Summary. Facial blushing is an involuntary reddening of the face due to embarrassment or stress. Severe blushing is common in people who have social phobia, which is a type of anxiety disorder characterised by extreme and persistent anxiety in social and performance situations.
Blushing is very common and most people do it. We can go red when we're feeling embarrassed, shy or even angry. Some of us blush more than others, especially people who suffer from social anxiety.
Apply a Cool Compress
If your red or flushed skin isn't due to an underlying medical condition, you can treat it by applying a cool compress to the affected area. In most cases, the skin becomes flushed as a result of the blood vessels widening, which then allows for more blood to flow through.
Blushing and turning red are common anxiety disorder symptoms. Many people blush when they are anxious or embarrassed, which is a form of anxiety.
Exposure. Exposure is a CBT therapy technique used for many types of anxiety. It involves you intentionally (and in a controlled way) facing the situation that causes fear. Exposure helps you stop avoiding situations in which you fear blushing.
Blushing is the reddening of a person's face due to psychological reasons. It is normally involuntary and triggered by emotional stress associated with passion, embarrassment, shyness, fear, anger, or romantic stimulation.
Though excessive facial blushing is not a life-threatening condition, it can have serious emotional and psychological effects on sufferers. In severe cases, individuals find themselves entirely unproductive at work and school during episodes severely impacting their performance.
"Using cold compresses, a cooling mask is helpful to bring redness down." Dr. Engelman adds that skincare "ingredients like aloe, cucumber extract, ceramides, squalane and CBD calm skin and help reduce redness," too.
Sun Damage: Years of sun exposure can alter the appearance of tiny blood vessels under your skin (especially the ones on your face), creating an overall reddish color.
Blushing is a reaction that is triggered by our potential embarrassment and humiliation, and involves social anxiety feelings, such as self-consciousness and fear of being the center of attention.
Flushed skin occurs when the blood vessels just below the skin widen and fill with more blood. For most people, occasional flushing is normal and can result from being too hot, exercising, or emotional responses. Flushed skin can also be a side effect of drinking alcohol or taking certain medications.
Intense feelings like stress, anger, or embarrassment can cause the blood vessels in your face to widen. This is a normal reaction of your nervous system but can be severe if you have anxiety. If your emotions make you feel flushed, you could also notice: Sweating.
One theory is that a male face which is red but not too furious-looking is attractive to women because it is interpreted as an indication of good health. Indeed, a slight increase in redness caused by oxygenated blood perfusion is a marker of fitness.
A flushed face is often the result of anxiety, stress, embarrassment, or even spicy foods, but it could also be the result of an underlying medical condition, such as rosacea, Cushing's disease, or a niacin overdose. If you experience recurring, unexplained flushing, seek medical attention.
As for a red face, this can have a wide variety of causes including rosacea (a skin condition that may also cause swelling and sores), allergies, inflammatory conditions, fever, and sunburn. Medications (including some used to lower blood pressure) can also cause a red face as a side effect.
The tiny muscles in your blood vessels usually keep the vessels slightly squeezed; however, during a blushing episode, nerves in your body send signals to relax these muscles. Because this process is automatic, it is nearly impossible to stop once it has begun.
Blushing is part of your body's “fight-or-fight” mechanism, which is the way your body responds in an emergency. To direct all available energy to your muscles in an emergency, you need your heart rate and your breathing rate to increase to deliver as much oxygen as possible to your muscles and organs.
After washing your face, apply a hydrating face cream or moisturizer. “Look for hydrating ingredients that will strengthen the skin barrier as well as provide a shield from environmental stressors,” says Dr. Engelman.
People who blush easily are perceived as more trustworthy. Studies have shown that they're more empathetic and generous. They also report higher rates of monogamy. Blushing can make an awkward situation feel a million times worse, especially when someone has the nerve to point out how red your face is.
There are many treatment options for erythrophobia, including talking therapy, exposure therapy, medication, and surgery. If a person can manage any wider social anxiety symptoms with these options, they may find that their erythrophobia symptoms improve.
Thus, people blush when they experience that they may be evaluated negatively. In these situations, people typically experience acute self‐consciousness – the feeling of being exposed to other people's attention (Leary et al., 1992).