Hot flashes are mostly caused by the hormonal changes of menopause. Eighty-five percent of the women in the United States experience hot flashes of some kind as they approach menopause and for the first year or two after their periods stop.
Hot flashes can happen at any time, leaving you sweaty and red-faced. Although other hormonal conditions can cause them, hot flashes are frequently due to menopause. Hot flashes are quite common. As many as 3 out of 4 women experience hot flashes as they go through menopause.