# Facial blushing!!!!



## Jo71 (Nov 20, 2018)

Hi I don't know where to start. I have been searching for sites to chat to other people who suffer like myself with facial blushing! 
I feel it is so unfair! I blush and my neck/face looks awful. I can just be sat on the train or in a cafe happily Chatting away and then I can feel my neck face turning red!!! I start to feel sick and I look uncomfortable!! I have taken pics of myself and I look strange with different blotches rashes on my face!! 
I am starting to feel worried about attending a wedding next year because I know I will just look a mess!!!!!! People do say to me you're face looks really bad!!! 
I don't know if anyone has any ideas what I can do regarding wedding? I will have to wear a scarf and I'm growing my hair to cover my face. am a good person and I come across a people's person because I like to chat to people and want to be up on the karaoke stage.


----------



## rockyraccoon (Dec 13, 2010)

I have dealt with this most of my life and in the end I just had to accept it. Once I did I tended to blush less frequently, though I still do. It was really bad for me. One time I walked into a store and saw the mother of a friend I used to play with when we were friends and I blushed and she said "hi, wow haven't seen you in ages...I can show you where the aloe vera gel is for your sunburn". So yeah it can be terrifying at times. Another time I was planning on going on a vacation and I wanted to hit some tanning beds before I went so I went to a tanning salon and I blushed when I was talking to the girl behind the counter and she said I was "too sunburnt to tan". Boy did I feel like a ****ing loser.


But exposure therapy turned out to be the trick for me. I used to always blush when I went into a grocery store by my place because it was close and the clerks were so chatty there. Whenever I blushed I would turn away and avoid eye contact thus making me blush worse. The next time I walked into that grocery store I said **** it if I blush I am going to maintain eye contact and ride it out. It was tough but it worked.


----------



## jtd1974 (Jan 13, 2015)

Jo71 said:


> Hi I don't know where to start. I have been searching for sites to chat to other people who suffer like myself with facial blushing!


I too have suffered with chronic facial blushing my whole life. What has worked for me has been the antidepressant Nardil. It has virtually stopped the blushing altogether. But it's an old medication, an MAOI, with a few annoying side effects and food restrictions that have to be followed.

If that sounds like something you wouldn't want to take, I'd suggest the beta blocker propranolol for the upcoming wedding you mention. It can be taken on an as-needed basis. I'd say 20mg to 40mg would help get you through the day. It works on the physical symptoms of anxiety. If you need something to calm you down mentally, the benzodiazepine clonazepam would do the trick. Again, it can be taken as needed. A dose of about 0.25mg would probably be enough. You would want to try it before the day to see how it affects you, because it can leave you feeling a bit sedated. These two meds can safely be taken together. Before I started Nardil I was mostly relying on them. But they aren't great for long-term, regular use.

Anyway, these are just suggestions. You might not want to go down the medication route.

Good luck at the wedding 

P.S. rockyraccoon, I can also recall many times when I was told I had a good tan, but was in fact in the middle of a blushing attack. It was mortifying  I admire you for sticking with exposure therapy. It never worked for me, but perhaps I didn't give it long enough.


----------



## shnojo19 (Jan 20, 2019)

Blushing is by far the worst aspect of my anxiety. There is no hiding it, and people automatically feel weird if you blush. And the worst part is that my blushing can be very unpredictable. For example, if someone says something that is remotely sexual in nature, I will turn tomato red. It's not that I'm uncomfortable with the actual content, but that I am worried about the other person perceiving me as uncomfortable while watching me, which in turn makes me blush. I spend my whole life thinking about how other see me, and when any unexpected attention is on me or I feel like someone in that instance is scrutinizing me, I lose control over it and flush.


----------



## jtd1974 (Jan 13, 2015)

shnojo19 said:


> Blushing is by far the worst aspect of my anxiety. There is no hiding it, and people automatically feel weird if you blush. And the worst part is that my blushing can be very unpredictable. For example, if someone says something that is remotely sexual in nature, I will turn tomato red. It's not that I'm uncomfortable with the actual content, but that I am worried about the other person perceiving me as uncomfortable while watching me, which in turn makes me blush. I spend my whole life thinking about how other see me, and when any unexpected attention is on me or I feel like someone in that instance is scrutinizing me, I lose control over it and flush.


You just perfectly described my "blushing mindset". I can relate 100%.

It's tough because the internal mental process that leads to the blushing becomes an ingrained, automatic response.

From the limited amount of CBT I've had, the solution seems to be to somehow "short circuit" this mental process, whether by distraction, or replacing it with something else etc.

Blushing is interesting because there's that mental aspect but also the physical side. Some of us seem to be more physiologically prone to blushing. It's like we have little control over it.

I was never able to mentally overcome it, but have luckily found medications that mostly stop the blushing. I've found I rarely give it any thought these days.

But I guess you could say I haven't "fixed" my problem, rather masked it with the meds. I'm sure that if I stopped taking the tablets it would eventually come back.


----------



## Leo33 (Jan 20, 2019)

Jo71 said:


> Hi I don't know where to start. I have been searching for sites to chat to other people who suffer like myself with facial blushing!
> I feel it is so unfair! I blush and my neck/face looks awful. I can just be sat on the train or in a cafe happily Chatting away and then I can feel my neck face turning red!!! I start to feel sick and I look uncomfortable!! I have taken pics of myself and I look strange with different blotches rashes on my face!!
> I am starting to feel worried about attending a wedding next year because I know I will just look a mess!!!!!! People do say to me you're face looks really bad!!!
> I don't know if anyone has any ideas what I can do regarding wedding? I will have to wear a scarf and I'm growing my hair to cover my face. am a good person and I come across a people's person because I like to chat to people and want to be up on the karaoke stage.


Hi JO71, I know your pain i shared it for 20 years also. BUt if you want a piece of advice, don't go on changing yourself because of being afraid to blush. You are giving "blushing" what it wants by growing your hair.


----------



## Bigkev1983 (Feb 10, 2017)

Just so you know, I've been around lots of friendly people who turn red/blush or even come out in hives and yes, we notice but it doesn't reflect badly on you. Most people don't even associate it with anxiety or esteem, it just seems like a rash or that you're flush-faced. Absolutely cast-iron guarantee that it won't undermine the way you come across.


----------



## ASlink (Nov 13, 2018)

Bigkev1983 said:


> Just so you know, I've been around lots of friendly people who turn red/blush or even come out in hives and yes, we notice but it doesn't reflect badly on you. Most people don't even associate it with anxiety or esteem, it just seems like a rash or that you're flush-faced. Absolutely cast-iron guarantee that it won't undermine the way you come across.


Thank you for saying this. As a major blusher myself, I worry so much about how it must affect what people think of me. It is one of the main reasons I want to avoid talking to people. I am trying to accept it and adopt the mindset you laid out though. It is just a part of who I am. And there are lots of others like us.


----------



## BraceForImpact (Jan 23, 2019)

Blushing is something I am currently trying to learn to live with. I can blush suddenly and at really random times, and if anyone were to mention it, well, it makes it 100% worse. It doesn't help that I'm as pale as a ghost either! 

Worse thing is when I'm getting my hair cut and I can see the hot flush slowly crawl up my neck, ugh!!


----------



## rabidfoxes (Apr 17, 2016)

I blush like no tomorrow. The shade is less of a blush and more of a deep crimson. I blush when I like someone, when I'm angry at someone, when I reminisce about the past, when someone says: "remember, when you...", when I have to address more than two people at once, etc etc.

The bad news is, I don't have a cure. I've just learned to accept it, to a point. As in, if someone mentions it: "Well, yes, and what do you want me to do about it?". It's extra awkward if I'm blushing because I'm addressing someone I like. I think it comes from a place where I don't want them to think badly of me, and so feel awkward saying anything at all, but people will often interpret it as a bad crush. Awkward.

If you can't accept it, I suppose you could have a surgery to stop it. I've heard of it on the radio, some people who find blushing seriously hinders their work (er, poker players?) get a surgery on some glands in their armpits or something like that. I wouldn't go for it. Seems a pretty extreme solution to what is essentially just some red face time.


----------



## shnojo19 (Jan 20, 2019)

jtd1974 said:


> shnojo19 said:
> 
> 
> > Blushing is by far the worst aspect of my anxiety. There is no hiding it, and people automatically feel weird if you blush. And the worst part is that my blushing can be very unpredictable. For example, if someone says something that is remotely sexual in nature, I will turn tomato red. It's not that I'm uncomfortable with the actual content, but that I am worried about the other person perceiving me as uncomfortable while watching me, which in turn makes me blush. I spend my whole life thinking about how other see me, and when any unexpected attention is on me or I feel like someone in that instance is scrutinizing me, I lose control over it and flush.
> ...


I am seriously considering medicine to address that hopefully in conjunction with CBT maybe. I just need some sort of relief lol. Is your blushing completely gone with the medication?


----------



## jtd1974 (Jan 13, 2015)

shnojo19 said:


> I am seriously considering medicine to address that hopefully in conjunction with CBT maybe. I just need some sort of relief lol. Is your blushing completely gone with the medication?


Hi there. Yes, my blushing is pretty much conpletely gone these days &#128578; The fear of it happening has also gone, which is great. I can do stuff like go in a cafe to buy a coffee now without a second thought. That kind of thing would have been hard for me before.

Feel free to PM me if you want more info about what medications have worked for me, or anything else you want to ask.


----------



## LW0413 (Mar 21, 2019)

I also have this problem. From the age of 6 I have had severe facial blushing, sweating, dizziness, almost so bad to the point where I loose touch with reality or feel like I am going to pass out. Really sucks. Anxiety sucks. The only help I have been able to keep constant in my life is medications. But seriously the side affects are awful and who wants to be on those for the rest of your life? Right? Right.


----------



## jtd1974 (Jan 13, 2015)

LW0413 said:


> I also have this problem. From the age of 6 I have had severe facial blushing, sweating, dizziness, almost so bad to the point where I loose touch with reality or feel like I am going to pass out. Really sucks. Anxiety sucks. The only help I have been able to keep constant in my life is medications. But seriously the side affects are awful and who wants to be on those for the rest of your life? Right? Right.


Just curious, what meds have you found to be the best for blushing?


----------



## Westernblusher (Jun 27, 2019)

Hi I’m new to this forum and just wanted a place to go with people who suffer the same as me. I am in my fifties and have suffered from facial blushing all of my life....I am a very social person, love going new places and meeting new people but way too often I have avoided social situations due to my blushing...
I have read so many books on self esteem and manifesting positive things in your life through positive affirmations, hypnosis while you sleep, motivational speakers, books on how to stop blushing and absolutely nothing has worked for me...
I am now thinking about finding a cognitive behavioural therapist to see if they can help me with this issue...when I know I am goi g to have to speak in public or be put on the spot I take a beta blocker and this works but only temporarily...
I know there is an underlying reason for my phobia but just don’t know what it is...I just wish for it to stop...


----------



## jtd1974 (Jan 13, 2015)

Westernblusher said:


> ...I just wish for it to stop...


Hello there.

I've suffered from this for as long as I can remember. I was on a beta blocker for a while, but wanted something that would get rid of the blushing more effectively.

After trying lots of SSRIs and other drugs, I'm now on Nardil, a MAOI antidepressant/anti-anxiety medication.

My blushing has now pretty much completely gone. It only really happens when I'm somewhere like a very warm room.

I don't know, maybe it does still happen sometimes, but if it does I'm not aware of it, so it doesn't cause me any stress or anxiety like it used to. I hardly ever think about it these days.

I'm not sure if Nardil is something you'd consider, but I just wanted to share my experience.


----------



## anna banana is reading (Jul 15, 2021)

Jo71 said:


> Hi I don't know where to start. I have been searching for sites to chat to other people who suffer like myself with facial blushing!
> I feel it is so unfair! I blush and my neck/face looks awful. I can just be sat on the train or in a cafe happily Chatting away and then I can feel my neck face turning red!!! I start to feel sick and I look uncomfortable!! I have taken pics of myself and I look strange with different blotches rashes on my face!!
> I am starting to feel worried about attending a wedding next year because I know I will just look a mess!!!!!! People do say to me you're face looks really bad!!!
> I don't know if anyone has any ideas what I can do regarding wedding? I will have to wear a scarf and I'm growing my hair to cover my face. am a good person and I come across a people's person because I like to chat to people and want to be up on the karaoke stage.


Try putting on matcha green foundation. The green and red will cancel each other out.


----------

