[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Stress can affect your entire body, including your hair, nails, and skin. Since stress is a part of life, what matters is how you deal with it.
According to science, repeated exposure to psychological or environmental stress can have long-lasting effects on your skin that go far beyond flushing (reddening skin) – and can even negatively affect your overall well-being.
Stress triggers the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a trio of glands that play key roles in the body’s response to stress. This can cause the production of local pro-inflammatory factors, such as cortisol and key hormones in the stress response, which can stimulate pro-inflammatory skin cells.
Because the skin is constantly exposed to the outside world, it is more susceptible to environmental aggressors than any other organ and can produce stress hormones in response to them. For example, the skin produces stress hormones in response to ultraviolet light and temperature and sends these signals back to the brain. So psychological stressors can contribute to stress in your skin, and environmental stressors, through your skin, can contribute to psychological stress, perpetuating the cycle of stress.
While reducing stress levels should theoretically help alleviate the harmful effects on the skin, there is only limited data regarding the effectiveness of stress reduction interventions. There is some evidence that meditation can lower overall catecholamine levels in people who do it regularly. Similarly, meditation and relaxation techniques have been shown to help psoriasis. Healthy lifestyle habits, including a balanced diet and exercise, can also help regulate stress hormones in the body, which in turn have positive effects on the skin.
Stress can also leave a mark on your face. Dry skin, wrinkles, and acne are just some of the ways it can manifest itself.
Acne
When you feel stressed, your body produces more of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol causes a part of your brain, known as the hypothalamus, to produce a hormone called corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH). CRH is thought to stimulate the release of oil from the sebaceous glands around your hair follicles. Excess oil production by these glands can clog your pores and lead to acne.
A 2011 South Korean epidemiological study examined potential aggravating factors of acne in 1,236 people. They found that stress, lack of sleep, alcohol consumption, and menstruation can potentially aggravate acne.
Dry skin
The stratum corneum is the outer layer of your skin. It contains proteins and lipids that play a critical role in maintaining your skin cells. It also acts as a barrier that protects the skin underneath. When your stratum corneum doesn’t function as it should, your skin can become dry and itchy.
According to a 2014 review published in Inflammation & Allergy Drug Targets, stress was found to impair the barrier function of your stratum corneum and can negatively affect water retention in the skin.
Redness
Stress has the potential to weaken your immune system. A weakened immune system can lead to an imbalance of bacteria in your gut and skin, known as dysbiosis. When this imbalance occurs on your skin, it can lead to redness or a rash.
It is also known to trigger or aggravate various conditions that can cause rashes or inflamed skin, such as psoriasis, eczema, and contact dermatitis.
Wrinkles
Responsible for changes in the proteins in your skin, reducing your skin’s elasticity, stress can contribute to the formation of wrinkles.
By causing a chemical response in your body that makes your skin more sensitive and reactive, it can also make it more difficult for skin problems to heal.
Stress can aggravate psoriasis, rosacea, and eczema, and can also cause hives.
Having problems with your skin leads to not feeling good about your appearance, which adds more stress.
There are already cosmetics on the market with innovative molecules that protect against the effects of stress on the skin. These molecules are able to prevent cell damage and inflammation caused by various types of stress, thus preserving the beauty and health of the skin.
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Source:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/stress-may-be-getting-to-your-skin-but-its-not-a-one-way-street-2021041422334[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
