Seborrheic dermatitis / Seborrhea
Atopic dermatitis (Eczema)
Acne Vulgaris
Rosacea (Acne Rosacea)
Lupus: Acute cutaneous lupus erythematosus; lupus tumidus erythematosus
Erysipelas
Cellulitis
Impetigo
Contact dermatitis (Allergic, Irritant)
Shingles (Herpes zoster)
Tinea (Tinea faciei)
Psoriasis
Perioral dermatitis (the skin immediately adjacent to the vermillion border of the lip is classically spared).
Angioedema
Necrotizing fasciitis
Erysipeloid
Dermatomyositis (purplish/violaceous rash on upper eyelids and periorbital skin – heliotrope eruption)
Erythema infectiosum (“slapped cheek” appearance) by parvovirus B19
Keratosis pilaris rubra faciei
Granuloma faciale
Topical corticosteroid withdrawal
Burning face syndrome (facial erythrodysesthesia)
Photosensitive disorders:
-Photodermatitis
-Sunburn
-Polymorphous light eruption
-Phototoxic eruptions
-Photoallergic reactions
-Photodamage
Mastocytosis
Carcinoid syndrome
Thinking through the differential diagnosis
-This table is helpful in distinguishing between common causes of red facial rash.
Facial redness (erythema) is caused by cutaneous blood vessel dilation and increased blood flow to the skin. It’s more noticeable in people with fair skin.
-Ddx can be categorized according to the cause of facial redness: primary skin diseases, external insults, and systemic illness. A red rash is also caused by inflammatory skin disease, photosensitive disorders, autoimmune disorders, vascular reactions, and infections.
Further Reading
The Red Face Basic, Dermatology Curriculum, from the American Academy of Dermatology. Free PDF of Powerpoint.
Click to access The-Red-Face.pdf
Dahl MD. Approach to the patient with facial erythema. Post TW, ed. UpToDate. Waltham, MA: UpToDate Inc. http://www.uptodate.com (Accessed in December 2017).