Why is my nose always red?

Frequent wiping during a cold or allergy can irritate the skin around the nose. Heat, sun, spicy food, alcohol, or emotional stress can cause temporary flushing. Persistent redness with warmth, visible small blood vessels, spots, or easy flushing can occur with rosacea. Dry, scaly, itchy skin may suggest dermatitis, while tenderness, spreading redness, swelling, or crusting can indicate infection. A red nose is not the same as a blocked nose, although allergies and colds can cause both through rubbing and irritation.

Wash with lukewarm water and a mild, fragrance-free cleanser, then pat dry. Use a bland moisturiser on intact skin and protect the area from sun and wind. Avoid scrubbing, picking, fragranced products, and steroid creams unless a clinician has advised them for this site. Note triggers, itching, pain, scale, spots, discharge, or changes in the redness. A pharmacist or clinician can help select a suitable skin treatment; do not put a nasal medicine on surrounding skin unless its instructions allow it.

Arrange a review if redness persists, recurs often, causes discomfort, or comes with spots or scaling. Seek prompt care if redness spreads quickly or is accompanied by marked swelling, severe pain, fever, pus, eye symptoms, or feeling very unwell. A sore that does not heal or bleeds should also be examined.

Does this look like irritation, rosacea, dermatitis, or infection? Which products should I stop or use? Could my medicines or flushing triggers be contributing?