I'm really glad to of seen this site I thought that I was the only one that had this horrible rash. None of my friends have it and it just holds me back from my day to day life. I'm 17 and have had it since about 8th grade. It makes me so self concious I swear its slowely ruining my life. I just want it to go away....its ruined my high school dances, the way I look at myself and put me into a depression. It isn't just the rash itself but what it has made me change about the way I want to be. I want to be able to wear what I want..show my cleavage once in awhile haha and most of all be comfortable in my skin. I used to tan to try and cover it up but the tanning just caused my skin to peal and just wasn't really covering it up. My friends tell me that I'm beautiful and theres no reason to fret over it but they really don't understand. Even when I don't fret over it, it still ends up to show up and someone points it out...I just hate it so much! Please can some one tell me what I could do to just get rid of it.

Go see a dermatologist!

I don't think this is a skin condition the same way as a rash due to an allergy would be. I've had this blotchy red nerve rash for more than 10 years & only in the last year or so I found out that many people also get it.

It's an overactive Symphatic Nervous System where at times of anxiety & stress our bodies are creating a heavy rush of adrenaline & causing the capillaries to dilate with blood & then making our skin blotchy & red with this rash. That's what I think it is.

I have thought about seeing a dermatologist but believe it's coming from within not just on the skin surface.

I take beta blockers & don't get the rash anymore. My doc knew about this & prescribed these meds to me.

Just wanted to post this article about blushing & blood vessels.

http://skin-care.health-cares.net/skin-blu shing.php

A dermatologist would be able to treat this.

I thought I was the only one who had this rash I have been to the doctor and he had no clue what it was. I get it daily when I get upset at the kids but it goes away after I calm down. I get the rash when I drink, get nervous, upset, hot, tan, social conflicts and anxiety. It just flairs up out of no where and takes over. It covers my neck and chest. I have been on meds to try to clear it up when I get a real bad up roar of it and nothing seems to work but letting it seep and dry out and cold compresses too. I only get bad up roars about once a year and its when I itch the rash and then it itches more and then I look like a burn patient. I am just glad I am not the only one out here that has this Nasty rash. I will have to try some of this stuff you all are recommending for it. Thanks for the tips.

hi there,you say you ve been on meds that dont seem to work , can you name them for me so when i see my doctor soon i ll pass on it if he precribes me what you had.i hope it wasn t a bete blocker?thats what i am goin to try ,it can work for some.you say u get the rash with the kids but do u get it at work?

I have this same thing, and id like to know who finds anything that works. It's decomposes your self esteem. In highschool i couldnt talk to a guy without turning red, then breaking out in a rash, which then turned to hives, its nerves we understand that, but theres got to be something that can prevent or control it, what kind of life to life when you have so many things youd like to do, but dont because you feel the need to prevent yourself from more embarassment. I get this rash and hives all over my body though, and its bad, i swell up in welps and its so depressing having people staring at you, asking questions.

redannie, i don't think its from smoking...i dont smoke, and never have...i read in a post somewhere that people noticed this rash shortly after a traumatic experience...and then i began thinking, going WAY BACK, it did start after witnessing something bad...
I just went to my doctor and he gave me altace, which is a bp pill...i've been taking it a week now, no luck yet, but will keep everyone posted...

Everyone, please scroll down and read one of my posts, and tell me if you have the same symptoms...

I get this too. Though, my it becomes an intense urge to itch.. Like it needley itch and it's painful and it's VERY hard to not itch, but I try not to. If you itch, it'll leave marks of the dots.. Usually it goes away after I "cool" down...

It comes all over my body.. If I do not "cool" down, it'll keep getting worse.. A person can look at me while I'm in a car and it just happens... Or if I THINK someone is watching me it happens.. It sucks... I have SAD and this crap.. It can happen when I'm all happy and not worried about other people, but then the itchyness happens and it's uncontrollable... It happens when I'm online gaming.. Even talking with my dad while he watch me play and I am not wining.. lol that's sad!

I could live with rednesss, but the itchyness and the bumps and red dots are annoying...(all over arms and face, well everywhere)
this usually happens during the colder time of the year..(though I can get anytime, but more proned to it during september though march).. I lived Missouri and other places.. but now In south Texas and still get it, it does get cold, but hot and cold(maybe drier skin) In Lousiana, I don't remember actually getting this... Maybe below sea level helps?

Hey everyone :]

Iâ??ve always been an easy blusher for as long as I can remember. But starting a few years ago Iâ??ve started getting red in other places than my face (neck, chest and ears) whenever I get nervous, embarrassed, excited, really happy, etc. Sometimes itâ??ll come up randomly, when Iâ??m completely relaxed watching tv or something. Needless to say, itâ??s embarrassing. Whenever someone points it out or asks about it I just tell them Iâ??m allergic to a necklace or earrings I was wearing earlier, or my zipper on my zip up hoodie. Itâ??s kind of believable too, because I am actually allergic to nickel. But anyway. A few months ago I started looking stuff up on the internet and started writing down some things that people where taking to get rid of the blotches:

-Niacinamide
-GABA or GABA Plus
-Inderal
-Inositol
-Magnesium supplements
-Beta blockers
-Antihistamines
-Clarityn
-St John's Wort
-Daily vitamins

Some people said that...

-Changing to a healthier diet
-Reducing sugar and bread intake
-Seeing therapists
-Getting more exercising
-Getting their sympathetic nerve cut

...also helped get rid of the redness. Iâ??ve taken 500-1000mg of niacinamide and 500mg of magnesium a day for about a month and a half now and so far it keeps the rashes away pretty good. Iâ??m gonna order some GABA Plus and see how that works.

I donâ??t know how much sense this will make, but Iâ??ll give a shot at explaining it. When my neck gets red, it also gets warm, but it can also get warm without getting red. So whenever I feel my chest growing hot I just imagine that itâ??s not red...if that makes any sense? Itâ??s raised my confidence about the whole thing a little bit.

Hey guys,

I'm 22, male, and I've had this terrible phobia for at least 10 years. Unlike other people here, my phobia was triggered by a lone event which happened in Grade 7. Leading up to Grade 7 I was a very confident kid who always participated in class, social settings, etc. The awful day came when I was severely embarrassed by my teacher. This was the first time I ever experienced a rush of blood to my face, neck and upper chest. A few weeks after that incident, I had to do a presentation where, of course, my redness was triggerred because I was in the same setting as when it happened the first time. This time, half-way thru my presentation, my teacher stopped me and called me over to her desk. Of course, at this point every kid in the room is wondering why my face is blotchy red and is starring. Anyways, my teacher then proceeds to pull out a mirror from her purse and forces me to look into it. This was turning point for me. If you think this was not bad enough, she then had to throw in a few wise cracks like "What are you going to do on your wedding day?!" Can you beleive this? I'm in grade 7 and my teacher is cracking jokes about me while the whole class watches in awe. Anyways, she then told me to leave and a get some water and return when my face isn't red.

From that point until now I have not been the same. My erythrophobia has progressively got worse over the years, and I am now starting to get professional help. My face gets very red whenever I know that it will go red. This is completely a psychological demon and has nothing to do with skin conditions (at least in my case).

From my experience, the worst thing that you can do if you have erythrophobia, is avoid situations where you think it might happen. You MUST not shy away from anything or anyone. You almost need to get mad and and psych yourself up and convince yourself that the people that you are talking to are "nobodies" and that they truly don't give a damn who you are or what you have to say. This phobia truly is a fear of being judged by others and therefore you must convince yourself that these people don't care how you may look.

I really want to speak to people who have this phobia. Afterall, speaking about it is really therapeutic.

send me an email:

When I came upon this site, I was sooo relieved to find out I was not the only one with this nervous rash. It started when I was around 13. And it seems to have gotten worse ever since! I am now 26. I was told back then that Lupus was a possibility because of the rash on my face called the "butterfly rash." I continue to see my rehumatologist regulary and he has not diagnosed me with Lupus, but had said I definatly have a collagen vascular disease. Although the nervous rash on my neck and chest also has nothing to do with collagen vascular disease. He seems to have no answers as to why that happens. As everyone else here, the rash comes on when I am nervous, stressed, uncomfortable, or really in any type of social situation. I wish I could wear a TURTLENECK every day, but I know I can't...I live in Miami!! I pray that God will heal whatever it is that is causing this. I wish I could be more outgoing and talk to people without my emotions literally showing all over my face, neck and chest!

I have been getting a rash like this since I was about 14 and I am now in my late twenties. I get it when I am nervous, hot, drinking alcohol, upset, crying, or excited. It happens even when I don't feel nervous and sometimes I do not even notice it until someone points it out. And everyone points it out, which just makes it worse. I am a lawyer now and it happens every time I have a meeting with my boss, speak in public, and many times even while speaking with someone over the phone. It also happens around my closest friends sometimes just because attentionis focused on me, though I feel totally comfortable with those people. I take a beta-blocker for public speaking or other situations when expect I will get the rash. Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. I am getting married soon and my doctor prescribed ativan. I will try it before the wedding to see how it makes me feel or if it works. But, has anyone else ever tried this? I just don't want blotches all over my neck in our wedding photos. Thanks for reading!

I've never heard of or seen that before, and I'm not a doctor but my best suggestion would be to learn to manage your stress so it doesn't get to that point. But congrats on the wedding and I hope you come up with a solution.

I am SOOOO excited to know that I am not alone. My friends and I call it "THE RASH" which I have gotten for as long as I can remember. It truly handicaps me day to day. It totally makes me not confident and thats not the best quality for a hairstylist(which I am). So why are there no answers to this problem that is a struggle for so many??? I've asked plenty of doctors and no one knows what it is or what to do. I have been a very anxious person for as long as I can remember and been on beta blockers and anti-anxiety meds which never take that feeling away. I was called radish in elementary school and to tell you the truth I"M SO TIRED of worrying about it. People say live with it and I'm sure as you must know....not that easy! I am getting married in July and I am desperate for an an swer to this....Its sad to think that most people worry about how there hair looks and if the flowers are perfect....I on the other hand worry about the UGLY RASH!!!!!

YES please let me know if that dermablend works for you! PLEASE

i have that same problem and i need something to make the rash go away. I get it all the time.

hey i also get the red rash too.. im 16 and i hav been experiencing this redness for nearly 3 years now. I hate it and when i'm in class and i start to feel it coming i just want to get out of there! my friends always notice it now.. but they are just immune to it now.. but i feel sorry for all those that have experienced this rash for several years. i want it to stop now so i don't have to go through all those years of embarrassment..

BUT... i have recently been using a product called DERMABLEND.. i heard about this on another forum n wanted to try it out. i am into performing such as dancing and drama.. and i really needed a solution.. well dermablend is like makeup you put on specific areas.. i use it all the time and the rash is no longer visible.. its brilliant!! :]

BUT now my friends notice the make up and i start to get veryy conscious as i am forever worrying bout what other people think.. but as the 36 year old lady said above me.. about having to mentally fight it.. i agree!

she has really inspired me to FIGHT it and instead of putting my head down for doing 'readings' at school or not putting my hand up incase my face/neck turns red in answering a question.. i will do all these things plus more and i know eventually i will overcome this nervous rash/blushing.. i hope this inspires more people to do the same!!

use dermablend for social occasions.. it really helps but also be determined to fight and overcome this moster of a rash

goodluck!

I am so so thankful that I decided to start looking into this rash. I have had it for about 10 years and it has been so debilitating and has really affected my self confidence.
My mum has told me that when I used to perfom ballet she would see me on the stage and my ears were always bright red. I never felt nervous but everytime I went onstage the ears would glow... in my mid-teens this progressed into the rash on the neck. I remember I was valedictorian and as I gave my speech I was so red and in my pictures I look awful.
During my uni years every time I had to do an oral presentation I would be so red that i could feel the heat radiating off my neck. No matter how many people say "oh well, it's not that big of a deal" - it IS and when you have to live with it every day it a constant worry. As much as I try to laugh it off and give all the excuses I can think of (perfume allergy, hot flushes, food allergy) It makes me cring every time someone blatantly points out "wow, you've got a weird red rash on your neck" (i find this so rude but It's understandable when people have never seen it before).

I was amazed to find out that people are having success on beta-blockers. I saw a dermatologist for 3 months (cost a fortune) and he told me to take an antihistamine every day. This does absolutely nothing (even the drowsy ones like doxylamine and phenergan).

I often find that when the rash comes on (especially at it's worst) I feel dizzy and sometimes get a real 'rush' - therefore I was intruiged when I heard that beta-blockers could work... it makes sense to me.

I hope everyone out there finds some peace in that you are not alone, especially those who eat healthy, meditate and 'try not to focus on it' but still suffer.



Good luck & best wishes

Kate

Wow, Ive just found this site and hearing your stories really helps. I first experienced the rash on my face when I went to see a band when I was about 15 (I think it was Golden Earring!) During the gig I got really hot and I had also been using an acne treatment lotion (that I believe was later taken off of the market and which at the time I felt had contributed to the problem). After the gig a friend asked me what was wrong, although apart from a burning sensation I couldnt see the problem. When I got home I found that my face had come out in a horrible rash and I just freaked out. I then seemed to get through until my forties without a really noticable outbreak.

During my forties I have taken on a more responsible role in social work and have found that I now quite often 'erupt' into the rash. I realise that its stress and self esteem related and I have virtually cut out caffiene which definitely helps, but the dreaded rash wont actually go away. I have found that getting tired brings it on, using a computer, social anxiety and even sexual stimulation. Due to it, I've been feeling like a social outcast for some time. It has wrecked any feelings of confidence that I once had and I just want to hide away when its active (which is now quite frequent). I am also taking sertraline, (which has assisted in the past with anxiety which is a major contributory factor), but it's not a cure and I would so really like to beat this!

I guess reading other people's stories has made me aware that I also have to recognise the fact that I have also experienced social anxiety for years. The daily stresses of life that most people deal with really knock me out emotionally and I often want to avoid it all. In my twenties I briefly lived in a Buddhist retreat centre and I still gravitate towards those teachings. I think it was in the centre that I realised that life could be calmer and kinder and I remember that even my skin looked healthier. I'm often confused as to why I have still elected to struggle out here 'in real the world', but as I have, it would be cool to at least be able to do it with some dignity, which I feel this condition robs me of.

Some of your comments and stories mention 'wearing ones emotions on ones face (blushing)'. This is the worst part, as it just feels so damn obvious that I am feeling stressed out, tired or even turned on! I have used Benedryl Cream (for allergies) for a while now and it has a very quick affect although it doesnt last for long and it tends to really dry the skin. I think I'll try the product mentioned by some of you (Derma something?) and see how that goes. Maybe acupuncture's also worth a try. Couldn't we all just all move into a small town and take it over and be blotchy together? Take care , I'll let you kow how it goesXXX