red face after exercise - tips?!!

SASSYJAX

Hi all,
This is a funny one...
I have been trying to exercise in the mornings before I have breakfast, thats ok, its my best time and doesnt bother anyone but when I have had a good 30 ins on my treadmill my face is redder than a beetroot!

SO not only does it now mean I have to wash my hair everyday (yawn) cos I am so sweaty but it means I cant get ready (make up on) properly as my face is so red and I cant get dressed as I am still sweaty!!!

any ideas how anyone else just gets on with their day please?!!

tavander

That happens to me too My strategy is to take a cool shower to bring my temperature back down, I let it run on my head and face in particular. I use bare escentials (sp?) make up and coincidentally, it does an amazing job toning down the red so I look human again

SHBoss1673

a correct cool down period of 5 to 10 minutes of gradual lessening of the cardio should get rid of this. It's not a good idea to just stop after a hard workout, you always want to take at least 5 minutes and slowly go down from your workout intensity to a much slower intensity to give your blood a chance too cool your body down and to eliminate the possibility of blood pooling in the extremities. Generally this isn't an issue as a red face is common when exercising, but if it happens really easily, or in other situations besides exercise, you may want to chat with your doctor about it as it is a symptom of some other conditions.

pinbotchick

If you are doing a cool down and still have a red face, then it may be from excessive caffeine. My mother used to have this problem (she is a diet coke-aholic). Caffeine is a terrible cause of facial flushing and redness in general around the face. Try to cut it out as much as possible as it literally dehydrates your body and the tiredness as a result can cause redness, flushing and hot flashes. Make sure to drink plenty of water.

HonestOmnivore

I've had to deal with this too! In college a group of us went to the 6:30 AM step class and looking in the mirror I would see four beautiful, healthy, glowing young women, and me -frizzy haired and blotchy red face, and sweaty! UGH! In college I had time, and didn't really care about how I looked in a morning class. As a professional it's a little trickier!

I do as advised above - make sure I have a cool-down (minimum of five minutes) I use a HRM and while I turn off my stopwatch for my average HR and total workout time, I leave the monitor on to watch my HR drop. I have started making myself stretch after the workout too. I do three sets of crunches and stretch between them. This gives my heart additional recovery time (and I drink water while doing this too). Then I get into the shower, using a much cooler water temp than I would normally choose - focusing mostly on washing the sweat out of my hair and scalp. I have thick long hair and I've never washed it daily so every other day In rinse it very well and use a little conditioner - no soap. On the wash days I only use about half the shampoo I normally would and focus on the scalp - this has helped my hair manage LOL!

By the time I'm out of the shower and getting dressed my body has pretty much recovered., I moisturize my face and body and get dressed leaving off my jacket or sweater until after breakfast. Right now I'm finishing breakfast (in front of my pc - yeah) with a small fan turned on to keep my face dry. Next I'll put on makeup right before I go out the door.

I use minimal makeup now- mostly a tinted moisturizer (or mix a little base with my moisturizer), eye liner and lipstick. I have additional makeup at work in case I feel the need for a more polished look.

All of this means I have to get up at 5 AM which means I have to be in bed, lights out by 10 PM - I'm still working on that second part! I've also stopped worrying about getting into work "on-time". I make sure to schedule my morning meetings to start after 8:30.

I hope that helps!

SASSYJAX

hey thanks to all replies...just to add ...

I dont drink any caffeine, even in tea.
and I only go red after exercise (oh and sex if its energetic!!!) lol!

thanks for the tips, its breaking down the barriers of preventing me getting up early to exercise - love the feeling though!
Cant wait for the summer....

angelwings2000

I am always a little red in the face.......just the coloring I was born with. After a morning workout I look as bright as a Christmas ornament! I take my shower to cool down. I don't wear alot of foundation, maybe tinted moisturizer and I apply my eye makeup and just try not to look at the big picture. I do commute into work so I just relax in the knowledge that one hour later when I am at work.......most of the red is gone. :blushing:

Simplicity

I am always a little red in the face.......just the coloring I was born with. After a morning workout I look as bright as a Christmas ornament! I take my shower to cool down. I don't wear alot of foundation, maybe tinted moisturizer and I apply my eye makeup and just try not to look at the big picture. I do commute into work so I just relax in the knowledge that one hour later when I am at work.......most of the red is gone. :blushing:

Me too. Sometimes I go purple lol. But im out of it as soon as I stop and my heart rate is down. I used to be the same when i was in school but That was because I was a naughty smoker, Quitting obviously helpe but the more I work out the less i go red. I think its to do with elavated heart levels too. when Im in "the zone" I'm ok but over the that its purple time ha ha.