Burning in the face - what's behind it?

definition

A burning sensation in the face can have a variety of causes and be associated with a variety of other symptoms. Irritation of the skin by cosmetics, dry skin or an allergy are conceivable triggers.

Another possible cause is shingles of the face, which gradually develops into small fluid-filled blisters in the affected area. In addition, certain nerves in the face can be irritated, resulting in suddenly shooting, burning, very severe pain in the face. Treatment depends on the underlying cause.

The burning sensation isn't just limited to the face? Then read our article too Skin burns - what to do?

Causes of Burning Face

A common cause of burning sensation on the face is irritation to the skin. Aggressive cosmetics, dry heating air or other environmental influences such as UV radiation cause burning and itching on the face, which are accompanied by skin changes such as redness and flaking.

Also skin diseases like Neurodermatitis or that seborrheic eczema can cause burning facial skin and are accompanied by typical skin changes. An allergy to the ingredients of certain cosmetics, for example, can also lead to burning pain and itching of the face. Often there is also reddened, flaky skin with small blisters and pimples.

You can find more information on the cause and therapy of an allergy in our article Allergy!

Another cause of burning pain in the face is shingles (Herpes zoster). This is triggered by certain herpes viruses (varicella) and manifests itself as one-sided, burning pain in the face, which is triggered by the infestation of nerves running there. In the course of days, small, fluid-filled blisters form on a reddened base in the affected area. Since the eyes and ears can also be affected and the pain can also become chronic, rapid medical treatment is essential.

You can find more information about the clinical picture of shingles in our article Shingles.

Finally, a Trigeminal neuralgia Cause burning pain in the face. This leads to irritation of the trigeminal nerve, which manifests itself in sudden sharp pain in the facial area that lasts for seconds. The burning pain always occurs on one side.

An allergy as a trigger

A burning sensation on the face can also occur as a result of an allergy. If, for example, there is an allergy to cosmetics, one speaks of a contact allergy. Burning pain and itching occur, which are accompanied by allergic eczema (inflammatory skin disease with redness, flaking, small pustules and pimples). An allergy to certain drugs can express itself in a similar way. Food allergies or allergies to insect venom can also be accompanied by a burning rash on the face. In this case, however, this appears more in the form of fleeting wheals (similar to the rash after touching nettles), which can also appear on the rest of the body.

Mental causes

Pain in the form of a burning sensation in the face can always have a psychosomatic background. Mental stress and internal conflicts can express themselves physically in the form of pain and thus torment the person concerned. To make this diagnosis, however, other causes of burning pain in the face, such as shingles or trigeminal neuralgia, must first be ruled out. Typical for mentally caused pain in the face is an inconspicuous finding in the laboratory, the neurological and physical examination and, if carried out, also in the imaging.

Burning face from stress

Stress and inner tension are often expressed through physical complaints such as pain. Burning, tingling or other abnormal sensations can also occur in the face. This suspicion is particularly obvious when the symptoms increase in stressful phases of life and, for example, subside on vacation.

However, since physical illnesses such as shingles can also be behind the burning sensation, more serious causes must first be ruled out before the symptoms are dismissed as stress-related. Relaxing procedures such as autogenic training or yoga exercises can combat stress and thus reduce the discomfort caused by it, such as paresthesia and burning sensation in the face.

You can also find examples of relaxation procedures in our article Relaxation.

Burning face after drinking alcohol

Especially after drinking wine, those affected develop a blotchy, burning and itchy reddening of the face after just a few sips. The cause is an allergy to ingredients (e.g. lipid transfer protein) that are contained in different types of alcohol in different concentrations. The burning rash can also be accompanied by swelling of the eyes, lips or tongue and lead to respiratory or circulatory problems. Such reactions usually occur within the first hour after consumption.

More common than this real allergy, however, is histamine intolerance, which can also lead to symptoms such as redness, burning and itching. Since alcohol blocks the breakdown of histamine, larger amounts of the incompatible histamine are produced, which causes the symptoms mentioned in those affected.

You can find out whether you suffer from histamine interferences in our article Histamine intolerance.

Diagnosis of burning sensation on the face

If the burning sensation on the face persists, you should first see your doctor. By looking at the skin and asking about the exact symptoms of the complaint, initial conclusions can be drawn about a trigger. Shingles or trigeminal neuralgia always occur on one side. In special cases (e.g. if trigeminal neuralgia is suspected), a neurological examination or an imaging procedure (e.g. MRI) can be used. If, on the other hand, it is an allergy or a skin disease, a referral to the dermatologist can be made.

Concomitant symptoms

The accompanying symptoms depend on the cause of the burning sensation on the face.
If a skin disease such as neurodermatitis triggers the burning sensation, itching and skin changes such as redness and scaling also occur. Dry skin, which is the cause of a burning sensation on the face, is usually accompanied by flaking and itching.

With shingles, fluid-filled blisters on a reddened base usually appear on the affected half of the face a few days after the onset of the one-sided, burning pain. If the eye or ear are also affected, in extreme cases hearing and visual impairment can occur.

You can also find more information in our article Shingles on the face - that's behind it.

In the case of an allergy (e.g. to cosmetics) there is a blurred reddening, possibly with scaling and small blisters or pustules.
If the burning sensation is caused by trigeminal neuralgia, sudden, sudden, seizure-like pain lasting a few seconds, severe pain on one side of the face occurs.

You can also find out how a classic allergic reaction works in our article Allergic reaction.

Burning of the face with an itchiness

A burning sensation in the face is often accompanied by itching. This can be the case with various diseases and is therefore a rather unspecific symptom. Both dry skin and various skin diseases such as neurodermatitis can lead to itching of the face. In addition, allergies (allergic contact eczema) are often accompanied by an itchy rash.
For trigeminal neuralgia and shingles (Zoster), on the other hand, itching is rather untypical; the affection of the nerves running there results in clearly burning pains in one half of the face.

You can find out what else could be hidden behind itchy skin in our article Itchy skin - what to do?

Burning sensation and tingling sensation

A tingling sensation must be differentiated from itching and is often considered by those affected Army iron running described. A tingling sensation in the face indicates involvement (damage or irritation) of the nerves in the area. A tingling sensation can occur in the early stages of shingles even before the blisters. The tingling sensation is always one-sided. The irritation of the trigeminal nerve during its course in the brain can also cause tingling and burning sensation in the face. This is conceivable, for example, when the brain is infected with borreliosis. In general, tingling is a very unspecific symptom, which can have harmless but also more serious causes; the family doctor can provide an initial assessment.

Burning combined with redness

If reddening of the affected area occurs alongside the burning sensation in the face, this can be an indication of a skin disease. Dry skin and those with neurodermatitis in particular tend to have reddened skin.But also in the context of allergic eczema (inflammatory skin changes due to an allergic reaction), reddening of the face can occur. In the case of shingles caused by herpes viruses, there is also (one-sided) reddening of the face. At the bottom of this reddening there are many small, fluid-filled vesicles that contain virus-containing secretions.

You can find out how to recognize eczema and what to do about it in our article Eczema - Uses, Treatment & More!

Therapy of burning sensation on the face

Treatment for a burning sensation on the face depends on the underlying cause. If the burning sensation is due to a skin disease such as neurodermatitis, the dermatologist can prescribe special soothing creams (e.g. cortisone preparations). With dry skin, regular application of a rich moisturizer, for example from the pharmacy, often helps.

In the event of an allergy, the trigger (e.g. cosmetics) should also be avoided if this is known. If the burning sensation occurs in the context of shingles (Zoster), antiviral drugs must be prescribed and adequate pain management ensured. Since the attacks in trigeminal neuralgia are very painful, permanent prophylaxis should be used here. This is particularly suitable Carbamazepinewhich is otherwise used in epilepsy.

You can find out what you can do about dry skin in our article Dry skin - causes and care tips!

Duration

If a burning sensation in the face is due to a skin disease such as neurodermatitis or dry skin, the symptoms can often be brought under control within a few days using creams prescribed by a doctor. By avoiding the triggering agent (e.g. cosmetics) and soothing ointments, the burning sensation on the face due to an allergic reaction often decreases after several days.

The burning pain associated with shingles on the face can become chronic, especially in older people. To prevent this from happening, adequate pain therapy should be started early on by an experienced doctor. The burning pain attacks in trigeminal neuralgia only last for a few seconds, but the intensity of the pain is so pronounced that long-term drug therapy should be used.

You can find out which drugs are used for shingles in our article Shingles medication!