Dermatitis on the face is a skin disease associated with its inflammation and irritation, as well as involving the sebaceous glands in the process with a violation of their secretion. Most often affects children and women (12%) due to the sensitivity of their skin.
The complexity of this pathology lies in the fact that, in addition to damage to the skin, a cosmetic defect that cannot be hidden is disturbing. This leads to a number of serious psychological disorders: low self-esteem, depressive states, and social isolation.
Facial dermatitis - causes
With dermatitis on the face, the causes can be both external (exogenous) and internal (endogenous). Therefore, dermatitis is a collective concept. Implies damage to the surface layer of the skin caused by various factors. External factors include:
• allergens;
• toxic substances;
• infectious agents;
• injuries.
Depending on the reasons, dermatitis on the face is divided into several types.
Exogenous Dermatitis
There are many external causes and, accordingly, clinical manifestations of dermatitis on the face associated with exposure to certain external factors.
1. Contact dermatitis: appears when the skin comes in direct contact with aggressive natural (poisonous plants) and artificial factors (alkalis, acids, fluoride-containing toothpaste, household chemicals and cosmetics with petroleum jelly and paraffin flavors,). Distributed among workers in industrial enterprises.
2. Allergic - occurs when various allergens enter the skin. Most often, these are the components that make up cosmetics.
3. Photodermatosis is the result of sensitization (increased sensitivity) to ultraviolet radiation under the influence of drugs and other substances (tar, paint), as well as due to the avitaminosis and pathology of the internal organs, primarily the endocrine system.
4. Infectious diseases: some of them (measles, rubella, scarlet fever) are manifested by dermatitis of the skin of the face as one of the symptoms of infection. In addition to the above, with infectious dermatitis on the face, other infectious agents may become causes: streptococci, staphylococci, herpes simplex virus. Mushrooms can also be attributed to them, which lead to mycoses with an expanded picture of dermatitis on the face during infection: pityriasis and ringworm, candidiasis.
5. Post-traumatic eczema - with developing dermatitis on the face, the causes in such cases are injuries and functional disorders of the epidermis, disorders of the nervous system.
6. Toxicoderma - it leads to the intake of certain medications. An allergen in such cases is carried throughout the body with blood very quickly.
Endogenous dermatitis
With dermatitis on the face, the causes can be a manifestation of certain changes in the body - endogenous.
1. Atopic dermatitis - occurs most often in children. It is a chronic skin disease caused by many factors. These include: genetic predisposition, nutrition, ecology, exposure to stress, allergens, skin damage.
2. Seborrheic dermatitis is the result of exposure to lipophilic fungi Malassezia furfur, which are present in the body of every person in a latent state. They are activated under certain conditions: hormonal failure, disturbances in hygiene and nutrition, a sharp decrease in immune status. When activated, the production of fatty acids occurs, leading to an inflammatory process in the epidermis.
3. Periodic dermatitis affects the skin around the mouth after exposure to several endogenous factors: impaired barrier function of the skin, hormonal imbalance, abuse of cosmetics and detergents.
4. Asteatotic eczema: the prerogative of the elderly. It arises due to the rapid loss of moisture in the epidermis in the cold season, decreased function of the sebaceous glands, or due to frequent hygiene procedures using detergents.
5. Dermatitis as a manifestation of systemic diseases (scleroderma, dermatomyositis, systemic lupus erythematosus), or genetic pathologies (Recklinghausen disease, ichthyosis, keratoderma).
Other factors
With dermatitis on the face, the causes of its appearance are also:
• lifestyle (smoking, alcohol, physical inactivity, unbalanced diet);
• psychological reasons (chronic fatigue syndrome, nervousness, constant chronic stress, panic attacks).
Dermatitis on the face - symptoms
With the course of dermatitis can be:
• acute - the disease in this case develops rapidly, with vivid clinical manifestations, the development of bright spots on the skin, swelling, blisters with serous fluid, a rash around the mouth, nose, cheeks and forehead, quickly spreading to new areas of the skin; its outcome is favorable;
• subacute - peeling areas with scales and severe itching appear, the body temperature occasionally rises; at the last stages of the disease, the skin becomes keratinized and coarse bluish scars form;
• chronic - dermatitis on the face is characterized by symptoms similar to those that develop in a subacute course, but a prolonged course and seasonality are characteristic. It is difficult to treat.
According to the pathological changes that occur in the skin with dermatitis, there are several degrees of the disease:
Grade I disease: characterized by the absence of changes, or the development of minimal skin lesions. At the first degree of dermatitis on the face, its symptoms are mild: they are concerned about a slight itching or burning of the skin, unexpressed redness.
II degree: manifested by diffuse hyperemia, pastiness (slight swelling), tingling sensation, heat, itching.
III degree: tissue hypertrophy develops, papules, vesicles, pustules appear, accompanied by soreness.
IV degree: destruction of the epidermis, necrosis (necrosis).
Common symptoms of dermatitis on the face with all types of disease
With any type of dermatitis on the face, the symptoms of the disease have common characteristics:
• swelling;
• redness;
• rashes;
• peeling;
• itching;
• coughing, sneezing, lacrimation as a manifestation of an allergic process;
• worsening general condition, headache or joint pain, fever - these manifestations of dermatitis are much less common.
Symptoms of dermatitis on the face resemble a number of diseases, which include:
• psoriasis;
• discoid lupus erythematosus (facial skin undergoes changes); systemic lupus erythematosus - in addition to the skin, other organs and systems are involved in the pathological process.
For this reason, self-medication is not recommended. If symptoms of dermatitis on the face are detected, only a doctor can tell exactly how to treat after differential diagnosis and verification of the disease.
How to treat dermatitis on the face
With dermatitis on the face, only a narrow specialist (dermatologist) will explain how to treat a complex disease, which you need to contact at the first sign of pathology. Both external agents in the form of ointments and creams, and medicines for internal use are used. In addition, successful therapy requires dietary nutrition and a healthy lifestyle.
Medicinal treatments
Drug therapy includes:
1. Sedatives (Novopassit, Persen, tinctures of valerian or motherwort). If necessary, antidepressants are prescribed.
2. Antihistamines (Tavegil, Suprastin, Erius, Claritin, Loratadin)
3. Vitamin therapy (the use of pyridoxine - vitamin B6 is effective, but the appointment of complex vitamins, including antioxidants, the entire spectrum of B vitamins, trace elements that improve the skin condition - sulfur, zinc, phosphorus is justified). Such multivitamins include Complivit, Vitrum, Alphabet.
4. Immunomodulators.
5. In severe cases - glucocorticosteroids (hormone therapy).
Topical treatment of dermatitis on the face
Local treatment - with dermatitis on the face, how to treat with ointments, lotions, gels and special creams can be found out by the doctor only after the cause and course of the disease has been established. There are a number of effective topical agents: zinc ointment, Elok, Solcoseryl, Afloderm, Trikzer, Radevit, Indomethacin, Lokoid, Advantan. They have a different mechanism of action and affect the various links of pathogenesis (disease development). Using local treatment without prior consultation with a dermatologist is dangerous: you can aggravate the disease with improper use and cause progression or complication.
Auxiliary treatments for dermatitis on the face
An auxiliary treatment includes a diet that accelerates the healing process. She suggests:
• the exception of spicy, smoked, pickled, fatty, fried foods, alcohol;
• prohibition of the use of products that can cause allergic reactions in the body; these include: eggs, nuts, various types of honey, seafood, sauerkraut;
• an increase in the diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, with the exception of citrus fruits, persimmons, pineapples;
• restriction with seborrheic dermatitis of red fruits;
• maximum consumption of products that contain a lot of pyridoxine: bananas, tomatoes, berries, seeds, carrots, legumes.
Physical activity is one of the auxiliary methods of treatment: blood is saturated with oxygen, blood circulation in the affected areas of the skin improves, inflammation processes decrease. Walking in the fresh air has the same effect.
After complex treatment and appropriate measures, the skin condition will improve. Subject to all recommendations of a dermatologist, the disease will be cured and will not be repeated in the future.
