Thursday, September 19, 2013

What Causes a Flushed Complexion?



A flushed complexion is characterised by many different symptoms, like feelings of warmth and a sudden reddening of the neck area. Flushed skin is a sudden and common physical response that can be triggered by a range of situations or stimuli like anxiety, stress, embarrassment, anger, or another extreme emotional state.
Skin flushing, or blushing, is characterized by feelings of warmth and rapid reddening of your neck, upper chest, or face. The reddening is caused by blood rushing to the surface of the skin around the face area and blotchiness or solid patches of redness are often visible when blushing.
Some of the more common causes of a flushed complexion include:
  • Embarrassment/Anger/Stress: These emotions can cause the release of adrenaline and this can mean that our heart rate increases. Blood flow increases to the face creating the impression of a red face.

  • Rosacea: Rosacea is a medical condition that causes redness in the face and sometime pimples to form. Common characteristics of this is are small, red, pus-filled bumps on the skin that are present during flare-ups. Rosacea affects only skin on your nose, cheeks, and forehead and the redness does not fade nor seem to be caused by any of the other causes on this list.

  • Acne: An uneven complexion can be the cause of a flushed face in some cases as clusters of spots filled with blood can make whole areas look red. But at the same time some of the skin is in better condition than other parts and this will mean that the redness looks blotchily.

  • Rash/Allergy: A rash is an immune response and can be the result of an allergic reaction toward something.

  • Wind: Redness is often caused by wind burn and if you have been out in the cold then a combination of the extreme temperature and the wind can result in your face looking redder than usual.

  • Alcohol: Alcohol can have a flushing reaction due to the dilating effects of alcohol on the capillaries in the face. Be sure to drink lots of water with your alcohol and take sever flushing as a sign to slow down.

  • Exercise: An increase of blood throughout your body, including the face and a rise in body temperature will lead to a flushing effect.

  • Temperature: As mentioned getting hot from exercise or from external heat can cause you to become red, as can being in the cold when your body can sometimes fight to increase your body temperature. Make sure to plan ahead so you have time to cool down after a workout, and try washing your face with a cool flannel to speed up the process after exercising.

  • There are no definite way to prevent flushing, but you can try to reduce your alcohol consumption, avoid extreme temperatures and also limit your intake of niacin to a maximum of 14 milligrams. This might help to reduce the effects of flushing effectively. If this continues, seek immediate medical attention and consult with your doctor for possible solutions. 
About the author: 
HealthLine.com is a popular resource that offers expert health advice from qualified professionals and experienced contributors. Find out more about a flushed complexion from Healthline.com.