Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPsoriasisEczemaContact DermatitisSeborrheic DermatitisOther CausesDiagnosisPreventionWhen to Get Help
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Psoriasis
Eczema
Contact Dermatitis
Seborrheic Dermatitis
Other Causes
Diagnosis
Prevention
When to Get Help
Psoriasisis a long-term inflammatory skin condition that causes dry patches. These appear as discolored, thickened, silver, or gray plaques that are hard to get rid of.
You can have psoriasis anywhere, but about 50% of people with psoriasis have it on their face.However, it’s rarely just on the face. Most people with psoriasis have it on other areas, such as the scalp.
Skin Color and PsoriasisThe way your psoriasis looks depends on your skin tone.Psoriasis on Black skinor dark brown skin may be violet or dark brown with gray scales. On lighter skin, it’s usually pink or red with silvery or whitish scales.
Skin Color and Psoriasis
The way your psoriasis looks depends on your skin tone.Psoriasis on Black skinor dark brown skin may be violet or dark brown with gray scales. On lighter skin, it’s usually pink or red with silvery or whitish scales.
Treatment
Treating facial psoriasis can be challenging because facial skin is very sensitive and more complicated to treat than other areas.
Psoriasis treatment may include:
Eczema(atopic dermatitis) is a common skin condition that causes flare-ups involving dry, irritated skin. It’s often inherited and starts during childhood, but some adults develop eczema as well.
Eczema affects nearly 16.5 million adults in the United States and nearly 15% of children.Initial symptoms are itchiness and discoloration. On the face, eczema is most common on thecheeks and around the eyes.
As with many skin problems, eczema looks red or pink on light skin.Eczema on darker skin tonesmay be dark brown, purple, or ashy gray.
Treatment for eczemadepends on its severity. It may include home remedies to manage symptoms and/or prescription medications. Home remedies may include:
Medications for eczema include:
Contact dermatitis isn’t generally linked with other allergic conditions (such ashay feverorasthma).
Treatment for contact dermatitis includes:
Seborrheicdermatitisis a skin condition that primarily impacts the scalp, but it can also be found on other areas of the body, including oily areas like the:
Mild cases of seborrheic dermatitis are often treated with:
Severe Seborrheic Dermatitis
Other Causes of Dry Skin on the Face
Dry skin may be the result of underlying disease or lifestyle factors. Common causes of dry patches on the face include:
Diagnosing Dry Patches on the Face
Healthcare providers can usually diagnose dry skin on the face with just a physical examination. But they may also use various tests to help identify the underlying cause of that dry skin. Tests may include:
Self-Care and Prevention of Dry Skin
Other things you can do to prevent dry patches on the face include:
When to Call a Healthcare Provider
Contact your healthcare provider if you have dry skin patches on your face that:
Summary
You may also have dry patches on your face due to age, environmental factors, dehydration, or genetics. You can prevent dry patches with a good skin-care routine, stress management, drinking more water, or using a humidifier.
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.New Zealand Trust: DermNet NZ.Facial psoriasis.American Academy of Dermatology.Can you get psoriasis if you have skin of color?.National Eczema Association.Eczema stats.American Academy of Dermatology Association.JAK inhibitors: What your dermatologist wants you to know.National Library of Medicine.Contact dermatitis.National Eczema Association.Contact dermatitis.National Eczema Association.Seborrheic dermatitis.National Institute on Aging.Skin care and aging.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Dry skin: Who gets and causes.National Health Services.Symptoms: Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).Silvestre Salvador JF, Romero-Pérez D, Encabo-Durán B.Atopic dermatitis in adults: A diagnostic challenge.J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 2017;27(2):78-88. doi:10.18176/jiaci.0138American Academy of Dermatology Association.Dermatologists' top tips for relieving dry skin.
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.New Zealand Trust: DermNet NZ.Facial psoriasis.American Academy of Dermatology.Can you get psoriasis if you have skin of color?.National Eczema Association.Eczema stats.American Academy of Dermatology Association.JAK inhibitors: What your dermatologist wants you to know.National Library of Medicine.Contact dermatitis.National Eczema Association.Contact dermatitis.National Eczema Association.Seborrheic dermatitis.National Institute on Aging.Skin care and aging.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Dry skin: Who gets and causes.National Health Services.Symptoms: Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).Silvestre Salvador JF, Romero-Pérez D, Encabo-Durán B.Atopic dermatitis in adults: A diagnostic challenge.J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 2017;27(2):78-88. doi:10.18176/jiaci.0138American Academy of Dermatology Association.Dermatologists' top tips for relieving dry skin.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
New Zealand Trust: DermNet NZ.Facial psoriasis.American Academy of Dermatology.Can you get psoriasis if you have skin of color?.National Eczema Association.Eczema stats.American Academy of Dermatology Association.JAK inhibitors: What your dermatologist wants you to know.National Library of Medicine.Contact dermatitis.National Eczema Association.Contact dermatitis.National Eczema Association.Seborrheic dermatitis.National Institute on Aging.Skin care and aging.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Dry skin: Who gets and causes.National Health Services.Symptoms: Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).Silvestre Salvador JF, Romero-Pérez D, Encabo-Durán B.Atopic dermatitis in adults: A diagnostic challenge.J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 2017;27(2):78-88. doi:10.18176/jiaci.0138American Academy of Dermatology Association.Dermatologists' top tips for relieving dry skin.
New Zealand Trust: DermNet NZ.Facial psoriasis.
American Academy of Dermatology.Can you get psoriasis if you have skin of color?.
National Eczema Association.Eczema stats.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.JAK inhibitors: What your dermatologist wants you to know.
National Library of Medicine.Contact dermatitis.
National Eczema Association.Contact dermatitis.
National Eczema Association.Seborrheic dermatitis.
National Institute on Aging.Skin care and aging.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Dry skin: Who gets and causes.
National Health Services.Symptoms: Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).
Silvestre Salvador JF, Romero-Pérez D, Encabo-Durán B.Atopic dermatitis in adults: A diagnostic challenge.J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 2017;27(2):78-88. doi:10.18176/jiaci.0138
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Dermatologists' top tips for relieving dry skin.
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