Slow down on exfoliation. Face washes and scrubs that help exfoliate dead skin can be useful in keeping your skin clear and smooth. However, overuse of these products can irritate the skin and strip it of essential oils and moisture. In fact, if your skin is over-exfoliated and the oil all removed, your body will compensate by creating even more oil. If you exfoliate often, more than once or twice a week, ask your dermatologist how much is too much for your skin.
Check out what’s on your plate. The American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology notes, “Symptoms of allergic reactions [to foods] are generally seen on the skin (hives, itchiness, swelling of the skin).” Foods like eggs, soy, cow’s milk and peanuts are common culprits. If you are allergic, cut these or other foods from your diet to see if your symptoms improve.
To best determine which food items are causing the irritation - soy products, nuts, dairy - slowly cut out one of these categories over the period of a month. This transition period will allow your body to first remove all traces from your system and then to begin to repair itself once the offending category is removed. Books on holistic health often address these issues. Of course, severe allergic reactions require emergency medical attention.{relatedarticles}
Get a physical. Some health issues may cause a person’s face and skin to appear reddish. For example, the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases lists red rashes on the face as a possible symptom of lupus. If you have other symptoms of medical conditions or simply suspect your red skin may be the result of a condition such as lupus, make sure you visit the doctor as soon as possible because this is an auto-immune disease and one would need to begin a lifetime preventative program to live healthfully.