Itchy Face and Facial Rash – Causes, Treatment, Pictures

Psychological Causes of Facial Itch

A person who is not sure about the truth of just spoken words, rubbing his nose, or someone nervously touching his face all the time, are examples of psychological causes of facial itch.

Unwashed Face

Unwashed face may itch, especially around your eyes, nose and mouth. Washing in the morning, after the meal and before bed should help.

Dry Skin (Winter Itch)

In winter, windy weather in combination with excessive indoor heating may dry off your skin. You can use protective moisturizing creams before exposure to cold or wind.

Excessive washing of the face with hot water and aggressive soaps can also dry off your facial skin. The same is true for inappropriate makeup or alcohol based aftershave.

Sun, at skiing or, in summer on the beach, can easily burn your skin. Protection is by avoiding sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., applying protective creams or lotions with high sun-protective factor (SPF at least 15), wearing protective hats and using after-sun lotions.

Allergies

Your face may itch due to an allergy to:

• Hair dyes (itchy scalp, front, eyelids, neck, and often marked facial swelling)
• Shampoos (itchy scalp and/or face)
• Makeup (itchy face)
• Food and medications (itchy lips, mouth, throat, and upper body)
• Head lice (itchy scalp, neck, shoulders, face)
• Pollens (itchy eyes and nose)
• Jewelry (itch and rash at the site of a contact with the skin)

Other symptoms of allergy include redness, rash (bumpy or patchy hives), and swelling. Symptoms of severe allergy include difficult breathing, faintness or even shock.

Therapy and prevention of allergies include skin tests, avoiding triggering substances, taking antihistamines by mouth in mild cases, corticosteroids in profound swelling, and adrenalin (epinephrine) in severe cases with difficult breathing.

Itchy Rashes on the Face

Itchy rashes on the face may appear in:

• Insect bites. Red, itchy bump(s), 2-3 mm in size should disappear in few days. Eventual stings should be removed and the skin disinfected. Oral antihistamines may prevent intense itch. Persons with strong allergy to insect stings should carry Epi-pen (anti-allergic kit with adrenalin).
• Childhood viral infections. In chickenpox (Herpes zoster), measles (Rubeola virus), German measles (Rubella virus), or fifth disease (Parvovirus B19), itchy papules or vesicles appear on the face and trunk, crust over and fall off after about a week. Fever, cough, runny nose and conjunctivitis are common additional symptoms. Treatment is with analgesics and, sometimes, with antiviral drugs.
• Acne. Pin-sized black spots (blackheads) or 1-2 mm big red bumps with occasional white centers (whiteheads), squeezable pustules or cysts appear on the face, front, and often on shoulders, upper arms, buttocks or thighs. Acne do not always itch, though. Mild acne are treated with over the counter ointments, and severe acne with antibiotics and isotretinoin.
• Acne rosacea. Red papules or patches of skin, excessive flushing and small veins appear on the face of 30-60 years old people from unknown reason. Treatment is with antibiotics, isotretionin and anti-inflammatory drugs.
• Herpes simplex infection usually appears as a group of small, translucent, burning blisters around the mouth (cold sore). Severe infection may be treated with antiviral drugs (acyclovir).
• Herpes zoster infection (shingles). Burning or itchy rash appears over the course of a branch of the Trigeminal nerve, usually only on one side of the face. Recommended treatment is with Acyclovir by mouth.Picture 1. Herpes zoster
  (source: Samuel Freire da Silva, M.D., atlasdermatologico)
• Dengue fever is a self-limiting viral disease with fever, itchy rash and small bleedings on the skin. It is transmitted from human to human by mosquitoes. It appears worldwide, except in Europe and Antarctica.
• Bacterial infections: staph skin infections (like staphylococcal folliculitis), streptococcal infections (scarlet fever, erysipelas).
• Pseudofolliculitis barbae (ingrown hair, razor bumps). After shaving, some hair may grow back into their own hair follicle, what may cause follicle inflammation. This mostly occurs in men with curly hair. Prevention is by avoiding shaving hair close to the skin. Lotion with glycolic acid may be used at night to prevent inflammation. In resistant cases, antibiotics or laser hair removal may be tried.
• Tinea barbae is a fungal infection of the bearded area in men, attracted from farm animals, and caused by Tinea verrucosum. Read lumps covered by rash appear on bearded area. Treatment is with anti-fungal drugs by mouth.
• Cholinergic urticaria (heat rash).
• Irritant contact dermatitis due to saliva: alkaline saliva in small children may cause a rash around the mouth.
• Atopic dermatitis (eczema) appears mostly in children with asthma or other allergies. It runs in families. Rash may appear on the face or anywhere on the body, often on the limbs. Treatment is by avoiding triggering substances, moisturizing creams and corticosteroid ointments.
• Seborrheic dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin due to excessive activity of the oil (sebaceus) glands. Greasy, yellowish, scaly clusters of shed skin cells appear on the scalp, behind the ears, on both sides of the nose, in the armpits and groin. An affected skin is itchy and red. Non-soap cleansers, topical or oral anti-fungals and steroids may help.Picture 2. Seborrheic dermatitis.
  (source: Samuel Freire da Silva, M.D., atlasdermatologico)
• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A red skin patch in the form of a “butterfly rash” extends over the nose and cheeks. The joints and vessels are often affected. Treatment is with steroid ointments and various other medications.Picture 3. Systemic lupus erythematosus.
  (source: Samuel Freire da Silva, M.D., atlasdermatologico) Rash also often appears in other rheumatic diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis, polyarteritis nodosa, temporal arteritis.
• Dermatomyositis is a rare inflammatory muscle disease with skin rash. Violaceus rash and swelling around the eyes, on the back of the fingers and elbows or knees is characteristic.
• Melanoma is highly malignant, fast growing, dark pigmented (brown, black or bluish) tumor, from few millimeters to few centimeters in size. It usually grows in the level of the skin, or appears as a raised tumor. Treatment is with a surgical removal. Squamose cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma usually appear as a crust like tumor on the face, eyelids, ears, lips, or scalp. They are treated with a surgery or radiotherapy; prognosis is usually good.Picture 4. Melanoma on the cheek
  (source: Samuel Freire da Silva, M.D., atlasdermatologico)

Related Articles:

• Itchy Scalp
• Itchy Eyes
• Itchy Throat
• Itchy Eyelids
• Itchy Rash on the Neck
• Causes of Itchy Skin
• Itch – Diagnosis, Prevention, and Treatment