range of causes for red facial skin, many of which are permanent or somewhat permanent, requiring treatment by a dermatologist to see improvement. Let’s take a look at both types of causes for red pigmentation.

 Temporary Causes

1. Simple Flushing

As described above, simple flushing is extremely temporary and happens whenever emotional or environmental factors trigger the blood vessels to dilate.

2. Burns/Sunburns

Obviously, sunburn can make your skin pink and painful. Letting your face get sunburned can age your skin, but at least your skin doesn’t stay pink for long. Other burns can leave scars, which can sometimes be treated with cosmetic lasers.

3. Hot Flashes

Menopausal women often experience hot flashes, which can make the skin flush and appear red.

4. Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol can temporarily dilate the blood vessels and make the skin seem redder. Fortunately, most people don’t consume enough alcohol consistently that this becomes an ongoing problem.

5. Acne

Acne can occur during any phase of life, most often during adolescence and young adulthood. Since many types of acne can cause small, isolated areas of redness, severe acne, particularly chronic acne, can cause overall redness in the face.

6. Allergic Reactions

Sometimes, skin doesn’t like some of the ingredients found in soaps, washes, moisturizers, toners, and other products. Allergic reactions can cause temporary redness. If allergies are the cause of facial redness, all products should be eliminated and then slowly added in to see which product is the culprit.

Permanent & Semi-Permanent Causes

1. Rosacea

Rosacea is a skin disease which produces redness, broken blood vessels, and pus-filled bumps, typically on the face. Rosacea also causes the sufferer to flush more easily. Though rosacea does cycle through flare-ups, the condition can be improved with cosmetic lasers. Some people show remarkable improvement after several treatments, but usually must come in for periodic treatments to keep the problem in check.

2. Broken Blood Vessels

Broken blood vessels can be caused by a number of factors. The degree to which these can be improved depends on the cause of these broken capillaries.

3. Acne Scars

Though the acne itself is gone, scarring and redness may persist. Acne scars can be difficult to treat, but some lasers can provide improvement.

4. Eczema

Eczema can be caused by many factors, and it is difficult to treat. Unfortunately, laser treatments do not help improve the appearance or itchiness of eczema.

Therapy

The best option for treating redness is with a professional dermatological procedure such as a VariLite laser® treatment. Many other factors can be treated using this method with amazing results. For blood vessel treatment and other laser procedures, several treatments are usually necessary, spaced several weeks apart. Some problems, such as rosacea, can be treated with a number of different lasers, such as Laser Genesis®, Intense Pulsed Light lasers, or fraxel lasers, in addition to VariLite. Other lasers can be used to treat scars, sun damage, and other skin issues.

Most lasers to treat redness are minimally invasive, requiring no general anesthesia and just a few days of downtime.

Want to Solve Your Skin Redness?

Nationally known for their expertise in cosmetic and laser procedures, Dr. Walder and her associates Drs. Cynthia Golomb and Stacy Chimento have years of experience successfully treating facial redness. If you’re ready to take charge and reduce unsightly redness in your face, give us a call today at 305-866-2177 to schedule a consultation.