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Original poster

Red Face when exercising

100 replies

oopsydaisee · 11/04/2025 07:57

Recently starting running, which is the first type of exercise I actually enjoy. However, my face gets SO red like a tomato and I find it embarrassing. Anyone know of any tips to reduce this as I am on the verge of quitting because of it. I’ve red taking an antihistamine before can help but I did try it and it didn’t seem to make a difference really.

OP posts:
Poonu · 11/04/2025 11:13

XenoBitch · 11/04/2025 10:53

I go red too. I used to go to the gym and overheard the staff make comments about my red face. Cancelled my membership and not been in a gym since.
I use VR to exercise now in the privacy of my own home. I get a red face and an oval mark on my face as a nice extra. That does take ages to fade too.

That's awful sorry to hear that.
They sound like absolute asshats, half their clientele must get colour when they exercise.
My gym are careful to talk behind my back lol.
Don't let these people make you hide away.

XenoBitch · 11/04/2025 11:13

taylorsdoingapart · 11/04/2025 11:10

I wish there was a solution, twice I've had strangers asking if I'm ok because of the colour of my face. I don't even have to be working that hard.

I walked to Halfords to pick up a bicycle. About a 2 mile walk, and it was a warm day. When I got there, the guy at the desk ushered me to jump the queue, and asked someone to get a chair and some water for me. I was fine! Just red and sweaty.

Baddaybigcloud · 11/04/2025 11:13

Just shout “tempo” at anyone you pass so they think you’re going at max effort 😂

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Skin conditions
Youaremythtaken · 11/04/2025 11:19

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 11/04/2025 11:11

Ooh, I've just had a thought - I wonder if the red/not red has anything to do with losing heat and efficiency? I go bright red and sweat like a dray horse, but I cope very well in heat and hot countries. I have a friend who stays wonderfully pale but can't cope with the heat at all and has to sit indoors with the curtains drawn if it gets to more than about eighteen degrees.

If this is the case then I think we just congratulate ourselves on our wonderful self-cooling abilities. And try not to worry. Red face is nothing, everyone is more concerned with covering up their sweat patches.

I think that may be coincidence - I get a red face when exercising and I can't handle the heat at all.

I only tend to get it when I'm working particularly hard - do you think that may be the case for you op? When you're running most of your runs shouldn't really be at max effort. So you could try making sure your pace is nice and slow on most of your runs. Or just give it time and as you get fitter you might find you get less red?

I am also a heavy sweater which I don't mind so much when I'm running but I feel self conscious in the gym.

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 11/04/2025 11:20

Youaremythtaken · 11/04/2025 11:19

I think that may be coincidence - I get a red face when exercising and I can't handle the heat at all.

I only tend to get it when I'm working particularly hard - do you think that may be the case for you op? When you're running most of your runs shouldn't really be at max effort. So you could try making sure your pace is nice and slow on most of your runs. Or just give it time and as you get fitter you might find you get less red?

I am also a heavy sweater which I don't mind so much when I'm running but I feel self conscious in the gym.

Show quote history

Bugger. I'll hand back the Nobel Science prize now...

Strawberrypicnic · 11/04/2025 11:27

I get this too and it's the same regardless of how fit I am. I'm not talking "attractively flushed' it's literally full on tomato. I used to be self conscious but I realised there's nothing I can do about it! I think it is genetic to a large degree. I am blonde haired and blue eyed and it appears to partially correlate with that as I have noticed even top pro footballers with similar colouring to me end up much redder on the pitch than their teammates (look at Kevin De Bruyne at the end of a match!)

user1471538275 · 11/04/2025 11:31

I swear I saw people moving towards the defibrillator when I was doing parkrun, especially as I would sprint down the final strait, looking like a human beetroot.

I'm fair skinned and blush very easily so I guess it's just my skin.

Gingerwarthog · 11/04/2025 11:35

I am fair skinned and fair haired and go bright red after a run. Nothing to do with my fitness levels and it doesn’t bother me (neither does sweating( as I am just pleased to be out exercising. I even go red in the pool if I’m pushing it. If I have to go to work straight after a run and shower I slap on the cc cream, drink loads of water and it calms down quite quickly.

cowboyhats · 11/04/2025 11:38

I get this too- I have fair skin and am prone to rosacea. I also used to blush easily which is annoying as often I am not even feeling embarrassed in myself but it still happens. I agree with others- its just your skin tone/type.

Please dont let this stop you from exercising - it's so great for mental and physical health. If you are finding its happening when drinking alcohol and spicy foods and with heat (without exercise) it might be worth looking into rosacea creams like soolantra.

BogRollBOGOF · 11/04/2025 13:02

Beetroot woman here!
Think of all that lovely circulation nourishing your skin and flushing the waste away Grin

As you get fitter, you can do more before activating beetroot zone.

My most recent set of race photos looked fierce. I was sprinting and chanting my mantra "I am tall, I am fast, I am strong" which got truncated to "Tall! Fast! Strong!" as I maxed out. I felt epic, but it didn't translate well into photography 😂

I remember an advert in the lockers in the gym many years ago..."ladies glow, men perspire, and winners sweat their chugs off"
I aim to sweat my chugs off , and if anyone thinks poorly of me for it, that's their problem not mine.

Beetroots are underrated. Embrace the glow Grin

massistar · 11/04/2025 13:06

I’m fair skinned and blush easily, full blown tomato face here when I run. I don’t sweat, just go really red. I’ve never really cared to be honest. Like PPs have said it shows I’m working hard!

blackheartsgirl · 11/04/2025 14:02

I go red in the face no matter what I do, even cleaning. The staff where I work have commented on my red face now and again but it’s not done maliciously.. I just laugh it off now..
it’s got worse as I near fifty. Sometimes I wear cc cream but more often than not I just can’t be arsed

Lynz301 · 11/04/2025 14:38

I get this too, and I feel better when I wear a cap as I feel like I’m not as recognisable. I know it sounds a bit daft but honestly, no one looks at runners and thinks they look bad - for all anyone knows, you’re finishing a 20 mile run!! Good on you for getting out there!!!

wandawaves · 11/04/2025 15:01

I go extraordinarily dark deep red. I've never seen anyone else remotely like it. Even googling i can't find anything similar.
I was bullied relentlessly for it at school. And as an adult, I get a lot of panicked people who think I'm about to drop, and i will be made to stop what I'm doing and take a seat, gotten iced water etc.
This isn't just after exercise, it's in mildly warm weather too.

I had just avoided exercise most of my adult life. And I hibernate in summer.

Then last year I was at the dermatologist for a skin check and I asked him. I was wanting to start exercising but was in quite a panic thinking of my redness. I expected him to laugh and say no there's nothing you can do, but he said yes, you can do VBeam laser. 😱
It works best on rosacea, but does have a moderate effect on flushing. Anyway I had the recommended 4 sessions, and it has actually worked!! Now I just go the normal amount of pinkness a normal person goes after exercise. I didn't notice any flushing over summer either.

The cons are- it's expensive!! But I'm not in the UK, so I don't know what it's like there. It's also temporary. The top up sessions apparently should only be one session, and apparently most people come every 6-12 months. You do also get some bruising after, i had bruising after 3 out of 4 sessions.

I will definitely do it again. We've just had summer here and i was perfectly fine, even in the heat and even while exercising. It's been a life changer for me.

Mylegishangingoff · 11/04/2025 15:02

I get a red face when I exercise too. It's just how my body reacts. On the plus side I barely sweat so you'll never catch me dripping all over the place. You win some, you lose some.

IAmNeverThePerson · 11/04/2025 15:03

I’ve had people stop me when hiking to check i was ok my face goes such a funny colour. If anyone has a solution let me know.

coxesorangepippin · 11/04/2025 15:07

I get this

This is why I don't exercise to excess

MaMaMaMaBaker · 11/04/2025 15:09

BogRollBOGOF · 11/04/2025 13:02

Beetroot woman here!
Think of all that lovely circulation nourishing your skin and flushing the waste away Grin

As you get fitter, you can do more before activating beetroot zone.

My most recent set of race photos looked fierce. I was sprinting and chanting my mantra "I am tall, I am fast, I am strong" which got truncated to "Tall! Fast! Strong!" as I maxed out. I felt epic, but it didn't translate well into photography 😂

I remember an advert in the lockers in the gym many years ago..."ladies glow, men perspire, and winners sweat their chugs off"
I aim to sweat my chugs off , and if anyone thinks poorly of me for it, that's their problem not mine.

Beetroots are underrated. Embrace the glow Grin

Actually you're right. You reminded me of something. I used to do Bikram yoga. They make you do 90 minutes of it in oven like temperatures. So I'd come out looking like Captain Tomato. But my skin would glow for ages afterwards when it faded.

One time I went straight to the supermarket because I had to grab some wine for a party. I only had my gym bag so I had no ID. I was well into my thirties and they got really snappy with me at the checkout for trying to buy it. I remember it because they were so bemused that I thought I'd get away with it.

I ended up going back with my ID later and the rude gentleman who refused to serve me earlier came up to me in the aisle to ask what I thought I was doing. I waved my ID and said now I was buying two bottles of wine! 😁

Ponderingwindow · 11/04/2025 15:12

I look like a scalded lobster. It’s not just my face, but my arms and legs can turn red as well. I’ve had people walk up to me to tell me that there is something wrong. Most think that I am horribly sunburned and just don’t realize. It’s very hard to explain that I’m fine. I’m just that pale and just react that easily to even the tiniest bit of activity.

my solutions are a home treadmill or swimming at an indoor pool that isn’t heated too warmly.

WingBingo · 11/04/2025 16:25

I often end up in work in the morning with the marks from my goggles after swimming

That, with a red face is a lovely combination.
my appearance should be the least interesting thing about me

SoapCollector · 12/04/2025 22:29

Red face when exercising here too, but my neck stays white! I'm very fair skinned. It also carries on getting redder after I've stopped exercising, not sure why!

Hollyhedge · 12/04/2025 22:33

Ineffable23 · 11/04/2025 07:58

I don't really have an answer, because I'm the same and I've concluded I just have to ignore it.

Edit: sorry posted too soon. I guess what I mean here is that maybe changing your mindset would be easier than fixing the thing?

Edited

I agree. I go so red it’s crazy. Try not to care. Great you have started running!

Hollyhedge · 12/04/2025 22:35

Mylegishangingoff · 11/04/2025 15:02

I get a red face when I exercise too. It's just how my body reacts. On the plus side I barely sweat so you'll never catch me dripping all over the place. You win some, you lose some.

I’m the same, don’t really sweat. Maybe this is it. Less sweat more redness

Middleagedstriker · 12/04/2025 22:37

Honestly I am now proud of my tomato face. Better than all the unfit faces who do nothing. I love being middle aged and fit.

Galaxybisc · 12/04/2025 22:40

I always think if you’re not red you’re not working hard enough.