[The red face]

Facial erythema may not only present clinically as a distinct entity, but can also be a symptom of other diseases. It is seen in common dermatoses such as eczema, psoriasis, acne and urticaria, as well as in rarer conditions such as disorders of keratinization, infectious diseases, porphyrias and neoplasia. Facial erythema may also present as a symptom of carcinoid syndrome, drug allergies, cardiac disease or in rare cases as a feature of Bloom's syndrome, sarcoidosis, lymphoma, amyloidosis and other disease processes. We would like to concentrate on the practical aspects of facial erythema as a presenting symptom, rather than discussing every disease in detail.