Blushing is a sign of embarrassment which is somewhat ironic bearing in mind how embarrassing many people find blushing to be in itself – drawing attention to the fact that they are embarrassed, out of breath, hot or generally uncomfortable in a situation.
Blushing in the face is completely normal and it is not a problem to be ‘cured’ however there is certainly some variation among people who blush and some of us are more prone to going red in the face than others. Here we will look at how to bring blushing back under control, how to hide it and how to prevent it from being quite so embarrassing.
What Causes Blushing?
Knowing what causes blushing is the first step to being able to address and solve the problem. Fortunately this is quite simple to understand, and blushing is just caused by blood rushing to the face and the surface of the skin – as your blood is red this then causes your face to blush red too. This in itself caused by a range of other things too. For instance it can be caused by anything that increases the heart rate as this circulates the blood around the body more quickly – that means exercise, stress, embarrassment or stimulants. It can also be more predominant in those with higher blood pressure – as the blood is thicker it is pressed more firmly towards the surface of the skin and is thus more visible. Cold weather can cause the face to turn red both as a result of the body rushing blood to the head to keep it warm, and as a result of the effects of wind-burn on the face.
Other things can also cause blushing too. For instance standing upside down will draw blood downwards towards the head (so if you wonder why you keep blushing, perhaps stop standing on your head), as can allergies, acne, rashes and sunburn.
Bearing this in mind there are several ways to reduce blushing and prevent the problem from occurring which are:
Drinking Cold Water or Chewing Ice
This will cool your face down again and prevent it from reddening from the heat. Alternatively you can excuse yourself to the bathroom for a moment and splash some cool water on your face.
Foundation
If you’re very concerned about your blushing and find it embarrassing then you can just cover up the redness by using a foundation that is dark enough to conceal it.
Improve Blood Pressure
If your face appears red often and it looks ‘blotchy’ in appearance then this might be a result of high blood pressure. There are many ways to avoid this such as improving your diet and eating more fiber and less saturated fat, or doing more exercise. This will also improve your general health and decrease the chances of other problems such as heart attack or stroke.
Improve Fitness
If your heart rate starts going into overdrive when you climb the stairs then this will make you look blotchy and red, and at the same time improving your fitness will also help to reduce blood pressure. So a little regular exercise will get you red in the face at the time, but in the long run it will help you to improve your complexion.
Combat Stress
Embarrassment, anger, stress, love and many other emotions all cause facial blushing and the reason for this is simply that they increase the heart rate to increase. If you can learn to control stress and to bring your heart rate under control then you prevent this problem. This could mean controlling your breathing, removing yourself from the source of stress or embarrassment or using techniques such as meditation or visualization.
Avoid Stimulants
Things like caffeine naturally increase your heart rate and thereby compound any problems you may have with blushing. Avoid anything that contains stimulants if you want to reduce the issue.
Avoid Alcohol
Alcohol can also cause blushing of the cheeks due to a natural reaction. If you are out drinking and you suffer from this condition, then make sure to drink lots of water throughout the night.
Exfoliate
Another cause of a blotchy blushing can be an uneven skin tone caused by dead skin. Acne can also make your face appear red. In order to avoid either of these problems, exfoliate regularly to remove dead skin cells and prevent blocked pores.