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Facial blotches - manifestations, causes and treatment
contents
- definition
- Physiological facial spots
- Disease-related facial patches
- Skin diseases as a cause
- Metabolic diseases
- hereditary diseases
- diagnosis
- therapy
- Home remedies and homeopathy
- drugs
- surgery
- Diseases of facial spots
definition
Like every skin area of our body, the facial skin is determined by the individual pigmentation as well as the general skin appearance of a human being. When it comes to spots on the face, these two aspects play an important role. Added to this is the factor of skin flatness. Accordingly, the appearance and type of facial spots are distinguished between raised spots and flat spots similar to the skin level. In addition, the definition takes into account the extent of stains and distinguishes between small, localized and large-area stains.
Freckles are one of the medically unproblematic facial blotches, but can cause psychological distress. (Image: alfa27 / Fotolia.com) The color palette of facial patches hardly limits the palette. The patches may be lighter than the skin tone to whitish, but also darker and thus either brownish or reddish to violet. From the characteristic one distinguishes the spots also in itchy and not itchy, as well as dry to flaky. With regard to possible causes, it is also possible to differentiate between physiological and disease-related facial patches.
Physiological facial spots
Facial patches may not always be indicative of a disease; in many cases, they may simply be an expression of physiological processes in the body. The most well-known examples here are the fleeting patches that affect many people in stressful or very emotional situations. These patches are not worrying, but an expression of increased alertness of the autonomic nervous system. They are caused by a sudden enlargement of the capillaries of the skin, whereby they are flowed through with more blood and glow red. Mostly they disappear as fast as they came. But that does not mean that sufferers experience little pain, because often they appear in the most inappropriate situations.
Starting with nervousness due to an upcoming job interview or a presentation in front of a large crowd, to the first kiss with the new acquaintance can be here numerous situations call, in which an extension of the capillaries can lead to patches on the face. Even drinking alcohol or staying in overheated rooms can be considered for this form of facial blemishes. Although the stains are annoying to unpleasant for those affected, they can usually be considered a harmless expression of increased sensitivity and therefore pose no serious health risk.
Another, rather harmless variant of the facial patches are age spots. They arise more with increasing age and manifest themselves next to the face, especially on the hands. The medical term refers to these abnormalities, which is based on an increased deposition of melanin in the skin areas, as hyperpigmentation. Their occurrence increases steadily beyond the age of 40 and is caused by an altered activity of the melanocytes in old age, which leads to an increased accumulation of the skin with the skin pigment melanin. The color pigments are originally intended to protect the skin from strong sunlight, in particular, people with bright main type tend to develop in some parts of the body an uneven distribution of them otherwise only slightly trained melanin.
Age spots are found not only on the face, but on the whole body, especially on the hands. (Image: zamphotography / Fotolia.com) In the same way, liver spots and moles develop. Here, too, an increased concentration of melanin is to be detected in the dark brown discolored speckles or spots on the skin. Where birthmarks are already present at birth and liver spots arise only in the course of life.
Both in the case of age spots, as well as birthmarks and liver spots, the scientists suspect a certain genetic predisposition as the cause. However, one is still in disagreement with other influencing factors. Only the theory of very strong solar action as a driving force in the formation of pigment spots seems to be indisputable. In particular, freckles, which owe their name anyway to the fact that they are increasingly produced by the action of solar radiation, support the assumption that an unequal, sun-induced distribution of melanin is responsible for the majority of physiologically caused facial spots.
Important: If the stains resulting from melanin accumulation are inconspicuous and do not change in size or shape, they are no cause for concern. It looks different when pigmented spots change their appearance. Here there is a risk of carcinoma processes, which is why changing skin patches should always be examined by a doctor, to be able to detect and treat an impending skin cancer at an early stage.
Disease-related facial patches
More serious nature can be facial patches if they are an expression of an existing clinical picture. In this case, the spots are indicative of a health problem that calls for attention. On the one hand, these diseases can only be limited to the organ of the skin or, on the other hand, they can affect other organ systems as well as the metabolism.
Skin diseases as a cause
The skin diseases that can cause facial blemishes include:
- eczema,
- pityriasis rosea,
- Psoriasis (psoriasis),
- acne,
- skin cancer,
- Lupus erythematosus and
- mastocytosis.
The causes of these diseases are often inflammatory and may occur once or repeatedly. Acne is the best example. The disease results from inflammatory skin contaminants, which are often the people who have a very greasy complexion, fight. Sometimes it can be observed that discoloration remains in the skin area of the inflammation even after its decay. This is due to a disturbed melanocyte activity as a result of the inflammation. Such a skin change is typical for example for acne, atopic dermatitis and forms of psoriasis.
Heavily changing liver spots should be examined by a doctor to rule out carcinoma. (Image: charnsitr / Fotlia.com) Special attention should be given when existing spots change in size, size and texture. Facial patches of this kind could conceal a malignant degeneration of skin cells, namely white or black skin cancer. Even liver spots and birthmarks carry an increased risk of degenerating in the course of life, although they are originally more physiological nature.
A special form of facial patches, which are caused by skin diseases, forms the so-called Lichtdermatose. These are local inflammatory processes of skin areas, which are exposed to much sunlight and are particularly irritable by just this strong sun exposure. The irritant reactions are comparable to those in existing allergy disease in the dermal area. For this reason, the light dermatosis colloquially referred to as sun allergy. Doctors suspect that the sun's radiation in the skin sensitivity in the body creates an allergen to which the body reacts excessively. In most cases, then red, sometimes itchy spots.
The dermal reaction in light dermatosis can be additionally enhanced by certain substances such as preservatives and perfumes in cosmetic products. Some medications, including certain diuretics, antibiotics, heart medications and St. John's wort supplements, are known to increase the photosensitivity of the skin and thus promote photodermatosis.
Atopic dermatitis and psoriasis are skin diseases with an autoimmune background. And also in lupus erythematosus and mastocytosis are serious autoimmune diseases, which manifest themselves in part in the formation of facial blotches. In the case of lupus disease, the typical butterfly erythema develops as a large redness of the cheeks and the nasal dorsum. In mastocytosis, on the other hand, smaller brown spots usually develop, which turn reddish with heat, friction or other irritation and become pustular. Regardless of the different manifestations of facial patches, however, both autoimmune processes require detailed diagnostics. Because often the symptoms are not limited to the skin.
Metabolic diseases
Some metabolic diseases are reflected in more or less typical skin lesions. This is due in most cases to an excessive accumulation of metabolic products in the skin. Corresponding body processes also play a special role in acne. The skin disease is particularly common in adolescents, with physicians as the cause of this age-related accumulation suspected inconsistencies in the metabolism, which are due to hormonal changes of the body during puberty. Similarly, metabolic skin discoloration on the face can also indicate a disorder of the liver, kidney or adrenal gland.
Adolescents in adolescence are particularly affected by acne. (Image: New Africa / Fotolia.com) hereditary diseases
Brownish patches around the area of the lips and inside the mouth may be an indication of the very rare but serious hereditary disease Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. This genetic defect is associated with increased polyps of the gastrointestinal tract, which can also degenerate and lead to cancerous ulcers.
The disease known as neurofibromatosis Morbus Recklinghausen describes a serious cause of facial blotch. Tumors develop on all imaginable organ systems, especially in the nervous system and on the bones. Often this disease is associated with the appearance of so-called cafè-au-lait spots. These light brown spots can occur on the face but also on other parts of the body. They are usually present at birth or develop during the first months of life. It should be mentioned that cafè-au-lait spots do not necessarily have to be a symptom of this malignant disease and can also be of quite harmless nature. Nevertheless, they always require close inspection and medical clarification from a doctor.
diagnosis
Faces can be detected by mere eye diagnosis. As far as root cause identification is concerned, however, more extensive investigation measures may be needed. In case of suspicious birthmarks and liver spots, for example, biopsies are often performed here to check skin samples for serious cell degeneration. Even with skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis or psoriasis a biopsy is common practice. Other autoimmune diseases, on the other hand, are frequently evaluated by laboratory tests on the basis of blood samples in order to detect possible autoantibodies and signs of inflammation. Genetic tests can also be performed if needed.
therapy
The treatment of facial blotches is based on the underlying causes and can include everything that the medicine can provide, from simple ointment therapy to surgery or even comprehensive systemic therapies. And even if it sounds paradoxical, in some cases, a specialized light therapy helps.
Home remedies and homeopathy
If the facial spots are caused by hyperpigmentation, you can certainly apply various home remedies to achieve an approximation of the skin tone. The effect is based on a slight fading of the dyes in the skin, which can be achieved by the following natural substances:
- fresh lemon,
- raw potato,
- turmeric,
- Apple Cider Vinegar,
- Aloe vera and
- olive oil.
Corresponding treatments can be applied several times a day, either as an overlay or in combination with a lubricating healing ointment. Before treatment, however, the compatibility of the natural products should always be tested first on a small, inconspicuous area of the skin (for example behind the ear). In addition, it is advisable to save the area around the eyes to avoid the risk of irritation.
With hyperpigmentation there is the possibility of using home remedies to change the skin coloration, for example with potatoes (Image: gitusik / Fotola.com) In addition, from the repertoire of homeopathy and Schuessler salts following preparations have shown good results in the treatment and especially for the prevention of the tendency to facial blotches:
- Schüßler salt no. 6 - potassium sulfuricum,
- Schüßler salt No.19 - Cuprum arsenicosum,
- Sempervivum tect. C30 and
- Berberis D6.
As a condition or applied internally, the preparations should positively support the skin flora and sustainably reduce the risk of skin irregularities and skin patches.
drugs
Inflammatory and autoimmune-induced facial patches respond well to topical treatment with antibiotic and cortisone-containing ointments. In particularly severe cases, systemic therapy with cortisone and antibiotics in the form of tablets or even infusion solutions may be considered. People with chronic skin conditions are also advised to use regular Dead Sea salt, Silicea and Healing Earth ointments to improve their appearance.
surgery
Although it may happen that facial patches do not have any real disease value, they nevertheless cause enormous suffering for affected persons. This is usually due to a very prominent expression and positioning of a pigment. Suffering sufferers are very much affected and, as a result, they are increasingly restricted in their everyday life, and surgical or laser-assisted removal may be considered. Of course, the benefits and risks must be weighed up very thoroughly, and any potential scarring should be included in the decision-making process.
In addition, surgical treatment is unquestionably natural if degenerated tissue or very suspicious tissue has to be removed immediately in order to avoid scattering of the cancer cells. Also, massively inflamed acne may need to be surgically resected, as there is a risk of germ transmission to the brain.
Diseases of facial spots
Atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, tuberculosis, acne, skin cancer, lupus erythematosus, mastocytosis, photodermatosis, white skin cancer, black skin cancer, metabolic disorders, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, neurofibromatosis. (Ma)