What should you know about a rash on your face?

A rash after a new cleanser, cosmetic, hair product or mask may fit Contact Dermatitis. Atopic Dermatitis can cause dry, itchy, inflamed patches, while Psoriasis may produce persistent scale. Heat Rash can cause prickly bumps after sweating. Ringworm may have a scaly advancing edge, and a new widespread eruption after a medicine can be Drug Rash. Skin around the mouth may have a different cause from cheeks, eyelids or the scalp edge. The appearance, symptoms and timing matter more than the word rash, and a photo cannot replace examination.

Stop newly introduced cosmetics or fragranced products if practical, cleanse with lukewarm water and apply a plain fragrance-free moisturiser. Avoid scrubs, picking, essential oils and hot water. Keep products away from the eyes and lips unless specifically intended for those areas. Do not use a strong steroid or multiple medicated creams on the face without professional guidance. Record products, medicines, sun exposure, heat and foods around the onset so a clinician can assess useful patterns.

Get urgent help for breathing difficulty, swelling of the lips, tongue or eyelids, faintness, widespread blistering, skin peeling, eye pain or vision change. Seek prompt review for fever, facial swelling, rapidly spreading redness, severe pain, pus or a rash that follows a new medicine. Arrange routine assessment if it persists, recurs, affects the eyelids or leaves marks.

Ask which products or medicines may be contributing, whether the eyes or mouth are involved, which treatment is safe for facial skin, and what change should trigger urgent review.