Stress and its effects on the skin

Stress and anxiety are two conditions that we usually subject our bodies to due to the busy lives we lead today. We know about their effects on a psychological level but we often ignore that they also have their physical influence, affecting, among others, our skin.

At theCosmethics we know that the secret to healthy and beautiful skin It is not only about using the best products; We must start from within, taking care of our diet , doing physical exercise and keeping our mind in balance.

There are many skin problems that can be caused or influenced by stress and therefore, we may be wasting efforts if we try to treat them only with creams and other treatments. On many occasions we will need Pay attention to how we are taking care of our body from within and how all this is reflected in the skin because that may be the key.

Skin problems enhanced by stress

Atopic dermatitis : this type of dermatitis normally occurs in people with a certain genetic predisposition and who tend to have different allergic reactions, not just skin reactions. The skin becomes red, dry, itchy and tends to peel. The most common areas of appearance are the scalp, elbows and knees, and genital areas. People who tend to suffer from this problem see outbreaks or periods of worsening of their dermatitis coinciding with periods of greater stress or worries in their lives.

Psoriasis : it is a disease with multifactorial causes and an autoimmune nature. This means that it has multiple causes or triggering factors that produce an immune attack on the cells of our own body. Although it is a skin disease, it can have different degrees of involvement, leading to serious problems such as psoriatic arthritis. It normally produces dark red plaques on the skin, well-defined, scaly in the central area and very itchy. Nail involvement is also common. As in the case of atopic dermatitis, it is typical that during periods of stress the disease flares up or its course worsens.

Acne : Acne as a dermatological problem in adulthood is a growing problem that is influenced by many factors, including stress. There are several effects of this on the sebaceous glands that cause them to become deregulated and the classic acne pimples to appear. On the one hand, stress increases the production of androgens (an effect that is more notable in women), favoring oil production by the sebaceous glands of the skin. In addition to this, mechanisms that promote inflammation are also set in motion that affect these glands, causing their obstruction and therefore the appearance of acne.

Aging : Are you familiar with cortisol? It is a substance that we release in alert situations and that serves to protect our body in these cases. In cases of continued stress or anxiety, excess cortisol ends up having negative consequences that impact at different levels. Cortisol also promotes skin inflammation, while reducing the amount of collagen produced for its maintenance. The effect is thinner and duller skin, less flexible and more prone to the appearance of expression lines, wrinkles and pimples. These effects are also favored by the increase in free radicals, which increase the oxidative process of the skin, deteriorating its cells and contributing to this process. In addition, cortisol inhibits the production of melatonin, a substance that promotes sleep, which also indirectly reduces the skin's ability to regenerate.

Sagging, puffiness and bags under the eyes : all these problems are the result of the lack of continuous rest so common in our stressful lives. The lack of hours of sleep, together with its poor quality, means that the repair mechanisms that are put in place during rest are not completely effective. Among them, the lack of effective blood flow and drainage causes this mechanism to fail when it comes to eliminating toxins and facilitating the provision of hydration and nutrients to the skin.

Dryness and redness : related to the above and favored by the lack of rest is the presentation of dry, dehydrated skin with a tendency to irritation and redness. This is favored both by the inflammation caused by stress and by the lack of nutritional and hydrating intake that we talked about in the previous point. For this reason, it is so common that in situations of greater nervousness or worse rest our skin is drier and prone to redness on the face and neck, being much more sensitive to irritating agents or factors such as cold, heat or dryness of the environment. , all this despite maintaining correct hydration and external care.

Less luminous hair : like the skin, our hair is also affected in these cases, also appearing more brittle and less luminous. In addition, increased gray hair or greater hair loss is common during stressful times. Other less common disorders may also appear, such as alopecia areata. It is a patchy, reversible hair loss that occurs in situations of great stress and psychological conflict.

Take care of your interior and it will be reflected on your exterior.

We will not tire of repeating that our skin is the greatest reflection we have of our interior and it is in every sense .

Whether we take care of him physically with good nutrition and exercise or if we cultivate the more psychological part, this will be reflected in his health and in his outward expression. And, as both things are also related to each other, having a healthy diet and an active life will also influence a better and calmer state of mind.

In any case, in the times we live in, with thousands of things to do, jobs that take up our time and energy, cities with thousands of people, noise, pollution... it doesn't hurt to dedicate a part of that time to trying to put a stop to our life and recover that inner calm. He mindfulness , meditation, breathing techniques or exercises such as yoga or the pilates They can be great allies to help maintain awareness of ourselves and what surrounds us, thus being able to relax more, better plan our daily lives and ultimately live more relaxed. This will cause mechanisms such as cortisol or the production of free radicals to reduce their action on our body and specifically on our skin, keeping it more rested, better nourished and hydrated, less reactive and therefore more beautiful .

Better with specialized support

Whether you suffer from a serious or chronic skin problem over time or if you believe that your level of stress or anxiety is very high and difficult to manage, it is a health issue that must be treated comprehensively. That is why we like to remind you that in these cases you should always go to professionals and try to treat the problem globally and from its origin. If we have a skin problem that is also aggravated by stress, such as dermatitis, perhaps it is a good time to visit a dermatologist to advise us on how to keep skin lesions at bay and to seek psychological support to help us. provide the tools to manage stress and improve our ability to relax. In many cases, no one will give us the magic remedy that will forever end our problem, but surely with multidisciplinary care at different levels we can achieve improvement and stabilization of our health and that of our skin.