Facial eczema

The face is without a doubt the most visible part of the human body, the one people remember when they pass you by in the street. The face is sometimes a part of the body affected by eczema and it is not easy to live with daily.

Who is affected by facial eczema?

Babies, children, adults… facial eczema affects people of all ages. Symptoms of facial eczema include red plaques on the face, itching, dry and sensitive skin. Facial eczema lesions can be found anywhere on the face, sometimes with differences according to age. Here are the areas affected by facial eczema according to age:

• Babies rub their cheeks covered with eczema plaques against the sheets for relief. Sometimes it's the forehead and chin that are affected, in other words all the bulging (convex) areas of the face.
• In children, atopic dermatitis of the face often affects the eyelids (called palpebral eczema), as well as the lips and skin around the mouth. Eczema on the ears is very common, especially in the skin folds. These different symptoms of facial eczema can persist into adulthood.
• Adult facial eczema is often more diffuse and therefore even more visible: the skin of the face sometimes becomes very red or more pigmented than the rest of the body. Scalp eczema is very often associated with adult facial eczema.

What are the consequences of facial eczema?

In case of facial eczema, the skin of the face becomes a source of discomfort. The itching associated with facial eczema disrupts people’s relationships with others and their sleep. The red plaques on the face are misunderstood by those around them, who may suspect a lack of care, a contagious disease or too much stress, etc.

What is the best treatment for facial eczema?

The treatment of facial eczema is the same as for the rest of the body, except that the skin of the face is thinner and more fragile:

• In case of an eczema flare-up on the face, the physician usually prescribes cortisone creams, also called topical corticosteroids, which are slightly less powerful than those applied to the body but just as effective.
• Similarly, body emollients are sometimes too rich for facial skin: opt for lighter forms such as lotion or cream.
• Note that there are topical immunosuppressive anti-inflammatory ointments that are sometimes prescribed to avoid using cortisone creams on facial eczema.

Make-up is perfectly possible in case of facial eczema. It does not cure facial eczema, but it can be used to camouflage the lesions and to improve daily life.

The green color of some sticks can effectively neutralize the red plaques on the face.