Skin Flushing

What is skin flushing?

Skin flushing is the sudden increase of blood flow to your cheeks, neck or upper chest. This causes your skin to turn red or darker than your natural skin tone. You may also feel heat rushing to these parts of your body. It may make you sweat.

The change to your skin is temporary. It’s usually a reaction to something in your environment. You might feel flushed after doing a heavy workout or drinking alcohol.

Flushed skin is the same as blushing. Most often, blushing is a reaction to strong emotions like affection or embarrassment.

What does skin flushing look like?

Skin flushing is more noticeable on medium to light skin tones. It causes your cheeks, neck or upper chest to suddenly turn red to purple. If you have a dark skin tone, it can cause the skin on these parts of your body to darken slightly.

What are the most common causes of skin flushing?

Increased blood flow to your head, face, neck or upper chest causes flushed skin. The most common reasons why this happens could include:

• Drinking alcohol
• Eating spicy foods
• Experiencing sudden temperature changes
• Exercising vigorously
• Feeling emotions like anxiety, affection, nervousness, stress or embarrassment
• Sun exposure

Skin flushing could be a symptom of, or happen with, an underlying condition like:

• Carcinoid syndrome
• Fever
• Menopause
• Rosacea
• Sunburn

Several medications may cause this symptom as a side effect, including:

• ACE inhibitors
• Addictive substances
• Beta-blockers
• Calcium channel blockers
• Corticosteroids
• Opioids

How is skin flushing treated?

Skin flushing is usually a temporary symptom that will go away without treatment.

You may need to see a healthcare provider if you know you have an underlying condition that causes flushing or if you have skin flushing frequently without a known cause. Your provider may recommend testing and treatment to diagnose and manage the underlying condition.

If you have high levels of stress or anxiety that cause you to experience a lot of intense emotions, you may choose to see a mental health professional.

What can I do at home to treat skin flushing?

You can manage skin flushing at home by:

• Relaxing (making yourself comfortable and clearing your mind)
• Cooling your body down (try using a cool compress on your face or neck)
• Choosing foods with mild heat levels or beverages that don’t contain alcohol

When will skin flushing return to normal?

It could take a few minutes to a couple of hours before your skin returns to normal. The timeframe varies based on the cause.

If a strong emotion is the culprit, symptoms may go away once you relax or bring your stress level down. Breathing exercises, like taking a deep breath in through your nose and exhaling slowly through your mouth, help reduce stress.

If skin flushing is a reaction to drinking alcohol, it could take a couple of hours for it to go away as the effects of the alcohol wear off.

When should skin flushing be treated by a healthcare provider?

Flushed skin that happens occasionally is normal. If you have it frequently or you have additional symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea, visit a healthcare provider.