The London Dermatologist
One of the evolutionary hypotheses that may explain blushing is that it is an involuntary way of showing others that we recognize a mistake or feel embarrassed, which can strengthen social bonds after a conflict.
We’ve all been there. You feel embarrassed and suddenly there it is: a warm blush on your face. climb up the neck and cheeks. The more you think about it, the hotter and redder it gets. If someone asks “are you blushing?”, it only makes us blush even more.
So why do we do it? When we are already embarrassed, this involuntary response can seem like an additional punishment. But evolutionary science suggests that blushing may actually have social advantages. Let’s take a look.
What is blushing?
Blushing is our body’s visible reaction when we feel emotions such as embarrassment, shyness or insecurity.
It is caused by a brief increase in blood flow for the skin of the ears, face, neck or chest.
When an emotion triggers blushing, the sympathetic nervous system – which controls the body’s automatic functions – is activated and releases adrenaline (epinephrine). This causes the small muscles in the blood vessels to relax.
In the body, adrenaline constricts blood vessels, but on the face it does the opposite – they dilate. This means that more blood flows to the skincausing the face to feel hot.
We turn red because of this sudden increase in blood flow to the surface of the skin.
People with lighter skin tones experience this redness more clearly. On darker skin tones, the change may be less visible or even imperceptible – but the same physiological process occurs.
Regardless of whether others see it or not, you will still feel hot or tingling in your face.
The social role of blushing
People blush when they feel very embarrassedwhich is usually caused by unwanted social attention.
So, although the “fight or flight” system is involved, blushing is not about preparing for danger. Instead, scientists believe it evolved as a social signal, a way to show others that we recognize a mistake or feel embarrassed.
This can actually help build confidence, because people often see blushing as a sign of honesty or sincerity – especially because it is involuntary. Blushing can signal a nonverbal apology for a social faux pas, which can help maintain social ties after a transgression.
Different emotions can make us blush, but the mechanism is the same: increasing blood flow to the face and making us feel hot.
The difference is that blushing with anger, for example, comes from excitement and frustration, while blushing with shame comes from self-consciousness and social emotion.
People blush for different reasons. For example, one study found that children with social anxiety they blushed with embarrassment when they received compliments exaggerated, compared to moderate praise or no praise.
In a subsequent study, researchers found that children who scored high on narcissism — that is, who had an exaggerated sense of self-importance, sought admiration and lacked empathy — blushed only when they received moderate praise. The researchers suggested that this happened because the praise received did not correspond to the child’s perception of their own performance.
Who is most likely to blush?
As women and younger people blush more often. This may explain why blushing is often associated with youth, vitality and fertility.
People with social anxiety are also more likely to blush.
But as we grow older and gain more life experience, we tend to sing less. This may indicate that we are more familiar with social norms – or less uncomfortable if we transgress them.
People with eritema facial (persistent facial redness) are often confused with people who blush. But this condition can have a variety of causes, including rosacea, allergic contact dermatitis, drug reactions and lupus erythematosus (a chronic autoimmune disease).
Animals can also blush
Some primates have pale facial skin that can blush, such as Japanese macaques and bald uakaris.
For mandrills, another type of primate, blushing plays a important role in fertility. Females have a dark face when young and after giving birth. But their faces turn red during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, signaling their fertility.
When male mandrills are in the presence of fertile females, their faces become redder as they produce more testosterone.
As makeup trends in humans they may be evoking similar fertility and attraction rituals, consciously or unconsciously.
For example, TikTok and Instagram are full of people “addicted” to blush, using hashtags like #Blushaholics e #BlushBlindness. Excessive blush is also popularly used by K-Pop bands – and not just girl groups.
When to Seek Help for Facial Flushing
Since blushing is an involuntary reaction, you can’t stop it once it starts.
However, if the flushing persists for more than a few days, is accompanied by pain, or causes discomfort due to cosmetic concerns, talk to your doctor or healthcare professional.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (a type of psychotherapy that helps reframe harmful thoughts and behaviors) may benefit people who blush due to social anxiety.
In rare cases, when the cause is an overactive sympathetic nervous system, surgery may be recommended. There are two types: sympathectomy, which removes part of the sympathetic chain – a long chain of nerve fibers that runs along the spine; and sympathectomy, which cuts this chain near the second rib, where it joins the spine.
Evidence suggests that these procedures are effective and can improve the quality of life for people with severe symptoms.
But for most people, flushing won’t require medical intervention. If you can overcome the embarrassment, this involuntary response can be an opportunity to reflect on your body’s signals and what they reveal about you and how you connect to the world.
