Blushing is a common occurrence where the cheeks turn pink or red due to increased blood flow to vessels in the face. Although blushing is not necessarily bad in and of itself, it is often linked to embarrassment or shame. Being aware of facial flushing also increases its chances of happening, but there are plenty of ways to work with decreasing this reaction.
Avoid hot and spicy foods
Hot and spicy foods tend to stimulate facial flushing due to their heating effects in the body. While these are not triggers for everyone, many who deal with constant blushing will benefit from decreasing these foods in their diet. Rosacea, an extreme form of blushing that eventually leads to burst blood vessels in the face, is noted by the American Academy of Dermatology to be affected by spicy foods, hot drinks, caffeine and alcoholic beverages.
Build Self-Esteem
Sometimes, blushing is caused by lowered self-esteem or self-consciousness. Embarrassing moments and feelings of shame will often become obvious through facial redness. An article is Psychology Today notes, "creating a pillar of success in our lives is one way to end the dreaded trap of embarrassment and shame." Building a strong career, deepening connections with others and taking on new projects can help with general self-esteem, leading to fewer internal reactions and less external facial redness.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Certain therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, attempt to “rewire” the brain so that normal reactions can be shifted. For blushing, CBT can help with certain emotional triggers that cause blushing, producing a different outcome. Or, as Shyness and Social Anxiety Treatment of Australia suggests, CBT can challenge beliefs about how others view blushing, how visible the flushing is, and one's ability to face situations where fear of blushing exists.
