Hello, I am Dr. Lee Sang-ju, a dermatologist at the Skin Concern Counseling Center.
Many of you have probably experienced your face turning red from the cold wind in winter. But is this phenomenon simply due to the cold weather? Or is it due to another cause, such as facial redness? Today, I will tell you about the causes of facial redness you may be experiencing and effective treatment methods.
If your face turns red from the cold wind, is it facial redness?
Many people think that their skin turns red due to the low winter temperatures. However, while facial redness can sometimes be caused simply by temperature, it can also be associated with other diseases. Generally, facial redness occurs because the face has many blood vessels, and for those with fair skin, the skin is thin, so the underlying blood vessels are easily visible, making facial redness symptoms more apparent.
Factors that cause temporary facial redness
In addition to these constitutional factors, facial blood vessels can temporarily dilate in certain situations, causing redness.
- When drinking alcohol
- When suddenly entering a warm indoor space from a cold outdoor environment
- When eating spicy food
As such, anyone can experience facial redness due to temperature differences, but if this redness persists, it is difficult to consider it a simple temporary phenomenon.
Persistent facial redness is not a simple phenomenon
If facial redness persists beyond a temporary phenomenon, the following causes may be suspected:
- Hormonal changes: Especially in menopausal women, hormonal changes can cause persistent facial redness.
- Medication use: Prolonged use of steroids on the skin, or taking medications that dilate blood vessels (e.g., some high blood pressure medications), can cause blood vessels to expand and lead to redness.
- Skin conditions: Rosacea is a skin condition known to often be accompanied by facial redness.
Therefore, if facial redness symptoms are persistent rather than temporary, you should definitely visit a dermatologist to find the exact cause.
Why is it important to treat facial redness?
If facial redness is left untreated, facial redness, which is an early symptom of rosacea, can progress to full-blown rosacea.
In such cases, both cheeks may become redder and inflammation may also occur. Therefore, since facial redness can be an early symptom of rosacea, it is best to receive treatment as soon as possible to prevent it from leading to a more serious condition.
How can facial redness be treated?
For facial redness, it is important to first identify the exact cause and then choose a treatment method based on that cause.
Management through lifestyle improvements
If you drink too much or too often, or if you experience facial redness after eating spicy food, it is important to improve these lifestyle patterns.
Laser treatment targeting dilated blood vessels
However, if facial redness persists, a fundamental treatment method should be chosen. Since facial redness is caused by dilated blood vessels, treating the dilated blood vessels with a vascular laser such as Vbeam Prima can alleviate facial redness.
This has been Dr. Lee Sang-ju, a dermatologist. Thank you.