Here, I cover stress and skin health – Take a deep breath in for 5 seconds …… hold for 5 seconds ….. and breathe out for 5 seconds …. and now repeat. 😮💨
Okay, so hopefully, you are feeling relaxed, calm, and maybe a little zen….
Life is full of stress!
Most of us could do with a little extra relaxation in our life, with the stresses of modern-day living, working our day job, taking care of the house, ferrying the kids around, supporting our partners, keeping up with the side hustle, checking in with the parents, all while trying to have some form of social life and balance is a massive juggling act, and one many of us don’t quite manage to grasp fully.
That’s okay and completely normal, as long as you aren’t constantly feeling overwhelmed, forget about yourself, and your health doesn’t suffer. We all have our own ‘normal’ level of stress, and it can sometimes act as a motivator, a nudge to keep us going. But have you ever considered what effect stress can have on your skin?
You may have a really detailed skin routine of cleansers, toners, serums, gels, moisturiser, etc, or your skin regime may consist of soap and water, but just a gentle piece of advice – Pleeeeeeessse don’t use soap on your face! No matter how detailed (or not, as the case may be) your skincare routine is, there are outside factors, such as stress, that no topical skincare product can change. Stress needs to be managed.
Your Skin – The Facts
Your skin is a mix of proteins, fat, and water, and it acts as your first line of defence against free radicals such as light, heat, injury, or infection. It helps to regulate your body temperature, produces vitamin D, and hinders germs and bacteria from entering your body and moisture from being released.
Stress – The Facts
“Stress is your body’s response to challenges or pressure, and it can produce both an emotional and physical reaction” according to HealthPartners.com 1 in 5 over 16s in the UK are stressed every single day. A huge 63% of people in the UK are stressed at least weekly – up from just over a third 6 years ago. Only 6% of people say they are never stressed. Women are more likely to experience stress daily (24.52%) than men (15.33%)
Stress doesn’t always equal bad. It serves a biological function, too. Stress can send a rush of adrenaline and cortisol from your brain to your body, which can increase your heart rate and send more blood to your organs (fight-or-flight mode). The problem happens when you start to experience too much stress; it can negatively affect your physical health and your skin.
Physical Effects of Stress
You are probably aware of the mental health impact stress can have in your life, but you may not be aware of the physical effects. You will already have experienced the physical link between emotions and your skin. Ever felt nervous about something and you’ve started to flush red, or sweat? This is known as an acute temporary response. Some of the other physical effects your body may experience in relation to stress may be;
- Difficulty breathing
- Sleep issues
- Headaches
- Digestive issues
- Fatigue
- Chest pains
- Increased blood pressure
- Weight loss or gain
- Changes to your menstrual cycle
- Sweating
The list of ways stress can affect our body is huge and a little scary, so if you can find ways to manage your stress levels, you could see significant changes physically, too.
Stress and skin health
Stress can have physical effects on your body and can have a massive impact on your skin.
Your skin is your largest organ, so it can often reflect what’s happening on the inside. Ever noticed you may break out more when your stress levels are higher? That’s because your body produces hormones like cortisol, which tell your glands to produce more oil, which can, in turn, lead to spots and acne.
If you are feeling overly stressed at the moment, you may be experiencing some of these symptoms in your skin;
- Excess oil production, which in turn causes outbreaks and acne
- Reduced elasticity
- Premature appearance of ageing with fine lines and wrinkles
- Can aggravate pre-existing conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and rosacea
- Trigger rashes and skin flare-ups
- Cause hives, bumps or papules
- Dehydration and dryness of your skin
- Hair loss
- Slower healing wounds
It’s also worth considering that when you feel overwhelmed and stressed, you may choose to skimp on your everyday skin routine, which can, of course, be detrimental to your skin. If you are stressed because your stress is affecting your skin, you then feel more stressed, and the vicious cycle continues.
Stress is part of life
Realistically stress cannot be avoided completely, no matter how fortunate you are, or how well you manage stress, there will always be little niggles that creep in, whether it’s financial, time constraints, family, health, or something else, to live completely stress-free would be miraculous….and probably impossible!
Managing Stress and skin health
However, there are ways we can manage our stress better and some of the things you could try are;
- Meditation
- Affirmations
- Organisation & planning
- Delegation
- Asking for help
- Therapy & counselling
- Healthy living through diet & exercise
- Breathing exercises
- Manage time & exposure to news & social media
- Sleep
- Mindfulness
If you are experiencing skin-related effects of stress, I have many treatments and skincare products that may help ease the symptoms of stress on your skin and help you start to feel like yourself again.
Book a consultation with me to discuss what treatments would work best for you.