Your skin is your largest organ. It protects the rest of your body from the environment around you, but that means it's uniquely susceptible to damage and irritation.
Millions of Americans have skin conditions that cause visible redness, unevenness, or other irregularities. Skin problems can range from a mild inconvenience to significantly uncomfortable, and they all have the power to hinder your self-confidence, too.
The team at A to Z Dermatology, with offices in Mesa, Sun City, Casa Grande, Gold Canyon, and Chandler, Arizona, can help. If you’re bothered by skin redness, read on to explore four possible causes.
Your skin is naturally resilient, but certain conditions and irritants can leave you with skin that’s red and irritated. A few of the most common skin conditions that cause redness are:
An estimated 31 million Americans have eczema, making it one of the most common skin conditions in the country. Anyone at any age can have it, but it’s particularly common among babies and children.
Eczema is a type of dermatitis that causes dry, scaly patches of skin to develop on the body. These patches can be painful, irritated, and itchy. If you have light skin, the patches often appear red.
Around 8 million Amerians have psoriasis, a type of immune disorder that makes your body create excess skin cells. These skin cells build up on the surface of your skin and make visible, raised patches called plaques.
Psoriasis plaques are characterized by dry, crusty skin that may seep or bleed. People with light skin often notice skin redness with plaques. Psoriasis plaques typically look like rashes, but psoriasis isn’t contagious.
Nearly 16 million Americans have rosacea. It’s most common among light-skinned women over age 30, and the main symptom is facial redness.
Rosacea develops with blood vessels that are visible below the surface of your skin. Red patches typically develop around your nose and cheeks, although they can appear anywhere on your face. Along with redness, you may have swelling or acne-like bumps.
Skin rashes are areas of irritation that form on skin. Rashes are very common, and they can be the result of:
Rashes range in severity and appearance. If you have light skin, rashes almost always include redness. Other signs of rash are itchiness, swelling, and pain.
With so many possible causes of skin redness, getting a diagnosis is the first step to finding relief for your irritated skin. Schedule an appointment with us if you notice redness, irritation, or other symptoms of a skin condition.
Our team is trained to diagnose a variety of common skin conditions. We start by reviewing your symptoms and medical history. Then we closely examine your skin to identify what’s causing the irritation.
There’s no cure for many chronic skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea. Instead, we recommend treatment to soothe your skin and reduce flare-ups and redness. If you have a rash, we help identify the cause or trigger, so you can avoid it in the future.
Have you noticed that your skin is red, irritated, or painful? Book an appointment online or over the phone with the team at A to Z Dermatology today.
