Blotchy skin can be somewhat of a mystery.
Is it a rash?
That being said, education is the first step.
Below, a few common causes of blotchy skin and how to soothe your complexion stat, from experts.
What is blotchy skin, and what does it look like?
notes dermatology nurse practitionerJodi Logerfo DNP, APRN, FNP-BC.
Blotchy skin causes
As mentioned before, the list of causes here is anything but short.
We’ve collected some of the most common below for reference.
Sunburns often won’t show up looking uniform, especially if you applied sunscreen sporadically.
Thealcohol flushhappens to many people, and it’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Logerfo notes that those prone toexercise-induced flushingmay also see redness post-sauna or steam room use.
This could show up as raised blotches (like hives), an itchy rash, or just redness.
It may be coupled with stomach pain, bloating, or mouth tingling as well.
Eventually, you may be able to find a correlation.
If not, visit your doctor for an allergy test.
Contact dermatitis
Logerfo notes dermatitis as another common culprit.
Contact dermatitis may also itch, peel, swell, blister, or feel hot to the touch.
Exposure to cold or wind
The cold flush is common among those with fair skin.
This throw in of blotchiness should go away soon after you enter a warmer space.
Acne
While acne is typically described as a bump here and there, blotchiness often accompanies pimples.
Especially those withunder-the-skin cystic pimples, your skin may appear blotchy due to the increased inflammation.
Eczema
Another common skin condition that can cause flushing is eczema.
Any redness from eczema will also be accompanied by dryness, flaking, itch, or irritation.
Over-exfoliation
Ah yes, the experience too many of us share: over-exfoliation.
This applies to both physical (scrubs, facial cleansing brushes, etc.)
and chemical exfoliants (AHAs, BHAs, peels, etc.).
Retinol reaction
Retinolis no joke, and every derm will tell you toease into it.
To avoid the retinol reaction often characterized by irritation, redness, dryness, and even peeling.
Similar to over-exfoliation, this could happen due to increased cadence of retinol use or the product’s potency.
Some folks even get stress rashes, which include raised bumps and may spread onto the neck and chest.
Melasma
Garshick notes that brown patches may actually be melasma.
This is particularly commonabove the lip, on the cheeks, and down the neck and chest.
Blushing
Last but not least, you just might be blushing!
This can happen when you’re nervous, stressed, excited, embarrassed, and so on.
If it’s simply blushing to blame, the flush won’t last long.
In the meantime, rely on topical solutions to help soothe your skin from the outside.
There are many different causes of blotchy skin.
What causes blotchy redness?
What causes blotchy skin?
Suddenly, blotchy skin is most often sparked by exposure to cold, wind, or heat.
Stress and anxiety also cause sudden skin inflammation, which may appear as blotchy patches.
Can stress cause blotchy face?
The sole existence of stress acne should prove to you that your skin and your mental health are connected.
Some folks even get stress rashes, which include raised bumps as well.
If you think your skin barrier is damaged but want to be sure,check out this guide.
