# Potential blushing cure (research article inside)



## Selenium (May 7, 2013)

I've got a bad blushing problem. Whenever I do physical things or interact with people I don't know I blush. I blush bad, it isn't a cure blush but a "HOLY **** ARE YOU GOING TO DIE????" blush.

I was searching online for some remedies and found this paper.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23958575


> The flush that develops during whole-body heat stress depends partly on prostaglandins production in the skin. Variations in the strength of this local mechanism may contribute to individual differences in susceptibility to blushing and associated anxiety. To investigate this in the present study, the anti-inflammatory agent ibuprofen (which blocks prostaglandins formation) was applied topically to a small area of the cheek in 16 participants with a fear of blushing and in another 14 without this fear. Changes in skin blood flow were monitored at the ibuprofen-treated site and at a mirror image control site while participants sang (to induce embarrassment and blushing) and during aerobic exercise (to induce flushing). The topical ibuprofen treatment inhibited increases in cheek blood flow in both groups during both of these tasks. However, increases in cheek blood flow were greater in participants with high than low fear of blushing immediately after exercise. These findings suggest that prostaglandins contribute to dilatation of facial blood vessels both during emotional arousal (embarrassment) and aerobic exercise. Furthermore, fear of blushing may be associated with mechanisms that delay the resumption of normal vascular tone after a period of vasodilatation. Whether topical ibuprofen gel is suitable for intermittent or long-term use as an aid for blushing control requires further investigation.


I'm going to find some ibuprofen gel and try this. Has anyone else experimented with this?


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## sad vlad (Nov 9, 2013)

I have not tried anything like that. Tell me how it worked for you.


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## SkylarMathers (Nov 28, 2013)

Tell me if it works for you, cause I have this problem badly.


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## sunny14 (Apr 18, 2014)

Hi everyone,

This is my first post here so I'd thought I would share my story in case it helps someone else. I'm 22 years old and have been suffering with social anxiety since I can remember. I have a skin condition called Rosacea which causes me to blush easily, even when it is unwarranted. It had gotten so bad that it made it extremely awkward for me to talk to other people, raise my hand in class, etc. My way of dealing with it was to be extremely shy. When I went to collage I decided that this social anxiety I was dealing with just simply wasn't a part of my personality, however I couldn't seem to shake it. Around this same time at the end of high school I started having digestive issues (stomach pain, cramping, loose bowl movements) and the doctors treated me for an "over acidic stomach." Of course this didn't help but I continued to deal with it. 

4 years later I graduated college however I was still having trouble with blushing for no reason. For example, a good friend could walk into the room and 80% of me was happy to see them but then there was this 20% of me that would be engulfed in sheer panic. My heart would race and I would get really hot and red in the face and want to run away. It's happened with people I kind of know and it's happened with people I love. Everytime I would feel so confused and disappointed as to why I would get so panicked. 

A little over a week ago I saw a integrative medicine doctor about my stomach problems. Over the last year I was having extreme nausea, vomiting a few times a month, headaches and fatigue in addition to the stomach pain. She immediately ordered me to go on a strict No sugar, No grain, No dairy diet to see if my symptoms would improve. She also ordered a blood test with a celiac panel.

After about 4 days on the elimination diet I was happy to report that my stomach problems had vanished. The most surprising symptom to disappear however was my anxiety!!! I felt an increase in mood and energy. Also, I have had multiple interactions with people where normally I would have been panicking but this failed to happen to my shock. Of course I've had a few moments because it has been my way of life for 20 some years however nothing severe. 

Yesterday I received my blood tests back and was shocked to see that I tested positive for Celiacs disease and had a deficiency in Vit. D, B12, and Iron. Could gluten be causing my anxiety???! I went to the Celiacs website and there it was under the symptoms list. 

I wanted to share my experience with everyone so that if they have digestive issues and anxiety there may be more to the story and it's not just in your head. I am still on the no sugar, no grain, no dairy diet for another 3 weeks to clear my system along with probiotics and fermented food. Then I will slowly add things in except gluten containing grains. Fingers crossed all goes well. There is hope and life is good

K


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## Yer Blues (Jul 31, 2013)

Liquid Paper. Just give your face a good coat, and remember to smile while you are putting it on.










Would beta blockers help with blushing?


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## Flusher (Jun 24, 2011)

I just ordered some ibuprofen gel on eBay for $15. I'll post the results of my observations, I'll definitely be able to know if it works or not since I blush/flush on the regular


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## tannat (Mar 8, 2015)

I've suffered with blushing for a long time. Perhaps a topical medication would work but is it practical? I've kind of resigned to the fact that I will always blush in certain circumstances- at work when giving advice I blush before I dash off. I'm not even conscious of the fact I MAY blush. Ultimately I've began to live with it but sadly it hasn't improved the situation. I wish I knew the exact cause!

Anyway, please let us know how the ibuprofen goes.


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## blushingman (Jan 4, 2017)

So, did this work?


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