Redness On Face: 11 Causes & Ways to Reduce It (Home Remedies)

When it comes to flawless skin, it’s true that most of us do not possess it. It is no secret that we all do suffer from some or other kind of skin imperfections. Today the trend might be to get a glass skin effect but a very tiny amount of people do get to have beautiful skin like that. Among those imperfections, there is redness on the face that many people do suffer from.

There can be many reasons for that. The redness on your face can indicate that you are dealing with some basal health issues that need immediate medical attention or it can also mean that you have some sort of skin irritation. No matter what the reason is it is not only unpleasant to look at but in some cases, it can also cause great irritation. It not only affects how we look but it also makes us feel insecure about our face resulting in lack of confidence.

How to Reduce Redness on Face

Well, we are here to talk about how to reduce redness on face. Before doing that it is quite necessary we understand what is it exactly that’s causing it.

According to certified dermatologists, the reasons for facial redness vary from genetic causes to environmental factors, from inflammation to the consumption of certain food or spices. After consulting several skin experts and dermatologists we prepared a list of probable reasons that causes redness on your face and also their remedies.

Potential Causes of Redness on The Face

Let me explain what causes redness on the face. These are some common causes:


1. Rosacea

Rosacea is a chronic skin disorder that is very common among us. It mainly causes redness and often causes red bumps too. It is found mostly on fair-skinned people. Though there is no treatment for Rosacea as such but there are certain triggers that we can control to prevent it.

Rosacea can be triggered by environmental factors such as sunlight, extreme heat or cold, certain food and alcohol. Some topical treatments can reduce it to an extent.

2. Contact Dermatitis

Another common reason for facial redness is contact dermatitis. It happens when your skin has a certain allergic reaction to an irritant. It can be triggered by skin care products or cosmetic products such as soaps and perfumes. Such triggers can cause redness on the face. Medical help might not be needed as after a few days it goes away all by itself.

3. Alcohol or Certain Spicy Food

Facial redness can happen due to alcohol flushing when you can not digest alcohol completely. Mostly Asian people are affected by it. On the other hand, when you eat spicy food the heat increases blood flow making your face look red.

To prevent these you may control your alcohol consumption and also avoid eating spicy food. Sometimes coffee can cause you redness too.

4. Eczema

Eczema is a skin disorder that causes your skin to become extremely dry, itchy, red and irritated and can even lead to secondary infection. It is mostly hereditary and can be cured within a few months. If you are careful enough and can avoid the triggers it will go away more easily.

5. Over-Exfoliated Skin

Redness on your face can also happen when you over-exfoliate your skin. When you use an extremely harsh exfoliant to exfoliate your skin, your skin ends up dry and patchy. The irritation caused by the exfoliator makes your skin more sensitive and red. If you have dry skin then you are naturally more prone to over-exfoliate your skin. In such a situation make sure you don’t overdo it and keep your skin moisturized.

6. Reaction to Certain Medication

When you take certain medications it can cause some side effects such as mild allergies which can then result in facial redness. So before taking medication make sure you know if you are allergic to it or not and the other side effects too.

7. Lupus

Lupus is a chronic disease where your very own immune system attacks itself. This inflammatory disease can attack your skin and blood cells. It causes facial redness across both cheeks making a butterfly-like shape. Though Lupus can not be treated completely but you can take medical help to control it’s symptoms.

8. Overuse of Actives

Overusing actives in your skincare such as Retinol, AHAs and BHAs can cause redness on the face. when you use actives they make your cell turn-over process faster so your skin becomes overly sensitive especially to the sun. You need to use actives quite moderately in your skincare.

9. Redness Due to Acne

If you have acne-prone skin it is quite common that your acne will leave behind some reddish marks on your skin. Some marks go away pretty easily but there are some stubborn marks too that are not easy to get rid of.

You can use homemade remedies to remove acne marks as well as medicated solutions to remove those marks but most importantly you need to religiously follow a good skin care routine.

10. Redness Due to Dryness

If you have dry skin or you are more on the drier side it is quite common to have redness on your face. When your skin loses the natural moisture that it is supposed to have, it becomes dry and red and also quite sensitive.

Dry skin can be caused due to certain use of chemicals, over-exfoliation or due to lack of moisture and so on. So using a good skin-friendly moisturizer is very important.

11. Due to Sun Exposure

Well, we can not tell you enough how bad the sun is for our skin and what are the side effects of UV rays. If you have been exposed to direct sunlight for a long period of time it would be quite normal to get a sunburn. When you get a sunburn your skin becomes irritated and results in facial redness. That’s why it is absolutely necessary to wear a good sunscreen daily.


How to Reduce Redness on Face


  • As we talked enough about the causes of facial redness, now it’s time we talk about how to reduce redness on face too. If your facial redness is happening because of a skin disease or genetic reasons, no doubt you need to see a doctor ASAP. If you notice your face getting red after you eat certain foods or have certain drinks you need to identify them and moderate the consumption.
  • If you are suffering from redness on your face due to sensitive skin, dry skin or acne, you need to follow a good skincare routine. you need to use fragrance-free, paraben and SLS free products. It’s a good habit to start reading the label of your skin care products. Read them out and choose wisely. If you are allergic to certain ingredients do avoid them.
  • You also need to monitor the kind of cosmetic and makeup products you are using. It’s not recommended to use cheap makeup or cosmetics products. They are made up of nasty chemicals and can cause severe redness on your face. Use trusted brands and invest in good skincare and makeup.
  • If your facial redness is because of acne or dry or sensitive skin you can try to add actives in your skin care routine. We suggest you do that very slowly and start out with lesser percentages and let your skin be habituated with that. We suggest you start out with a mild Salicylic acid or Glycolic acid peel. They will exfoliate your skin on a deeper level making your skin brighter and fresher.
  • As harsh weather has a large contribution to causing redness it is very important to wear sunscreen each and every day. Make sure that you should reapply your sunscreen after 2-3 hours to maintain its effectiveness. In case of severe sunburn and redness go consult a doctor.

Home Remedies to Reduce Redness on Face


  1. You can use certain home remedies to help the redness calm down. First of all, try to take cool baths as it helps with the inflammation and redness and give you a quick relief. If you have facial redness due to sunburn it will surely help. You can also use ice cubes on the burned or red areas but don’t use them directly. Use a fine cloth to wrap around the ice cubes and then apply it.
  1. Aloe Vera with its cooling properties can calm down the inflammation and facial redness. You can use fresh aloe vera directly from the plant and make a mask out of it. Another good cooling agent is Cucumber. you can use cucumber slices or even cucumber juice all over your face to help you with the redness.
  1. Another big step would be changing your lifestyle as a whole. If you have chronic skin conditions or you suffer from alcohol flushing then other remedies would not really help. If you try to live a healthy lifestyle, try to eat clean, try to maintain a good skin care and body care routine, and try to maintain your alcohol consumption it can help you in the long run.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)


What should I do if my face suddenly becomes red?

First, don’t panic! It can be due to some regular cause. Do try out our home remedies like aloe or cucumber masks or ice cubes to calm down the redness. If it does not go away in 2-3 weeks by itself, do consult with your doctor.

When should I visit a dermatologist?

Facial redness due to sunburn or other regular reasons are very common. In most cases, they will go away in weeks. But if you see that the redness is not reducing or it is getting worse and you are feeling pain or burning sensation, then you need to seek medical help ASAP.

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