Flushed Face After Eating

A temporary reddening of the facial skin, which is usually in response to embarrassment, is referred to as blushing. Facial flushing on the other hand, is a more distinguishable reddening of the facial skin that occurs in response to other physiological conditions. These terms must, therefore, not be used interchangeably.

Exposure to harsh weather can cause one's facial skin to turn red. The change in the color of the skin occurs due to dilation of the blood vessels that lie close to the surface of the skin. The facial skin is thin and delicate, and when these blood vessels dilate in response to a stimulus, the increased flow of blood causes the skin to turn red.

Once the blood vessels return to their normal size, the redness fades away. At times, people may get a flushed face after eating.

You must have observed that the facial skin turns red and feels warm after consuming very hot and spicy food. Let's find out why that happens.

If you consume a chili pepper, you might have had tears rolling down your cheeks along with nasal secretions and facial flushing. This is referred to as gustatory flushing. Spicy foods act as a stimulus and cause the tiny blood vessels under the skin to dilate.

When the blood vessels expand, the flow of blood in the vessels increases. This causes the facial skin to turn red. The degree of redness depends on the stimulus and the extent of dilation of these blood vessels. Flushing can be observed when you gulp down a hot beverage.

When you consume a hot beverage or food, the body temperature may rise. In order to restore the normal temperature, the hypothalamus signals the blood vessels to dilate. The dilation of blood vessels helps in releasing the heat and restoring the body temperature, but causing the skin to turn red.

Flushed skin may occur due to consumption of alcohol, especially in people of Asian descent. Consumption of alcohol stimulates the production of dehydrogenase enzyme. This enzyme aids in the conversion of ethanol into acetaldehyde. It is believed that acetaldehyde may act as stimulus and cause dilation of the blood vessels that lie close to the surface of the skin.

Facial flushing may occur on consuming food one may be allergic to. Many people are allergic to peanuts, shellfish, milk, berries, food additives, etc. If they consume any food that the immune system considers to be harmful, it tries to fight off the foreign substance.

As a result, cutaneous mast cells release histamines into the blood. This causes a skin response and other allergy symptoms. Facial flushing might develop due to the release of histamines into the bloodstream. One may also get a flushed face due to an allergic reaction to certain drugs.

People who undergo gastric bypass surgery may be more susceptible to facial flushing. One may develop dumping syndrome after this bariatric surgery. Dumping syndrome is a condition wherein the stomach contents move too rapidly through the small intestine. This may cause symptoms such as sweating, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, and facial flushing. The symptoms are often experienced after meals.

Besides the aforementioned reasons, there could be other contributory factors for flushed skin. Vigorous workouts could also cause the blood vessels to dilate and result in facial flushing. At times, hormonal changes may also cause hot flashes that may be accompanied by facial flushing.

The best way to avoid facial flushing is to avoid eating hot, spicy foods or foods that you may be allergic to. Facial redness and skin damage can also be caused due to exposure to sun, so, wear sunscreen and broad-rimmed hats when you step out on a sunny day.

Facial redness is also a classic symptom of a skin disorder called rosacea. Those who often suffer from facial redness, must therefore let a dermatologist ascertain whether the facial flushing is caused due to rosacea or not.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this story is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.