The world is divided into two: those who dye themselves red every time they dare to run, cycle either walk at full speed, and all the others. It doesn’t matter how fit you are or how well are you breathing, there are plenty of fitness fanatics who turn an alarming shade of scarlet when on the move. The question is why? And why don’t the rest of us look any different?
The prospect of delving into the tomato is something that discourages many people from exercising. If you know you flush, you may be worried that it will happen in public or that you won’t be able to de-escalate quickly enough afterwards. It’s all very well to tell you that nobody genuinely cares what you look like when you run or lift weights, but if you know why it happens, it might be easier to deal with mentally.
Dr. Ross Perry, Medical Director of Cosmedics Skin Clinics, explains: “While we exercise, blood is pumped through our blood vessels and capillaries at a faster rate to maximize oxygen intake, allowing more blood and heat to flow to the skin’s surface.” that makes us sweat plus: our body’s preferred way of regulating temperature. And it is that race to regulate that “results in a red face for some and not so much for others.”
“When someone turns redder than someone else, it has nothing to do with how hard they press against their body during exercise; it just comes down to skin tone and individual cooling systems,” he continues.
“Those with lighter skin tend to look redder on the face, while the pigment on darker skin tones can often mask the blush on the face. Women are particularly prone to flushing because they tend to sweat less and draw more blood to the skin, while men rely more on sweat to keep cool.”
Why do we have to agree to turn red?
That sounds reasonable, but when was the last time you saw a PT with a beet-colored face? Even if it’s a natural process, he may be tempted to work on reducing post-exercise flushing, but Dr. Perry says that would be a mistake.
“It’s perfectly normal and shows that our body is working efficiently and that the vascular system is directing large amounts of blood through the skin, which actually has many benefits, such as the removal of toxins through the body to maintain healthy looking skin and stimulate good hormones. .
“Some exercises will probably cause more facial redness than others. Jogging, bicycling and high intensity classes they tend to give you that long-lasting red face that can take up to 30 minutes to fade, whereas short bursts of resistance training or weight lifting will make your face red for a shorter period of time.”
Beyond the overall improvement of heart health and Overall Fitness those things, what other benefits could we get from turning red? Dr. Perry explains that all exercise is good for improving circulation and getting more nutrients and oxygen to skin cells. He says that while there are many so-called ‘oxygen-based skin treatments,’ “there’s no better way to get this flow of oxygen flowing than a good workout and a flushed, red face.
“Often after exercise, the skin looks radiant and refreshed due to increased blood flow, often described as the ‘post-workout glow’.” And then there’s the more general point that exercise is known to help with reducing stress and better promote Mental Wellness – potentially protecting your skin from stress-based breakouts.
TL;DR: Turning red after exercise is a biological reality for many women, but it’s not a bad thing.
