What causes red cheeks in children?

Everyone knows that children's skin is surprisingly tender and good. But some children often have red cheeks, as if they are frozen. Many parents do not take thanks seriously, thinking that their children have a fever only because of the temperature at home. In fact, it is possible that there is nothing serious and the child’s cheeks turn red just because of changes in the environment, but this is not the case in some cases. So what is the reason why children’s cheeks turn red? Let’s find out together!

1. What causes blushing?

Blushing can be physiological or pathological. Some healthy people have better peripheral blood circulation, and their faces will be ruddy after a little activity; some people will blush when they are shy, angry, or ashamed; some people may blush due to drinking; people living in the mountains need more red blood cells to absorb enough oxygen because the air is thinner, and once the hemoglobin carried by red blood cells increases, the color of the face will be redder; some people blush due to menopause, and some people blush due to systemic diseases, such as high blood pressure, tuberculosis, lupus erythematosus, etc. There is no need to worry about physiological blushing. As for pathological blushing, you should consult a doctor.

From a medical point of view, blushing means that the face turns redder more easily than other people due to changes in temperature or mood, and the color is darker and lasts longer. There are blood vessels in the skin, which expand or contract due to nerve factors, especially the cheeks are rich in capillaries, so the cheeks are more likely to redden. If the blushing only occurs in winter, it has more to do with temperature changes. Generally speaking, heat will dilate the blood vessels in the skin, causing the face to flush. Although coldness causes the blood vessels to contract, when the temperature rises, the blood vessels will rebound and expand, causing blushing. But some people may also blush due to abnormal expansion of blood vessels in extremely cold temperatures. The clinical manifestations are filamentous, dot-like, star-shaped or flaky on the face.

2. What to do if your cheeks are red?

When the temperature difference is too big, such as going from a cold wind to an air-conditioned room, the temperature fluctuates, and the micro-blood vessels lose elasticity in the repeated contraction and expansion, which is reflected in the cheeks and nose, causing the cheeks to become red and stinging. In the early stage, the face can return to its original state immediately after it turns red, but if it continues for a long time, the blood vessels will contract, lose their expansion function, and harden in the over-expanded state, making the face look red even at ordinary times. In severe cases, facial flushing symptoms will appear when you look up after lowering your head. This symptom is relatively calm in spring, summer and autumn, and becomes serious in winter.

Doctors suggest that in winter, we should avoid overly cold environments and sudden changes in temperature, pay attention to moisturizing and keeping warm the skin, and in particularly dry and high-temperature rooms, if the face feels dry, we should replenish water in time, and wash the face with warm water. When outdoors, we can use scarves or masks to prevent cold air from directly invading the face, and avoid excessive differences in humidity and temperature, which will cause the dilated microvessels to shrink rapidly when exposed to cold, forming red blood streaks. People with a history of facial frostbite should rub their faces frequently in winter to promote blood circulation.

In terms of diet, doctors say that people who are prone to blushing should eat less food that increases vasodilation, such as coffee, tea, cola and other caffeinated foods. Supplementing with some vitamin B can also help nerve repair and calm the nerves. In addition, you should avoid sun exposure, alcohol, spicy and irritating foods, and avoid anger, tension or overexcitement, as these can contribute to facial blushing.