Round red dry patch on face

It can also lead to wrinkles and a dull skin tone. As you age, your pores naturally produce less oil, and you may notice that your skin becomes dryer. Stress can affect your body in many ways. Some people develop dry skin. If you have a condition like psoriasis or eczema, stress can make your symptoms worse or bring on a flare-up. Using or overusing harsh soaps, perfumes, or antiperspirants may dry out your skin.

Additionally, taking long, hot baths or showers can make the problem worse. Cradle cap is a common condition in babies and toddlers. It causes itchy, discolored skin to form on the scalp, face, and chest. The American Academy of Dermatology says that cradle cap usually goes away between 6 months and 1 year of age. Your doctor may recommend over-the-counter or prescription creams, ointments, or lotions.

In some cases, pills or infusions of stronger medications are used to clear up the skin condition. Seeking out early treatment for your skin condition may lead to a better outcome. If you have dry patches of skin, your doctor will probably conduct an exam and ask about your medical and family history.

A dermatologist is a doctor who specializes in skin issues. Dry patches of skin can have many possible causes. Most of the time, you can effectively manage symptoms with the right medications or home remedies. Talk with your doctor if the dry patches start to bother you or get worse.

Dry skin can happen for a number of reasons. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life.

DermNet NZ. Facial psoriasis. Cleveland Clinic. Dry skin. National Eczema Association. Contact dermatitis. Seborrheic dermatitis. Dermatologists' top tips for relieving dry skin. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile.

Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Table of Contents View All. Jock itch is also referred to as tinea curries, and commonly affect your genitals, inner thighs, and buttock.

Jock itch is known to cause an itchy, red and often ring-shaped rash. The warm, moist areas of the body provide an ideal condition for the growth of the fungus causing this rash. It is common for people who sweat a lot and those who are overweight. Apart from jock itch, another common infection known to cause redness on the skin is impetigo. Impetigo is a contagious bacterial skin infection forming pustules and yellow crusty sores on the skin. The red sores caused by impetigo are what break open, ooze fluid and develop a yellow-brown crust.

Impetigo sores can occur anywhere on the skin. This is a common skin infection in children, and it is caused by streptococcus bacteria.

Red skin patches can also be caused by shingles. Shingles is an acute inflammation of the nerve ganglia. Shingle is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. The rash caused by shingles can appear anywhere on the skin. Shingles will often appear as a single stripe of blisters that wraps around either the left or the right side of the torso [mayo clinic].

The rash is caused by varicella-zoster virus, the same virus known to cause chicken pox. Scabies is another contagious skin infection. Scabies is a contagious skin infestation by the mite Sarcoptes scabies. The infection occurs after mites burrow the skin to live and deposit eggs. The condition causes severe itching, the itching may be especially strong at night.

Hay fever is an allergy caused by pollen or dust, this causes the mucous membrane of the eyes and nose to become itchy and inflamed. With hay fever, you are likely to experience a runny nose and watery eyes. The other possible cause of red and patchy skin is drug and food allergy. A food or drug allergy is an abnormal reaction of the immune system to medication. A drug allergy could occur whether you are using over the counter, prescription or herbal drug.

Some cases of drug allergy might be life threatening, as such, immediate medical attention is required. Unlike most of the condition we have mentioned above, rheumatic fever is not contagious. It is a noncontagious acute fever marked by inflammation and severe pain in joints. Rheumatic fever is common in young people. Experts are not sure exactly what causes granuloma annulare, but it may involve :.

Psoriasis is a common long-term skin condition that develops when the body produces skin cells too quickly. Experts believe that psoriasis stems from problems with the immune system that cause the body to attack healthy skin cells. It is not contagious, and it can run in families but is not always hereditary.

The following factors can trigger psoriasis:. Learn more about the differences between psoriasis and ringworm here. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by a bite from a black-legged tick.

On lighter skin, it may appear red or purple. On darker skin, it may appear dark brown or black. The rash may be itchy or painful and occur with a burning sensation.

It may be smooth or have a scaly or crusty outer border. In about half of cases, Lyme disease also causes flu-like symptoms, such as a fever, muscle aches, and fatigue.

Learn more about Lyme disease here. Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that can cause a red, scaly rash to form on the upper body and face. This rash can resemble ringworm. A person with lupus may also experience :. Learn more about lupus and find images of the skin changes here. The right treatment approach for a red, circular rash depends on the cause, and an accurate diagnosis is key.

Taking into account the severity of the rash and any other symptoms, a person may benefit from a combination of the following treatments and home care strategies:. Conditions such as contact dermatitis, nummular eczema, and psoriasis can occur or flare up in response to triggers. Identifying and avoiding specific triggers can help keep the symptoms at bay. Emollients are moisturizing treatments that help soothe and hydrate the skin, reduce itchiness, and prevent inflammation.

They come as lotions, sprays, or soap substitutes.