Why do we blush?

Answer 1

Its part of the "Fight or Flight" response, the blood vessels dilate to allow more blood flow to the muscles and peripheral blood vessels so we can use the muscles to respond to threatening situations.

Answer 2

Blushing results from an increase in superficial facial blood volume: blood vessels in the skin dilate, and red blood cells color the skin red. The area of skin that can blush is usually restricted to the face, ears, and neck, and in rare cases, the upper body. This dilation of the blood vessels is involuntary. Stress can increase the activity in the autonomic nervous system. Blushing appears to be an involuntary sympathetic nervous system response.

Blushing starts at three years of age. At that age we become aware that others can observe us. Most people, however, do not remember blushing before the age of five. Normally, the intensity and frequency of blushing peaks in teenage years and decreases with age. However, even very old people can blush, and the amount of blushing varies greatly between individuals.

Answer 3

Being in an embarrassing or exciting situation causes your heart rate to speed up, increasing blood flow and your veins dilate. The blood rushes to the surface of the skin, trying to cool and calm you down. The paler your skin is naturally, and the more agitated you are, the more obvious the blush.
Some people blush easily, others less so. A painful blush (when you can *feel* your face get hot) is caused by a strong adrenaline/emotional surge.

Answer 4

When psycho-social aspects, strong, specific emotions occur it triggers blood vessels to dilate in response to this. But because of anatomical reasons it is isolated in specific areas, instead of blushing all over the body. Two main hypotheses to explain this regional restriction have been proposed. One is that vasodilation takes place throughout the entire skin of the body but is only visible in the blush region due to special anatomical structure of that region. The second is that a specific form of vasodilation takes place exclusively in the blush region. It is likely, that a combination of these two factors accounts for blushing.

Answer 5

good question. people say its if something someone has said has touched us in a personal way, if we care for a person or if we are lying. but thats so not true with me! i blush at EVERYTHING, like if a family member talks to me about another person i might know, if a stranger or maybe someone i know talks to me, or even if someone walks into a room!! i dont have to know or fancy the person, they could be butt ugly and i would still blush! i also blush when someone asks me a question -even if i am telling the truth! i hate it and find it totally embarrassing and wish there was a way to control it. its just weird!!

Answer 6

HOPE THIS HELPS YOU!!! ;) =) GOOD LUCK!!
http://www.hhmi.org/cgi-bin/askascientist/highlight.pl?kw=&file=answers%2Fgeneral%2Fans_029.html

Blushing is caused by dilation of the small blood vessels in the face, leading to increased local blood volume. It is not the result of general vasodilation, because the blush area is confined to the face. The facial vein that supplies the small blood vessels in the face is responsive to beta-adrenergic stimulation, a property not common in venous tissue, and this is likely to be the neural basis of the response. Beta-adrenergic stimulation occurs when adrenaline binds to receptors on the surface of responsive cells. This triggers the activation of an enzyme called adenylyl cyclase, which increases the level of cyclic AMP, a small molecule that acts as a messenger to transmit the adrenaline signal within the cell. Changes in cyclic AMP levels can affect the responses of a tissue. In this case, for example, an increase in the cyclic AMP level leads to dilation. Blushing is physiologically distinguishable from other types of facial flushing, such as that caused by consumption of alcohol, arousal, or hormonally induced "hot flashes," which are not caused by beta-adrenergic stimulation.

None of this information answers the basic question: Why do we blush? Actually, the reason isn't known. Despite how common blushing is, it has received very little scientific attention. Most studies about blushing have been conducted by psychologists, and the scant findings so far suggest that blushing is a response to undesired social attention. Self-consciousness is the only feeling universally associated with blushing. Other emotions, such as embarrassment, gratitude, or pleasure, may accompany this feeling of conspicuousness. In support of this hypothesis, blushing behavior first becomes common in children of kindergarten age, when they begin to develop a "social self" and interact with others in more complex social situations. Blushing peaks during adolescence, when social anxiety and self-awareness also peak, and then decreases with age. The responsiveness of the facial vein to beta-adrenergic stimulation also decreases with age, so the physiological basis mirrors the proposed psychological basis. Differences in blushing behavior exist between men and women (women, for example, are more likely than men to blush in response to a compliment) and between people with different cultural backgrounds (people from a European culture blush more readily than those from an Asian culture). There are no discernable physiological differences between these groups, suggesting the differences are social ones.

Answer 7

When psycho-social aspects, strong, specific emotions occur it triggers blood vessels to dilate in response to this. But because of anatomical reasons it is isolated in specific areas, instead of blushing all over the body. Two main hypotheses to explain this regional restriction have been proposed. One is that vasodilation takes place throughout the entire skin of the body but is only visible in the blush region due to special anatomical structure of that region. The second is that a specific form of vasodilation takes place exclusively in the blush region. It is likely, that a combination of these two factors accounts for blushing.

Answer 8

Jammyjamas are currently the resun people blushh. sexual excitemnt rushes to the cheeks and releases jammy chem,icals into the atmosphere making people blushh.. Eva blushed in sex?? We,ll go on the excitemnet is thrilling like a rollar coaster ride with all the stamina. And maybe a n orange can help kill the pain of sexual encounters,

Answer 9

There is evidence that the blushing region is anatomically different in structure. The facial skin, for example, has more capillary loops per square millimeter and generally more vessels per unit volume than other skin areas. In addition, blood vessels of the cheek are wider in diameter, are nearer the surface, and visibility is less diminished by tissue fluid. These specific characteristics of the architecture of the facial vessels led Wilkin in an overview of possible causes of facial flushing to the following conclusion: "[...] increased capacity and greater visibility can account for the limited distribution of flushing"

Answer 10

We blush when we are emotionally aroused in a specific way, its a signal to the other people around us.
Turkey stags 'blush' just before they are going to fight for dominance, their wattles hang from their cheeks, they fill with blood and turn bright red. For them the signal means they are angry (another type of emotional arousal.)
Some emotions provoke a specific physical response as a display. You've probably seen birds raise their crest, you may have seen films of octopus and cuttlefish change colour. It makes a clear signal to anyone around you about how you're feeling, they are supposed to modify their behaviour as a response.

Answer 11

Now, shall I spoil the mention of this beautiful and very human expression with an explanation? I think not. I would instead see someone blush and let the magic work its way into things ... hush!!