Hyperemia of the face

Hyperemia of the face is a reddening of the skin on the face, which manifests itself on the cheeks in frosty weather, in the heat or in a stuffy room.

Tonic hyperemia of the face and neck is observed in case of an increase in body temperature during the cold, in stressful situations, with strong emotional excitement and increased physical exertion. In principle, this is normal, because under the influence of the above factors, there is an increased supply of blood (tide) in the blood vessels located on the face. The so-called transient hyperemia of the face in clinical medicine is not considered pathology.

However, often the hyperemia of the facial skin has the appearance of spots that appear on the cheeks, chin, nose and nasolabial folds, and there are apparently no clear reasons for the overflow of the vessels.

[1], [2], [3], [4]

Causes of hyperemia of the face

In fact, the causes of facial hyperemia can be represented by a very solid list of diseases and pathologies for which reddening of the face is one of the symptoms. Let us dwell on the most common.

People who abuse alcohol face and neck blush due to vasodilation not only after drinking alcohol, but constantly have a purple color due to enzymatic deficiency of the liver and its inability to transform the acetic aldehyde, which is obtained by oxidation of ethanol.

Hyperemia of the face and neck appears at the onset of menopause in women. The so-called menopausal hot flashes with a sudden increase in the flow of blood to the face causes a reorganization of the system of sex hormones and the reaction to it of virtually all body systems, including vegetative-vascular.

Causes of facial hyperemia can be:

• systemic lupus erythematosus;
• hypertensive disease (high blood pressure);
• thermal hyperthermia (overheating);
• pathology of the endocrine system (diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism);
• erythematous rosacea (chronic inflammatory skin disease of the face);
• allergy;
• scarlet fever;
• problems with the liver or pancreas;
• erythrocytosis (superhigh hemoglobin in the blood);
• erythrophobia (blushing syndrome);
• acquired heart disease (mitral stenosis);
• carcinoid syndrome (in the presence of intestinal tumors);
• side effects of drugs (including hormones).

Erythrophobia or hyperemia of a person caused by a blushing syndrome manifests itself in an unexpected reddening of the face that occurs regularly and without an obvious reason (with the slightest excitement of a person). From the point of view of physiology, capillaries also expand and their blood content increases. But with the pathogenetic side of hyperemia of the facial skin with blushing syndrome is associated with functional disorders of the nervous system.

[5], [6], [7], [8], [9]

Diagnosis of facial hyperemia

In principle, the diagnosis of facial hyperemia should be performed by a dermatologist. But, given that redness of the skin on the face accompanies a number of diseases, patients with this pathology should undergo a comprehensive examination.

For this, the doctor needs to collect an anamnesis and carefully examine the patient; prescribe the delivery of blood and urine tests; to measure pulse and blood pressure. If redness is associated with dermatological pathologies, the specialist can immediately determine the tactics of his treatment.

When hyperemia is a symptom of metabolic disorders, cancer or cardiovascular problems, it is necessary to consult a doctor of the appropriate specialization for examination and diagnosis.

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Treatment of hyperemia of the face

Just note that the transient transient hyperemia of the person does not need treatment, since after the cessation of the factors causing it, the redness disappears by itself.

Another thing is when the hyperemia of the facial skin is part of a complex of symptoms of a certain pathology. But even then it can not be treated separately, because symptomatic therapy does not solve the problems of getting rid of the underlying disease. Therefore, it is necessary to treat it.

Let us dwell on the treatment of facial skin hyperemia with the blushing syndrome discussed above. In this case, a psychiatrist, a psychotherapist or a good psychologist who knows how to overcome heightened excitement (self-hypnosis, muscle relaxation, breathing exercises, meditation, etc.) can help. With regard to drugs, in particular, sedatives and beta-blockers, then appoint them only a doctor - after examining the patient and setting the right diagnosis. For example, to reduce nervous tension, tinctures of valerian, motherwort can be recommended, as well as Corvalol, Valocordin, Valocormid (15-20 drops 2-3 times a day).

Used in cardiovascular diseases, beta-blockers prevent the adrenaline from interfering with cardiac receptors, which leads to a reduction in heart rate and blood pressure. Standard side effects of such drugs: dizziness, sleep disturbances, shortness of breath, problems in the sexual sphere, a sense of fatigue, etc.

Surgical treatment of facial hyperemia with blushing syndrome is proposed - endoscopic symptomectomy, in which the sympathetic nerve trunk is removed. As a result, the passage of nerve impulses that cause vasodilation and increased blood filling is stopped. The operation is minimally invasive, but it is fraught with a lot of possible side effects.

It is also possible to carry out endoscopic compression of the nerve trunk in the armpit with a special clip. The effectiveness of this method is up to 85%, and its most frequent side effect is a reflex increase in sweat secretion.

When redness of the face is a purely cosmetic defect, cosmetologists can advise to conduct laser coagulation of skin vessels. It should be borne in mind that this procedure is not designed for the treatment of facial hyperemia, but for the elimination of couperose - a vascular network and "stars" on the face, arising from chronic congenital or acquired enlargement of small vessels of the skin (telangiectasia). After laser coagulation, the vessels can re-emerge on the skin of the face, in addition, there is a high risk of dysfunction of the sweat glands.

Prevention of facial hyperemia

Among the most common recommendations of experts on the prevention of facial hyperemia, we note the following:

• do not overcool, do not overheat, do not abuse the ultraviolet;
• Do not wash yourself with too cold or too hot water;
• Do not use to cleanse the face of the means, overdrying and irritating the skin, in the first place, scrubs;
• Do not rub your face with sponges, do not wipe with hard towels;
• Do not overeat the acute and fatty, limit the use of coffee and alcoholic beverages;
• use more vitamins, especially A, C, E, K and P.