Shabina Akhtar explains: Blushing involves a sudden reddening of the face, neck and ears. Along with that normally goes an avoidance of eye contact with others and a tingling sensation over the entire body. “It is caused by a transient increase in blood flow in the skin due to widening of blood vessels which are controlled by the autonomic nerves (nerves that control the involuntary action of vital organs and blood vessels),” says Dr Dinesh Hawelia, consultant dermatologist, at the AMRI Hospital in Salt Lake, Calcutta.

Any emotional feeling in the mind triggers the secretion of certain hormones like adrenaline, which lead to the widening of blood vessels. This results in an increased flow of blood, which causes a congestion of blood in veins, arteries and capillaries.

The congested blood is not very visible in other parts of the body due to difference in skin textures. General skin consists of two layers ? the outer epidermis and the inner dermis which is rich is blood vessels. The facial skin, chin, ear lobule are richly supplied with blood vessels. As the skin in this region is extremely sensitive, when a person blushes, the blood congests in those numerous vessels and it shows up.

“Severe blushing is accompanied with sweating as the autonomic nerves also control the sweat glands. Blushing is an exaggerated physiological response to emotions in fair skinned people and at times anxiety may be its cause,” he added.

The question was sent by Sunil Singh from Burdwan.