Every now and again, my dh has a very red face and ears but not the neck or rest of the body. It does not generally last long but I wonder if it has anything to do with his allergies.
For what it's worth, blushing is a nervous system response: "Facial blushing, also known as redness of the face or red face, is an important sign of Shyness or Social Phobia. It may or may not be associated with blushing of the ears and neck, and its appearance is accompanied by a characteristic sensation of sudden heat, or flush, in the affected areas. The lighter the skin, the more noticeable it is.
Causes – There are two main causes of facial blushing: psychological and physiological. The psychological ones are the very causes of Shyness or Social Phobia. In general, blushing occurs when one feels criticized or negatively evaluated by others, whether by acquaintances or strangers, even if the unfavorable opinion is only imagined. It can also occur when one is in the company of friends and family.
The physiological causes of redness in the face and/or ears and/or neck are thought to be the sudden vasodilatation and intense flow of blood to these areas without there being a natural demand for it. The reason that blushing occurs in these particular areas is found in the fact that the skin there has significantly more vascularization in relation to the skin in the other parts of the organism. These areas, as well as the soles of the feet, the palms of the hands and the lips, are the parts most frequently exposed and, consequently, they are endowed with greater vascularization.
The flow of blood to the skin or to any part of the body or to a special area of it serves two purposes: to carry nourishment to the cells and maintain body temperature. Any part of the body that is compressed for several minutes will experience a greater flow of blood after decompression (and, subsequently, turn red) because the organism sends more blood to compensate for the loss of nourishment during compression. This is what happens during a normal increase in blood flow. The increase or decrease of blood to the skin will be greater or lesser, depending on the body’s need to loss or retain heat.
However, in the case of subjacent anxiety, whether in Shyness or Social Anxiety Disorder / Social Phobia, the afflux of blood results from a complex interaction of the nervous system that is not yet clearly understood. This increased afflux does not serve any physiological need. Nevertheless, there is a vasodilatation of the blood vessels in the skin of the above-referenced areas. "
Brindle, My husband is in a NH, but I notice this too. One day the staff took his BP and temp and all were fine. I have also wondered about this also. It just seems to come on with no provacation.