Causes and Treatments for Allergic Reactions on the Face
Medically reviewed by Jurairat J. Molina, MD
An allergic reaction on the face can be caused by conditions such as eczema, contact dermatitis, hives, and swelling. Symptoms may include a red, itchy rash that requires medication.
This article will discuss types of face rashes, as well as what causes allergic reactions and how they're treated.
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Learn More: Allergies
Types of Face Rashes Caused by Allergies
Allergies are caused by a misfire of your immune system. When a normally harmless substance, like pollen, enters your body, your immune system confuses it with a serious threat and attacks. This attack results in inflammation, itching, and other problems.
Four common conditions that can cause allergic reactions on the face include contact eczema, contact dermatitis, hives, and swelling.
Eczema
Eczema is a form of dermatitis called atopic dermatitis. The rash occurs most often where the skin flexes—inside the elbows, behind the knees, and in front of the neck. However, eczema can also appear on the face.
The rash causes severe itching, redness, oozing, and flaky scales. These symptoms can be painful and can cause changes in skin color and blisters.
Contact Dermatitis
Contact dermatitis can be caused by an irritant, an allergen, or both. This rash happens when the skin comes in direct contact with a substance that causes a reaction, such as cosmetics, hair dye, metals such as nickel, topical medications, or dental materials.
Symptoms can include a red rash, and bumpy, scaly, itchy, or swollen skin at the point of contact. The rash is typically located only in the area of contact with the offending substance.
Hives
Hives, also known as urticaria, is an itchy rash that can occur at any age. Urticaria
can be acute (lasting less than six weeks) or chronic (lasting more than six weeks).
This rash appears as swelling of the surface of the skin with red- or skin-colored welts (called wheals). These raised bumps can be of various shapes and sizes and last for minutes to hours, but not usually more than 48 hours. These welts can be very itchy.
Explainer
Allergic reactions can last for hours to weeks. Long-lasting reactions are common in allergies that produce hives or chronic reactions like eczema.
Swelling
Swelling, also called angioedema, is similar to hives, but the swelling is under the skin instead of on the surface. It can occur with hives or it may be caused by an allergic reaction. It often involves the lips, eyes, hands, and feet.
Angioedema can feel itchy or it may burn, sting, or cause a tingling sensation instead. In rare cases, severe swelling around the throat can block the ability to breathe. This is a medical emergency known as anaphylaxis, which requires immediate medical attention and can be life-threatening.
What Is Anaphylaxis?
Severe allergic reactions can lead to swelling in your mouth or throat called anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock. This response makes breathing difficult, includes a drop in blood pressure, and is a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment.
Other symptoms of anaphylaxis can include:
A warm sensation
Flushing
Red skin
Itching
Lightheadedness
Anxiety
Pain
Cramping
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Causes of Allergic Reactions on the Face
Skin and seasonal pollen allergies are among the most common, but this can depend on age. Milk is the most common allergen for babies. Many foods, pollens, and medications can cause allergic reactions. Below are some of the most common allergens.
Read Next: Skin Allergies
Seasonal Allergies
Seasonal allergies can be caused by mold and pollens that tend to spike in numbers during certain times of the year. Some of the most common sources of seasonal allergies include:
Grass pollen (e.g., bahia, bermuda, blue)
Tree pollen (e.g., cedar, oak, pine)
Ragweed (e.g., short, giant, western)
Weeds (e.g., burning bush, tumbleweed, lamb's-quarters)
Some years may be worse for seasonal allergies, and things like wind and rainfall can also impact severity.
Symptoms of seasonal allergies may include:
Runny nose
Sneezing
Congestion
Coughing
Wheezing
Headaches
Itching in the nose, roof of the mouth, back of the throat, and/or eyes
Watery eyes
Bloodshot eyes
Red, swollen eyelids
Animals and Insects
Allergies to animals or insects usually involve sensitivity to proteins found in animal skin cells (dander), saliva, and hair. Even when the animal isn't around, these proteins can linger and trigger a reaction. You may also develop a response to things like pollen and dust on a pet's fur.
Symptoms of animal allergies include:
Sneezing
Runny or stuffy nose
Facial pain (from nasal congestion)
Coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath and wheezing
Watery, red, or itchy eyes
Skin rash or hives
Symptoms related to insect allergies include:
Pain
Redness
Swelling (in the area of sting and sometimes beyond)
Flushing
Hives
Itching
Anaphylaxis (less common)
Food
You may be sensitive to many foods, but only a true allergy should trigger a visible reaction, such as a rash or hives on your face.
These eight foods make up about 90% of all food-related allergic reactions.
Fish
Shellfish
Tree nuts
Soy
Wheat
These are the most common food allergy symptoms:
Swelling and itching of the lips and mouth
Tightness in the throat or hoarse voice
Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhea and cramps
Hives
Swelling of the skin
Itchy skin
Anaphylaxis: the most severe form of an allergic reaction
Medication
You can develop side effects or reactions to any medication, but several in particular are prone to triggering allergic reactions.
The most common medications associated with actual allergic reactions include:
Antibiotics, especially penicillins
Aspirin
Anti-inflammatory medications
Opiate medications
Some cancer drugs
Drug allergy reactions can occur in any part of your body. Symptoms may include:
Skin rash or hives
Itching
Wheezing or other breathing problems
Swelling
Anaphylaxis
Beauty Products
Some of the common products and ingredients in beauty products that can cause a skin allergy include:
Fragrances in cosmetics, soaps, and moisturizers
Detergents
Cosmetics, such as eye shadow, lipstick, foundation
Perfumes
Hair dyes
Sunscreens
Nail polish
Symptoms associated with beauty products include:
Hives
Itchy skin
Rash
Flaking or peeling skin
Facial swelling
Irritation of the eyes, nose, and mouth
Wheezing
Anaphylaxis
Environmental
Substances in the environment that can cause a rash include the following:
Indoor allergens such as dust mites, mold, and cockroaches.
Metals such as nickel and chrome. Nickel is found in costume jewelry, belt buckles, watches, zippers, snaps, and hooks on clothing. Chrome is often used as a coating over nickel.
Poison oak, poison ivy, and poison sumac, which are among the most common causes of contact dermatitis
Symptoms caused by environmental allergens include:
Runny nose
Sneezing
Itchy eyes
Hives
Sinus infections
Shortness of breath
Anaphylaxis
Can You Be Allergic and Not Know It?
Not all allergic reactions have an obvious cause. A day in the sun could make your skin red, but that redness might also be from a medication you took. Sometimes symptoms of allergic reactions can be confused with symptoms of other conditions or exposures, especially if your symptoms are mild.
One way to tell whether it's an allergic reaction is to pay attention to the timing and consistency of the reaction. Reactions that appear within about an hour after exposure to a specific food or substance are likely allergic in nature.
Treatments
The best strategy for treating allergies is to avoid allergens. This requires allergy testing to pinpoint the exact allergens that could be triggering your reaction. Once you know your triggers, you can avoid them, but you should also have a plan to manage unforeseen exposures.
Medications to treat allergies include:
These medications can help treat your allergic reaction, but symptoms from severe reactions may still last for weeks. You and your healthcare provider should decide the best course of treatment based on your specific allergies and their severity.
Related: Can You Be Allergic to Epinephrine?
Summary
Allergic reactions on the face can include skin rashes, redness, itchy patches, tiny bumps, hives, swelling, and more. The body's production of antibodies causes these symptoms after exposure to allergens, such as animals, food, pollen, fragrances, and metals. Severe allergic reactions can bring about anaphylaxis (swelling of the mouth and throat), making it difficult to breathe.
The best way to treat allergies is to avoid specific triggers, which you can determine through allergy testing. However, you should always have a plan to manage allergies in case of exposure.
Read the original article on Verywell Health.
