Facial blushing is an involuntary reddening of the face due to embarrassment or stress. The terms blushing and flushing mean the same thing, although flushing tends to be used for more severe cases known as idiopathic cranio-facial erythema. Wet blushing flushing associated with increased perspiration is thought to be caused by an overactive sympathetic nervous system. This system helps to regulate glands and organs without our conscious effort, and controls the diameter of blood vessels to the face. In some people, these nerves are unusually sensitive to emotional stress. Dry flushing — blushing that is caused by increased vasodilator chemicals in the bloodstream — does not cause increased perspiration. Given the right stimulus such as embarrassment , the nerves prompt the blood vessels to open wide, flooding the skin with blood and causing reddening of the face. In some people, the ears, neck and chest also blush. Severe facial blushing is common in people who have social phobia , an anxiety disorder in which the person experiences extreme and persistent anxiety in social and performance situations, and fears being judged, criticised, ridiculed or humiliated. Just about any situation at all can bring on intense blushing for example, the trigger can be as simple as casual conversation with friends and it may take one or two minutes for the blush to disappear.
Facial Blushing
Introduction
People with severe facial blushing understand the challenges it can pose in day to day life, including embarrassment and anxiety in social situations. Facial blushing is another manifestation of an overactive sympathetic nervous system. Sympathetic blushing results in intense bursts of facial redness as a result of social functions or stress. Often patients will have elements of facial blushing in association with hyperhidrosis but often it can occur as an isolated problem. People who experienced severe facial blushing often complain of blushing that occurs not only on the face but also the neck and upper chest during stressful situations, such as public speaking or job interviews. It often comes on quickly with no warning, and can be very debilitating, resulting in severe social anxiety and avoidance behavior. Even though everyone experiences some form of blushing from time to time, severe facial blushing is quite different.
Actions for this page
Facial blushing involves uncontrollable heat surges to the face and often the upper chest, and affects many individuals throughout Australia and beyond. Excessive facial blushing and sweating may be something that occurs when attention is drawn to the sufferer, leaving them feeling stressed and embarrassed, and can happen on a daily basis with no means of control. It is the over-activity of involuntary nerves that cause the face to blush, as the nerves control the diameter of the blood vessels, and when over-stimulated, the vessels colour the skin red.
Try out PMC Labs and tell us what you think. Learn More. Objective: No study has yet compared the efficacy of endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy for treating facial blushing with other treatment or no treatment.
