How does stress affect the skin?

In today’s world, you can hardly find anyone who is not familiar with the problem of stress. Studies show that acute and chronic stress can have negative effects on the overall health of the skin and also aggravate a number of skin diseases including psoriasis, eczema, acne and hair loss. How does stress affect the skin and what is the solution? In this article, we will examine the effect of stress on the skin.

How stress affects the skin

Stress can damage the epidermis. Epidermis is the top layer of skin that keeps moisture and protects us from germs. When the epidermis is damaged, the skin is irritated and the possibility of chronic skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis increases. Aggravation of acne is also related to stress, but how the two are related is under investigation and only guesses are made in this regard, which we will also mention.

The relationship between stress and increased pimples and acne

Have you ever noticed that when you’re stressed, you tend to get nervous sooner than usual? In fact, stress causes the secretion of the hormone cortisol to increase in the body. High secretion of this hormone causes skin glands to produce more oil. As a result, the skin becomes oilier and oilier skin is more prone to acne and other skin problems.

Stress and exacerbation of skin problems

Stress can aggravate problems such as psoriasis, rosacea and eczema. It can also cause hives and other types of skin rashes and even herpes.

Stress makes you not care about your skin routine

When you are under a lot of stress, the normal routine of life will definitely get out of your hands and you will probably forget your skin routine or not do it accurately. Also, the effect of stress on the skin and the aggravation of skin problems may cause a person to get more stressed, and this issue will again cause skin problems to peak and recur. It is better not to forget to use moisturizing and hydrating cream and other skin care products under any circumstances so that your skin problems do not worsen.

Urticaria is a skin disease caused by stress

Skin rashes caused by stress are usually red bumps called hives. Hives can develop in any part of the body. But if it is caused by stress, it often appears on the face, neck, chest or arms. Hives may be small or appear as large blisters. It may even be clustered and accompanied by itching, burning and tingling. Be careful that skin rash or hives of any cause can be aggravated by stress, alcohol or caffeine consumption, as well as exposure to hot weather. If hives bother you, be sure to see a doctor for treatment.

If hives can be seen in all parts of the body and cause fever, pain and blisters, it may be a sign of allergy, and in these cases, you should definitely visit a doctor for further investigations.

The effect of stress on hair

Many skin and hair problems are related to each other. We explained the effect of stress on the skin. The negative effects of stress are also clearly visible in the hair structure. One of the types of hair loss is telogen effluvium, which can be caused by stress and mental problems and has a negative effect on the hair growth phase. Stress is also associated with graying of hair. Research has shown that stress can reduce pigment-producing stem cells in the hair follicle, resulting in premature graying of hair.

Herpes due to stress

Stress weakens the human body’s defense system against pathogens. Herpes is caused by a virus. The human body is not able to completely eliminate herpes. For this reason, whenever a person is under anxiety and stress, the herpes virus is reactivated in the body and shows its symptoms.

What is the difference between acute stress and chronic stress?

There are two types of stress: one is acute and the other is chronic. Acute stress is short-lived and when it occurs, it shocks the person. This type of stress disappears much sooner than chronic stress. But chronic stress continues in the long run and leaves more negative effects on the skin, hair and nails. Problems such as acne, the cause of which is related to stress, are mostly caused by chronic stress rather than acute stress.

Eczema of the scalp

Symptoms of scalp eczema include itching, redness, and flaking. This condition is also called seborrheic dermatitis, which can sometimes become a chronic disease and last for several years. Stress can play an effective role in causing scalp eczema or aggravate this condition. In order to treat scalp eczema, the cause of this problem must be identified first. If the cause is related to stress, you should pay attention to stress treatment along with other treatments.

Ways to deal with the effect of stress on the skin

You cannot completely prevent your stress, but fortunately there are strategies that you can use to help control and manage your stress:

• Do not neglect your skin and do not forget your skin routine. Even if you are tired and not in the mood, still dedicate a little time to stick to your skin routine and use skin care products such as moisturizer, sunscreen, eye cream, etc.
• Exercise regularly. Exercise is even good for your skin health.
• To relieve stress, even dedicate 10 minutes a day to work or an activity that you enjoy. For example, read a book, listen to music or even go to the bathroom and take a shower.
• Go outside and take a walk.
• Try stress management techniques such as breathing exercises, yoga, and meditation.
• Get enough sleep and get 7 to 8 hours of useful sleep a day.
• Eat a healthy and appropriate diet to help regulate stress hormones in your body.
• Practice “saying no” with yourself. There is nothing wrong with setting limits and boundaries in order to reduce your stress and sometimes easily saying “no” to requests that bother you.
• Finally, if these methods do not work, consult a psychologist or psychiatrist. You may need to take medication. Of course, you get very good results from taking stress medications when you also do psychotherapy. It is better to consult a skin and hair specialist in order to solve skin problems caused by stress.

Final speech

The effect of stress on the skin can manifest itself in the form of hives, acne, skin rash, etc. Research shows that there is a direct relationship between stress and skin and hair problems. You may need both a dermatologist and a psychologist and psychiatrist to solve skin problems caused by stress. What steps do you take to reduce your stress? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section.