Are you red in the face?

Facial flushing can be embarrassing as people will often mistake it for an emotional response. It can actually be the result of many different things, and understanding what might be triggering it can help you to prevent the problem from occurring.

Q: What is facial flushing?

A: Facial flushing is a sudden reddening of the face. The redness might affect the neck or upper chest and is often associated with a sense of warmth, sweating or mild itching.

It’s a normal bodily response to an intense emotion, such as embarrassment or anger, but it might also be associated with certain medical conditions.

Embarrassment, anger or stress can cause a release of adrenaline – increasing the heart rate. In turn, that means that more blood travels to the face and more of it will remain there, creating the impression of a red face.

Rosacea is a medical condition that causes redness in the face and sometime pimples to form. It typically has a deeper red hue than that caused by flushing and the color does not fade.

If you think that you are affected by rosacea, you should see a dermatologist for assessment and treatment.

Acne also can be the cause of a flushed face. In some cases, clusters of spots filled with blood can make whole area look red.

A rash can be the result of an allergy and is an immune response. If you have recently begun using a new face cream, shampoo or other product, or if you have eaten something that you do not normally eat, then any of these things could explain the cause of your allergic reaction. You should try taking them out of your diet or regime and see if the rash goes away. Spicy foods are commonly known to cause facial flushing.

Alcohol and some medications can cause flushing as a reaction; the severity will depend on the individual.

Body heat, whether caused by external temperatures or from exercise, will cause flushing. Exercise, of course, gets your blood pumping around your body and that means it travels to your face too. At the same time, it also causes your internal body temperature to rise more than it normally would, which additionally causes flushing.

Poor circulation can cause blood to collect in a range of places and not flow as effectively as it should and this can also lead to facial flushing.

Q: How is facial flushing treated?

A: The treatment of facial flushing depends on the underlying cause. If you have persistent facial flushing, call a dermatologist for a consultation.
