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Flushing is a sudden reddening of the skin with a feeling of warmth that usually disappears quickly. It can occur at any age, and is common in menopausal women and adolescents (emotional flushing). Sometimes also in newborns. There are many reasons, the most common are physical factors, emotions, medications, as well as hormonal disorders and nutritional factors.
What is blush?
A blush is a reddening of the skin that comes on suddenly and disappears by itself. Then it is completely natural and you should not be alarmed. The situation is different when the blush lasts for a long time and its intensity changes – in such a situation it is necessary to consult a dermatologist, because it may be the beginning of rosacea. Contrary to appearances, only women in the menopause do not suffer from rosacea.
- For rosacea, we recommend the Acnerose cosmetic set, which soothes inflammation of the skin
There are many causes of blush, the most common are physical and chemical factors, emotions, medications, hormonal disorders and nutritional factors (coffee, alcohol, spicy foods). Flushing is the response of vascular smooth muscles to the action of vasoactive substances or to increased blood flow through them. The blush is mainly observed on the skin of the face, less often on the neck, nape and upper parts of the chest.
Blush – the mechanism of its formation
Flushing is the reddening of blood vessels that relax. It usually appears in response to:
- emotional stimuli,
- sudden temperature change (too high or too low),
- drinking alcohol,
- eating spicy and spicy foods.
It is quite natural for blood vessels to expand and contract. The problem arises when the blush occurs even for no apparent reason and does not want to fade. People with couperose skin are most prone to the appearance of blushes.
However, it is not fully known why some people develop rosacea and others do not. Doctors assign a role to genetics. So, if your mother has visible blushes and spider veins on her face, there is a high risk that you will also have them.
The risk of this condition increases when you like to sunbathe a lot or use a solarium frequently, because UV radiation is one of the factors that contribute to the disease. In addition to genetics, blushes are favored by microorganisms: damodex folliculorum, helicobacter pulorii bacteria and human mite.
Symptoms of blush
Skin changes appear suddenly and are usually temporary. Patients, apart from sudden reddening, mainly of the face, also report feeling warm or even hot. In addition, patients complain of burning and itchy skin, which is additionally tense. Some of them observe a temporary increase in temperature. The most common are the so-called hot blushes occurring in menopausal women.
Reddening of the skin may increase under the influence of:
- the sun
- wind
- high temperature,
- low temperature,
- stress
- alcohol,
- use the sauna,
- dry air or excessively humid air,
- eating spicy / spicy foods,
- physical effort,
- taking steroids,
- taking vasodilating preparations,
- face care cosmetics used,
- preparations lowering cholesterol.
Chronic blush
It is an inflammation that causes certain elements in the dermis to overgrow, such as blood vessels. The longer the blush lasts, the more visible the capillaries become, which eventually take the form of spider veins.
Neglecting this condition leads to the formation of lumps and pimples in the place of the strongest reddening of the skin. In addition, the eyelid margins may become inflamed, characterized by burning, watery eyes and photosensitivity.
Blush should be differentiated from rosacea, allergic changes, toxic erythema of newborns, carcinoid syndrome and seborrheic dermatitis.
Treatment of blush
The treatment of blush is difficult to define, numerous inhibitors have been tried, but no satisfactory therapeutic effects have been obtained. It was used in treatment prostaglandins, atropine, naloxone, antihistamines.
In addition to the medications used, it is also important to care for the skin prone to redness. It is recommended to use cosmetics intended for vascular skin, which not only strengthen but also seal the capillaries. The blush can also be soothed by using gel cooling compresses – it should disappear after a few minutes.
- Leather – a natural barrier. What substances strengthen it?
In addition, people with blush should protect their skin from the sun as much as possible. For this purpose, special cosmetics should be used that match the skin tone with a UVA / UVB filter. Regardless of the season, it is also worth using a cream with a minimum SPF 15 filter.
Other ways to prevent blush:
- avoiding heat
- avoiding extreme cold,
- avoiding strong winds,
- withdrawal from alcohol
- the use of cosmetics selected according to the type of skin,
- avoiding the use of perfumed cosmetics with strong fragrances, e.g. mint, camphor, menthol. It is worth investing in the most delicate ones with as few preservatives as possible.
The prognosis is usually favorable, depending on the triggering factors.
Source: A. Kaszuba, Z. Adamski: “Lexicon of dermatology”; XNUMXst edition, Czelej Publishing House