so I blush really bad...

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hi. I am a new grad who just started working in a hospital. I have a problem maybe others can relate to or could give some advice on. I am fair skinned and have red hair and I BLUSH really badly. When my heart rate goes up at all, I get bright red. This is especially bad when I'm uncomfortable, such as when I'm talking to doctors or have to deal with a difficult patient or their family. I HATE this so much! I feel really stupid, and I think it probably also makes me look less professional and confident, which is not the image I want to portray. I've had people say to me "are you ok?? you're so red!", or "you're so red you're purple!". It's really embarrassing. Can anyone else relate? Anything anyone can recommend to maybe calm my face down a little bit?

Specializes in pediatric.

Maybe you can try working the night shift! If you blush in the dark...your patients cant see you! :p

But seriously, I would talk to my PMD and see if there is something that you can take because I am sure that it must be very uncomfortable to deal with this!

Best of luck to all of you!!!

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Specializes in ICU/CCU.

Oh, me too. I really hate it. My skin is so fair that if I get the least bit excited or worked up I turn bright pink. If I'm lucky I'll only get bright spots of it on both cheeks, but sometimes my whole face lights up. I can feel when it is happening, which then causes anxiety, which then causes me to get even more red. I wish I had some advice. I was hoping my doctor would have a cure for me (like Botox for sweating), but she said it's just my fair skin. I'm not any more anxious than anyone else; I just have an impossible time hiding it.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatric, Hospice.

I have this problem. I always get red. But, I've seen other people with this problem too.. and it REALLY doesn't look as bad as it feels to us. We think everyone is noticing.. but they aren't. And even if they are.. who cares? Nervousness is normal. Just keep talking and smile.. they might not even noticed. Focus on what you're saying and not your face and you might even be able to control it.

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I deal with this too. I'm pretty used to it by now, being of the no skin pigmented variety, it's been like this all my life. And last summer, I had to treat my whole face with a topical chemo and it seems to have permanently left the whole thing RED. All the time. I had hoped it might fade more but doesn't seem like it will. And just for kicks, when I'm moving around or get hot or embarrassed, it turns MORE red in the places that had the worst reaction to the 5FU. Mostly people just say 'oh you've gotten some sun' and I say yes and move on. No need to explain the whole thing. I totally sympathize with the red face brigade, it is no fun.

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Specializes in Home Health & Hospice.

Hi there...I'm so sorry you have this problem, I know EXACTLY how you feel, been struggling with blushing since I was about 10 or 11. I'm now almost 30 and have perfected some techniques over the years to get through the day :). One thing that really works is if you're talking to someone and become embarressed for whatever reason do what you can to shift the attention to them....ask them a random question about anything and make them talk, it will give you time to "cool" off. I do that often and it works everytime! And, if you are blushing while talking w/someone act as if you are totally oblivious to it, keep talking like everything is just fine, it will help you get your color back faster. If someone HAS to point out the obvious (which is sooooo frustrating) just say you have really sensitive skin, or say, "gosh, it's really hot in here.....is anyone else hot too?" or say, "I think I'm getting sick, I feel flushed" This tends to prevent a bad situation from getting worse. Over time it gets better, it's really about self-confidence, it builds with time and experience. I've also learned not to care what people think....because they don't really know what's behind the red face, if they knew, I'm sure they would think twice about pointing it out. Good luck and hang in there!!!!

:redbeathe fellow blusher

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