“Rash” is a general term that describes an area of irritated skin.
Rashes can appear suddenly or develop over several days.
Redness and irritation on your face can not only be uncomfortable but also embarrassing.
Yuliya Shauerman / Getty Images
Yuliya Shauerman / Getty Images
Causes of Face Rash
Many factors can trigger a facial rash.
Here’s a look at some of the most common causes.
Infectious Causes
Bacteria, viruses, and fungi can all cause skin infections.
Oftentimes, these pathogens enter the skin through a cut, insect bite, or another wound.
The resulting infection can cause red bumps and other rash symptoms on your face.
Many bacterial infections are mild and easily treated with topical or oral antibiotics.
Fifth disease may go away on its own, but treatment can manage symptoms and relieve itch.
Allergic Causes
An allergic reaction is a sensitivity to something youve eaten, inhaled, or touched.
The substance that youre allergic to is called an allergen.
Your body interprets the allergen as foreign or harmful, and your immune system mounts an attack against it.
A wide variety of conditions can trigger a facial rash, including infections, allergies, and autoimmune diseases.
See a healthcare provider such as adermatologistwho can pinpoint the underlying cause and come up with a treatment plan.
Allergiccontact dermatitison the face is the result of your skin coming in contact with something you are allergic to.
The rash will usually be red with bumps or blisters; you may also notice cracking and flaking.
Clebak KT, Malone MA.Skin Infections.Prim Care.
2018;45(3):433-454. doi:10.1016/j.pop.2018.05.004
Raff AB, Kroshinsky D.Cellulitis: A Review.JAMA.
2016;316(3):325-337. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.8825
Johnson MK.Impetigo.Adv Emerg Nurs J. Leung AKC, Barankin B, Hon KLE.Molluscum Contagiosum: An Update.Recent Pat Inflamm Allergy Drug Discov.
2017;11(1):22-31. doi:10.2174/1872213X11666170518114456
John Hopkins Medicine.Warts.
John Hopkins Medicine.Yeast Infection.
John Hopkins Medicine.Seasonal Allergies.
John Hopkins Medicine.Contact Dermatitis.
National Institutes of Health.Pemphigus.
John Hopkins Medicine.Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis.
MedlinePlus.Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis.
John Hopkins Medicine.Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Rash 101 in Adults: When to Seek Medical Treatment.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.NIOSH Fast Facts: Protecting Yourself from Poisonous Plants.
Sanchez M, Gonzalez-Burgos E, Iglesias I, Gomez-Serranillos MP.Pharmacological Update Properties ofAloe Veraand its Major Active Constituents.Molecules.
2020;25(6):1324.
2021;38(1):324-326. doi:10.1111/pde.14445
Kapugi M, Cunningham K.Corticosteroids.Orthop Nurs.
2019;38(5):336-339. doi:10.1097/NOR.0000000000000595
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Eczema Types: Contact Dermatitis Overview.
Katta R, Schlichte M.Diet and dermatitis: food triggers.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol.
2014;7(3):30-36.
