My face gets BRIGHT red when working out. Help!

Eskimopie
Eskimopie Posts: 235 Member
edited September 26 in Fitness and Exercise
So much so that I can see other gym goers sneaking peaks...of concern or disdain, I don't know. Though I try to exercise pretty hard and am starting a running program, I'm not gasping for air or about to keel over. But my face makes it look like I am. I'm fair skinned and a redhead who blushes easily.

Is this ok? Or am I pushing too hard without realizing it? Any tips on minimizing this (or the embarrassment?)
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Replies

  • sammys1girly
    sammys1girly Posts: 1,045 Member
    Ha! After I run, especially, I am as red as a beet. Makes me a little self conscious and one old man asked me if I needed oxygen or something...you're there to get a good workout, so just ignore everyone's stares ; )
  • Plumpqt
    Plumpqt Posts: 156
    This happenes to me too, it sucks but there is really nothing we can do about it, it's the fair skin :blushing:
  • Eskimopie
    Eskimopie Posts: 235 Member
    Okay, I thought it might be the fair skin. Thanks guys :) Good to know I'm not actually about to have heart failure...
  • MyNameIsNotBob
    MyNameIsNotBob Posts: 565 Member
    This happens to me when I jog... I don't worry about what other people think.
  • CassieLEO
    CassieLEO Posts: 757 Member
    I am the SAME way! I turn beet red and it doesnt go away for a while after working out! I also am not a huge sweater, no matter how hard im working. So here I am hardly sweating, with a beet red face. LOL! So your not alone! LOL!
  • igora_soma
    igora_soma Posts: 486
    I'm in the same boat, red hair and pale skin. I've read that taking antihistamines helps, but I don't think it's worth it. I usually just go with it. I figure that I probably look weird, but they're probably just jealous at how awesome my workout is :P

    Plus red hair is awesome :P
  • summrrskinny
    summrrskinny Posts: 10
    It's nothing wrong, in fact it means that what you are doing is working,
    don't worry too much about it, in the gym i don't think anyone else is thinking about what each other look like, more about there own sweatiness :)
    you could always put a layer of foundation with a green based primer on before you workout, although choose one that isnt going to make obvious run marks down your face when you sweat.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    I have always gone very red and blotchy while exercising. I think some people just do. Even when I am not working that hard I look knackered. It's rather annoying!
  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
    It's OK and quite common in very fair-skinned people.

    Working on that tan is the only thing that will change it!
  • jojopel
    jojopel Posts: 348 Member
    I'm the same - I once had an instructor ask if I was OK. It's our skin tone.
  • alyssa92982
    alyssa92982 Posts: 1,093 Member
    Ha! Me too! My face gets super red too! Its so embarrassing! Glad I'm not the only one!
  • katie9730
    katie9730 Posts: 24
    Ah, that happens to me within about five minutes of any moderate kind of exercise. It's just from having pale skin.
  • JPayne53
    JPayne53 Posts: 235 Member
    Happens to me every time I workout! I'm not too fair skinned.. but it's just something that happens to some people when they get warm/hot.. good blood flow.. think about it, the same thing happens to me when I blush! :blushing:
  • believetoachieve
    believetoachieve Posts: 675 Member
    Take an antihistamine right before working out. It works on the blood vessels to keep you from turning red. I read that trick in either fitness magazine, or women's health (cant remember which!). I'm very fair skinned too :flowerforyou:
  • Eskimopie
    Eskimopie Posts: 235 Member
    It's OK and quite common in very fair-skinned people.

    Working on that tan is the only thing that will change it!

    Hahahahahaha a tan! In my dreams maybe. :)

    Just another annoyance for us fair people I guess.
  • mustangurl
    mustangurl Posts: 104 Member
    my face turns red at the slightest bit of exertion, i also blush REALLY easily. my nose and cheeks are always red anyways, are yours?
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    I am the same way.. when my trainer is working me really hard, I turn bright red and look like I'm about to hit the floor even though I'm perfectly fine.
  • lnadeau66
    lnadeau66 Posts: 135 Member
    Thanks everyone, I get red too, and it last for several hours. :embarassed:
  • stephc71885
    stephc71885 Posts: 50 Member
    me too! my parents are english so i've got that very fair skin. antihistamines do help, if you can tolerate them (i'm going to be a pharmacist in one month!). they tend to make most people drowsy (not the best thing when you're trying to work out!). i say where the red-face proud! it shows you've done some great work :)
  • jewels319
    jewels319 Posts: 72 Member
    Oh My God......I dont get completely red faced...but my skin on my whole body gets very splotchy red........almost like its saying hey...your allergic to the treadmill stop......doc says its just a different way your body is reacting to the vigorus blood flow and how your muscles are suckin in oxygen. How true....who knows.....but I havent dropped dead yet so i ignore it.
  • Eskimopie
    Eskimopie Posts: 235 Member
    my face turns red at the slightest bit of exertion, i also blush REALLY easily. my nose and cheeks are always red anyways, are yours?

    Yup, I always have red cheeks within an hour of waking up. I finally found the perfect foundation that entirely covers it up though...only took five years. Too bad it doesn't hold up during a workout!
  • Eskimopie
    Eskimopie Posts: 235 Member
    Take an antihistamine right before working out. It works on the blood vessels to keep you from turning red. I read that trick in either fitness magazine, or women's health (cant remember which!). I'm very fair skinned too :flowerforyou:

    That's interesting! I'll have to try it.
  • jesseBYAH
    jesseBYAH Posts: 446 Member
    Fair-skinned redhead here, too! It happens to me all the time. I also sweat like crazy when I'm working out. As long as you FEEL good then you're fine :) just make sure to stay hydrated!
  • jesseBYAH
    jesseBYAH Posts: 446 Member
    Take an antihistamine right before working out. It works on the blood vessels to keep you from turning red. I read that trick in either fitness magazine, or women's health (cant remember which!). I'm very fair skinned too :flowerforyou:

    Oooh! Thanks for sharing!
  • margonadeau
    margonadeau Posts: 5 Member
    I'm the same way. I was on my tredmill at home and my Aunt stoped by and i was so red she thought i was having a stroke. When I go to the gymI go about my business and let them look.
  • jltodd99
    jltodd99 Posts: 89
    That used to happen to my dad - but his was due to high blood pressure.
  • believetoachieve
    believetoachieve Posts: 675 Member
    Take an antihistamine right before working out. It works on the blood vessels to keep you from turning red. I read that trick in either fitness magazine, or women's health (cant remember which!). I'm very fair skinned too :flowerforyou:

    Oooh! Thanks for sharing!

    You're welcome ladies :smile: Just be careful you don't end up taking a "drowsy" version or you may fall asleep on the treadmill (though, at least your cheeks won't be red, right??)! :laugh:
  • StephanieJ82
    StephanieJ82 Posts: 233
    haha. happens to me too and i am olive skinned. I like it though, I think it makes me look hardcore. lol
  • torregro
    torregro Posts: 307
    As a retired P.A. can I at least *suggest* that before you decide to just "live with it" that you at least check your pulse and blood pressure at least once or twice when you're working out to capacity? A lot of people have home monitoring equipment that you could use, either at home or at the gym, just to be sure. While it is incredibly common for fair skinned people to have this reaction, I'd hate to ignore the obvious concern. :-)
    Good luck!
  • jlsAhava
    jlsAhava Posts: 411 Member
    So much so that I can see other gym goers sneaking peaks...of concern or disdain, I don't know. Though I try to exercise pretty hard and am starting a running program, I'm not gasping for air or about to keel over. But my face makes it look like I am. I'm fair skinned and a redhead who blushes easily.

    Is this ok? Or am I pushing too hard without realizing it? Any tips on minimizing this (or the embarrassment?)

    I've been diagnosed with rosacea and also tend to turn beet red after a hard workout. You can read a bit about it at rosacea.org. You may want to check with a dermatologist to make sure either way.

    May not be an issue for you at all, just thought I would throw it out there.
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