Afrin for Redness

[Guide]

"One common complaint that patients have is skin redness," said Arisa Ortiz, M.D., director of Laser and Cosmetic Dermatology at UC San Diego Health. "The redness may be a result of dry skin or rosacea, a condition that causes flushing of the face. For people with mild forms of rosacea, nasal sprays like Afrin can temporarily reduce redness."

Medications with cosmetic benefits
March 9, 2017 by Jackie Carr, Medical Express

[Guide]

Emily47 at RF (post no 54) reports, "I mixed Afrin and CeraVe (suggested my dermatologist) and it worked! Immediately less redness!"

According to Vitacost.com, oxymetazoline hydrochloride, 0.05 percent, the active ingredient in Afrin nasal spray, works by constricting, or shrinking, the blood vessels in the nose, and thereby reducing nasal blood flow. - livestrong.com

David Pascoe wrote about this in 2014:
Afrin (Oxymetazoline) Safe Off Label Drug for a Red Face

[Guide]

"Treatment with oxymetazoline as adjunctive therapy with energy‐based therapy was safe, well tolerated, and reduced facial erythema in patients with moderate to severe persistent facial erythema associated with rosacea."

Lasers Surg Med. 2021 Jan; 53(1): 55–65.
Oxymetazoline and Energy‐Based Therapy in Patients with Rosacea: Evaluation of the Safety and Tolerability in an Open‐Label, Interventional Study
Emil A. Tanghetti, MD, David J. Goldberg, MD, JD,  Jeffrey S. Dover, MD, FRCPC,  Roy G. Geronemus, MD,  Zane Bai,  Nancy Alvandi, Stuart D. Shanler, MD, FAAD, FACMS