The best techniques for dealing with facial redness vary depending on the cause. Redness of the skin can generally be controlled with the use of cosmetics and cleansers, but other conditions that irritate your skin may require additional treatment. Follow the method that best suits your problem to help reduce the redness on your face.
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Method 1 of 4: Adjusting Your Skin Care
Step 1. Find out the cause
A product in your daily skin care might cause an allergic reaction, breakouts, or other irritation. Keep in mind all the cosmetic, skin care, and hair products you use. Stop using them, and slowly reuse them one by one. That way, you can determine which product might be causing your acne.
- If the redness is associated with swelling of the face, especially the lips or tongue, or difficulty breathing, seek medical attention immediately. You can call the emergency telephone numbers 118 or 119.
- Start with the product you've used most recently, as this is the product that has the most chance of triggering a reaction.
- You can schedule an appointment with an allergy specialist or dermatologist. Both can do an allergy test, which is to expose a small amount of a chemical to your skin and then watch for a reaction.
- You may have sensitive skin. If so, some brands have a selection of products for sensitive skin; Examples of the best products include Aveeno Ultra-Calming and Eucerin Redness Relief.
- Once you know which chemical is the source of your redness problem, stop using products that contain these chemicals either as active ingredients or additives.
Step 2. Wash your face 1-2 times a day
Use warm water: both hot and cold water can dry out your skin. If you wash your face the wrong way, you can make it even more irritated and redder. You should wash your face with a cleanser for sensitive, unscented skin, and avoid cleansers that contain alcohol or other ingredients that can dry out your skin. Try a product like Cetaphil or Purpose.
- Pat your face with a soft towel when you're done. Don't rub your face, as this can irritate your skin.
- Try a sulfate-containing cleanser like Rosanil. This ingredient will help reduce inflammation.
- If your redness is related to acne, and your skin isn't sensitive, try a product that contains benzoyl peroxide such as Clearasil.
Step 3. Use a moisturizer
After washing your face, immediately apply a moisturizing facial cream (or lotion) all over your skin to lock in moisture.
- You can also store your lotion in the refrigerator and apply it to your face cold. Cold products can narrow the blood vessels on your face, thereby fading redness.
- Avoid buying products that contain alcohol, witch hazel, peppermint, fragrance, eucalyptus, or clove oil. These ingredients are considered to be irritating to the skin and will only irritate your skin more.
Step 4. Consider using a special over-the-counter cream
The most popular option is topical cortisone, a cream that contains steroids to relieve redness, soothe the skin, and reduce swelling. Look for creams that contain 0.5% or 1% hydrocortisone. Use a little at a time, 1-2 times a day, but only on the redness.
- Do not use this cream in the long term, because overexposure to steroids can actually exacerbate irritation.
- You can also look for natural skin soothing creams that contain ingredients such as licorice, feverfew, tea, turmeric, magnesium, cucumber, or ginger.
Step 5. Consider using aloe vera gel
Aloe vera can help reduce inflammation and relieve pain. You can use the gel directly from the aloe vera plant, or buy an over-the-counter preparation. Apply aloe vera gel to your face twice a day to reduce redness.
- To extract the gel from the aloe vera plant, take a large aloe vera leaf from the base of the plant. Cut off the center, scoop out the filling, and remove the gel. Then apply the gel to your face twice a day.
- You can find aloe vera gel at most department stores or pharmacies.
Step 6. Consider sprinkling coconut oil
Coconut oil is a natural emollient, which locks in moisture. Be careful when applying oil to a face that is prone to acne, as the oil can make it worse. Coconut oil can prevent moisture from escaping your face and becoming dehydrated, which is a common cause of redness. Coconut oil also contains lauric acid in it, which has antiviral, antifungal, and antimicrobial activity to rejuvenate your skin. Every night, apply coconut oil to your face, focusing on the problem areas that feel very rough and red.
- You can also use olive oil, almond oil, or rosehip seed oil. It also contains nutrients similar to coconut oil, and will help moisturize your skin.
- Coconut oil can help reduce redness if it is caused by dry skin.
Step 7. Consider using an oatmeal mask
Oatmeal is a very useful ingredient for relieving a variety of causes of facial redness, from sunburn to eczema, to common irritations. Buy pure oats and add water to it. Let the oatmeal absorb the water and then apply it as a mask. Use at most once a day, leave the mask on your face for at least 30 minutes, then rinse.
You can make a mask with milk to provide even more nutrition. Make sure that the milk you use contains fat, such as 2% milk or whole milk. The fat protein in milk will help rejuvenate your skin
Method 2 of 4: Changing Your Lifestyle
Step 1. Hide redness with corrective concealer
Ordinary concealers don't hide redness very well, but corrective concealers use the principle of complementary colors to balance changing skin tones. For redness on the face, apply a green concealer. Smear the concealer over the reddened skin, then gently blend it in using your fingertips or a makeup sponge.
- If the redness doesn't subside over time, or the color is too intense to hide with concealer, you may have a condition known as rosacea. Contact a dermatologist if you suspect that you have this condition.
- Avoid applying a thick layer. Concealer may or may not cover all the redness on your face. Even if a regular or moderate amount of concealer doesn't hide any redness on your face, avoid applying a thick layer. The green color of the concealer will start to show if you blend too much into your skin.
Step 2. Put on sunscreen
The redness of your skin may be caused by sunburn. Apply sunscreen before leaving the house, even if the sky looks cloudy. Sunscreens for sensitive skin and face are available at your local pharmacy.
- Sunscreen must contain at least SPF 30 to be effective.
- Use a “non-comedogenic” sunscreen to avoid clogging your pores.
- You can also buy makeup or moisturizer products that have sunscreen in them.
Step 3. Protect your skin from cold weather
In cooler, drier weather, your face may be flushed and dry from the wind, and airborne particles can strip off the healthy layer of skin and damage your skin's surface. If you protect it, the redness on your cheeks and nose will decrease when you come back into the room.
- When your face is exposed to cold air, the blood vessels will constrict, causing your skin to turn white. However, when you step into a warmer room, the blood rushes back to your face at once, causing your skin to turn red.
- Wear a scarf, hat, or ski mask made of non-irritating fibers.
Step 4. Drink water and eat foods that contain lots of fluids
There are some changes in your diet that you can make to treat skin redness from the inside. Foods that contain lots of fluids, and cool the body such as carrots, sweet potatoes, apples, celery, coconut, cucumber, melon, papaya, spinach, and broccoli contain antioxidants that can moisturize your skin from within.
- If your urine is almost clear yellow, then you are adequately hydrated. But if your urine is dark yellow or yellow-orange, then you need to drink more water.
- By eating more of these foods, you can protect your skin from drying out when exposed to cold air, or other harsh dry conditions.
- Avoid spicy foods, hot drinks, caffeine, and alcohol. These foods and drinks can trigger skin redness and will only make your skin problem worse.
Step 5. Apply cucumber to your skin
Cucumbers are high in water and contain lots of vitamins and minerals that can help moisturize your skin. Peel and slice cold cucumber. Lay your head, and place the cucumber slices on the reddened part of your face for 15 to 20 minutes.
- During this time, the vitamin C in cucumber should be able to relieve the annoying redness of the skin.
- However, avoid rubbing cucumber against your skin, as friction can irritate the skin even more.
Step 6. Apply green tea to your skin
Green tea has anti-inflammatory activity and can help narrow the blood vessels in your skin, thereby helping reduce redness and inflammation. Place a few tea bags or a few tablespoons of tea leaves in a pot of boiling water, and remove from the heat. Brew the tea for 10 minutes. After that, pour it into a bowl, and put a washcloth over the tea, so that the tea will be absorbed while it cools down. When the tea reaches room temperature, place the absorbent washcloth on your face.
- You can also use chamomile and peppermint tea. Avoid using peppermint tea if you have sensitive skin.
- Be sure to use a washcloth that's okay with stains. Green tea has color and will probably stain any rag you use.
- Do not rub the washcloth on your face harshly, as this will only irritate your face even more.
Step 7. Apply a layer of petroleum jelly to your face
Be careful when applying petroleum jelly to acne-prone skin, as it can make it worse. To give your face an extra layer of protection, apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly. Petroleum jelly will prevent your blood vessels from constricting and dilating too quickly, which can reduce or prevent most facial redness.
If you're not sure, dab it on a small part of your cheek, where the redness is most severe. If your skin gets redder or more irritated within a few hours, don't apply this jelly to other parts of your face
Step 8. Apply a cold compress
Cold temperatures can reduce redness by constricting the blood vessels in your skin. This method is especially useful if the redness is accompanied by burning or swelling. To make a cold compress, prepare a clean, soft washcloth and wet it with cold water. Gently press onto the irritated area.
- You can also use an ice pack wrapped in a thick towel, if you want to avoid getting a wet compress.
- You can also put a wet washcloth in the fridge for a few minutes to cool before using it to press your face.
- Do not use a rough washcloth or one that is too cold.
Method 3 of 4: Treating Rosacea
Step 1. Stay away from the trigger
Rosacea is a chronic skin disorder that comes and goes. These disorders are hard to predict, but one of the best ways for you to deal with the redness associated with rosacea is to avoid some of the most common trigger conditions.
- Common triggers for rosacea include sun exposure, heat, alcohol, spicy foods, hard cheeses, strong emotions, and weather changes such as increased humidity and strong winds.
- Emotional triggers for rosacea include stress, fear, anxiety, and shame.
Step 2. Ask your doctor for oral medication
Prescription medications can reduce skin inflammation, and may be prescribed if none of the redness treatments or natural remedies have worked for you. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, may become pregnant, have any other medical conditions, or are taking any other medicines before starting a new one.
- Your doctor may prescribe doxycycline, which is an oral antibiotic known to reduce inflammation. A low dose of doxycycline, called Oracea, will be given in high doses at first to get the drug into your body, but then reduced to a maintenance dose.
- Doxycycline will treat not only the redness of the skin, but also the red bumps associated with rosacea.
- There are many other prescription drugs as well. Ask your doctor which one is best for your particular case. These drugs are prescribed in cases of moderate rosacea, not in cases of mild rosacea.
Step 3. Use a prescription topical treatment
Some patients prefer topical treatments over pills. Your doctor may prescribe medicated creams such as sodium sulfacetamide/sulfur, Metrogel (metronidazole), or Finacea (azelic acid), which have the same activity as oral treatments, but are used topically. All of them help with the redness and redness associated with rosacea.
Step 4. Ask your dermatologist about laser treatment
This treatment is often used by patients to help relieve redness for a longer time than other treatments. This treatment can also help disguise visible blood vessels on the face, neck, and chest. This treatment is used to help improve the appearance of the skin and brighten it.
- Laser treatment can be a bit painful, but local anesthesia and an ice pack can be used to relieve it.
- This treatment is not a one-time treatment, but should be done at intervals of 3 to 6 weeks. You will need several treatments to get the best results and is probably not covered by most insurance companies.
- Laser treatment is used primarily when the patient has persistent facial redness that does not respond to other, easier treatments.
Method 4 of 4: Treating Adult Acne
Step 1. Use salicylic acid
Salicylic acid can help reduce swelling and redness. This ingredient also has the added benefit of helping to open clogged pores. There are gels, wipes, creams, cleansers, moisturizers, and facial sprays that contain this remedy. Try which one you think is most suitable with your daily skin care. Start with a 2% salicylic acid solution so your skin doesn't dry out.
Step 2. Apply aspirin topically
The salicylic acid contained in aspirin will narrow the blood vessels and relieve inflammation on the face quite well. To make a topical mask, break one aspirin tablet into two parts. Mix a few drops of water into the powder filled tablet until it forms a paste. Apply this paste directly to your pimples. Cover with a bandage for about 30 minutes.
- If you have an aspirin tablet, crush the pill and add water to make a paste.
- After 30 minutes, your blood vessels should have narrowed. Acne and the skin around it will reduce redness.
Step 3. Ask for prescription medication
If you suffer from chronic or severe adult acne, the usual over-the-counter skin treatments may not be strong enough to help clear your skin. In this case, a dermatologist will usually prescribe a stronger topical cream or ointment to treat your acne. Doctors can also prescribe antibiotics, laser or light treatments, chemical peels, and microdermabrasion.
- Your doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics to kill acne-causing bacteria. Hormone-regulating medications, such as birth control pills and spironolactone, which are actually high blood pressure medications, may also be prescribed.
- Typically, topical creams and ointments contain ingredients such as topical antibiotics, retinoids, sulfur, benzoyl peroxide, and salicylic acid.
- Prescriptions containing a combination of these treatments are also often given.
Tips
- If you smoke, talk to your doctor or dermatologist about quitting smoking. Smoking can cause redness of the skin.
- A professional skin care practitioner, such as a member of a dermatologist team or a beauty therapist can give you advice on which products (either over-the-counter or prescription) may be suitable for your skin.
- In the United States, look for skin care that is covered by insurance before incurring your own expenses. For example, some insurance programs cover treatment to a dermatologist, but not to a beauty therapist.
