Can Stress Affect Our Skin?
Have you ever noticed how lifeless your skin looks following a busy and demanding workweek? Or how each time you experience stress, a hideous zit appears on a visible area of your face?
If you think you’ve exaggerated the negative effects of stress on your skin, you’re wrong. The single most detrimental element for all health-related issues, notable problems with your skin and overall appearance, is stress, whether it is acute or chronic in nature.
The largest organ in your body, your skin, provides obvious indicators of how your brain is functioning by blushing when you feel self-conscious, gleaming when you’re happy, and looking dull when you’re under stress.
How Does Stress Affect Skin?
Cortisol, often known as the stress hormone, is produced as a result of stress and causes havoc on the systems of the body. Internally, stress causes an increase in inflammation because it stimulates the production of free radicals. The antioxidant and free radical equilibrium become lopsided when the body produces many free radicals and oxidative stress sets in. The skin’s moisture barrier is impaired, acne erupts, and existing skin conditions, including psoriasis and eczema, are aggravated by the presence of free radicals in the blood. In addition, it leads to diminished collagen and hyaluronic acid synthesis, which hastens the development of wrinkles and fine lines, which are indicators of ageing.
Externally, stress increases sebum production on the skin, which not only impacts appearance by making the skin appear overly greasy but also results in clogged skin pores, which raises the frequency and severity of breakouts and acne. Even the most effective topical skin care treatments fall short under these circumstances, and the irritation of the skin brought on by the use of these products frequently causes the appearance of damage indicators to worsen.
Stress and The Scalp
The skin on your scalp, which is essentially an extension of your epidermis, is also impacted by stress in conjunction with the skin on your face and body. Stress-induced hormonal imbalance causes an increase in inflammation, which can result in an increase in male hormones known as androgens. Androgens produce an increase in scalp oil production, which can make your scalp itchy. Correspondingly, since the oil buildup on the scalp feeds yeast and bacteria, it can cause dandruff episodes to flare up, especially if they are linked to psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis.
Apart from that, stress has also been linked to an increase in hair loss and premature hair greying. All of these variables work together to drastically worsen the appearance and health of the hair, resulting in dull-looking and damaged hair. Your hair is nothing less than a crown, therefore, when it starts to lose its sheen, it will negatively impact your confidence.
How To Identify?
Even though it is true that stress has far-reaching implications on the skin, not all skin issues are brought on by stress. One simple way to determine whether your skin troubles are the consequence of stress is to assess whether you are going through a mentally, emotionally, or physically stressful time and whether your previous skin concerns, such as redness, dryness, or acne conditions, have suddenly exacerbated after the stressful incident. Furthermore, it has been observed that stress breakouts frequently affect the oily parts of the face, especially the T-zone, which includes the forehead, nose, and chin.
How To Manage Stress?
It is hard to wholly eradicate stress from your life due to the nature of modern lines of work and everyday challenges, but managing stress is the key to preventing long-term effects on your skin.
The first step is to stop worrying about the fact that you are worrying and to acknowledge it as a natural bodily reaction. You can only manage it efficiently if you acknowledge it. After acceptance, the next step is to pinpoint the causes of stress and take measures to alleviate them. Setting aside time for meditation and relaxation is also crucial because these activities have been shown to reduce inflammation and control stress levels.
Even though stress frequently has a spillover impact and can cause reduced or binge eating habits and alterations in sleep patterns with little to no sleep, it is still necessary to practice healthy lifestyle habits. Poor lifestyle choices have a domino effect and make the skin issue worse. Therefore, regulating your water consumption, diet, and sleep is essential. Regular physical activity and exercise have also been associated with reducing stress levels.
It is also important to continue your basic skin care regimen by cleansing, toning and moisturising, along with a copious application of sunscreen. It is also important to reach out and seek professional help if you ever feel overwhelmed due to stress.
Long-Term Stress and Skin
Do you have a stressful job, or have you ever had to deal with a traumatic occurrence in your life? Chronic stress, also known as long-term stress, can cause internal and external signs of stress that can permanently and irreversibly harm your skin. As a result, there are apparent skin damage and ageing symptoms, which can seriously undermine your self-confidence.
You should seek a combination of invasive and non-invasive skin treatments if you desire to rejuvenate skin damaged by chronic stress. Cosmetic procedures can help reverse the adverse effects of stress, restore your youthful glow, and subsequently boost your confidence and self-esteem.
How Does WeCure Help?
The cost of receiving cosmetic treatment in the UK and Europe can burn a hole in your pocket, and you would also have to deal with the stress of a protracted waiting period. Have you ever wanted to treat your damaged and ageing skin but been put off by the requisite expense and time? We have some exciting news for you.
You can receive expert care, bypass long queues, and save significant money with WeCure’s team of internationally recognized dermatologists and cosmetologists in Turkey. Along with all of this, you also get to have a well-deserved vacation at our exotic resort in Antalya. Once you make an appointment with WeCure, we take care of everything—including your treatment, travel, lodging, and other vacation-related details. So, are you prepared to embark on your medical retreat or, as we say, treat-cation?
Book a Complimentary Consultation
Photo by Yosi Prihantoro on Unsplash