Alternate Names: Blushing; Flushing; Red face
Considerations: Blushing is a normal response when embarrassed, angry, feeling guilty, or experiencing some other strong emotion.
Flushing of the face may also be associated with other conditions where flushing occurs in the absence of embarrassment, or other precipitating factors. Menopause and carcinoid are two different types of condition associated with abnormal blushing.
Common Causes:
Home Care: Treatment depends on the cause.
- For a normal response to embarrassment or anger, you need to do nothing. However, if the response is really troublesome, a prescribed beta-blocker may help.
- For "hot flush" due to menopause, use a prescribed estrogen replacement.
- For fever, reduce the temperature.
- For alcoholism, try abstinence or temperance. For sensitivity to alcohol, practice abstinence.
- For blush due to medication, switch to a new medication or stop taking it. NEVER CHANGE MEDICATION WITHOUT CONSULTING YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER FIRST!
Call If:
- there is continual and persistent flushing.
- the face flushes after taking a drink and there is pain in the armpit or neck (look for lumps or swellings).
- facial flushing is associated with diarrhea and wheezing.
- there is also a hump on the back of the neck (buffalo hump) and/or stria on the abdomen or elsewhere.
What To Expect: The medical history will be obtained and a physical examination performed.
Medical history questions documenting your skin blushing/flushing in detail may include:
- location
- Do you have facial flushing (blushing)?
- Does it affect the whole body?
- quality
- Are you having hot flushes?
- time pattern
- Do you have flushing attacks?
- How often do you have flushing or blushing?
- Are episodes getting worse?
- Are they getting more frequent?
- aggravating factors
- Is it worse after alcohol intake?
- other
After seeing your health care provider:
You may want to add a diagnosis related to blushing or flushing to your personal medical record.
