• Question: why does our face go red when we run?

    Asked by evilbugs to Alex, Kate, Marcus on 26 Jun 2014.
    • Photo: Marcus Johns

      Marcus Johns answered on 26 Jun 2014:

      When we run our body gets hot. We need to keep our body at a constant temperature of 37.5 degrees centigrade, so to cool us down the blood vessels in our skin move closer to the surface in order to lose the heat more quickly. Our blood is red, so our skin goes red! If our blood was blue, we’d turn blue when we’re hot!

    • Photo: Alex Lyness

      Alex Lyness answered on 26 Jun 2014:

      Hey evilbugs,

      How many Q’s have you asked now?! Your name should be ‘curiousbugs’ instead!

      As Marcus says, rosy cheeks indicate good blood flow and it helps the heat ‘dissipate’ quicker from our bodies.

      When it’s cold the opposite happens and the blood vessels contract to keep the warm blood closer to the inner core of our body. So our skin appears white, if you are caucasian/white like me!

      And finally, when we’re not hot or cold (often at room temperature inside or wearing the correct clothes outside) our skin has a pink glow instead!

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