Why does my face itch and turn red?

If you have itchy skin on your face and don’t know what to do about it, listen to our useful tips and recommendations. You will learn the possible causes of such a scourge, how you can get rid of them, and also learn about medications and folk remedies used in this case.

Human epidermis - a litmus test that reacts to literally everything and reflects any processes occurring in the body. If the skin on your face itches, you need to immediately find out what triggered the appearance of this unpleasant itching and take immediate measures to eliminate it.

Otherwise, this can lead to complications and consequences such as swelling, flaky crusts and even purulent ulcers. As a rule, all this is accompanied by rashes that interfere with sleep and living peacefully, because they itch constantly and painfully. The result is a lot of complexes, a reluctance to leave the house anywhere, and one single question: what to do? We will try to answer it fully and in detail.

Itchy face: reasons

As already mentioned, the skin reacts to literally everything: what we breathe, what we consume, what emotions we experience, what diseases we suffer from. The more deviations from the norm, the worse the condition of the epidermis. First of all, the skin of the face suffers, which begins to itch and itch unbearably. Sometimes for unknown reasons.

Once you feel itching, there is no need to console yourself that it will soon go away. The very next day you risk waking up with scabs and weeping sores on your face if you don’t take any measures.

The first step on the path to recovery should be to find out the reasons why your face itches. These may be the following factors:

1. Allergy for food (most often citrus fruits or dairy products) or low-quality decorative cosmetics.
2. The next reason why the face peels and itches is dry skin. It can be either natural or acquired. In the latter case, this happens if you often use products containing alcohol or soap with a fat-dissolving effect. On the one hand, an oily film is a very unpleasant sensation, but because of it, it is very unwise to deprive the epidermis of natural protection. An infection penetrates through cracks in the skin, and then severe itching begins.
3. The face may begin to itch due to skin reactions to atmospheric phenomena. For example, to excessive heat or high humidity. If you often visit saunas and baths, don't be surprised if your face itches. For some, itching is a reaction to cold winds and frost in winter. This is called cold allergy, which usually affects those who suffer from anemia or hypothyroidism.
4. Medications can also cause your face to itch. If they contain components that the body does not accept, or you have to drink them for too long and uncontrollably, the skin may react to all this with itching and a rash on the face.
5. Ultraviolet irradiation may well be the explanation for why your face itches. If you overexposed yourself to the sun or got carried away with visiting a solarium, you will have to pay for it with itchy skin.
6. The most unpleasant reason for this phenomenon is skin diseases, which will require mandatory drug treatment. Among them are seborrhea, psoriasis, demodicosis and rosacea.
7. Internal diseases can also cause an itchy face: all kinds of infections (measles, folliculitis, chickenpox), scabies mites, diabetes, anemia, cancer.
8. Bad habits: smoking and alcoholism.
9. Poor nutrition: a lot of fatty, smoked, pickled and salty foods in the diet.
10. Poor state of the nervous system: constant stress, nervousness, anxiety.

So, analyze the lifestyle you lead and try to understand the reasons why your facial skin itches: by eliminating the factor that causes itching, you can get rid of the scourge itself. Please note that there may be several such reasons.

Therefore, if you suspect one thing, you should not discount other points. If you were unable to do this on your own, you have only one, but very reliable way out - to seek help from a specialist. And this should not even be a cosmetologist, but a dermatologist.

Treatment of itchy skin on the face

After examination and additional tests, the dermatologist will make a diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate facial skin treatment. Depending on why your face itches, you will be prescribed medications and medical and cosmetic procedures. Be sure to go through them completely and strictly follow the doctors’ instructions so that the itchy skin does not return to you halfway.

Seborrhea

1. Symptoms: the skin on the face itches, shines, flakes, pink spots appear, which soon become covered with blood crusts, and the pores expand.
2. Treatment: sodium thiosulfate, calcium chloride, corticosteroids, antibacterial ointments and creams (bicarbonate, sulfur solution), alcohol solutions (salicylic alcohol, boric acid, tinctures of hawthorn or lily of the valley).

Psoriasis

1. Symptoms: the skin on the face itches, turns red and becomes covered with peeling scales.
2. Treatment: local therapy (salicylic, sulfur-tar, naphthalan ointments, calcipotriol, diprosalik), phototherapy, systemic therapy (acitretin, roaccutane, cyclosporine, homeopathic remedies).

Demodicosis

1. Symptoms: unbearable itching, loss of eyelashes, acne.
2. Treatment: drugs to strengthen the immune system means for normalizing the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract antiparasitic drugs (trichopolum, metronidazole, tinidazole) sulfuric, yellow mercury, ichthyol ointments various pharmaceutical talkers antibacterial ointments “Aversect”, “Permethrin” anti-inflammatory cream-gel "Dexodem Phyto".

Rosacea

1. Symptoms: the skin of the face becomes lumpy, inflamed, begins to itch very much, turns red, and a vascular network appears.
2. Treatment: metronidazole (ointment and tablets), diet, boric acid lotions, special massage, antibiotic therapy, psychocorrection, immunocorrective drugs, cryotherapy (cold treatment).

Universal medications against itching on the face:

1. antihistamines for oral use: suprastin, cetrin, fenkarol
2. topical ointments: menthol, for example
3. powders with talc
4. a compress of gauze soaked in boric acid (dilute 15 ml of acid in half a liter of water).

After treatment, try not to make any more mistakes that lead to such trouble.

To prevent your facial skin from itching, you need to eliminate from your life factors that can provoke this unbearable and unpleasant itching.

Therefore, always remember some rules that will help keep your skin beautiful and healthy.

To prevent your face from itching: tips and tricks

Many people know that unpleasant, painful feeling when the skin on the face peels and itches: on such days there is no desire to go anywhere, the mood deteriorates and you don’t want to look in the mirror at all. To never feel this way, try to follow a few simple rules. This is much more pleasant than having to spend weeks being treated for a nasty itch and hiding from everyone at home.

1. Avoid dairy products and citrus fruits, to which the skin of the face often reacts with an allergic reaction. Its first sign is itchy skin. Remember: everything is good in moderation.
2. Always make sure that your decorative and skincare cosmetics are of high quality and fresh. If you regularly use products from one manufacturer, do not forget to take a break every 5-6 months. Very often, the face itches precisely because of the incorrect selection of cosmetics for a particular skin type.

1. Do not use alcohol-containing cosmetics to cleanse your skin too often., which lead to cracking of the skin and its excessive dryness. Also, you should not choose soap with a fat-dissolving effect for washing, which completely deprives the face of a protective film, which can also lead to itchy skin.
2. Limit yourself from visiting saunas and baths. Do this at least once a week, but once a month, otherwise the skin will constantly react with itching to the dryness and steam of these establishments.
3. In summer, constantly moisturize your skinso that she doesn't itch. To do this, make masks regularly and drink clean water in unlimited quantities.
4. If your facial skin begins to itch and peel in winter, check whether you are adequately protecting it from winds, frosts and low temperatures. You may need to dress warmer and constantly cover your face with a warm scarf or high collar.
5. Do not take any medications without a doctor's prescription. Follow the dosage and know: you cannot take medications for more than 2 weeks: side effects are inevitable, and one of them is itchy skin on the face.
6. Be careful not to burn your face in the sun or in a tanning bed..
7. Get a medical examination check for skin diseases that may cause your face to itch, and then get treatment.
8. You will have to get rid of bad habits: quit smoking and drink less alcoholic beverages.
9. Take a course of multivitamins twice a year.
10. Try to eat healthy: eat more fruits, vegetables, drink natural juices.
11. Breathe more fresh air.
12. Try to protect your nervous system from shocks and stress of any kind.

If you follow these simple recommendations, you will not have any problems with your facial skin, especially itching and scratching. Those who have at least once experienced these unpleasant feelings know from their own experience how long all these peelings, dryness, ulcers and crusts that form as a result of this scourge take to heal.

So it is much easier to prevent itchy skin on the face than to undergo treatment and take medications later.

And, of course, you can use folk remedies that will soothe irritated skin, relieve itching and prevent its spread.

Folk remedies against itchy skin on the face

When the skin on your face itches, turns red and flakes, and there is no way to see a doctor, you can try to relieve the first painful signs with the help of folk remedies. However, be extremely careful when using them at home.

Firstly, they can also cause an allergic reaction and thereby only worsen the skin condition. Secondly, it is still better to first consult with your treating dermatologist in order to avoid complications and side effects.

Apple vinegar

Wipe itchy facial skin with apple cider vinegar once a day.

Baking soda

Apply a paste of baking soda and water (the proportions are arbitrary) to the inflamed, itchy areas twice a day.

Oatmeal mask

Grind oatmeal in a coffee grinder to flour, pour 1 tablespoon of 50 ml of cold boiled water, leave to swell for half an hour. Apply the resulting paste to problem areas of the face that itch for 15-20 minutes. It is recommended to make this mask after 1 day.

Herbal infusion compress

Pour 2 tablespoons of dried herbs (chamomile, string, nettle, parsley, oak bark, yarrow, coltsfoot) into 1 glass of boiled hot water, let it brew for half an hour. This compress should be used every day.

conclusions

Now you know what to do if the skin on your face itches: find out the causes if possible, eliminate them, consult a doctor and undergo a course of treatment, using folk remedies in parallel. This is the course of action that should be taken if such trouble overtakes you.

You don’t need unnecessary complexes about your appearance, so try to get rid of this scourge as soon as possible so that nothing interferes with your lively communication with other people and the joy of life.

To the question “why do you want to scratch your face?"can only answer dermatologist after examining the patient and a series of tests. Only a specialist can determine the real cause of facial skin itching, redness or peeling. But you can independently familiarize yourself with the possible origins of its appearance.

Origins of skin problems

The constant desire to scratch your face is annoying. In addition to stress, it exposes you to aesthetic problems with your face. Red-pink blotches, peeling, and acne may appear.

Signs of itchy skin include:

1. the skin tingles with “needles”
2. burning sensation
3. the appearance of redness and capillaries in some areas
4. irritation
5. strong desire to scratch certain areas of the skin.

The appearance of itching can be explained by both the presence of skin diseases and psychological problems.

Dermatitis

There are such types of dermatitis as:

1. simple (contact)
2. allergic
3. atopic.

Let's take a closer look at each of them.

Contact. This type is caused directly by the influence of any substance on the skin. Irritants can be chemical cleaning products, incorrectly selected cosmetic products, or medical creams and ointments.

Even some toothpastes can negatively affect the epidermis of the skin and cause itching, and then peeling.

The male half of society can expect inflammatory processes after shaving. The result of microdamage to the skin from a mechanical razor will be the appearance of irritation. And even when using foam, gel or shaving cream that is not suitable for your skin.

Allergic dermatitis is localized mainly on the cheeks, forehead or neck. It represents eczema that you want to scratch.

Causes of allergic dermatitis:

1. ingestion of medications or food products that cause an allergic reaction in a given person
2. stimuli “from outside” located in the external environment. This could be pollen, animals, some fruits and even dust.

A rash appears, with the help of which the body shows its owner its protective reaction. To make a diagnosis of allergic dermatitis, the attending physician must first identify the allergen that is the direct source of the skin reaction. Then the patient eliminates as much as possible any possible points of contact with the identified allergen. If the problem does not disappear over time, it would be advisable to use special creams containing steroids and antihistamines in tablet form.

Atopic dermatitis is also known as neurodermatitis. The occurrence of this type of dermatitis is typical for children under six months of age. Having appeared at this period of life, it periodically reminds the owner of himself throughout his life. This type of dermatitis is chronic and difficult to cure. “Favorite zones” for this type of localization are the forehead, neck and areas around the lips.

The causes of this type of dermatitis are very often genetic factors. The reappearance of dermatitis in adulthood can be explained by insufficient rest, stress, environment, unbalanced food and other factors.

Dry skin

Often, facial itching can be caused by dehydration of the skin. Dryness can be genetically inherent in nature, or caused by external factors. These include: cosmetic products with aggressive composition.

From this we can conclude that you should not abuse cosmetics containing alcohol or wash your face with soap. This does not mean that you should not cleanse your skin, because the natural fat film on our face performs a very important protective function. You just need to choose the appropriate gentle facial skin care.

Temperature effect

For some people, high temperature and humidity can contribute to facial itching. Summer, a bathhouse or a sauna is torture for them. There is also the opposite type - these are people who react to low temperatures and strong winds. It is generally accepted that this “winter” type of person is allergic to cold. Its occurrence is most often observed with existing problems with the thyroid gland or with anemia.

Internal diseases

The desire to scratch your face may also appear when you have a disease of some internal organs. This could be the liver, kidneys or gastrointestinal tract. Violation of their functioning leads to a malfunction of all other body systems. Externally, this manifests itself in skin irritation.

The source of scratching may lie in diabetes mellitus, malignant tumors or hemophilia. They can also be infections: chickenpox, inflammation of the hair follicles, diseases caused by staphylococci or measles. In most cases, with hepatitis or significant liver damage, itching also manifests itself in full. This can easily be explained by an increase in bilirubin in the blood, which affects the capillaries of the face, causing irritation.

Demodicosis

Damage to the skin epithelium by a parasitic mite of microscopic size. This parasite lives in the ducts of the sebaceous and sweat glands, as well as hair follicles, eating epithelial cells. The favorite habitats of these microorganisms are the eyelids, areas above the eyebrows and the chin area.

In fact, the parasite itself only provokes the onset of the disease, which can really bring a lot of problems to the owner. In addition to itching, there is redness, dryness and tightness of the face. If the disease is not diagnosed in time and treatment is not started, it threatens to open the pores with mites. When bacteria and infections get into the pores, acne, blackheads and styes occur. Advanced acne is very difficult to cure.

Psychological diseases

Psychological disorders, psychoses, and excessive nervousness have their own place in the list of causes of itching of the face and body. Science has proven that even stress at work can cause an incredible desire to itch.

Psoriasis

From Greek, this word is translated as “skin itch” and means the name of a congenital skin disease, which is expressed by the appearance of scaly areas with reddish plaques. The disease can affect any part of the body. The clear cause of this disease has not yet been identified. There is a pattern - with severe stress or a change of seasons, most patients experience a period of exacerbation of the disease, which is then replaced by its remission.

Seborrhea

Seborrhea predominantly attacks parts of the body covered with hair. However, there are cases of the disease appearing on the face and the surface of the entire body. The occurrence is provoked by a hormonal imbalance, along with which the functioning of the sebaceous glands is disrupted. In this regard, adolescents and elderly people are most susceptible to this disease.

Treatment

In no case should you self-medicate the above diseases. It is better to entrust getting rid of the disease to a professional. A doctor can tell you why your face itches. Depending on the severity of the disease, medication, hospital treatment, or surgery may be prescribed.

If the disease is not so significant, therapy may be limited to some prohibitions (elimination of irritations in the form of allergens or cosmetics) and lifestyle adjustments. Sometimes the solution is quite simple. Changes in diet, physical therapy or rest in a sanatorium. Treatment with mineral waters - balneotherapy - is very pleasant and truly effective.

Methods for preventing skin diseases

No one will deny that it is better to prevent a disease than to treat it.

The following will help you minimize the risk of disease:

1. adequate sleep (at least 7, but not more than 9 hours a day) and rest
2. periodic administration of a vitamin complex
3. proper balanced nutrition
4. sport
5. development of stress resistance
6. reducing the consumption of cosmetics and, if possible, medications
7. use of sunscreens.

The most universal advice for avoiding itching is strengthening the body's resilience. This can be achieved by leading an active lifestyle and a positive attitude towards the world. And, of course, regular visits to doctors and tests will help identify the disease at an early stage.

Do you have itchy and flaky skin on your face? Or your face turns red and starts to itch, but you don’t know what to do? First, let's find out why the face itches, and when we eliminate the cause, the symptoms will disappear. Please note that facial irritation, redness and peeling, as well as itching can be dangerous signs of various diseases, so take this problem seriously and make an appointment with your doctor.

Causes of itchy facial skin

1. Dermatitis: contact (simple), allergic, atopic.

With simple dermatitis, itching on the face with redness occurs after contact of any irritating substance with the skin (cosmetics, lotions, ointments, toothpaste, household chemicals, etc.). If men's faces itch after shaving, the cause may be the wrong choice of products for this procedure.

The second option is an allergy, which can be caused by anything: pollen, food, medications, household chemicals, etc. If the face is swollen, red and itchy, this is a sign of allergic Quincke's edema or a reaction like urticaria, and you should urgently consult a doctor.

It is important for young mothers to know about the presence of atopic dermatitis (or neurodermatitis), since itching on the face with redness and peeling with this disease usually occurs in babies.

Attention! A visit to the pediatrician is mandatory, especially if the baby scratches his face in his sleep, or the child’s skin itches periodically during the day with red spots appearing on the cheeks, neck, and forehead.

Moreover, it is necessary not to miss the problem if this pathology is hereditary, since the disease is predominantly chronic and is not easy to treat.

1. Peeling and itching of the facial skin often occurs when the skin is too dry. This is a congenital feature, and also happens with frequent use of cosmetic substances in an alcohol solution with a lipid-dissolving effect.
2. Effect of temperature and ultraviolet radiation (sun rays). Irritation on the face, redness and itching in this case appear in the summer when it is hot, or in the winter as a reaction to frost and cold. Itching of the facial skin due to temperature can also be a symptom of thyroid disease.
3. Redness on the face, itching and burning - as a reaction after insect bites (ticks, mosquitoes, wasps, ants, etc.).

Skin diseases that cause itchy face

1. Demodicosis - is caused by a microscopic mite, which provokes irritation on the skin (especially on the eyelids, above the eyebrows, on the chin area), it itches very much, and redness and fatigue of the eyes appear.
2. Psoriasis is one of the causes of itching, red spots on the skin of the face, and characteristic scales appear. The skin is flaky and itchy beyond the redness. Other areas of the body are usually affected. This is a chronic seasonal disease with exacerbations and remissions.
3. Seborrhea - usually occurs in adolescents and the elderly due to hormonal background. The scalp is affected, but the skin of the face also itches and itches.
4. Ringworm is predominantly an infectious problem, and there are many types. It is characterized by scaly flaking, itching and redness of the facial skin.
5. Fungus and microbial damage also cause itchy skin on the face. We contact the doctor, determine the pathogen and treat the disease.

Itching of the skin due to organ pathology

It is important to know that itching of the face can serve as a secondary sign of diseases of the internal organs: heart and blood vessels, pancreas and thyroid glands, gastrointestinal tract, urogenital pathology.

This includes diabetes mellitus, oncology, poisoning of various origins, dysbacteriosis (especially in children), helminthic infestation, hepatitis and liver diseases, as well as inflammatory processes in organs. Also, the cause of itching and redness of the skin of the face can be infections - measles, chickenpox, rubella, etc. Mental disorders - reactions to stress, hysteria, of various origins, neuroses very often provoke itching.

It occurs more often in women, usually first there is itching on the face, all over the body without redness, then, subsequently, red marks appear from scratching. It may be the other way around - the face is covered with red spots, and then it starts to itch.

Bad habits and poor diet as the cause of itching and redness

Here is the answer to the question why chronic smokers, drug addicts, alcoholics, and also those with a hangover have an itchy face: these toxic substances severely damage the walls of the skin blood vessels, plus metabolic products begin to be released through the skin, which trigger this process. Unhealthy diet: a lot of fatty, smoked, spicy and salty foods. The face also itches and redness occurs in those with a sweet tooth and soda lovers.

How to fix this problem?

The first thing you need to remember is that you need to be treated comprehensively! The result will be quick and effective.

Let's act on the reason:

1. For simple dermatitis, we eliminate contact with the irritant and change the products we used. In case of allergic dermatitis, we eliminate the allergen, purchase antihistamines (Suprastin, Tavegil), calcium gluconate, in case of severe reactions, hormonal agents - dexamethasone, hydrocortisone, prednisolone, topical hormonal ointments.
2. For dry skin, we use water-based moisturizers and oil-based cosmetics.
3. If your face is red and itchy in the sun, use protective creams with a UV filter. In summer, moisturize your skin, in winter, cover it with a scarf, use nourishing creams. Limit trips to saunas and steam baths.
4. For demodicosis, drugs are prescribed to improve the immune system, drugs that normalize the gastrointestinal tract, antiparasitic drugs, topical antibacterial, sulfur, and mercury ointments. Psoriasis is treated systemically - cyclosporine, roaccutane, sedatives, locally - salicylic, naphthalan ointment, physical methods - phototherapy. They use baths based on herbs and oils, and traditional medicine - infusions and teas of motherwort, chamomile, and mint. Treatment of seborrhea - sodium thiosulfate, calcium preparations, hormones, antibacterial ointments and creams, alcohol solutions. For fungal diseases - antifungal agents. At the same time, do not forget about diet and vitamins.
5. If itching, redness and peeling of the face appear as a result of a disease of the internal organs, then we try to cure the underlying disease as much as possible.
6. For mental disorders - consultation with a psychologist or psychiatrist, taking sedatives - ranging from herbs (mint, motherwort, valerian) to taking medications - Glitsed, Afobazol. Try to avoid stress, take B vitamins with magnesium (Magne - B6, for example).
7. If redness and itching of the face occurs as a result of an insect bite, you can make a lotion with soda or tincture of calendula and chamomile. If the body's reaction to the bite is severe, you should take antihistamines.

Universal recommendations when the skin on the face itches:

1. Watch and choose the right cosmetics for your skin type, use high-quality products. Remember that various chemicals, preservatives and dyes are added to cosmetics, which also harm the skin, so try to limit their use.
2. Do not get carried away with peeling with frequent procedures, the skin does not have time to fully recover and the face begins to itch, redden and itch.
3. Be sure to forget about bad habits and start watching your diet! In moderation – confectionery, citrus fruits. Try not to eat fried, spicy, smoked, fast food, soda, or coffee. Drink clean water up to 2 liters per day, eat vegetables and fruits.
4. Take multivitamin complexes.
5. When the face becomes red and itchy, the affected areas can be lubricated with vitamin A, E (carefully open the capsule before the procedure).
6. You should not use medications without consulting a doctor, especially uncontrolled. Follow their dose, duration and regimen, remember the side effects (itching and redness, including).
7. Try to spend more time outdoors, ventilate the room before going to bed to saturate your skin with oxygen.
8. It is important to know that you should absolutely not comb the affected areas of the skin or rip off scabs the damaged tissue can become infected! If the skin is peeling, you need to exfoliate once (at home in the form of a mask made of clay or coffee grounds), and then apply nourishing products.
9. Physiotherapy, spa treatment, and balneotherapy work well.

Folk remedies when the face is very itchy and flaky:

1. Oatmeal mask (1 tablespoon of cereal plus 50 ml of water) with the addition of vitamins A, E. Apply for 10-15 minutes, rinse. A mask with aloe juice and yeast based perfectly relieves redness.
2. Lotions from herbal infusion: 2 tbsp. l. chamomile, string, nettle, parsley, oak bark, coltsfoot, pour 1 glass of boiling water, let it brew for about an hour.
3. Potatoes (cut raw and apply to the area that is itchy and itchy).
4. Fresh cucumber (puree and apply to skin).

Itching is not only an aesthetic problem, but can also be a symptom of a disease for this, it is better and more reliable to make an appointment with a doctor, do a series of tests, find out the cause and eliminate the discomfort.