For people who suffer with chronic blushing--when the upper chest, neck and face turn red, which is usually a reaction to embarrassment--it can be a serious concern. David Nielson, MD, is a cardio-thoracic surgeon that specializes in the treatment of facial blushing and conditions associated with blushing like chronic sweating. On his website, Hyperhydrosis USA, Nielson explains that chronic blushing can be so debilitating that it can impair a person's ability to function normally.
Medication
The University of Alabama at Birmingham indicates that some people with social phobias that cause blushing respond well to beta blockers, a type of medication for treating high blood pressure. The Mayo Clinic reports that beta blockers work by inhibiting the effect of adrenaline, a hormone that is activated in response to stress. Stress, according to researchers at San Gerardo dei Tintori Hospital in Italy, is related to facial blushing. An article published in 2006 in the journal "Stress Medicine" reported that a number of clinical trials found beta blockers effective at relieving anxiety symptoms. The benefits of beta blockers, compared to sedatives and anti-anxiety medications like benzodiazepines, is that they carry no risk for dependence, according to a 1992 study by researchers at Britain's St. Charles' Hospital on using beta blockers to treat symptoms of anxiety.
Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most commonly used techniques to treat chronic blushing. CBT involves identifying the thoughts and feelings that trigger a person to blush. When the patient can identify the feelings that cause flushing, he can learn to process his thoughts and eventually change his reaction.
Like medications, therapy does not work for everyone. The American Institute for Hyperhidrosis explains that those with a substantial problem "will blush heavily even if the situation is not particularly emotionally challenging."
Surgery
Surgery, by far, is the most used technique for treating chronic blushing--especially for those who have exhausted all other avenues. Endoscopic transthoracic sympathicotomy (ETS) is an invasive procedure that severs the connection between the nerves and the receptors responsible for causing symptoms. In a 2002 study published in the "British Journal of Dermatology," 98 percent of patients who had ETS experienced an improved quality of life. In 2006, a study published in "The Annals of Thoracic Surgery" indicated that 75 percent of patients who had the operation were, at the very least, satisfied with the results.
