Why does your face get red when you cry?

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Whenever our faces turn red, either from being really sad and crying or from just being embarrassed, the red color comes from our blood. More blood actually flows through our faces during these times! The blood vessels in our cheeks are very close to the surface of the skin, so when they get wider to let more blood in, people can really notice the red color change.

The reason for the extra blood is still not totally understood by scientists. One simple cause is that tears are very salty, and they can irritate our skin and make it red. The liquid that makes up tears also comes from our blood. In order to make tears, we need more blood traveling to our eyes. That’s why you might notice your eyes getting redder if you are crying.

Blushing, or having the face suddenly turn red, is believed to be a type of communication that happens without us even having to think about it. Some researchers think that a red face is actually a way to tell someone “feel bad for me!” or “leave me alone!” Blushing is automatic. We can’t control it.

Think about it. How do you feel if you see someone who looks very sad or very embarrassed? Would you try to help them stop feeling that way?

Color Connections

How do certain colors make you feel? Some people think of the color red and have thoughts of love or feeling warm. They may also think of blue as a sad color, or the color of feeling cold.

What does the color green make you think of? What about yellow? How does the color of your bedroom make you feel? Do you have a favorite color? What is it about that color that you like so much?

Try drawing a picture using only certain colors based on how you want the picture to make you feel. If it’s a really exciting picture you might want to use bright pinks and oranges and yellows. But the color choice is really up to you!