Face Turns Red When Embarassed/Nervous?

Fractional laser is an amazing and highly effective treatment in our office. We use the laser treatment to help with acne scars, large pores, fine wrinkles, tissue collagen loss, scars, sebaceous hyperplasia, active acne, and for brightening dark pigmentation. Although there are very strong fractional lasers such as CO2 laser, we use lighter treatments for corrective skincare and maintenance of results. Our Thulium fractional laser, clear and brilliant laser, and Ultra Thulium laser are excellent options in our clinic. We also perform CO2 fractional and erbium depending on skin tone and tolerance for downtime. Patients do have to use a Melarase cream before and after treatment to help further reduce pigmentation after laser. Dark spots can improve with these treatments. I recommend fractional laser for incisional scars as well, especially after plastic surgery.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

It sounds like you have Rosacea. It is a very common skin
condition that affects millions. There are several treatments for Rosacea
-- they range from topical prescription creams to antibiotic pills to in-office
laser treatments. All are effective depending on the type of rosacea and
your board-certified dermatologist can help you decide which is best for you.

Dear Pamjam8,
Not to worry. There are solutions for rosacea that can help with the facial flushing, which is perhaps one of the more embarrassing components of rosacea. The redness and flushing can usually only be partially controlled with a topical vasoconstrictor. The only one on the market today is "Mirvaso" and is a prescription drug which usually lasts about 6-8 hours after application. See your dermatologist for more detailed instructions and to see if it's the right type of medication for you. 
Best of luck! 
Dr. S

Dear pamjam8:

Sounds like your rosacea is precipitated by anxiety which is not uncommon.  Treatment options for rosacea vary from topical, oral, IPL and laser treatments.   It is best to see a skin care expert who can safely guide you along your treatment plan.  Best wishes.

Rosacea, is a common
condition of redness, coarse skin texture and the presence of
telengiectasias ( tiny broken capillaries) on the face. Flushing -- or as we say , " anything that makes you flush or blush", can also be a sign of Rosacea!  Ask you health-care provider next time you are in . The good news is that these
signs and symptoms can be readily treated with a variety of lasers.
IPl lasers ( such as the LimeLight) will reduce the overall redness and
flushing and vascular lasers such as Cutera's Coolglide will more selectively
treat the more vessels and improve the skin texture.

if the problem seems to worsen or last unusually long to return to normal, then there's a good bet it's an early sign of rosacea...and it's possible to keep the vessels from dilating if you get a VBeam treatment every once in awhile...unfortunately there aren't any topicals that keep the vessels from dilating...but they're working on some medicines to do just that...so keep your fingers crossed...and always remember the possibility of green tinted makeup to hide the redness...
 

Hi there,

Blushing often occurs when you are nervous or embarrassed.  It can also happen when you are angry.  Your body secretes more adrenaline during these situations, which causes your heart rate and breathing to increase.  The blood vessels in your face also dilate (open up to allow more blood to flow).  Since more blood than usual is now flowing through the capillaries in your face, your face will appear more red.  The effect is even more pronounced in people with fairer skin tones.  Rosacea is a common facial eruption characterized by redness, dilated vessels, flushing, and blushing.  There is no cure for rosacea, but there are some triggers to avoid.  Triggers include: spicy foods and hot drinks, ingestion of alcohol (red wine), exercise in hot weather or heat and sun exposure.

Facial redness and flushing is a sign of rosacea. Flushings can be triggered by environment, social settings, foods, medications, etc. Your best bet will be to see a dermatologist for an evaluation and treatment plan.