What causes facial flushing?

Sep 15, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Liu Wenmin
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, the main causes of facial redness include emotional excitement, environmental irritation, rosacea, contact dermatitis, and hypertension. If discomfort occurs, it is recommended to seek timely medical consultation and treatment at a reputable hospital. In daily life, one should pay attention to selecting gentle skincare products, avoid frequent exfoliation, and maintain a regular作息 (routine/lifestyle).

Generally, the main causes of facial redness include emotional excitement, environmental stimuli, rosacea, contact dermatitis, hypertension, and others. If discomfort occurs, it is recommended to seek timely medical treatment at a regular hospital. Detailed analysis is as follows:

1. Emotional Excitement

When individuals experience intense emotions such as tension or excitement, increased secretion of adrenaline in the body can cause facial capillary dilation and increased blood flow, resulting in facial redness. In daily life, it is important to calm emotions through deep breathing, listening to soothing music, and other methods, avoiding excessive excitement. Once emotions stabilize, facial capillaries will gradually constrict, and the symptoms of facial redness can resolve spontaneously.

2. Environmental Stimuli

Long-term exposure to high temperatures, cold, or strong ultraviolet radiation can stimulate facial skin, causing abnormal constriction or dilation of facial capillaries, leading to facial redness. Protective measures should be taken according to environmental changes: cooling down in high temperatures, wearing masks for warmth in cold weather, and applying sunscreen and wearing sun hats in strong UV conditions to reduce irritation to facial skin and improve facial redness.

3. Rosacea

Rosacea can be triggered by factors such as heredity and abnormal neurovascular regulation, leading to persistent dilation of facial capillaries, causing facial redness, which may also be accompanied by papules and pustules. Under a doctor's guidance, topical metronidazole gel, azelaic acid cream, and oral doxycycline tablets may be used to inhibit inflammatory reactions, constrict capillaries, and relieve facial redness.

4. Contact Dermatitis

Contact with allergens or irritants in cosmetics or skincare products can trigger localized inflammation, causing facial capillary dilation and resulting in facial redness, often accompanied by itching and a burning sensation. The allergen should be avoided immediately, and under a doctor's guidance, topical hydrocortisone butyrate cream, oral loratadine tablets, or cetirizine hydrochloride tablets may be used to reduce inflammation, alleviate allergic reactions, and improve facial redness.

5. Hypertension

When blood pressure is poorly controlled over a long period, peripheral vascular pressure increases, causing facial vessels to dilate under pressure, leading to facial redness, which may also be accompanied by dizziness and headache. Under a doctor's guidance, medications such as nifedipine sustained-release tablets, irbesartan tablets, and valsartan capsules may be taken to control blood pressure levels. Once blood pressure stabilizes, symptoms of facial redness will gradually subside.

In daily life, it is important to choose mild skincare products, avoid frequent exfoliation, maintain a regular lifestyle avoiding late nights, eat a light diet reducing spicy and irritating foods, monitor blood pressure regularly, promptly detect and manage underlying conditions, and maintain skin and overall health.