Red rash on face! Anyone else had something like this? « Back to Group Discussions

[Eilis]

My face felt hot last night and when I woke up this morning, I had a strange reddish rash all over my face. My face feels a little bit dry and scaly and the red color is everywhere but right under my eyes. My midwife's office is closed today and I don't necessarily want to page her if this is a normal thing.

Some additional info:

- I feel kind of tired and lethargic in general, but this is probably just lingering early pregnancy malaise. I am about 14 weeks.

- Last night I went for a short walk along the freezing cold bay near our house, with wind and sand blowing in my face. Then I took a warm bath. So maybe this unusual but short exposure to extreme wind/cold gave me the rash???

- I have super-Irish skin (pale, sensitive to sun, prone to spider veins and such).

- I don't have any allergies that I know of and I have not been using new face cream or anything like that.

Anyone else had facial pregnancy rashes like this? Anything you can do about it? Do you think I should page my midwife or just wait till Monday?

[coalifetime]

I blame the cold winter air!  And if you are like me, the bath/shower is a long one with lots of warm water and steaminess to suck out the moisture of our delicate skin even further. 

Hydrate internally and externally as much as you can.  Pamper yourself with a good level of fluids today and a miusturizer for your face and the rest of your body.  I have even resorted to using a layer of olive oil over the layer of moisturizer before bed.  If I get a few pimples from 'too much' oil it is still better than the burning and itching from the dry skin that I have from my shower marathons.

Try to refrain from using a soap on the worst areas for the next few days so that your layers of moisturizer and oil aren't stripped bare.

I hope that this helps!

[Ruheling]

Not sure where you are, but have you ever had "true" windburn? Because it sort of sounds like that could be part of that. I grew up in MN and would pretty routinely get it because I'm fair skinned too and wouldn't wear a scarf over my face (since I'd get too hot while skating/being a kid). That, and frankly, it sounds like my thighs look after I took a long walk (in jeans) in 20 degree weather last night (jeans conducts cold and the skin got all irritated - love my Norweigen Formula lotion).

The questions I'd (personally) use to judge whether it's worth a page: (1) Is it spreading?

(2) Does it itch?

(3) Can you still breathe ok?

(4) Are your eyes at risk of swelling?

Keeping in mind that I'm not a medical professional, if the answer to all those questions is "no," I'd slather on the lotion like coallifetime said. It might even help to use some Aquaphor. if there are any painfully dry spots.

[Eilis]

Thank you guys, so much, for the wonderful, caring advice! I feel better just reading it. :)
 

[rainbownurse]

It sounds like windburn/sand burn to me. Do you have any aloe gel? That always helps me. 

[talldarkeyes]

I had the same thing happen to me when I took a walk a few weeks ago on a cold and windy day. Coconut oil has been helping but it is still scaley! Pregnant skin is SO sensitive!