This is not the red nose you get from blushing or when embarrassed. Such disappears minutes after you calm down. We are talking a red nose that makes you embarrassed to leave the house. This type is experienced either after you have a flu or as an allergic reaction. The redness occurs due to persistent wiping. Other things can also cause this condition.
Causes
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Redness around the nose occurs due to changes in the skin surface or the blood vessels around this area. This happens due to irritations or inflammations making it become temporarily red. Sometimes the nose blood vessels will swell or break open and this can lead to a swollen nose or reddish appearance. Some of the causes the main include:
Allergies
Some people are allergic to pets, dust, and hay. When they come into contact with them, they begin sneezing which is followed by a running nose. Frequently wiping the nose after this will irritate the skin leading to a reddened appearance. Sometimes the allergies make the blood vessels to swell or burst either in, around or under the nose skin.
Some skin care products can also lead to irritations to the skin surface making it red, dry, itchy and flaky.
Injuries
It can also be caused by injuries to the nose that cause blood vessels to rupture. This can happen for example when it comes into contact with a ball moving too fast, nose surgery, cystic acne and other skin injuries. The nose will look swollen and very red especially at the point of contact.
Dry skin around nose
Frequently wiping the nose can cause dryness to the skin around it. If the skin becomes very dry, then irritations occur that could lead to redness.
Another condition that can cause dryness on the nose is eczema. Eczema makes the skin on the nose look scaly, irritated or red. Though the redness caused by eczema is temporary, failure to treat the disease will cause frequent flare-ups.
Lupus
Healthy cells are attacked by the body when one has Lupus. The disease causes a rash that looks like a butterfly to appear either on the nose or cheek. The Malar rash, as it’s referred to, makes the nose bumpy and red.
For treatment, one should treat the Lupus to avoid skin problems related to Lupus including the reddening of the nose.
Rosacea
This is a condition where the skin looks irritated and red. The redness usually begins on the cheek then spreads to the ears, nose, chin and other body parts. Rosacea is mostly genetic and appears after the age of 30. It develops gradually, and one may not recognize it. It appears as though one is having periodic acne or that they flush easily. It comes and goes for a while then after some time, the redness deepens and lasts for longer.
With rosacea, the blood vessels are visible and if not treated, bumps and pimples start developing. The nose will start getting large with bumps caused by tissue buildup. If not treated, it could affect the eyes causing irritations, bloodshot and watery eyes.
Rosacea, unfortunately, has no cure but when discovered earlier, treatment options are available. There are several life changes one can make sense apart from being genetic, rosacea has triggers including:
- Stress: if stressed, the flushing will increase but one can do some relaxation techniques like deep breathing to take care of this.
- Spicy foods: take note of foods you eat that increase the flushing and stop eating them. Heavily spiced foods worsen rosacea due to increased flushing.
- Sun exposure: too much sun is bad for everyone but it’s worse for people with rosacea. Apply sunscreen but be careful not to worsen it since rosacea infected skin is sensitive to chemicals. Use a sunscreen that will not irritate your skin.
- Alcohol: Alcohol is not a direct cause of rosacea but drinking it dilates blood vessels and this could worsen rosacea.
- Cosmetics: avoid any moisturizers, cleansers, lotions or makeup that irritate the skin. Use noncomedogenic or hypoallergenic products to avoid irritations.
Rosacea nose treatment can be through antibiotics but if the rosacea has advanced, the doctor will prescribe acne treatments. These include Accutane and sotret although they can lead to birth defects.
Other forms of treatment include pulsed light, laser treatment, and other surgical operations that remove visible blood levels to reduce the redness of the nose. Cosmetic surgery is also an option.
Rhinophyma
Rhinophyma is considered a severe form of rosacea. Symptoms include a large bumpy, red and bulbous nose. Rhinophyma forms gradually and is considered a result of poorly treated rosacea. A large mass forms on the lower part of the nose. The outer layers of the skin thicken, and the blood vessels become visible.
This kind of redness can be tricky to treat since rhinophyma does not respond well to medicine. It can be treated easily if it’s less severe or in the early stages. Treatment can include antibiotics to reduce the redness and inflammation, topical medications to help with inflammation, or by oral capsules to prevent the production of oil by the skin glands.
Surgery can also be an option and is considered the best option.
How to reduce redness on the nose
Depending on the factors that cause the redness you could:
Avoid spicy foods if they are causing this problem.
Quit drinking and smoking. Cigarettes dehydrate the skin too they also expose the skin to toxins that could cause the redness on your nose.
If your skin is sensitive use a mild face wash. This should be done both in the morning and at night. For effective results:
- Massage the face wash gently into the skin while wet then rinse off using lukewarm water. Pat the face dry using a clean soft towel.
- Use a moisturizer that soothes the skin. This could be a lotion, cream or oil-free moisturizer with chamomile or any other botanical product. Use it on the entire face but apply a little extra on the red nose.
- When the lotion dry’s, use a caffeinated serum to dab the nose. Rub it in gently and let it absorb into the skin.
- Use a green-tinted powder to blend in the products using a makeup brush. This will counteract the redness and even out your complexion.
- Apply a concealer over the powder and blend it in using a makeup sponge. Use a concealer which matches your skin tone. Also, make sure not to rub too hard. This could wipe off the powder or irritate the skin.
Do not expose your skin to the sun for too long and always wear sunscreen.
Find out your stress triggers and avoid them.
References
- https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and treatments/features/rosacea-more-than-red-face#1
- https://www.healthline.com/health/rhinophyma