Facial Irritation - What To Do?

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 17:49

Skin irritation on the face

Content:

• Causes of facial skin irritation
• How to get rid of facial irritation?
• Competent skin care

Human skin is a complex organ that protects the body from many damages, takes part in breathing, in the process of thermoregulation, in metabolic reactions, etc. The skin of the face is especially vulnerable to external influences, since it often remains unprotected.

Improper care, age-related changes in the body, disturbances in the functioning of the sebaceous glands, exposure to the sun, wind, frost, hormonal disruptions, various diseases - all this can cause skin irritation on the face. There are many external and internal factors that affect the condition of the skin of the face. Focusing on the main reasons for irritation, you can prevent the appearance of this problem or promptly and quickly eliminate it. After all, irritation on the skin is often not only a cosmetic defect, but also a sign of trouble in the body.

Causes of facial skin irritation

The main causes of facial irritation are:

Allergic reactions

Irritation on the skin of the face often results from exposure to allergens. They can act both internally and externally.

The main types of allergens are:

• Foods that a person eats (the most allergenic foods are considered to be: chocolate, bright red fruits and vegetables, seafood, nuts, eggs). Each person's body is unique and what causes allergies in one person may not cause any reaction in another.
• Household chemicals: cleaning powders, detergents, washing powders, etc.
• Cosmetics. It includes all kinds of creams, shower gels, powder, shadows, etc.
• Metals. Especially often, there is irritation on the face due to wearing inappropriate jewelry. An allergic reaction may occur after the piercing procedure.
• Insect bites often cause allergic inflammation and irritation. Sometimes insect bites can pose a direct threat to human life, especially if a lot of poison has entered the body.
• Taking medications.

The process of inflammation on the face due to exposure to allergens can occur as contact dermatitis, when the irritant gets on the skin. As a result, a person develops hyperemia of the skin, itching and flaking. The skin of the face becomes covered with bubbles.

Sometimes irritation on the face is like hives. In this case, the reaction occurs instantly, after contact with the allergen. Irritation is expressed in the form of redness and itchy swelling of the skin. It is usually easier to identify the allergen in this case.

Weather

Very often facial skin irritation occurs due to changing weather conditions. Low air temperatures, strong winds with rain and snow can provoke inflammation and flaking. An additional annoying factor is heating devices that work in the house during the cold season. They make the air dry, and this immediately affects the condition of the facial skin.

Hormonal disruptions and skin irritation on the face

With age, many women experience increased dryness of their skin, which becomes prone to irritation and inflammation. If a woman is over forty, then, most likely, this process is associated with changes in hormonal status due to the onset of menopause. Hormonal changes affect the work of the sebaceous glands, slowing them down. As a result, even minor exposures to the facial skin lead to irritation.

Hormonal disruptions in the body can be caused by pregnancy and puberty. During gestation, women often develop flaky red spots on their faces, and during puberty, adolescent skin tends to become more prone to irritation, which manifests itself in the form of acne. It is known that the level of hormones can change in a teenager several times a day, if you add to this factor unhealthy diet and emotional stress, then irritation on the skin during puberty cannot be avoided.

The content of estrogen in the body, which has a direct effect on the condition of the skin, can change with diseases of the thyroid gland, with inflammation of the ovaries, and with pathologies of the adrenal glands. All malfunctions in the body will necessarily affect the condition of the skin and, first of all, the condition of the facial skin.

Diseases that irritate the skin of the face

Such diseases include:

• Avitaminosis. Lack of vitamins always leads to the fact that the condition of the facial skin worsens, areas of irritation, inflammation and peeling appear on the dermis. With vitamin deficiency, no nourishing cream is able to help, since the problem will come from within. It is the face that suffers in the first place, although the appearance of areas of irritation on the palms, on the extensor surfaces of the elbows and knees is possible. The skin integuments react especially sharply to a deficiency of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamins of group B, vitamin E.
• Dysbacteriosis and bowel disease. Violation of the intestinal microflora, its inflammatory diseases, disruptions in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract - all this can affect the condition of the facial skin. The lack of bacteria leads to the fact that food is not able to fully digest. As a result, a person does not receive enough vitamins and minerals, he develops vitamin deficiency, which leads to the appearance of irritations on the skin.
• Demodectic mange. Irritation on the skin of the face can occur due to infection with an eyelash mite. Very often, he chooses the eyelids, chin, nasolabial triangle, forehead and other parts of the face and head as his area of residence. In the place where the tick begins to parasitize, an inflammatory reaction occurs, which is expressed in irritation, peeling of the skin, the appearance of edematous and hyperemic areas. Applying cosmetics to the affected areas only increases irritation and provokes itching.
• Irritation on the skin of the face with lupus erythematosus. Lupus erythematosus is a serious autoimmune disease that causes a red rash on the nose and cheeks. The rash drains and often resembles a butterfly in shape. At the same time, a person's joints begin to ache, disorders appear in the functioning of the kidneys, heart and blood vessels, the gastrointestinal tract and the nervous system.
• Skin irritation of the face with burns. Irritation on the skin of the face may appear with a burn. It occurs after prolonged exposure to the sun, or after exposure to the dermis of chemicals. The skin turns red and begins to peel off. The degree of irritation directly depends on how strong the burn was.
• Fungal lesions. Irritation on the skin of the face can occur due to its defeat by mycotic microorganisms. Most often, inflamed areas appear on the chin and neck. The surface of the skin begins to peel off, becomes covered with lumpy nodules. If a bacterial infection joins, then the pustules turn yellow.

Improper skin care and other irritating factors

Despite the fact that there are many diseases leading to irritation on the skin of the face, most often the reason lies in improper care of the dermis.

Inflammation, peeling, redness, itching of the skin can occur for the following reasons:

• Wrong selection of cosmetics that do not match the type of human skin.
• Using alcohol lotions, tightening masks, alkaline soaps for facial skin care.
• Washing with hard and highly chlorinated water from the mains.
• Improper shaving of facial skin.
• Use of aggressive peels, coarse brushes and washcloths, etc.

Other factors affecting the condition of the skin:

• Improper nutrition with the use of fatty, spicy and sweet foods negatively affects the condition of the facial skin.
• Non-compliance with the drinking regime.
• Work in hot shops.
• Living in areas with unfavorable environmental conditions.
• The presence of bad habits (smoking, alcoholism).
• Taking certain medications.
• Cold dermatitis.

How to get rid of facial irritation?

The process of getting rid of irritation on the face completely depends on what caused the appearance of the unwanted reaction:

Elimination of irritation caused by allergies

To eliminate irritation caused by an allergic reaction, it is necessary to determine what exactly acts as an allergen. Then, any contact with an irritating substance is excluded as much as possible. It is possible to take antihistamines (Zyrtek, Zodak, Erius, Telfast, etc.).

When you cannot cope with an allergic reaction on your own, then you need to contact a dermatologist and allergist. After carrying out specific tests, most often it is possible to identify the allergen and eliminate it as much as possible from your life.

For the treatment of contact dermatitis, it is possible to use ointments with corticosteroids (Advantan, Locoid, etc.), but only a doctor can recommend them.

Find out more: Antihistamines 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation

Eliminates irritation caused by weather conditions

To prevent skin irritation from exposure to frosty air and wind, you should protect your face with a scarf. It is recommended to use special protective creams in winter. They are applied to clean face skin, at least an hour before leaving the house.

It is good if the following components are included in the cream:

• Hyaluronic acid, plant bioenzymes, lecithin (to help moisturize the skin).
• Sesame oil, coconut oil and grape seed oil (inhibit moisture evaporation).
• Plant and fruit extracts (aloe, chamomile, avocado, cucumber, papaya, etc.).
• Vitamin B5, which not only nourishes but also moisturizes the skin.

If you plan to use cosmetics, then you should choose special creams intended for applying under makeup. Remember to protect your skin from sun damage. Even a winter cream should contain UV filters. Protective creams are selected depending on the type of skin, otherwise, they can be harmful.

It is important to have an allergy test done before using any new product. For this, the cream is applied to the elbow fold and left overnight. If there is no irritation in the morning, then the cream can be used without fear.

Elimination of facial skin irritation caused by hormonal disruptions

In order for the skin to be minimally susceptible to irritation during menopause, special attention should be paid to it.

Derma care should have the following features:

• Every skin cleansing process should be accompanied by additional hydration.
• Facial cleansers should include moisturizing ingredients.
• Instead of soap, you should use foams and face gels.
• For exfoliating skin, choose an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) product.

In addition, a woman should drink enough water per day, eat a balanced diet and give up bad habits. If, in addition to irritation and dryness of the skin, a woman during menopause is also worried about other manifestations of hormonal imbalance (sweating, fever, hot flashes, etc.), then you should consult a gynecologist. Your doctor may recommend taking hormones or other medications to help you feel better during menopause.

As for irritation of the skin of the face during pregnancy, it most often goes away after the baby is born. You should not take any medications, even completely natural ones, without the permission of your doctor. You can use ice cubes to reduce skin irritation. For this, boiled water is frozen, and then in the morning and in the evening after the cleansing procedure, they wipe the skin.

Even during pregnancy, you can safely use a mask with cottage cheese and kefir (you should mix 2 tablespoons of each product), or a mask based on the pulp of cucumber and chopped parsley. Any of the masks is applied to the skin for 15 minutes, then washed off with warm water.

Women in position should remember that if irritation on the face is accompanied by a general disturbance of well-being, then one should not hesitate to see a doctor.

If skin irritation occurs in adolescents during puberty, then this requires special attention. The diet and daily routine should be adjusted. If this does not help, then you can use special ointments, including: Skinoren gel, Salicylic ointment, Retinoic ointment, Zinc ointment, etc. Each of the listed products should be applied only to thoroughly cleansed and dry skin. A well-proven drug for external use Zerkalin, which can be used both in adults and adolescence. After consultation with a dermatologist, medical correction of acne and other skin irritations in adolescence is possible.

In the case when skin irritation appears due to hormonal disruptions caused by a disruption in the work of the adrenal glands, ovaries or thyroid gland, then the treatment is carried out exclusively by a doctor. It will completely depend on what kind of disease a person has.

Find out more: Hormonal disruption in women and men, causes and symptoms, what to do?

Elimination of irritation on the skin with vitamin deficiency

If irritation on the skin of the face is provoked by a lack of vitamins, then their deficiency must be replenished. A person should adjust his diet to include more fresh vegetables and fruits. The menu should be designed in such a way that at the same time the body gets products that do not hinder, but promote mutual assimilation.

In addition to proper nutrition, with vitamin deficiency, it is necessary to take vitamin complexes (Undevit, Triovit, Centrum, Pikovit, Supradin, etc.). However, the doctor should prescribe them, it is he who determines the timing of taking vitamins and selects a specific drug. It should be remembered that an excess of vitamins in the body also negatively affects the condition of the skin of the face and health in general, as well as their lack.

Elimination of irritation on the skin with dysbiosis

To get rid of irritation on the skin of the face with dysbiosis, it is necessary to find out the reason that led to the violation of the intestinal microflora and eliminate it.

General recommendations aimed at getting rid of dysbiosis are:

• Optimization of the power scheme.
• Taking vitamins.
• Taking probiotic drugs (Linex, Rioflora immuno, Bifikol, Bifiform, etc.).
• In severe cases (when dysbiosis is caused by intestinal diseases), antibiotics, intestinal antiseptics, and bacteriophages are prescribed.

After completing a course of treatment for dysbiosis, it will be possible to get rid of skin problems. If the cause of irritation is inflammatory (colitis, infections, etc.) and other intestinal diseases (adhesive disease, intestinal polyps, etc.), then specific treatment is carried out.

Elimination of facial skin irritation with demodicosis

It is impossible to completely get rid of demodicosis, nevertheless, it is quite possible to achieve stable remission. The use of antiparasitic agents is not always justified, since such drugs will take too long, which is due to the tick's life cycle. Treatment of demodicosis is possible with Tinidazole or Metronidazole, but in order to achieve a high concentration of these drugs in the skin, they will need to be taken for a long time, which can negatively affect a person's health.

Therefore, for deep lesions, drugs made in a pharmacy according to a doctor's prescription are used. Local application of gel preparations with Metronidazole is also possible. Cosmetological procedures have a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin during demodicosis: microdermabrasion, electrophoresis with moisturizers, professional peelings and non-hardware facial cleansing.

During treatment, the use of decorative cosmetics is prohibited, a daily change of bed linen, washing and thoroughly ironing of pillowcases is required. The use of medical cosmetics is possible. You should tune in to the fact that the process of getting rid of the tick is very long and laborious.

Systemic lupus erythematosus treatment and skin care

Treatment of lupus erythematosus is in the competence of the doctor; self-administration of any medications is unacceptable. Patients are prescribed hormonal ointments, cytostatics, injections of NSAIDs.

A very important recommendation for people with systemic lupus erythematosus is to avoid exposure to direct sunlight. Naturally, it is impossible to completely avoid sun exposure to the skin, so you should protect it with creams with UV filters.

In severe cases, immunosuppressive stem cell therapy is performed.

Elimination of irritation on the skin of the face with a burn

Any sunburn cannot be left untreated, no matter how intense it is. First of all, it is necessary to stop the sun exposure to the skin, for this you need to hide in a cool room or in the shade. A clean cloth should be placed on the damaged area (it is best to use a sterile bandage) soaked in cool water. Such compresses should be changed every quarter of an hour.

Further treatment of skin burns is reduced to taking vitamins (A, C, E), to taking NSAIDs (to eliminate pain), to taking antihistamines (to reduce burning and itching). So, the use of Paracetamol or Ibuprofen can reduce pain, Loratadin, Fenkarol, Tavegil, etc., help to relieve edema and reduce itching of the skin.

To accelerate the regeneration of the skin, various creams, sprays, ointments are used: Dexpanthenol, Elovera, Vinilin, Sea buckthorn oil, Zinc ointment, Actovegin, etc.

Elimination of skin irritation in case of fungal infection

Fungal infection should be treated by a dermatologist. He determines the type of pathogenic microorganism and, in accordance with this, prescribes medicines. The patient will be advised to use antifungal ointments, including: Clotrimazole, Miconet, Econazole, etc. It is possible to take antimycotics inside. At the time of treatment, it is recommended to abandon the use of decorative cosmetics, to adhere to a diet with an emphasis on plant and fermented milk products.

Competent skin care

To avoid irritation on the face due to improper care of it, you need to adhere to the following recommendations:

• Cosmetics and skin care products should be selected taking into account its type (dry, oily, normal, combination).
• It is best to wash your face with boiled cool water.
• When shaving, the direction of the razor should be in the direction of the bristle growth, not against it. Use shaving foam and aftershave creams and lotions.
• When working in hot workshops, in case of forced prolonged exposure to the sun or frost, you should take care of additional skin protection.
• Compliance with the drinking regime is important for skin health. The general recommendation for the average adult is at least 6 glasses of water per day.
• Do not forget about the diet. Fatty, spicy, fried and salty foods cannot have a positive effect on the condition of the skin.

It is equally important to give up bad habits and lead a healthy lifestyle. You should be more often in the fresh air and play sports. Competent facial skin care can be obtained in professional beauty parlors, where there is a wide selection of various hardware and non-hardware procedures. Therefore, if any areas of irritation appear on the dermis, then you should not delay with a trip to a specialist.

The author of the article: Kuzmina Vera Valerievna | Endocrinologist, nutritionist

Education: Diploma of the Russian State Medical University named after NI Pirogov with a degree in General Medicine (2004). Residency at Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, diploma in Endocrinology (2006).