How Stress Can Affect Your Skin? A Dermatologist Explains It

November 06, 2017

How Stress Can Affect Your Skin? A Dermatologist Explains It

By Dr Daniel Glass
1 November 2017

Is stress giving you problematic skin?

You may assume common skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and acne are the result of bad luck and bad genes alone. But you'd be wrong.

Stress can have a huge impact on skin conditions. A number of studies have shown that increased stress levels can greatly exacerbate common skin problems.

When I first see a patient, we discuss their lives in detail. Our skin is the first thing we see in the mirror every day – and if we have problems with our skin it may make us feel low and reluctant to face the world.

The mind and skin are closely inter-related and that's why I work in clinic with a psychologist. I refer a number of patients to a psychologist each month in addition to offering medical treatment for their skin condition. Often the more emphasis given to the condition by the person suffering, the more likely it will remain an issue. That's why it's particularly important that patients understand the connection between skin disease and stress.

Stress: release of stress hormones

Stress hormones are incredibly important in dermatology, especially when looking at the role of stress in triggering or exacerbating common skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and acne.

Stress hormones such as Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) or CRH are a crucial part of our central stress response system. When we become emotional or stressed, CRF can be released from sensory nerves and immune cells, which in turn can lead to skin and systemic diseases.

It's not just skin disease; as stress can make your skin age more rapidly. Chronic psychological stress stimulates the autonomic nervous system, renin-angiotensin system, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis as the body try to resolve the perceived threats.

Prolonged activation of these pathways can result in immune dysfunction, increased production of reactive oxygen species, and DNA damage, all of which can contribute to skin ageing.

Stress agitates us

How do we react to stress? If we become agitated, we may scratch our skin, which can lead to areas of thickened skin on the body. This is a particular issue in patients with eczema who often report feeling more itchy, and scratching more when stressed. In patients who have psoriasis, scratching can also be a problem as psoriasis often occurs in areas of skin that have been damaged, so scratching can make psoriasis worse.

One of the problems with scratching is that you can get stuck in a vicious cycle. You feel an itch, so you scratch it which causes the release of inflammatory chemicals, causing more and more itching.

SOLUTION:

There is no one-size-fits-all solution, as each patient is very different. Often treatment requires a combination of topical remedies and emollients together with systemic treatment. I refer a number of patients for habit reversal sessions with a psychologist to help break the itch scratch cycle.

Stress causes us to eat less nutritious foods

If we experience prolonged stress then this may lead to depression and also have an impact on our diet. We may turn to sugary, comfort foods (starchy carbs) and more than the odd glass of wine, all of which can exacerbate skin conditions.

Recent studies have shown links between a high glycaemic index (GI) diet and worsening acne, suggesting that a low GI diet may help prevent flare ups of acne.

However, I know from patients that when life is getting a bit too much, whether at work or at home, the last thing they want to do is monitor their fruit and veg intake.

SOLUTION:

Keep plenty of healthy snacks around the house and at work such as homemade popcorn, nuts, fresh vegetables and fruit.


You don't get enough sleep

I see more and more patients presenting with various stress-induced skin diseases including hair loss, psoriasis, eczema and acne. Often when stressed, we don't prioritise sleep but this is a mistake.

Did you know that the stress hormone cortisol naturally decreases while we sleep – allowing the skin to refresh?

SOLUTION:

Strive for the recommended eight hours sleep a night to enable your body to rest and recover. Regular exercise can both help relieve anxiety and stress and also help you sleep.

Remember the best thing to do when stress levels kick in and show up on your skin is to take a step back and first ask yourself what is going on emotionally and internally.

That way you'll be giving yourself the best chance to ease the problem before we treat it medically.

Dr Daniel Glass is from the The Dermatology Clinic London.

Bibliography: Glass, D. D., Cook, J., & Fletcher, B. (2017, November 01). A dermatologist explains how stress can affect your skin. Retrieved November 06, 2017, from http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/beauty/skincare/a29121/stress-signs-skin-face/





Leave a comment

Comments will be approved before showing up.


Also in News

Is Seasonal Hair Loss in Men Real?
Is Seasonal Hair Loss in Men Real?

April 03, 2018

Most men have more symptoms of hair shedding and other issues between September and November because the hair follicles enter their resting (telogen) phase mid-summer. This causes more hair than normal to fall out. The follicles will stay in this phase for several months, but the hair will begin to regrow in winter when Mother Nature thinks you need it most.

 

View full article →

What Is Better To Skip Dinner Or Eat Right Before You Go To Bed?
What Is Better To Skip Dinner Or Eat Right Before You Go To Bed?

March 27, 2018

We've all heard the warnings over the years: Your metabolism goes on strike overnight, so you shouldn't eat too close to bedtime or that food will sit in your stomach like a rock (at least until it migrates elsewhere on your body and refuses to budge). And yet I’ve done it. You probably have too. So, how bad is it to eat right before bed? And is it smarter to skip a meal altogether if you miss that dinnertime window? Here's what the experts have to say.

View full article →

Benefits of Egg Yolk for Your Hair
Benefits of Egg Yolk for Your Hair

March 26, 2018

The nutrients that are naturally contained in an egg yolk are the same ones that are in healthy, glossy hair. Some people apply egg yolk to their scalp as a treatment for hair loss, brittle hair, or to try to make their hair grow faster.

View full article →