Blotchy Skin – What Is Causing My Blotchy Skin?

Millions of people around the world suffer from blotchy skin for many reasons. The skin, in this case, develops red patches that are sometimes itchy or irritating. The patches can also appear anywhere on the body although they are commonly found on the face, neck, and arms.

blotchy skin

Blotchy skin can be hard to control, but there are several steps people can take to control the symptoms or causes. Why it is hard to control may be because of the causes as well as the intensity or level it has extended to. Mainly, the causes include genetics, environmental conditions, changes in the weather, allergies, among others.

What is Blotchy Skin?

A blotchy skin is an uneven skin with red, dark, or white patches. The patches are caused by different factors, and they may start becoming visible when the dead surface skin is not exfoliated regularly or is over-exfoliated.

Why is My Skin Blotchy?

The skin can be blotchy due to the following conditions:

  1. Hives

Hives are red welts that usually itch. The welts can be signs of an allergic reaction, stressful situations, or be as a result of an illness. Usually, the hives go away within a day even though a new one may pop up in its place.

The welts may be a few, but you may also get a bunch of them connecting and spreading across your body. If they start getting stubborn or worse, the skin becomes uneven or blotchy, and you should not hesitate to see a dermatologist.

  1. Heat Rash

Red, bumpy, and itchy rashes may also lead to a blotchy skin. Such a skin usually develops when the weather is hot and humid and shows up where the skin rubs together, for example, the groin and armpits.

Heat rash is common in babies. However, adults can also be affected when they get sweaty or overheated.

  1. Contact Dermatitis

Contact dermatitis is a skin condition caused by a skin reaction to an irritant and is manifested in the form of dry skin, blisters, hives, or rashes. It can also be an allergic reaction (for example to poison ivy) and sometimes irritation (from perfumes in some soaps) and result in blotched skin.

  1. Psoriasis

Psoriasis happens in two forms, but the most common is plaque psoriasis. This type manifests itself as raised skin patches that have a scaly layer of dead skin cells on top. Usually, the manifestation occurs as patches around elbows, knees, the lower back, and scalp. However, blotches may appear anywhere on the body.

  1. Eczema

Eczema is a skin condition that results in patches of very dry and itchy skin. The patches may be thicker and turn colors to either lighter or darker. The resultant skin is uneven, blotched one.

  1. Rosacea

Rosacea manifests itself with flushing or blotches across one’s cheeks, the forehead, chin, or nose. Also, it can result in small pimple-like bumps while blood vessels may also become visible. The causes may include eating spicy foods, alcohol, and menopause.

  1. Shingles

Shingles are painful rashes with blisters that show up as single stripes on one side of the body. Usually, shingles are caused by the chickenpox-causing virus, and before it shows, one may experience itching or tingling.

  1. Melasma

Melasma is the manifestation of brown or gray-brown patches caused by sun exposure or hormonal changes. The patches usually appear on the face and are more common in women who are on pregnancy or birth control pills.

  1. Vitiligo

When vitiligo knocks, some patches of the skin lose color or appear lighter. Vitiligo may cover only a few parts of the body or cover larger areas (including the hair, eyes, and mouth).

  1. Drinking Alcohol

Too much of alcohol consumption may result in flushing of the face and blotchiness. Quite often, people who take alcohol experience hangovers the following day. When that dehydration happens, it makes any redness the body may have worse.

  1. Excessive Exposure to Sunlight

With the sun producing invisible UVB and UVA lights, the skin is always at a risk of damage. Even though it is worthwhile to enjoy the sunshine for vitamin D replenishment, too much of it is harmful. When the skin is exposed to too much sunlight, it may develop sunburns, redness, blotchy skin, or even skin cancers.

Relationship Between Gut Health and Skin Conditions

Did you know there is a link between gut health and skin conditions like a blotchy skin? Yes, the gut does not only result in a smooth digestion but is also responsible for keeping your skin intact and free of infections. However, if it develops conditions like the Leaky Gut Syndrome, it becomes hard for it to perform the vigilante duties.

Also, a sick gut is associated with digestive upsets, emotional distress, metabolic dysfunction, obesity, and skin inflammation. This can be supported by the “gut-brain axis” as developed by philosophers Pillsbury and Stokes. The two philosophers discovered that alterations in the bacterial composition in the gut could lead to depression and skin inflammations.

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A healthy gut contains microbiomes that keep invasive bacteria at bay both in the gut and on the skin. The gut also stimulates the immune system to produce anti-inflammatory molecules to fight such conditions as acne, eczema, and other causes of blotched skin.

A thriving gut flora is associated with the production of byproducts, metabolites, and neurotransmitters such as serotonin, linoleic acid, and short-chain fatty acids. These products have anti-inflammatory effects just like the microbiomes. However, when the gut is not healthy, it cannot produce them, and the skin does not have enough soldiers to fight for it against inflammations and infections.

Taking Care of the Gut

To ensure you have a healthy gut, you must start with avoiding the causes of a leaky gut. The steps include eating foods that the gut needs for it to produce the beneficial compounds. You can also focus on feeding the microbiome with fiber, managing stressful situations, sleeping enough, and eating probiotic foods.

Also, you can invest in a tested, and proven protocol referred to as the Leaky Gut Protocol. This is a three-step protocol that will see you promote a healthy gut and avoid skin inflammation conditions including blotchiness. Check out the Leaky Gut Protocol here for a detailed insight and step by step application.