Flushing is to become markedly red in the face and often other areas of the skin, from various physiology conditions. Flushing is generally distinguished from blushing, since blushing is psychosomatic, milder, generally restricted to the face, cheeks or ears, and generally assumed to reflect emotional stress, such as embarrassment, anger, or lovestruck. Flushing is also a cardinal symptom of carcinoid syndrome—the syndrome that results from (often serotonin or histamine) being secreted into systemic circulation.
Causes
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abrupt cessation of physical Exercise (resulting in heart output in excess of current muscle need for blood flow)
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abdominal cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome (ACNES), usually in patients who have had abdominal surgery
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alcohol flush reaction
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such as tamoxifen
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atropine poisoning
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body contact with warm or hot water (hot tub, bath, shower)
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butorphanol reaction with some narcotic analgesics (since butorphanol is also an antagonist)
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caffeine consumption
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carbon monoxide poisoning
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carcinoid tumor
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chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), especially emphysema (also known as "pink puffer")
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cluster headache attack or headache
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compression of the nerve by the sixth thoracic vertebrae
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coughing, particularly severe coughing fits
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Cushing's syndrome
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dehydration
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dysautonomia
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emotions: anger, embarrassment (for this reason it is also called erythema pudoris, from the Latinized Greek word for "redness" and the Latin "of embarrassment")
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fever
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fibromyalgia
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histamines
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homocystinuria (flushing across the cheeks)
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Horner's syndrome
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hot flush
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hyperglycaemia
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hyperstimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system, especially the vagus nerve
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hyperthyroidism
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inflammation (for example, caused by allergy or infection)
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iron poisoning
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Jarisch–Herxheimer reaction (caused by antibiotics)
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keratosis pilaris rubra faceii
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Kratom
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mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS)
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mastocytosis
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medullary thyroid cancer
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mixing an antibiotic with Alcoholic drink
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neuroendocrine tumors
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niacin (vitamin B3)
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pheochromocytoma
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polycythemia vera
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powerful , such as dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers
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severe pain
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sexual arousal, especially orgasm
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sexual intercourse
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sneezing (red nose)
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some recreational drugs, such as alcohol, heroin, cocaine and amphetamines
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spicy foods
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sunburn (erythema)
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tachycardia
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vinpocetine
Sex flush
Commonly referred to as the sex flush,
vasocongestion (increased
blood flow) of the
Human skin can occur during all four phases of the human sexual response cycle. Studies show that the sex flush occurs in approximately 50–75% of
and 25% of
, yet not consistently. The sex flush tends to occur more often under warmer conditions and may not appear at all under lower
.
During the female sex flush, spots develop under the , then spread to the breasts, torso, face, hands, soles of the foot, and possibly over the entire Human body. Vasocongestion is also responsible for the darkening of the clitoris and the walls of the vagina during sexual arousal. During the male sex flush, the of the skin develops less consistently than in the female, but typically starts with the epigastrium (upper abdomen), spreads across the chest, then continues to the neck, face, forehead, Human back, and sometimes, and .
The sex flush typically disappears soon after reaching orgasm, but in other cases, may take up to two hours or more, and sometimes intense occurs simultaneously.
See also
