Rash on Face

     Are you experiencing a rash on your face?  If so, there are a number of possible causes.  We will explore some of those possible reasons for your rash.

Rosacea

     Rosacea is a chronic condition that affects adults.  It is characterized by redness of the skin on the face as well as small, red pus-filled bumps or postules.  If rosacea is untreated, it is progressive; therefore it will get worse over time.  It also tends to by cyclic, which means that it flares up for a period of time and then may lessen before flaring up again later.  Rosacea can be misdiagnosed as a skin allergy, acne, or eczema.  Rosacea does not have a cure, however, treatments can reduce and control the symptoms of rosacea.  Rosacea typically appears in phases.  The first phase is called pre-rosacea.  It appears as a tendency to blush easily, and then will progress further into persistent redness in the central part of your face, especially the nose.  This is due to the dilation of blood vessels that are close to the skin's surface.  The second stage, vascular rosacea, is when small blood vessels on your nose and on your cheeks may become visible and swell.  Your skin may become very sensitive at this point and you may also see oily skin and dandruff develop.  The third phase, inflammatory rosacea, is when small and red bumps appear across the nose, cheeks, forehead, and chin.  Doctors are unsure of the causes of rosacea, but do say that there are some factors that can aggravate it. Those factors include spicy foods, alcohol, hot foods or drinks, extreme temperatures, sunlight, stress, embarrassment, anger, exercise, hot baths or saunas, some blood pressure medicines, and corticosteroids.  You also may be more likely to develop rosacea if you have fair skin, are between 30 and 60 years old, are going through menopause, or have a family history of rosacea.

Shingles

     Shingles are a very painful condition that look like a band of blisters that can go around your back to your chest and breastbone.  Shingles can also be present on your neck, face, or scalp.  Shingles are caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox.  Anyone who has had chickenpox can have shingles.  If your immune system does not destroy the entire chicken pox virus, the remaining virus can go into your nervous system where it lays hidden for years.  It may eventually produce shingles.  This virus is called varicella-zoster virus.  Although shingles are not life-threatening, they are excruciatingly painful.  There are a number of symptoms you may be experiencing that may help you realize that you have shingles.  If you are feeling pain, tingling, burning, numbness, or even extreme sensitivity in a particular portion of your body, this is a sign that you may have shingles.  If a rash develops several days after the pain, you may have shingles.  Other symptoms include fluid-filled blisters that break open and then crust over, fever and chills, headache, itching, and upset stomach or pain in your abdomen.  The shingles typically will occur on only one side of your body.  Shingles most commonly affect older adults, as over half of the people experiencing shingles are over sixty years old.  Additionally, people who have weakened immune systems are more susceptible to shingles.  Shingles are contagious for people who have never had chickenpox before.  This occurs when there is direct contact between the open sores of the shingles rash.  Interestingly enough, the person who develops the virus will get chickenpox, not shingles.  Therefore, if you have shingles, you must avoid physical contact with newborns, pregnant women, people with weak immune systems, and anyone who has never had chickenpox until the shingles blisters scab over.  If you suspect that you may have shingles, you need to contact your doctor. 

Swimmer's Itch

     Swimmer's itch is caused by an allergic reaction to parasites that migrate from snails to ducks, geese, swans, muskrats, gulls, and beavers.  These parasites get into the water through eggs and infected feces.  When swimming, the parasites may burrow into your skin.  Though they do not live long, they do cause a red, raised rash that may being itching an hour or two after swimming or two days after swimming.  One way that you may realize that you have swimmer's rash is because it usually only affects the areas that were not covered by swimuuits.  Some people are more susceptible to swimmer's itch than others.  Children tend to develop it the most because they often play in shallow water and sometimes do not dry off with a towel.  It is also important to note that your sensitivity to swimmer's rash can increase with each time that you are exposed to the swimmer's itch parasites.

Impetigo

     Impetigo is a very contagious infection of the skin that mostly affects children and infants.  It usually shows up as red sores around a child's mouth and nose.  It can occur in skin that is perfectly healthy or can enter skin through cuts or insect bites.  There are a number of signs that show that your child may have impetigo.  The first is red sores that rupture quickly, ooze for several days, and then form a crust that is yellowish-brownish in color.  There also may be blisters filled with fluid that are painless.  Your child may be trying to itch the rash a lot.  When impetigo is more serious, it may have very painful sores filled with pus that turn into deep ulcers. There are several different types of impetigo.  The first, impetigo conagiosa, typically starts as red sores on the face and then it ruptures quickly and oozes fluid or pus that leaves a honey-colored crust.  The crust will eventually disappear.  The sores are not painful, but can be itchy.  The second type of impetigo is called bullous impetigo.  This type affects infants and children under two years of age.  It typically consists of fluid filled blisters on the arms, legs, and trunk of the child.  The third type of impetigo, ecthyma, is the most serious form.  It gets deeper into the skin's second layer.  It may be characterized as deep sores filled with pus or fluid that turn into deep ulcers on the legs and feet.  Often the scars can remain.  If you suspect that your child may have impetigo, contact your family doctor, and he or she will be able to ascertain the level of severity and determine proper treatment.  It may be as simple as just waiting for it to clear up in two to three weeks.

Eczema

     The most common form of eczema is atopic dermatitis.  Eczema is extremely itchy.  It most commonly occurs on the face, knees, hands, feet, inner elbows, and back of the knees.  Some children will outgrow their eczema symptoms by age two, but some never do.  When an infant develops eczema, the rash may produce an oozing crusting condition on the face and scalp.  Unfortunately, the cause of eczema is unknown, but it commonly occurs in children who also experience allergies, hay fever, and asthma.  The rash may develop as a flare-up to a substance or condition in the environment.  For example, some children may not be able to handle certain soaps, laundry detergents, or animal dander.  Some may not be able to handle synthetic fabrics, such as polyester.  If you are suffering with eczema, you likely need to see a dermatologist.  He or she may prescribe a topical ointment to relieve the rash.  The pediatrician may also prescribe a hydrocortisone cream to reduce the itchiness.  You also will need to make sure you keep the skin as moist as possible.  When you have eczema, the skin becomes increasingly dry.  Applying lotions and creams to the skin, especially after bathing or showering, may be a helpful over the counter remedy for eczema.  Both Elidel and Protopic are skin creams that have been used to treat eczema.  They alter the immune system.  However, in 2005, doctors were warned by the FDA to prescribe Elidel and Protopic with caution due to possible links with skin cancer. 

Seborrheic Dermatitis

     Seborrheic Dermatitis is a skin disorder that affects the scalp, face, upper chest, and back.  It causes scaly, itchy, and red skin.  It also causes dandruff, and in infants, this is known as cradle cap.  Cradle cap in infants appears as thick, yellow, crusty patches on the scalp.  Doctors are unsure of the exact cause of seborrheic dermatitis, but state that there are some contributing factors.  Yeast, stress and fatigue, changes in the season, neurological conditions, and HIV/AIDs can all be contributing factors.  The first type of treatment of seborrheic dermatitis is usually medicated shampoos.  Anti-fungal or anti-itch creams can be used on other areas of the skin.  Elidel and Protopic have also been prescribed for this condition, but again, it is not advised by the FDA to use these products for any length of time due to their effect on the immune system and their links with skin cancer.

Allergic Contact Dermatitis

     Allergic contact dermatitis is caused by your body's reaction to something that has come into direct contact with your skin.  These bothersome substances are called allergens.  Many times the rash will not start until a day or two after the exposure to the allergen has occured, which makes it difficult to determine the allergen.  Some allergens include strong soaps or detergents, cosmetics, fragrances, alkali, solvent, nickel, rubber,  and acid. Usually you will see redness, swelling, and blisters.  The blisters may break and form crusts and scales.  If allergic contact dermatitis is left untreated, it may cause the skin to become darkened, leathery, and cracked.  Many times doctors will perform patch testing to determine if a substance is an allergen.  They will apply a small amount of a suspected allergen to the skin and see if there is a skin reaction.  Once you can figure out the cause of the allergic contact dermatitis, your best solution is to avoid that product.

Fifth Disease

     Fifth Disease is often called the "slapped cheek disease" due to the rash that develops on the skin of the face.  Fifth disease is caused by a virus called Parvovirus B19.  There are some early symptoms to be aware of.  First, there may be flu, runny nose, headache, and sore throat.  The rash may not develop until several days later.  It likely will develop first on the face and then on the rest of the body.  It typically will fade within two to five days.  Fifth disease is contagious.  It is spread by coughing or sneezing.  It will probably take a few weeks before it will go away.  You need to treat it with rest, fluids, and pain relievers.  If you are pregnant, fifth disease can cause problems for the fetus, so be sure to see your doctor immediately.  Also if you have a weak immune system or blood disorders, you need to contact your doctor immediately also.

Ringworm

       Ringworm is not caused by a worm, but by a fungus.  Ringworm is contagious.  It can spread from skin to skin contact and when you share things like clothing, sports, gear, or towels.  Ringworm is a very itchy rash.  If often occurs on the neck, face, or scalp.  It often makes a shape like a ring, but not always.  Ringworm is usually treated with over the counter antifungal creams.  Keep using the creams for as long as the directions state, even if it appears that your ringworm is clearing up.  If the cream does not work, your doctor also has the option to prescribe pills that will kill the fungus.  Antibiotics will be needed only if the skin blisters and develops cracks that are infected with bacteria.  Ringworm typically develops in either one large location or in several smaller ones.  This type of facial rash can develop due to contact with infected animals as well.  Cats, dogs, and horses can all transmit ringworm to people easily.  Ringworm is closely related to joch itch, a similar fungal infection of the groin.

Acne

     There isn't one particular factor that causes acne.  Acne occurs when oil glands come to life around the time of puberty.  Sometimes the openings of the sebaceous glands are blocked by cells, which can cause a buildup of oil underneath.  The oil will stimulate the growth of bacteria and as a result the surrounding tissues become inflamed.  The inflammation produces a postule.  A deeper inflammation causes a pimple, and the deepest inflammation causes a cyst.  When the oil goes through to the surface, a whitehead appears.  If the oil accumulates melanin pigment or it becomes oxidized, the resutl is a blackhead.  To prevent acne, you should be sure to cleanse the skin with a mild cleanser daily.  You can also use exfoliating cleansers and masques.  Killing the bacteria with antibacterial cleansers is also helpful.  If your skin is very oily, you may want to also use an astringent to wipe away the excess oil.

Lupus

Lupus is a medical condition that can create a rash on a person's face or body.  This medical condition occurs when the body's immune system starts to attack the various tissue cells of the body, including the skins, internal organs, blood, and even the heart and lungs.  Due to the immune systems onslaught on the various cellular structures of the body, a butterfly shaped rash can develop on a person's face.  Known as a malar rash, it tend to cover the bridge of the nose and the cheeks.  Each case of lupus is different, varying in severity.  Some cases may be temporary, while others can be permanent.  Some of the other symptoms of lupus can include fatiuge, fever, hair loss, joint pain, weight fluxuations, skin lesions which can also appear on the face, and mouth sores.  These rashes and lesions develop since the body is breaking down the cellular structure in these areas.  The rashes and sores are the visual effects.

     That  completes an extensive list of possible skin conditions that may cause a rash to appear on the face.  Please contact your doctor with concerns or questions about skin care.