Hey everyone, ive recently started taking zoloft in hopes it helps me manage my blushing / erythrophobia. Ive known about zoloft for a while since its a pretty popular SSRI, ive also come across it when researching ways to manage and treat blushing since there was a clinical trial that found it was fairly effective for treating blushing / the fear of blushing compared with a placebo group.

What really made me decide to trial this medication was u/DifficultyThis4729, who’s an active user on this sub. We’ve been talking a lot and sharing our experiences, and he mentioned that since starting Zoloft, he seemed to be blushing less, but the main benefit was seeming not to care about it as much / not being as mentally consumed by it. That sounded pretty encouraging, so I decided to get ask my doctor and I got a prescription.

I was originally on fluvoxamine 50mg a day with no positive changes to my social anxiety or blushing, so I tapered off and switched to Zoloft. Now, it’s too early for me to confidently give my full opinion, and this may be placebo so far, but honestly my anxiety hasn’t been controlling me in the way I’m used to. I still experience nerves, but I’m feeling less bothered and consumed by it.

And that also goes for my blushing. I’ve still blushed, and I doubt any SSRI will completely stop anyone from blushing at times, but the blushing just hasn’t seemed to have the same control over me. It also hasn’t been on my mind as much. I went to the city with my girlfriend on a really busy Saturday, and I wasn’t even actively thinking or worrying about my blushing that much. I was in the moment and not as consumed by it. Usually, any sign of a blush or nerves would ruin my mood and distract me. Id genuinely say I felt more free than I ever have

I also want to make it clear that I don’t want to jump the gun and give people a misleading impression of this medication based on only a couple of weeks. I’ve only been on Zoloft for around two weeks, so I obviously haven’t experienced the full effect yet, and I don’t want to be the person who tries something for a week or two and then gives a definitive opinion on whether it works or not.

For now, I’m just documenting what I’m noticing at this point in my journey. I’m optimistic about the changes I’ve noticed so far, but I’m not claiming that Zoloft is definitely responsible for them or that they’ll necessarily last. I’ll continue to see how things develop and give my honest opinion as I have more experience with it.

I’d be curious if anyone else has experience with Zoloft or even another SSRI or medication (besides clonidine or propranolol, as I’m more interested in medications that can potentially affect the underlying anxiety rather than mainly helping with the physical symptoms). Thanks

Whether you’re new here, your feeling desperate for a fix, or you have been dealing with facial blushing for years, please take a moment to read this.

I think its important that people understand a decent amount of advice on this sub is on the more extreme side of things - that even includes medications which can be looked at as the first line of defence. The reason I say that is that I don't think it serves people to tell them or make it seem like the first step has to be something drastic, whether that’s jumping straight to medications, looking into procedures, or pouring their energy into constantly covering it up, hiding, & searching for quick fix

I believe one of the healthiest things you can do first is try working through the psychological and personal side, and I don't mean 'just relax' or 'stop caring,' because anyone who deals with severe blushing knows it isn't that simple. I mean doing the heavy, uncomfortable work: looking at who you are beyond this issue, rebuilding your identity so it isn't defined by a red face, and using tools like CBT or exposure to strip away the panic attached to a blush. It’s about taking your power back so you stop spending endless hours spiraling down research rabbit holes, looking for meds, or considering risky procedures. It’s not an easy way out, it doesn't mean the physical blushing will disappear, it means getting to a place where it no longer controls your identity and impacts your mind.

That said, there does come a time for some people where heavier options are appropriate because therapy or mindset work truly aren't enough. But I want to be clear: working through the mental side, identity, and therapy is a long, hard journey in itself. It takes serious time, and just because you haven't seen results after a few months doesn't automatically mean it failed or that it's time to jump to extreme measures. That patience is why I created this space, I didn't start this community during my first week of blushing, it came years and years later after living through that long process myself.

Bringing all of this together, this isn't me saying you need to be dealing with the absolute worst version of blushing to be here, or that there isn't advice that will help you if your situation is milder. There definitely is. I just wanted to share this broader perspective and my honest opinion as someone who’s been through it. When you create a community like this, knowing how vulnerable people can feel when looking for answers, you feel a real responsibility to lay out the full picture, the risks, the time it takes, and the healthier ways to start. Wherever you are on your journey, you are welcome here. Thanks everyone!

I've noticed that after ive had a bad blushing episode and I have calmed down and cooled off, I seem to be more resistant to blushing for a short while afterwards. It's almost like my face is temporarily less reactive even if the triggers are there. Has anyone else experienced this? Does anyone have knowledge or explanation on this?

These are some popular options. If something else has helped, or nothing has and you're feeling stuck, feel free to comment that too. Im also aware for alot of people its a equal mix of things that's helped, try your best to pick!

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There's something stressful about not knowing before different occasions how your blushing will present or betray you. For instance I'm aware going out for dinner with my girlfriends family will make me blush due to the fact I'll feel observered, overwhelmed by the noises and bright lights but I don't always know to what extent that environment will cause me to blush. Sometimes I'll just be a bit blushed, other times I'll be extremey blushed to the point where it looks like I'm having a reaction to something, other times I'll get away without hardly blushing at all. The issue is this doesnt come down to the skin but instead the sympathetic nervous system and adrenaline, but alot of those things are triggered and react subconsciously to social triggers / anxiety so it isn't as easy as just being more confident, like I could be feeling consciously confident and happy and not judged while the subconscious part of me that im not aware of is feeling completey different, going crazy, panicking and making my sympathetic nervous system go crazy causing me to blush. Sadly this is just apart of living with blushing and most people will never understand it.

Does anyone else relate?

I’ve spoken a lot about my laser journey on this subreddit, specifically how I went from having 3 Excel V (532nm) sessions with minimal results, to switching to Vbeam (595nm) and seeing much better results after just 2 sessions. I just want to say that if blushing is affecting your life and you’re looking for something that really tackles it, laser treatment is something to consider.

​Getting Vbeam done has been one of the only treatments I've tried that provided a long-term, structural change. I’m not saying Clonidine or Propranolol don’t work, they work amazingly well while you're taking them to block a blush but they require daily dosing and don't make any semi-permanent or permanent changes to your blood vessels for when the your sympathetic nervous system goes off and sends blood to them.

​Do I still blush? Yes. My face can go from pale to extremely pink, and a few times since Vbeam it has still turned red. But what’s awesome is that it’s usually a medium-to-light pink now, whereas it used to be a harsh, deep red most of the time. The flushing looks much better, more natural, more faded, and more evenly diffused. I’ve also noticed my face seems more resilient overall. There have even been many many many times when I felt like I was blushing badly, but when I checked the mirror or my phone, my face was actually completely normal. My girlfriend has noticed a big improvement, too.

​To be completely honest, there are still annoying times here and there where I feel angry and frustrated, like the laser did nothing at all. But I know that's usually a mix of the specific blush being way too aggressive, plus the fact that I've only had 2 Vbeam sessions so far, there’s only so much 2 sessions + laser can do! I’ll definitely be getting more Vbeam done, but in general, it has made a really solid difference despite those occasional setbacks.

​I’m not here to sell anyone a "cure" or give false hope that Vbeam means you'll never blush again. But if you’re looking for a substantial, structural improvement, laser is worth looking into. Give it time to assess, keep realistic expectations, and you might find it makes a genuine impact. I imagine results will vary for everyone but I'd be personally surprised if you don't seen any improvements.

Ive suffered from extreme blushing for a long time. Not rosacea or skin issue but anxiety driven blushing which is connected to the fight for flight mechanism as well as the sympathetic nervous system. I own a community centred around this issue called r/curingblushing and wanted to share a post from there I created!

Heads up these are aimed towards people who are struggling alot with blushing, not for your average person who blushes normally every once in a while. Thanks guys

(what to do, in no particular order)

1. If your blushing is severe and life-impacting, discuss prescription options such as clonidine or propranolol with a doctor. Clonidine seems to work better than propranolol for blushing (in my own experience), but in saying that, propranolol can still do wonders—it just isn't as direct for stopping blushing as clonidine in my experience. **DISCLAIMER:** see what your doctor recommends and make sure to go through a good, reliable doctor, medications can have dangerous side effects if not taken appropriately and correctly

2. Cut out the acids and active ingredients in skincare products. They destroy your skin barrier and make flushing worse. Stick to a basic, gentle moisturizer.

3. Get a medical-standard camouflage cream (makeup). This is usually used for vitiligo or birthmarks. It has insane coverage and works miles better than standard "high-coverage makeups." I use Dermacolor Camouflage Cream.

4. Get a green concealer. Put this on your bare skin and blend until it's not green (green visually cancels out red). It makes the skin appear whiter, or for more coverage, don't worry about leaving it fairly green on your skin and then layer your regular makeup over it. I use Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Colour Correcting Concealer (Green), and I have also used Life Proof Camo Colour Corrector.

5. Consume potassium and avoid salt. Coconut water, bananas, avocados etc have a lot of potassium, which actively flushes out excess sodium. Too much salt increases your blood volume and dilates your blood vessels, meaning more pressurized blood surges to your face, making your flushes twice as intense and red.

6. Get Excel-V or Vbeam laser. Though they cost a bit and usually require multiple sessions, if you're serious about controlling your blushing, this is something to consider. These lasers can significantly reduce the severity of a blush and other redness metrics for most people. The settings matter, and if a clinic doesn't use the correct settings specifically for treating flushing, they may give weak results. It is incredibly powerful if used right and can be life-changing.

7. Use a skin barrier repair cream. I’ve personally used and recommend La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5+ Balm Cream.

8. Use CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser every night (that specific one). This may look contradictory to rule number 2 since I mentioned cutting out all active ingredients, but this is the lone exception. This was recommended to me by a laser clinic that specializes specifically in skin redness and flushing, and I can confirm it has made a massive difference to my skin.

9. Overall, try to stay fit and healthy. Intense cardio has helped me immensely (I like to go on the treadmill until I'm dripping sweat). It trains your heart not to beat as hard during stressful moments, which helps when you are in situations that trigger a blush. The calmer your heart stays during triggers, the less intense the blush will be.

10. Use a sunscreen every single day to protect your face from harsh UV rays. UV radiation creates intense thermal heat on the skin and triggers systemic inflammation, which dilates your blood vessels and makes your face an absolute magnet for flushing. For blushers, sun protection isn't just about avoiding sunburn, it is a critical shield to stop UV rays from supercharging your vascular reactivity.

(what to avoid)

1. Never try Rhofade or Mirvaso. These are unfortunately commonly prescribed topical creams that constrict facial vessels, resulting in no redness for 4 to 10 hours. Though they "work" temporarily, they will eventually give you the most intense, horrible rebound redness you have ever experienced—it will make you feel grateful for your normal blushing, seriously. This is a widely known issue in the community and I am speaking directly from personal experience. Trust me on this one.

2. Never try the trends using vasoconstricting eye drops or nasal sprays on your skin. This has become popular on social media but it is virtually the same nightmare as Mirvaso and Rhofade. It will permanently damage your skin barrier and make your baseline situation 10x worse.

3. Don't get ETS surgery. This surgery is absolutely not worth it for treating blushing. The side effects (like severe compensatory sweating) are life-altering and do not justify the risk. While you will see rare people online who had it successfully done, it is simply not worth the gamble. This surgery is much better suited for people with Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) and has a much higher success rate for that issue than it does for facial blushing. There are so many other options to treat blushing that don't involve literally snipping a nerve in your chest.

4. Don't waste money on products that claim to cure blushing. Sure, there are some valid baseline tools out there (like the things I listed in the "What to Do" section), but the vast majority of skincare products are just marketed maliciously to make you think they'll cure your flushing. As someone who has tried all types of expensive creams and chemistry products, it is almost all BS.

5. Don't rub ice directly on your face. While ice can temporarily constrict facial vessels in the moment, the extreme temperature shocking your face worsens your skin barrier over time. It makes your skin significantly more sensitive and irritated in the long run, leading to more permanent baseline redness.

6. Try to avoid nitric oxide boosters (beets, pomegranates, spinach, dark chocolate). They wide-open your blood vessels, making it physically effortless for a massive, burning flush to take over your face. You can still have foods that contain nitric oxide, but just be aware that they will usually cause you to flush and blush a lot harder if you get triggered afterward.

7. Reduce high-histamine foods (aged cheeses, cured meats, wine, fermented foods). Histamines trigger internal inflammation, directly dilating your facial blood vessels and flooding your skin with intense heat.

Because of my experience in the blushing community, both as a member and as someone who runs r/curingblushing, I feel obliged to bring up concerns I have. I’ve noticed quite a lot of shady accounts pop up that seem to be bots. They can pose a risk to people

These accounts often appear out of nowhere with seemingly helpful posts about blushing and ways to cure it, but usually they have another motive, such as promoting a website, newsletter or paid service. There seems to be a pattern with alot of them where they act like they've got all this knowledge and wisdom and want to share it but feel its unfair to share it for free. As someone who has contributed alot and done extensive research for the community, I can assure you there most likely just in it for the money and arent worth your time

Recently, an account was created just 2 days ago and had already made a huge number of posts, started a community and begun promoting a newsletter. I won’t name it, but it’s pretty obvious if you come across it.

Things to look out for are new accounts, unusual karma/activity, outside promotion and AI-like writing. Not every new account is a bot, but the signs can be pretty clear if your aware of them. Hope this helps.

Because of my experience in the blushing community, both as a member and as someone who runs this blushing subreddit, I feel obliged to bring up concerns I have. I’ve noticed quite a lot of shady accounts pop up that seem to be bots. They can pose a risk to people

These accounts often appear out of nowhere with seemingly helpful posts about blushing and ways to cure it, but usually they have another motive, such as promoting a website, newsletter or paid service. There seems to be a pattern with alot of them where they act like they've got all this knowledge and wisdom and want to share it but feel its unfair to share it for free. As someone who has contributed alot and done extensive research for the community, I can assure you there most likely just in it for the money and arent worth your time

Recently, an account was created just 2 days ago and had already made a huge number of posts, started a community and begun promoting a newsletter. I won’t name it, but it’s pretty obvious if you come across it.

Things to look out for are new accounts, unusual karma/activity, outside promotion and AI-like writing. Not every new account is a bot, but the signs can be pretty clear if your aware of them. Hope this helps.

Hey guys, ive recently shared a post to r/curingblushing going over Brandon Thomas's story. He was a young man who's life ended too quickly after he took his because of his struggle with blushing. I decided to make this post despite it happening awhile ago since his wish was to be heard and for people to understand how horrible blushing is, and that it isnt a joke or something "cute". Its a very sad story and my heart goes out to his family and friends. He seemed like such a beautiful person, Its very sad that something so many ppl overlook can have this impact on someone but unfortunately we all know that

The post I put up shows a photo of him (just a normal photo of him his family), but unfortunately I cant crosspost it here since this sub doesnt allow images Here is the link if anyone is interested in reading - https://www.reddit.com/r/CuringBlushing/s/NvPjiWabid

If anyone is feeling suicidal or in a bad place mentally please never be afraid to get help, you matter so much!

So finasteride isnt a smart option for hair loss and im never going to take it. My question is what are people doing instead / whats the plan when it comes to baldness? Are people here just accepting they'll go bald and learning to be ok with it and not fight it? Are people here wearing wigs instead / having that as the backup so they still visually have hair? Im 19 and realised I may not have good hair for as long as I would like. I dont know what to do, id love to hear from people here. Thanks :)

I just want to wrap my head around what people are doing now that they arent or wont be taking finasteride?

Ive seen soo many toxic comments on posts where people ask about fin and if its worth the risks etc. Almost everyone is disrespectful and acts like there stupid and dumb. It amazes me because despite the risk being apparently being "low", the risks still exists and there are storys & proof of it being devastating and life altering.

Its really pushed and infered that everyone saying its bad are weak men who fall in the small percentage of unlucky people, or they'll say its all in there head and isnt real. They talk about men who have side effects in very condescending invaliding ways, i picked up on it quickly.

But yeah just thought id talk about this here, it does feel like brain washing / there is a real disconnect in reality here and its disturbing. Having these good looking jacked men people envy tell them to hop on these drugs and not think twice and swear the side effects are virtually non existent, thats creepy. I wonder if more is at play here

Im 19 and havent took fin, cant lie ive wanted too but thank god ive found this community before its too late.

Talking to people + my own experience ive noticed blushing for alot of people is tied to some sort of childhood / younger years trauma. As well as trauma at any age but ive found most goes back to earlier years.

Just to clarify, when I say “trauma,” I’m referring to an event, incident, or period in your life that was particularly daunting, deeply embarrassing, or had a significant emotional impact on you, a time when you felt overwhelmed by stress, fear, shame, or other intense emotions. I hope that makes senses to people

For me (ive talked about it on here before) i never struggled with blushing until i moved schools for the first time in year 6 to a public school. I was quite sheltered at my other school (it was a private school) and felt very safe and secure there. With transitioning to a new school I was exposed to alot, and had so much stress and anxiety. It really felt like i was chucked in the ocean. Kids at this school were blunt and weren't afraid to call stuff out / be mean. I became so self conscious from all the times people would for no good reason comment on my appearance and specifically how red id get, alot of the times these comments were done openly in class where people would hear and look at me (i had never experienced this before at my other school or in life at all) The teacher I had was awful as well. She was very blunt and stubborn, and she was the type of teacher who would make you speak in front of the class or do something even after you'd made it clear you were uncomfortable or anxious. I was already such an anxious kid, and instead of being eased into things in a supportive way, I felt like I was constantly being pushed far outside my comfort zone. Looking back, I don't think I was pushed out of my comfort zone in a healthy or supportive way, I felt overwhelmed, exposed and mentally unsafe, and I developed a level of anxiety and self-consciousness that I'd never experienced before.

This is all just a guess, and hypothesis. There would be a huge handful of people who dont have any traumatic memory's that they can connect there blushing too. But I think its fair to say almost everything does happen for a reasons + starts somewhere and since blushing is so strongly linked to the nervous system and how we feel as humans, i imagine traumatic incidents especially in young years where we are vulnerable and are getting shaped, can make a big difference on this outcome.

By far one of the most relieving things is to find out your not alone and isolated when struggling with something.

For me knowing I'm not alone and that there are people that can relate and understand me, brings me so much relief and puts alot of weight off my shoulders. It isnt that im happy so many people struggle, its just feeling alone and like your the only one dealing with something is so unbelievablely depressing, isolating and scary.

Before I knew with the internet and all of these community's that there are people who struggle too, i didnt realise so many others could relate to this. And thats probably because Ive never really seen anyone in my personal life struggle with blushing. Sure, ive seen some people blush a little bit but its never been anything too serious or severe, and it made me feel like the odd one out. Even just going on social media or watching movies, the news, general tv etc I never see people blushing or turning red and again, it just made this feel more isolating and and like im alone. Its not one of those conditions that you come across alot with people

I also just want to say thank you to everyone who is in this community, weather your a member or just someone who occasionally reads posts without interacting! I am so passionate about helping people and community in general, i know how important it is to not be alone and be able to connect in with people alike. I remember when blushing first started effecting me I was maybe 14 - 15, instead of doing what kids my age would do on there phones, id be on the internet researching and going down forums trying to find a cure and awnsers, alot of the time id come across somewhat useful posts and but overall alot of posts would lack details or the awnsers to question I had. Fast forward to the last 5 months, I decided to create this community as a way to give back and create another space where people can share their experiences, questions, and things they’ve learned. When I was struggling, r/erythrophobia genuinely helped me a lot and still does, so this isn’t about replacing that community in any way, I just wanted to contribute in my own way. Both communitys serve a purpose!

This sub is for excessive blushing / idiopathic craniofacial erythema (ICE), the condition is believed to mainly stem from an exaggerated version of the normal blush reflex — the same nervous system response everyone has when embarrassed or stressed, just far more intense. But "idiopathic" means the full cause isn't well understood, and other factors (genetics, vascular sensitivity, individual triggers) likely play a role too. It typically doesn't involve inflammation, lingering redness, or an underlying skin condition unlike rosacea flushing

Rosacea is different -

rosacea is an actual skin disease. Doctors believe a combination of immune system dysregulation, blood-vessel dysfunction, and neurovascular activity contributes to ongoing inflammation. Even if it looks similar on the outside, there is a significant difference

You can have both -

that's completely possible. If you also experience the type of blushing described above separately from a skin condition / general condition, such as rosececa, kprf, hyperhidrosis etc, then you're possibly still a good fit here and there shouldn't be an issue! its expected most people in this community with deal with other issues

To Conclude:

when rosacea or another skin condition is added into the equation on the pure reason behind the blushing, it brings in other factors — the causes and treatments can differ from what this subreddit focuses on. There's still crossover, plenty of things can help both. Thank you !

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this will be posted every so often to make sure new members are informed on the community's focuses

if you've seen this already, feel free to skip over these !