Health Encyclopedia

Skin blushing/flushing

Definition

Skin blushing or flushing is a sudden reddening of the face, neck, or upper chest.

Alternative Names

Blushing; Flushing; Red face

Considerations

Blushing is a normal body response that may occur when you are embarrassed, angry, excited, or experiencing some other strong emotion.

Flushing of the face may also be associated with certain medical conditions.

Common Causes

Alcohol use
Carcinoid syndrome
Certain medicines used to treat diabetes and high cholesterol
Extreme emotions
High fever
Hot or spicy foods
Menopause
Rapid changes in temperature
Rosacea

Home Care

Try to avoid the things that cause your blushing. For example, you may need to avoid hot drinks, spicy food, extremes of temperature, and bright sunlight.

Call your health care provider if

Call your doctor if you have persistent flushing, particularly if you have other symptoms (such as diarrhea).

What to expect at your health care provider's office

Your doctor will perform a physical exam and may ask you questions about your medical history and symptoms, including:

Does the flushing affect the whole body or just the face?
Do you have hot flashes?
How often do you have flushing or blushing?
Are episodes getting worse or more frequent?
Is it worse after you drink alcohol?
What other symptoms do you have? For example, do you have diarrhea, wheezing, hives, or difficulty breathing?

Review Date:4/16/2007
Reviewed By:Michael S. Lehrer, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

ADAM Quality A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) and this website do not claim the information on, or referred to by, this site is error free. This site may include links to websites of other government agencies or private groups. Our Agency and this website do not control such sites and are not responsible for their content. Reference to or links to any other group, product, service, or information does not mean our Agency or this website approves of that group, product, service, or information.

Additionally, while health information provided through this website may be a valuable resource for the public, it is not designed to offer medical advice. Talk with your doctor about medical care questions you may have.