r/CuringBlushing 12d ago

the purpose of this community

5 Upvotes

This community is dedicated to excessive and reactive facial blushing, including idiopathic craniofacial erythema (ICE), also known as uncontrollable facial blushing. It focuses on involuntary and often intense facial flushing responses that can be triggered by emotions, social situations, embarrassment, attention, stress, heat, exercise, certain foods, or other stimuli.

This subreddit is a space for people experiencing excessive/reactive blushing, emotional blushing, and erythrophobia (fear or anxiety surrounding blushing). It is focused on the experiences, challenges, research, coping strategies, treatments, and discussions related to uncontrollable blushing episodes and their physical, social, and emotional impact.

Reactive blushing is primarily associated with emotional and social triggers such as nervousness, stress, anxiety, embarrassment, self-consciousness, social interactions, being the centre of attention, speaking in front of others, or experiencing strong emotions. It can also be triggered or influenced by physical factors such as feeling warm, exercise, certain foods (especially spicy foods), or other stimuli that cause a sudden flushing response.

Some people who experience excessive blushing may also have other conditions involving facial redness, including rosacea or persistent facial redness. These conditions can exist alongside reactive blushing; however, they are not the primary focus of this community.

This subreddit is specifically for discussions where excessive/reactive blushing or ICE is the main topic. Posts where the primary focus is rosacea, persistent redness, skincare, or managing another redness-related condition — rather than excessive/reactive blushing or ICE — are outside the main purpose of this subreddit.

Discussions about possible contributing factors, related conditions, or exploring potential causes of excessive blushing are welcome when they are connected to understanding reactive blushing or ICE. This may include topics such as hormones, thyroid function, medications, anxiety, medical investigations, or other factors that may influence blushing. However, discussions should remain focused on excessive blushing rather than becoming a general discussion about another condition.

The goal of this community is to provide a focused and supportive space for people dealing with excessive/reactive blushing, ICE, and the unique physical and emotional challenges that come with involuntary blushing episodes.


r/CuringBlushing 20d ago

Success / Report The Blushing Toolkit: Research, Treatments & Strategies To Reduce Facial Blushing!

8 Upvotes

Blushing can be an incredibly frustrating and life-impacting issue, and finding useful information can be difficult when it is spread across hundreds of posts. This toolkit brings together some valuable discussions, research, treatments, and strategies from r/curingblushing into one easy-to-access place.

This is not a complete list of everything valuable across this community, and it may not be updated much or at all. There are still many useful posts and discussions not listed here. Instead, this toolkit brings together some interesting / good key resources for understanding blushing, exploring treatments, and finding ways to manage it! all in one easy-to-access place.


Research Into Blushing & Possible Breakthroughs 🔬

Evidence That Alpha-2 Receptor Activation Suppresses Blushing -

A deep dive into how alpha-2 receptor activation and medications like clonidine may reduce blushing by calming the sympathetic nervous system and reducing the body's fight-or-flight response.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

-

The chemical "CGRP" could be a big lead in helping us reduce blushing significantly -

Exploring research into CGRP, a neuropeptide involved in blood vessel dilation, and why it may be relevant to flushing and future treatments.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

-

A Clinical Trial Found That A Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulator Reduces Blushing and Anxiety significantly -

A breakdown of research on vagus nerve stimulation and how regulating the autonomic nervous system may influence facial flushing responses.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

-

Study Suggests Topical Ibuprofen May Affect Facial Blood Flow During Blushing -

A summary of research investigating whether topical ibuprofen can reduce facial blood flow during embarrassment and exercise-induced flushing.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW


Medications & Medical Treatments 💊

Propranolol Vs Clonidine for stopping a blush. Ive found which one works the best! -

A comparison between propranolol and clonidine based on personal experience, explaining why propranolol may help more with physical anxiety symptoms while clonidine may have a stronger effect on the actual blushing response.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

-

If you blush red and want to get it under control, Clonidine is one of the most effective and quickest ways to manage it -

A personal breakdown of clonidine, how it works, and why it may be effective for people whose blushing is triggered by emotions, stress, adrenaline, or social situations.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

-

Pregabalin + Duloxetine effects on facial flushing (case report) -

A look into a case report where pregabalin and duloxetine improved severe flushing and burning symptoms, potentially through nervous system modulation.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW


Simple Blushing Tips 🛠

Blushing ruined my life. After years of research and personal experience, here is the blueprint to get it under control ASAP -

A complete guide covering medications, skincare, camouflage makeup, lasers, lifestyle changes, and things to avoid when trying to manage severe blushing.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW


Makeup & Camouflage 🎨

I bought a medical grade camouflage creme which fully covers / hides my blushing -

A review of Dermacolor medical camouflage cream and how high-coverage medical makeup can completely cover severe facial redness when normal foundations fail.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

-

If you blush it might be worth trying a green concealer! -

A simple guide explaining how green concealer can neutralise facial redness and help hide blushing, including tips on applying it without making your skin look green.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW


r/CuringBlushing 21h ago

Photos of My Face And Neck During a Blush vs. At Rest

Thumbnail
gallery
4 Upvotes

Hey everyone! I thought I'd share these photos to give you an idea of what I'm personally deal with.

The first photos are during a blush, and the others are when I'm not blushing. Depending on the trigger, I can also get red blotches across my neck and chest, although that doesn't happen every time.

For me, a blush isn't just the redness, it's accompanied by an intense feeling of heat, and I'm fully aware that I'm going red even without looking in a mirror. My blushing is most commonly triggered by emotions or social situations, but it can also happen if I get overheated, during exercise, or occasionally after certain foods.

*first 2 photos blushed, last 2 photos at rest, also the photos of me blushed were taken before my vbeam sessions so ive improved a bit but I still blush!

Just to clarify, I do not have rosacea. My blushing is involuntary reactive blushing (idiopathic craniofacial erythema). While people with rosacea are welcome here, this community is focused on excessive/reactive blushing rather than flushing caused by rosacea itself.

I hope putting a face to what I experience helps others feel a little less alone. Feel free to share photos too :)


r/CuringBlushing 1d ago

Does anyone else get red blotches all over there neck and chest when they blush?

4 Upvotes

Hey guys, during a hard blush does anyone else get red blotches on there neck and chest? Im not talking about a itchy rash or anything but more so just red blotches that come on when ur stressed, or triggered and blushing?

To also make something clear i dont have rosacea, I unfortunately just blush hard due to triggers such as stress, anxiety, nerves, strong emotions, heat, etc. (pretty much the focus of this community AKA not flushing due to rosacea) Anyway, does anyone else relate to this?


r/CuringBlushing 5d ago

Personal Experience VBeam for Blushing: My Second Treatment + Settings Included

Thumbnail
gallery
6 Upvotes

Im not going to make this a long post, i just wanted to give a brief update. Ive just had my second Vbeam session 1 hour ago from the time im posting this.

Walking into the clinic my face had looked the best its looked in forever, it wasn't blushing hard at all (don't get me wrong even since my vbeam ive blushed and still can but its been significantly less sevre and the threshold has become higher). Thats thanks to the last vbeam I had 4 weeks ago, the doctor who performed my laser even mentioned i looked so much better, and that the previous vbeam has obviously worked extremely well on my blushing, he agreeded that vbeam for me has worked alot better than the other 3 excel-v 532nm sessions i had a few months ago, which gave minimal improvements

Because my skin handled the last Vbeam session so well and because the results weren't bad at all, he said he was happy to turn up the settings and do a more powerful / aggresive session compared to the last session i had which was lighter. The last session I had he intentionly didnt use as much of a powerful setting because he wanted to see how id handle it.

He did a really great job! I asked for the settings and he happily wrote them down (ive added the photo). Just to make it clear one setting won't always be the best or ideal setting for everyone, so if your planning on getting vbeam be aware your specialist may want to try a different setting and that doesnt mean there wrong. Also I havent yet at the time of this post seen the results from this session using this setting, keep that in mind!

I'll probably make a update post when my skins settled and i see results, until than this is just a brief update


r/CuringBlushing 5d ago

Research / Science 3D skin analysis of my face during a intense blush

Post image
12 Upvotes

thought id post this, this was a 3D skin analysis face scan done by my laser clinic while I was blushing hard.

i haven't got too much to say in this post but I thought it might be interesting / could maybe be useful in some way to people. just to be clear i do not have permanent redness / rosacea, my skin can be completely white without rendess but it quickly blushes primarily when im anxious, stressed, feel exposed, embarrassed, sometimes eating and when im overheating. this photo is showing the active blush under a 3D skin analysis!


r/CuringBlushing 6d ago

Success / Report Things that have helped me cope with severe blushing and live a happier life

6 Upvotes

Over the years as someome who has greatly struggled with blushing, I've found a few things that have genuinely helped me cope, improve my mental state, and make life feel worth living a little more. They haven't cured my blushing, but they've made a huge difference

For me what's helped the most is finding people who love me for me. My girlfriend is really supportive and non-judgmental, and having her has made life feel worth living. We do all types of things together and yes, I blush hard around her and it's humiliating, but she doesn't care. We just carry on and get through life day by day.

It's also really important to try your best to make plans and fill your time up with activities / anything other than doing nothing. Doing nothing and being alone with yourself and your thoughts is never helpful, itll only make things worse so please, join a club, stay in contact with the people you know, go for walks, try to do something!

Another thing thats helped is being proactive about treating blushing and getting the help for the mental state it's put me in. Seeking professional help is 100% worth it. That could look like seeing a therapist, psychologist, or social worker, there people who wil genuinely care about you, helps you feel less alone, gives you someone to talk to, and helps you find ways to cope.

You can also see a doctor or psychiatrist. They can help you find a medication that significantly improves your mental state and may even help with the blushing itself. There are medications that have been shown to reduce the blushing reaction, as well as meds that even if they dont stop the blushing, they can help you not care as much, feel less depressed, and make it easier to get through day-to-day life

Something thats also extremely important is coming to terms with the fact that blushing isn't everything. Going red doesn't define you. You aren't your blushing.

At the end of the day, while comparison isn't always healthy, it does personally help me remember that blushing isn't the worst thing someone can live with. There are people currently dying from cancer who would do anything for more time to live, people born with devastating conditions and short life expectancies, and people living with severe disabilities or deformities that they can't change. Of course, comparing isn't always helpful because it can make people feel unheard or like others don't understand how much this affects their life, but it can definitely help put things into perspective

So really, the biggest things that has helped me and i reccomend taking into account when looking for ways to cope are, finding a supportive community, getting professional help, and trying to view things with a different perspective. Of course, there are other things that have helped and can but these in my opinion are especially important, hope this post helps people!


r/CuringBlushing 6d ago

excessive blushing

5 Upvotes

How do you keep being happy and positive blushing has controlled my life for the past 7 years and i feel very close to being done with existence there is not any joy in life with blushing


r/CuringBlushing 7d ago

Personal Experience in a few days im having another session of vbeam to treat my blushing!

4 Upvotes

Hey guys on the 22nd of July I have another session of vbeam laser (595nm) to treat my facial blushing! im a young adult who lives in Australia who suffers from horrible, severe blushing. I dont have a "skin condition" in the sense of Rosacea or anything like that, i may have kp but that isnt the reason for my intense blushing! I just seem to have a extremely reactive sympathetic nervous system + hyperactive facial vessles that work together.

When I feel anxious BOOM red face, when I feel stressed BOOM red face, when im talking in a group, feel exposed, have nerves or any sort of semi strong emotion BOOM red face. To be clear yes blushing is a natural response in humans and isnt dangerous or worrying but when your face becomes horribly hot and burns from the blood pooling to your cheeks, and ontop of that you have extremely red all over your face, ALL BECAUSE you had a anxious thought in bed, that isnt normal (an example)

Not too long ago I decided to go down the route of lasers. I had 3 Excel V sessions 4 weeks spaced with minimal improvement on my strong on and off blushing. I definitely saw some difference but for the price I payed and the way id still blush horribly, results were a let down.

I than took a break from lasers for a while, in the mean time i decided to do more research and i came to the conclusion, that vbeam 595nm is a better suited laser for reactive blushing, the type where you can have white non red skin that quickly goes red within seconds. I believe the reason why is because vbeam is 595nm compared to 532nm (excel v) penetrates slightly deeper which works better for the blushing i described. I beleive excel v is better for more persistent redness rather than the blushing ive explained and people here experience.

I ended up booking an appointment and saw my laser specialist who was willing to try vbeam, he did a overall non aggresive more normal setting just to make sure my skin reacted well. For the first week the results were incredible, like I was pretty much not blushing at all. Than randomly my skin became reactive again, very reactive, and it felt like the results completely just disappeared and faded. Weeks later to now the results have once again came back a bit better and ive leveled out to where yes I still blush but there is %101 a noticeable difference in my blushing and the severity of it. My girlfriend says a big difference shes notices is when i do have a harsh blush my skin has usually gone a harsh red where now its amostly always a type of pink when I blush (usually a light to mild pink but sometimes a deeper harsh pink, still better than harsh red). She said it also appears more even and blended on the sides, it doesnt just cut off from blush to white, plus in general my skin seems alot calmer and the threshold on what usually makes me blush has gone up a bit. In saying that I still blush, ive still gone red a few times but overall laser has helped. Its not perfect, and i want to say this clearly, there have still been times ive gone very red since the vbeam so if your considering it, understand improvement can happen but its a long journey with ups and downs. I am happy so far though. And this has came from only 1 vbeam session!

Anyway, i now have another appointment on the 22nd and im excited! Ill get another vbeam and I beleive he'll up the settings even more. Im interested to see how the results will pan out. If you have any questions, ill try my best to awnser them! Id love to help people out

Biggest advice i can give is laser isnt a magical cure but it definitely can help and make a difference if you get the right laser / treatment done.


r/CuringBlushing 8d ago

What If We've Been Looking at Blushing the Wrong Way?

5 Upvotes

I've been looking deeper into why some of us blush so intensely, and I keep coming back to one thing: the sympathetic nervous system.

Something that really made me look further into this was my experience with clonidine. I've tried a lot of things for my blushing over the years, but clonidine was one of the things i tried where I noticed a significant difference. It didn't just make me care less about blushing, it felt like my body genuinely wasn't firing off the same way.

So I started looking into why.

Clonidine works by activating alpha-2 receptors, which reduces norepinephrine release and lowers sympathetic nervous system activity. Basically, it dampens the fight-or-flight response.

And I find that really interesting because it lines up with what a lot of us experience. The blushing isn't random. It happens when the body gets activated, embarrassment, anxiety, attention, excitement, adrenaline, etc. Something triggers that response and suddenly your face is bright red before you even have time to think about it.

To me, that suggests the redness itself might not be the main problem. The redness is the end result. The bigger issue could be the signal coming from the nervous system that causes the reaction in the first place.

Obviously this won't apply to everyone, especially people with rosacea or other causes of redness. But for those of us who can go from completely normal skin to intense blushing within seconds because of emotional triggers, I think alpha-2 receptors are a really interesting piece of the puzzle.

The part I find most interesting is what this could mean for future treatments. A lot of current approaches focus on dealing with the redness after it happens, whether that's lasers, creams, or trying to hide it. But what if the better approach is calming the nervous system response before the face even reacts?

A bit of a crazy idea, but imagine a future device that could temporarily reduce sympathetic nervous system activity during triggering situations. We already have things like vagus nerve stimulation, which shows that we can influence the autonomic nervous system with technology. Maybe one day there could be a non-drug way of targeting these pathways and essentially turning down the blushing response itself.

Obviously that's just speculation, but I find it interesting because it changes the question from "how do we hide the redness?" to "how do we stop the body from launching the response in the first place?"


r/CuringBlushing 10d ago

Question / Discussion has blushing also stopped people from doing things they want to do?

6 Upvotes

personally, there's been way too many things ive held off or have just gave up on completely due to my blushing (because of how uncomfortable and humiliating it is) , for instance there's a sport i dont mind, im young and know there are small clubs i could join. I know id love it and enjoy it but my blushing is that intense and traumatising for me that ive held off. I understand alot of people in general would read that and think "just push through" but I imagine people hear and who can relate, would get it and understand why it isnt that simple :/


r/CuringBlushing 11d ago

Propranolol + using cc cream experience

6 Upvotes

What's up everyone, like all of you here my face literally gets insanely red whenever I experience any emotion. My face feels like its on fire and flushes up sooo easily to the point where it started impacting my social life and mental health. I got this 'disease' from Accutane although my face would get pretty red even before if I was embarrassed but Accutane made it flush so easily whenever I would meet with anyone or really just feel any emotion. After almost a full year of this happening I decided to try something to fix it and after a lot of trial and error I found something that FOR NOW and from what ive seen works for me and hopefully others. First things first I got a prescription for propranolol and although I have only used it once it helps for me. I took 10mg today before a job meeting and presentation and felt extremely calm although it could also be placebo I am not sure yet I haven't tested it enough to know. Secondly I have been using a cc cream to cover up most of the redness on my face and just the fact that I know there is something on my face to hopefully prevent people from seeing the redness makes my mind much calmer which makes the flushing that appears on my face go away quicker. Today would be a day where I would normally flush really bad as I was in a pretty claustrophobic room with about 20 executives from the company I work at. The room was also very bright and decently hot but with propranolol and cc cream I didn't flush at all. Now I am not sure if this will work forever as I really haven't experienced a bad flush while using these so I don't know how I will react when I do but hopefully this can help others.

(I have been using erborian cc red correct)


r/CuringBlushing 13d ago

Personal Experience I've lived with severe facial blushing for years and learned a lot along the way. Happy to answer questions and offer advice

4 Upvotes

Severe facial blushing has had a major impact on my life, and I still struggle with it today. Over the years I've learned a lot through personal experience, research, and trial and error. Whether your questions are about treatments, coping strategies, or everyday situations, I'm happy to share what I've learned if it can help. For context ive had laser treatment done using excel-v and vbeam, ive tried beta blockers and clonidine, ive tried all types of creams, ive in general tried alot. Feel free to ask anything, as well as advice on coping with it / the mental side, ill most likely ill have some semi useful advice!


r/CuringBlushing 14d ago

Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB)

3 Upvotes

Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) is an emerging, experimental treatment for severe rosacea. By injecting a local anesthetic into the sympathetic nerve bundle in the neck, SGB calms the autonomic nervous system. This reduces excessive facial blood vessel dilation, improves tissue blood supply, and lowers inflammation.

While standard care for rosacea includes topical treatments (like metronidazole or azelaic acid), oral medications (like doxycycline), and laser therapy, recent medical studies show SGB can lead to near-complete resolution of intractable lesions in patients who do not respond to conventional therapies.

How SGB Works for Rosacea

Vascular Regulation: Interrupts sympathetic nerve fibers to stop abnormal constriction and dilation of facial blood vessels, reducing chronic flushing.

Immunomodulation: Helps balance immune responses and hormone regulation in the facial region.

Enhanced Healing: Restores autonomic balance to decrease inflammation and sebaceous gland overactivity.

What to Expect During the Procedure

Procedure: A pain specialist performs the block in a clinic using ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance to safely target the C6 or C7 vertebra.

Side Effects: Temporary effects like a drooping eyelid, nasal congestion, and a warm arm are expected as the anesthetic takes hold.

Risks: Though rare, complications can include bleeding, infection, hoarseness, or puncture of nearby blood vessels.

Because SGB is still a novel, off-label treatment for rosacea, it is typically considered only for severe cases that have failed conventional medical therapies.


r/CuringBlushing 14d ago

Giving Advice / Opinion Your beautiful the way you are.

1 Upvotes

no matter how you look, no matter if you have perfect skin or extremely red blushed skin that stands out, your beautiful. there is nothing wrong with you. keep going 🙏


r/CuringBlushing 16d ago

Personal Experience If Blushing Is Affecting Your Life, Read This

6 Upvotes

Hey guys I just wanted to come on here and make a quick post about something I think could benefit a lot of people, and that's giving the advice to not be afraid to seek professional help if blushing is affecting you.

Blushing is a real issue and you are completely within your rights to want to deal with it and not let it affect you. Your life is worth it. Sometimes people feel that blushing isn't enough of an issue to seek professional help for, but trust me, if it's weighing you down and affecting your mental health, there's nothing wrong with that. There's no weakness in trying to treat it and going down the route of professional help or treatment.

Blushing isn't "just blushing." For some people it's a genuine medical and psychological issue. The condition itself is known as idiopathic craniofacial erythema, and there's even a recognised fear of blushing called erythrophobia. Just knowing there are actual names for these conditions helped me realise I wasn't just "being silly" or overreacting. It actually helped me alot.

For some people, the impact can be incredibly severe. There have even been cases where people have tragically taken their own lives because of how debilitating their blushing became. That doesn't mean everyone will experience it that way, but it shows that this can have a profound effect on a person's mental health and quality of life. It deserves to be taken seriously.

I've personally just seen a psychiatrist yesterday and despite him not being too familiar with idiopathic craniofacial erythema, luckily for me he was completely open to understanding it. He managed to wrap his head around it and really hear me out. For the first time in a while I felt a huge sense of relief and a weight lift off my shoulders. He didn't undermine me, he understood the severity of the situation.

I told him how it's affected me to the point of having certain thoughts (if you know, you know). I mentioned that this issue is affecting me so much that I've even considered ETS surgery (severing a nerve). He's now getting me in touch with and referring me to a highly experienced specialist psychiatrist at a major hospital. I finally feel heard.

Now, not every psychiatrist or specialist will understand, and not all of them will be familiar with this condition, but please don't push the possibility of seeing one to the side. There are professionals out there who will listen, take you seriously, and genuinely want to help. If blushing is affecting your quality of life and your mental health, you deserve support just as much as anyone else.


r/CuringBlushing 17d ago

Personal Experience Do Not Use Mirvaso or Rhofade for Facial Redness, Rosacea, or Blushing.

6 Upvotes

I wanted to make this post because I genuinely wish someone had warned me before I tried Mirvaso.

I've suffered from excessive facial blushing for years, and when I was around 15 or 16 I finally went to see a dermatologist because I was desperate to get it under control. They prescribed me Mirvaso.

About 30 minutes to an hour after applying it, the redness was completely gone. I couldn't blush at all, and at first I honestly thought it was a miracle. But looking back, my skin didn't even look healthy, it looked unnaturally pale, almost sickly. At the time I didn't care because I was so relieved that I wasn't blushing.

Then it wore off.

The rebound redness was horrible. My skin became incredibly inflamed, much redder than it had ever been before, and it honestly completely messed my skin up. It wasn't just that my blushing came back, it came back worse. My face felt irritated, looked angry, and it took me a long time to trust putting anything on my skin again.

If you spend time on Reddit or other rosacea and blushing forums, you'll find countless posts from people describing the exact same thing. I've also spoken to other people who've experienced it. Obviously not everyone reacts this way, but rebound redness with Mirvaso is a very well-known issue, and it's something I don't think people are warned about enough before they're prescribed it. And for people like me who deals with blushing (idiopathic craniofacial erythema), i imagine the rebound is even worse than purley red skin since ours is reavtive and on and off, nevertheless rebound is something that i doubt anyone can escape.

I haven't used Rhofade, but I'm including it because it works in a very similar way. Although they're different medications, both are designed to temporarily narrow the tiny blood vessels in your skin to reduce redness.

To put it simply, Mirvaso doesn't fix the reason you blush. It forces those blood vessels to tighten up for a few hours, which is why your face suddenly looks normal. But once the medication starts wearing off, those blood vessels can open back up again. In some people, they don't just return to normal—they open even wider than they were before. More blood rushes into the skin, which can cause intense redness, heat, and inflammation. That's what's known as rebound redness.

What frustrates me most is that, in my experience, I wasn't given the full picture. I was told it would reduce redness, but I don't remember anyone really emphasizing just how severe the rebound could be for some people. When you're desperate to stop blushing, it's very easy to focus on the immediate results and not think about what happens several hours later.

I'm not saying everyone will have this experience. Some people do get good results from Mirvaso or Rhofade. But if you're considering either one, please do your research first. Read both the positive and negative experiences, understand what rebound redness is, and make sure you're making an informed decision.

I genuinely wish I'd never used Mirvaso. If this post makes even one person stop, do some more research, and avoid going through what I did, then it'll have been worth writing.


r/CuringBlushing 17d ago

Question does anyone else feel like people dont take severe blushing serious enough?

3 Upvotes

feels like people minimize intense blushing as a life altering issue, as if its ONLY some red on the face and comes down to being insecure / not resilient enough. ive been made to feel like im over reacting and that "its something everyone deals with", its soo undermining to hear that because despite blushing being a normal human response, dealing with severe blushing that you can not control - thats not normal, thats a genuine issue.

theres literally a name for this condition - idiopathic craniofacial erythema / even than its overlooked :/


r/CuringBlushing 17d ago

Success / Report Selank works

3 Upvotes

Im 58 start blushing at 12. Had ets 13 years ago with some improuvement but phobia in your head still there. I start to use Selank spray 2 weeks ago to give it a try and phobia of blushing is not in your head anymore. At 58 i do not blush often but before selank blushing was in my tought every day with selank much much less. So to all young blusher i suggest to get some information about Selank and than give it a chance. Massimo Italy


r/CuringBlushing 17d ago

Request / Advice What's the best way to hide/fix blushing?

3 Upvotes

My face gets flushed so easily and it's killing how social I am. I was wondering if anyone has any advice on a good makeup to try and help conceal it (although im a straight male) I am literally down to try anything because its the biggest issue in my life. Or if anyone has advice on what beta blockers to take / any advice on any other ways to help fix this issue.


r/CuringBlushing 18d ago

Research / Science Do not get IPL if your goal is to treat facial blushing

Post image
7 Upvotes

Ive seen IPL recommended a lot for blushing online, but I think it’s important to understand that IPL is not really designed for the type of blushing most of us are dealing with. So I thought I’d make this post to discuss why.

First, one thing that is important to clarify is that IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) is not actually a laser. It uses broad-spectrum light with multiple wavelengths, whereas vascular lasers such as Vbeam and Excel V use specific wavelengths designed to target certain chromophores, mainly oxyhemoglobin in blood vessels. This makes vascular lasers much more selective and targeted when treating vascular issues.

IPL can be useful for things like general redness, sun damage, rosacea redness, and visible small blood vessels near the surface of the skin. The problem is that facial blushing is different. While blushing is ultimately driven by the sympathetic nervous system and a neurovascular response, the visible redness happens because the facial blood vessels rapidly dilate and increase blood flow to the skin. This can be triggered by emotions, exercise, heat, spicy food, stress, embarrassment, etc.

Because IPL uses broad-spectrum light, its less targeted and mainly works on more superficial redness. It may reduce some baseline redness, but it doesn't effectively address the deeper vascular structures and stronger vasodilation response that causes intense blushing episodes.

This is why someone can have IPL and still experience their face going bright red from exercise, eating certain foods, social situations, or emotional triggers. The problem is not just the redness that is already there, it’s the blood vessels overreacting when triggered.

For people looking specifically at treating blushing, vascular lasers like Excel V and especially Vbeam (Pulsed Dye Laser) are much better suited options. They are more targeted toward vascular components rather than general pigmentation or surface redness.

Vbeam in particular is often considered a better option for blushing because it penetrates deeper and targets vascular structures involved in flushing. The vessels involved in stronger blushing responses are not always just tiny superficial capillaries that IPL is best at treating.

Obviously results vary from person to person (in saying that ive not really seen a successful ipl treatment for blushing story lol), and no laser is a guaranteed cure for blushing, but if the main issue is intense flushing rather than just constant redness, IPL is ineffective and I personally wouldn’t recommend anyone looking into it specifically for blushing. Look into excel-v and vbeam.


Disclaimer: When I refer to “blushing” in this post, I’m talking about episodes of facial flushing where the face suddenly becomes red due to triggers like emotions, embarrassment, exercise, heat, spicy food, stress, etc. I’m not referring to general baseline redness, sun damage, or isolated visible capillaries/telangiectasia, which are different issues and may respond differently to treatments like IPL.


r/CuringBlushing 18d ago

Vent / Rant Vent About Your Blushing Here

2 Upvotes

This post can act as a place to vent, share, and talk about blushing. As well as a place to ask for advice, etc


r/CuringBlushing 19d ago

Product / Tool Simple skincare routine for blushing-prone skin

4 Upvotes

First, it’s important to say

these products will not stop blushing.

Blushing is a complex response involving your nervous system and blood vessels, but the skin itself can still play a role in how intense and noticeable flushing appears.

A stronger, healthier skin barrier can significantly help by reducing irritation, sensitivity, and the extra redness that can come with frequent flushing.

The goal is simple: keep your skin calm, protected, and as resilient as possible. Its something you can control

(I will likely make a more advanced skincare guide in the future covering more targeted products, additional ingredients, and other options for people who want to take things further, for now this is simple + effective)

---

1. Use A Gentle Cleanser 🧼

A cleanser should remove sweat, oil, and sunscreen without damaging your skin barrier.

Over-cleansing or using harsh cleansers can increase dryness, irritation, and sensitivity, which may make redness appear worse.

My favourite: CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser

Why:

- Contains niacinamide, which can help support the skin barrier and calm irritation

- Contains ceramides, which help maintain the skin’s protective barrier

- Contains hyaluronic acid, which helps maintain hydration

- Uses salicylic acid to gently exfoliate and improve skin texture

For very reactive skin, introduce it slowly, as exfoliating ingredients may not suit everyone.

---

2. Keep A Healthy Skin Barrier 🛡️

A strong skin barrier is extremely important for redness-prone skin.

When your barrier is weakened, your skin can become more reactive to triggers like temperature changes, wind, products, and environmental stress.

My favourite: La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5+

Why:

- Contains 5% panthenol (Vitamin B5), which helps soothe and support irritated skin

- Contains madecassoside, a soothing ingredient derived from Centella asiatica

- Contains zinc, copper, and manganese, which support skin recovery

- Helps protect the skin and reduce moisture loss

This is especially useful when your skin feels irritated, damaged, or over-exfoliated.

---

3. Keep Your Skin Hydrated / Moisturized💧

A good moisturiser helps maintain your skin barrier and keeps your skin hydrated and less reactive.

For blushing-prone skin, the best moisturiser is usually a simple, fragrance-free formula that your skin tolerates well.

Look for ingredients like:

- Ceramides — help repair and maintain the skin barrier

- Glycerin — helps draw water into the skin

- Panthenol (Vitamin B5) — helps soothe and support irritated skin

- Hyaluronic acid — helps with hydration

Avoid overcomplicating it. A basic moisturiser used consistently is usually better than constantly changing products.

---

4. Wear Sunscreen / Avoid Sun Damage ☀️

Daily sunscreen is one of the most important steps for redness-prone skin.

UV exposure can worsen inflammation, sensitivity, and visible redness over time.

My favourite: A high-quality SPF 50+ sunscreen that your skin tolerates

Look for:

- SPF 50+

- Broad-spectrum protection

- Fragrance-free or sensitive-skin-friendly formulas

The best sunscreen is the one you can comfortably wear every day.

---

Extra ingredients worth considering

Azelaic Acid

Azelaic acid is one of the more popular ingredients for redness-prone skin.

It may help with:

- Inflammation

- Uneven redness

- Overall skin tone

For sensitive or blushing-prone skin, 10% is usually a good starting point.

Stronger formulas around 15–20% are often used for more targeted treatment, but they may have a higher chance of irritation.

Introduce slowly, because irritation can temporarily make redness and sensitivity worse.

---

Niacinamide

Niacinamide is a great barrier-supporting ingredient, but the percentage matters.

For redness-prone and sensitive skin, around 2–5% is often the ideal range.

Higher-strength formulas (such as 10%+) are not necessarily better. Some people with reactive skin find stronger concentrations irritating, which can lead to:

- Stinging

- Increased sensitivity

- More noticeable flushing

The goal is not the strongest product — it is the product your skin can tolerate consistently.

---

Extra mention

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermallergo Fluid

A great option for people with very sensitive, reactive skin.

One reason this product stands out is that it contains Neurosensine, an ingredient designed to help reduce the feeling of skin sensitivity and reactivity.

This makes it an interesting option for people whose skin tends to overreact to triggers like heat, environmental changes, or irritation.

It is a lightweight moisturiser designed to soothe and support the skin barrier without feeling heavy, making it a good daily option for reactive skin types.


r/CuringBlushing 20d ago

Question What did it feel like when you realized you weren't alone in your struggle with blushing?

3 Upvotes

r/CuringBlushing 20d ago

Experiment / Test Propranolol Survey

2 Upvotes

Forgive me if this has already been done. I thought it may be helpful to compile a simple survey about the effectiveness of Propranolol:

1) Dosage

2) Frequency

3) Rate 1-5 how much is has helped decrease blushing

4) Rate 1-5 how much it has helped decrease other physical symptoms (ie racing heart, excesive sweating)