How to Reduce Redness or Flushed Skin

Persistent facial redness can be annoying or embarrassing. It could also be a source of irritation or discomfort, and even impact your self-esteem. While most of us aspire to have beautifully clear, even skin, the reality is that many people experience redness or flushed, splotchy skin. It is a common condition, and fortunately, there are several things you can do to help minimize redness or flushed skin. Read on to learn more:

Reduce Irritation

Redness can be a sign of irritated or inflamed skin. Many inexpensive beauty and skincare products that are readily available in drugstores and supermarkets contain ingredients that are overly harsh on skin, leading to irritation and inflammation. Steer clear of products that contain potentially irritating ingredients like drying alcohols, fragrance and essential oils. Choose gentle formulations instead like the organic beauty products by Well Within Beauty. These are made from high quality natural ingredients that can soothe and calm irritated skin.

Hydrate Your Skin

Excessively dry skin may be damaged or compromised, which leads to sensitivity and redness. If your skin is red and also feels very dry, you may need to step up your hydration game. Well-hydrated skin is balanced and even-toned, so make sure you apply moisturizer every time after cleansing. Choose an antioxidant moisturizer with ingredients like green tea, niacinamide or madecassoside, all of which can help to reduce redness and balance your skin.

Treat Acne

Moderate to severe acne can also cause redness, in addition to dark spots, hyperpigmentation and acne scars. If you are suffering from acne, you might be tempted to treat it aggressively, throwing on as many treatments and medications as you can. Doing this will only further irritate and inflame your skin. Resist the urge to go full force on your acne, and instead, treat it with some tender loving care.

Think of acneic skin as wounded skin, and treat it accordingly. You should treat your skin with a gentle touch, the same way you would a gaping wound on your knee. Use a mild and gentle cleanser no more than twice a day, and avoid using abrasive cleansers with scrubs. There’s also no point in using cleansers with active ingredients, since they will only be washed off after a few seconds. It’s better to have actives in your leave-on products, such as in a toner or spot treatment cream.

After cleansing, follow up with a lightweight, oil-free moisturizer to restore balance to your skin. Then apply an acne-fighting treatment like salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide or tretinoin. Bear in mind that while these treatments can very effectively fight against acne, they can also be very irritating on the rest of your skin, so use them sparingly and don’t immediately apply them every night.

Start off slowly, treating only once or twice a week to give your skin time to adjust. Once your skin can tolerate these treatments once or twice a week without irritation, gradually increase usage to once every night or every other night. Don’t use too many actives at once! Choose one active ingredient and stick to it for at least four weeks; this is usually when you’ll start to notice significant improvement.

For most people, reducing irritation, moisturizing regularly, and using targeted treatments sparingly will be enough to calm and balance their skin. If your redness persists despite following these tips, it may be time to consult your doctor or a dermatologist. You may have an underlying condition like rosacea or an endocrine disorder, and they will be able to prescribe appropriate medication. Don’t lose hope; once you’ve correctly identified the cause of your facial redness, treating it will be easier.