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Why is flushing limited to a mostly facial cutaneous distribution?
1McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center, Dermatology Section, Richmond, VA 23249.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
|August 1, 1988
Summary
Flushing reactions, often systemic, concentrate in the face's "blush area." This occurs because the superficial facial blood vessels have greater capacity, leading to visible redness from systemic stimuli.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Physiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Flushing reactions, while triggered by systemic agents, are visibly concentrated in specific facial areas.
- Understanding the physiological basis for this localized distribution is crucial for explaining skin reactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the physiological mechanisms underlying the localized distribution of flushing reactions.
- To compare the effects of different flushing triggers on cutaneous blood flow.
Main Methods:
- Two flushing challenges were administered to normal volunteers: nicotinic acid and oral thermal stimuli.
- Cutaneous blood flow was measured at malar (blush area) and forearm sites.
Main Results:
- Both nicotinic acid and thermal challenges increased blood flow in both malar and forearm areas.
- The observed increases in blood flow were consistent with greater vascular capacitance in the superficial cutaneous vasculature of the blush area.
Conclusions:
- The limited distribution of flushing in the "blush area" is attributed to the higher vascular capacitance of its superficial vessels.
- This physiological characteristic explains the prominent erythema observed in this region during systemic flushing responses.