How to Get Rid of Redness on Your Face

What can I do today to reduce redness?

1. 1Before using a new product on your face, test it on an area the size of a quarter on your inner arm every day for 7 to 10 days; your face does not need the excitement of a weekly product launch. If the patch stays clear, try the product on your face.
2. 2Wash with a mild cleanser using your fingertips in a gentle circular motion, up to twice a day. Rinse completely and pat dry with a clean towel.
3. 3Apply moisturizer after cleansing every day, even if your skin feels oily.
4. 4Use broad spectrum, water resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher on uncovered skin every day; add shade, a wide brimmed hat or sunglasses with UV protection, because sunlight is an unhelpful guest in any redness routine.
5. 5Avoid rubbing or scrubbing, and skip washcloths, facial sponges and exfoliators. Irritation can make rosacea worse.

Avoid products or activities that repeatedly bring on stinging, burning or redness. Skin and hair products can trigger rosacea, and frequent changes to your routine can irritate skin and make it harder to spot a pattern.4

What causes facial redness?

Rosacea is a common, long lasting condition that can cause flushing that comes and goes or redness that stays, often on the nose, cheeks and forehead. It can also cause visible small blood vessels, bumps or pimples, warmth, burning or stinging, and sometimes irritated eyes. The cause of rosacea is not known. Sunlight, hot or cold temperatures, stress, alcohol, spicy foods, hot drinks, aerobic exercise and some skin or hair products can trigger flares. Triggers differ from person to person.125

Redness is not enough to identify rosacea. It can look like acne, contact dermatitis, seborrhoeic dermatitis, lupus, keratosis pilaris or other forms of dermatitis, so persistent or recurring symptoms deserve an assessment rather than a guess.3

How to calm irritated skin

Keep a short diary of foods, drinks, skin care products and activities, and note how your skin looks and feels that day. Track it for several days or weeks, then reduce the triggers that line up with flares. Do not assume every common trigger affects you: spicy food, for example, does not cause a flare for everyone with rosacea. Cleansing gently up to twice daily can remove oil and dirt that add to irritation, while rinsing thoroughly helps keep cleanser from irritating skin.24

What skincare ingredients help with redness?

For sunscreen, look for zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or both. If you have rosacea prone sensitive skin, avoid face products with alcohol, camphor, fragrance, glycolic acid, lactic acid, menthol, sodium laurel sulfate or urea. These ingredients can irritate sensitive skin and trigger a flare.1

Aloe vera gel and oatmeal are possible soothing options. Finely ground oatmeal mixed with water can be used as a face paste for 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing. Green tea and cooled chamomile tea bags are other options. These approaches may soothe irritation, but they are not a cure or a dependable way to control rosacea on their own. Essential oils can be potent, so do not put them on your face undiluted and ask a clinician before trying them.4

How to reduce redness from sensitive skin?

If water or skin care products sting or burn, choose gentle products made for sensitive skin that are fragrance free and noncomedogenic, meaning they do not clog pores. Test each new product before using it on your face. Redness can be harder to see on brown or black skin, so also notice warmth, stinging, bumps or swelling. If you wear makeup, water based or powder makeup is often less irritating; green tinted concealer can camouflage redness.13

What if redness keeps coming back?

Rosacea is a long term condition without a cure, but treatment can help control symptoms. A clinician can assess the pattern and choose treatment for the symptoms present. Options include prescription creams or gels, oral antibiotics, and laser treatment for visible blood vessels. Brimonidine gel can reduce redness; creams or gels containing azelaic acid, ivermectin or metronidazole are used for bumps and pimples. Symptoms can take several weeks to a few months to reduce with treatment.2

If a clinician prescribes oxymetazoline cream for ongoing rosacea redness, use it once daily as directed. The face directions specify a pea sized amount in a thin layer on affected skin; do not put it in your eyes or mouth or apply it to irritated skin or open wounds. It can cause skin inflammation, itching, worsening redness, pain or worsened pimples. Tell the prescriber about other medicines, pregnancy or breastfeeding, and any blood pressure, heart or circulation problems before using it. Contact the prescriber if side effects are severe or do not go away.6

When should I get medical help?

See a clinician about rosacea symptoms or redness that persists despite gentle skin care, since other conditions can look similar. Get urgent medical help if you have rosacea and an eye that is painful, red, gritty or sensitive to light, or if your vision is blurred.3