G
Guest
Guest
I am new to this site but was reading some of the topics and came across the subject of "blushing". Both my sister and I have suffered this problem since puberty! And, worse yet, it is not the usual, "normal blushing" which occurs on the facial cheek area, but it is instead, a patchy, uneven, "rash" looking red that creeps up from the front of our chests and up our throats to just under our chins! Even THINKING it may come sometimes makes it happen! Both of us suffer social anxiety so obviously, this has made it worse, since it is something others can SEE. And trust me, people not only comment on it, but it is quite embarrassing to have this rash slowly appear (while you are realizing it) right before someone else's eyes! ARGH!
These were our "solutions" to the problem before we found anything out about medications for anxiety (although there have been many, many times both of us have still gotten this "blush" and "redness" even while perfectly calm - but have noticed too that this is when it is in a stuffy type room with no cool air).
I do realize that we should not care what others think, but then, having social anxiety already, this of course does not make it quite so easy to be the type of person that doesn't care about what others think of you!
These are the following things we both ended up having to resort to (before finding out about SSRIs and Benzos, etc.) and we still use them when on or not on any medications, etc. They will probably sound wacko to others who do not experience this blushing problem, but it is just something I would like to list for those who DO suffer from it just in case they may want to try these options.
For those of us who dislike being stared at, you already know that it is quite a horrible experience to know that at any given moment during a day at work, or out in public, you could have this "rash" appear. Thus my reasons for offering the below. Wacko? Perhaps! But when you're desperate to not feel humiliated and embarrassed, you sometimes find that you will resort to things you might otherwise laugh at (even though we both DO laugh with each other about it)!
1) First we tried tanning beds. We are both fair skinned and did not tan easily and because we both worked, could not lay out during the day. The tanning bed ages you terribly and even though we both made sure to keep our face completely covered (and especially eyes) this DID help with our necks, because it tanned them enough so that this "blush" did not show. The problem with this is that the tanning bed causes such premature aging of the skin, and the neck and throat area (especially chest because it is thin skinned) are NOT places a female wants to have wrinkle before it should! Too, there is the very serious danger of melanoma, so we both decided it was not worth it. However, if we know that some major event is approaching and we know we cannot "hide" our necks, etc., we have resorted to using the tanning bed for just long enough to tan our necks for that particular event.
2) Self-Tanning Cream. It can be a lengthy process, yet, if you are very fair skinned and are tired of this blushing, self-tanning cream does hide it enough to make it less obvious - sometimes to the point where it is more "even-toned" and so not obvious at all. It all depends upon whether you blush in the face only, (and if you do, you are lucky, compared to the uneven rash that we get all over our necks and throats! ;o) or on the neck, and if it is even or "patchy". There are many expensive self-tanning creams on the market and so far, we have been through all of them, including the ones in the grocery stores. The best is not always the most expensive. In fact, we have found that a brand called NO-AD which is very inexpensive but sometimes needs to be ordered, works the best. So does the Banana Boat Foam. Of course, you would want to also apply it to your arms as well so that they will match your face and throat. If you are not wearing shorts, don't worry about your legs! If anyone is interested in the very best way that we have found to put this stuff on (and scrub it off, since it does not come off evenly) feel free to email me, as my sister and I have been using this stuff since QT and Sudden Tan were on the market, and that was back when it turned you orange, but the new ones do NOT turn you orange. My sister uses it more than I and I call her the "Self-Tanning Cream Queen"! She works in the beauty business, and NOBODY has ever, ever guessed that her "tan" is not real and we are very, very fair skinned. She has it "down to a science" now! ;o)
This last one is REALLY going to sound nutty, but when you're desperate, you're desperate! I have been at work and suddenly called into a situation where I knew I would have to face this horrid blushing. The first time I tried this, it worked. I made a quick trip to the bathroom and rubbed my neck and chest area all over (where it was already beginning to redden just at the thought that it would!) and tried to make it look an even red all over so I could at least tell others it was either "warm" in my office, or that I "had tried a cream the other night that made it redden" or even the lame "my necklace is scratching my neck" excuse!
It all depends upon how uncomfortable you are being stared at! For me, because my "blushing" is so uneven and looks so strange, it is far more worth it to have an even, fully red and sunburned-appearing neck, than to have this "puzzle rash" appear right before everyone's eyes!
Obviously my sister and I know that we are insecure or we wouldn't care what others think about this "reddening". However, this doesn't automatically mean you are not going to be embarrassed about it - so this is for those who are as DESPERATE as we are! We get SO TIRED of the rude comments of "What's that all over your neck"?! Or, the fact that others then assume you're a nervous wreck on the job, etc. Sometimes in certain lines of work, you need to appear calm! This redness does not help! Thus, the worst case scenario of having to make myself "red" all over so that it, at the very least, will match!
We also keep our hair long so that we can try to cover our necks by pulling it forward and down in front when an unprepared redness occurs!
I am new here, so I hope I am posting in the correct spot!
I ALSO GIVE EVERYONE ON THIS SITE MY SOLE PERMISSION TO LAUGH THEIR HEADS OFF OVER THE LENGTHS MY SISTER AND I HAVE GONE TO IN ORDER TO AVOID THIS STUPID RASHY BLUSH SHOWING! HA! HA! SO, PLEASE, BY ALL MEANS, FEEL FREE TO LAUGH! Because I know how nutty it sounds to care so much about it, but when you've experienced it, and suffer social anxiety already, it can be a very dreadful thing! I never even knew others suffered it before, so when I read that some on here have, I just had to write to any fellow-blushers out there!
These were our "solutions" to the problem before we found anything out about medications for anxiety (although there have been many, many times both of us have still gotten this "blush" and "redness" even while perfectly calm - but have noticed too that this is when it is in a stuffy type room with no cool air).
I do realize that we should not care what others think, but then, having social anxiety already, this of course does not make it quite so easy to be the type of person that doesn't care about what others think of you!
These are the following things we both ended up having to resort to (before finding out about SSRIs and Benzos, etc.) and we still use them when on or not on any medications, etc. They will probably sound wacko to others who do not experience this blushing problem, but it is just something I would like to list for those who DO suffer from it just in case they may want to try these options.
For those of us who dislike being stared at, you already know that it is quite a horrible experience to know that at any given moment during a day at work, or out in public, you could have this "rash" appear. Thus my reasons for offering the below. Wacko? Perhaps! But when you're desperate to not feel humiliated and embarrassed, you sometimes find that you will resort to things you might otherwise laugh at (even though we both DO laugh with each other about it)!
1) First we tried tanning beds. We are both fair skinned and did not tan easily and because we both worked, could not lay out during the day. The tanning bed ages you terribly and even though we both made sure to keep our face completely covered (and especially eyes) this DID help with our necks, because it tanned them enough so that this "blush" did not show. The problem with this is that the tanning bed causes such premature aging of the skin, and the neck and throat area (especially chest because it is thin skinned) are NOT places a female wants to have wrinkle before it should! Too, there is the very serious danger of melanoma, so we both decided it was not worth it. However, if we know that some major event is approaching and we know we cannot "hide" our necks, etc., we have resorted to using the tanning bed for just long enough to tan our necks for that particular event.
2) Self-Tanning Cream. It can be a lengthy process, yet, if you are very fair skinned and are tired of this blushing, self-tanning cream does hide it enough to make it less obvious - sometimes to the point where it is more "even-toned" and so not obvious at all. It all depends upon whether you blush in the face only, (and if you do, you are lucky, compared to the uneven rash that we get all over our necks and throats! ;o) or on the neck, and if it is even or "patchy". There are many expensive self-tanning creams on the market and so far, we have been through all of them, including the ones in the grocery stores. The best is not always the most expensive. In fact, we have found that a brand called NO-AD which is very inexpensive but sometimes needs to be ordered, works the best. So does the Banana Boat Foam. Of course, you would want to also apply it to your arms as well so that they will match your face and throat. If you are not wearing shorts, don't worry about your legs! If anyone is interested in the very best way that we have found to put this stuff on (and scrub it off, since it does not come off evenly) feel free to email me, as my sister and I have been using this stuff since QT and Sudden Tan were on the market, and that was back when it turned you orange, but the new ones do NOT turn you orange. My sister uses it more than I and I call her the "Self-Tanning Cream Queen"! She works in the beauty business, and NOBODY has ever, ever guessed that her "tan" is not real and we are very, very fair skinned. She has it "down to a science" now! ;o)
This last one is REALLY going to sound nutty, but when you're desperate, you're desperate! I have been at work and suddenly called into a situation where I knew I would have to face this horrid blushing. The first time I tried this, it worked. I made a quick trip to the bathroom and rubbed my neck and chest area all over (where it was already beginning to redden just at the thought that it would!) and tried to make it look an even red all over so I could at least tell others it was either "warm" in my office, or that I "had tried a cream the other night that made it redden" or even the lame "my necklace is scratching my neck" excuse!
It all depends upon how uncomfortable you are being stared at! For me, because my "blushing" is so uneven and looks so strange, it is far more worth it to have an even, fully red and sunburned-appearing neck, than to have this "puzzle rash" appear right before everyone's eyes!
Obviously my sister and I know that we are insecure or we wouldn't care what others think about this "reddening". However, this doesn't automatically mean you are not going to be embarrassed about it - so this is for those who are as DESPERATE as we are! We get SO TIRED of the rude comments of "What's that all over your neck"?! Or, the fact that others then assume you're a nervous wreck on the job, etc. Sometimes in certain lines of work, you need to appear calm! This redness does not help! Thus, the worst case scenario of having to make myself "red" all over so that it, at the very least, will match!
We also keep our hair long so that we can try to cover our necks by pulling it forward and down in front when an unprepared redness occurs!
I am new here, so I hope I am posting in the correct spot!
I ALSO GIVE EVERYONE ON THIS SITE MY SOLE PERMISSION TO LAUGH THEIR HEADS OFF OVER THE LENGTHS MY SISTER AND I HAVE GONE TO IN ORDER TO AVOID THIS STUPID RASHY BLUSH SHOWING! HA! HA! SO, PLEASE, BY ALL MEANS, FEEL FREE TO LAUGH! Because I know how nutty it sounds to care so much about it, but when you've experienced it, and suffer social anxiety already, it can be a very dreadful thing! I never even knew others suffered it before, so when I read that some on here have, I just had to write to any fellow-blushers out there!
