4 Ways to Diagnose a Red Rash on Face

1. Determine Whether It Might Be Perioral Dermatitis

This condition presents symptoms such as itchy spots that ring the mouth and flaky skin. These bumps tend to group together and itch. The rash may respond to a treatment of shea or cocoa butter, mild soaps and other topical moisturizers. You can take an antihistamine or an NSAID drug to alleviate some of the symptoms. To get to the root of the problem, you may have to go to your physician to get a prescription for an antibiotic or an immuno-suppressant drug. Not every treatment for this condition is appropriate for every patient--talk to your doctor about counter indications and side effects.

2. Rule out Whether Dry Skin or Natural Aging May Be Causing the Problem

If aging or dryness is the root cause, your red rash may present as dry, itchy skin that doesn't have a clear shape or is amorphously distributed across the face. You can use natural moisturizers, like soaps and aloe butters, to restore the moisture balance to the skin. Don't over wash the area, and stay out of dry, windy environments. Typically, you don't need to take any topical or oral medications to clear this up.

3. Identify Eczema

If your red rash blisters and swells and evolves quickly, or if it's itchy and darker than other areas of your face, you may have eczema. Topical remedies discussed for the other conditions can relieve symptoms, but you may also want to talk to your doctor about medications. A host of classes of drugs can work on eczema, including corticosteroids, modulators of the immune system and standard antihistamines.

4. Identify the Rash Shape

A simple red rash may be a sign of a more complicated medical condition. If the rash is ring shaped and the center of the ring of skin is normal looking, you may have a fungus known as ringworm. If the rash spreads across the face from the left cheek across the bridge of the nose to the right cheek and is more of a purplish red than a "pure" red, this may be a telltale sign of the disease lupus. If your rash doesn't respond to treatment or evolves quickly, get medical consultation ASAP.