Stress can trigger or aggravate a wide range of skin conditions, from eczema, alopecia, psoriasis and rosacea.
When under stress, the body reacts, prompting your adrenal glands to release a surge of hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol.
Your heart rate increases, glucose is released in the bloodstream, curbing nonessential bodily functions like the digestive system.
Normally this stress response is self-limiting and abates once the threat passes, but if one is always under pressure and constantly feel under attack, then these hormones always flood the body, disrupting almost all your body's processes.
One of the processes it disrupts is healthy oil production in the skin. High cortisol levels cause the skin's sebaceous glands to produce more sebum, which can clog pores and cause acne.
Moreover, the constant flood of cortisol alters its ability to regulate both the inflammatory and immune response, mainly because tissue becomes less sensitive to cortisol.
As a result, inflammation can go unchecked, which can, in turn, kick-start skin chronic skin conditions. A 2015 study concluded that psychological distress is often described as a causative or maintaining factor in psoriasis. This type of stress/inflammation response is the reason why you can see sudden changes in your skin despite retaining the same skincare routine. As noted in a 2018 article in Self.com
"If your genetics, environment, or both make you susceptible to certain skin-related ailments, this inflammation can also make them flare up. "Stress is a general trigger that can make the skin misbehave in whatever way it's prone to misbehaving," Dr Fried says."
Although making changes to better manage stress will not automatically fix any skin-related issues you have, it cannot hurt. What will help lower pressure for one person, may not work for another but a place to start is exercising daily, asking friends and family for help, talking about your problems, meditating and trying to take a break from whatever it is that is causing you stress. If stress is overwhelming you, you should seek help from your doctor.
You might like to try self-care. Even 10 minutes a day doing something that feels pleasurable will help you feel connected and possibly less stressed. For us, our daily self-care involves walking and skincare rituals. Using Velettà’s Cleansing Oil with one of our 2 Luxury Face Cloths and then following with our Velettà massage ritual using our Rejuvenating Facial Oil makes a world of difference.
