WHAT IS HISTAMINE FLUSHING AND WHAT CAN IT TELL YOU?

If you've ever experienced a sudden, warm, red bloom spreading across your face, neck or chest after a glass of wine or a spicy curry, that's likely to be the feeling of histamine flushing. While often harmless, it can sometimes serve as a useful warning sign for bigger problems.

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This sort of flushing happens because of the widening of small blood vessels just beneath the skin (called vasodilation). Histamine mediates this process. It's a chemical stored in certain immune cells, and your body releases it when something needs attention - like an infection, allergy, or even when you eat food. It can bind to receptors on blood vessels, causing them to relax their walls and dilate so more blood can get through. That's why you end up flushing, which can last from minutes to hours.

It's the same process that happens when you blush from embarrassment, but it's triggered by chemistry rather than feelings.