Do You Suffer from Stressed Out Skin?

Is your skin causing you grief and frustration because of blemishes? May you are suffering from stressed out skin?

As if there was something else we needed to worry or stress about, science has added to our list. As it turns out, stress which affects so many aspects of our lives from how well we sleep, to giving us ulcers, also affects the appearance of our skin. Yes, many people suffer the effects of stressed-out skin.

While that may not have come as a huge shock, the fact remains our stress levels change the way our skin looks and unless we understand it, we can spend all the money in the world on products and procedures, and get no results.

When we are under stress, our body produces a hormone called cortisol. The more stress we are under, the more cortisol that is produced. Cortisol can lead to skin dryness, fines lines and affect our levels of collagen in our skin. All the things that we would like to avoid for youthful, fresh looking skin.

Effects of Stressed Out Skin

unfortunately, there is no skincare product that can reduce your stress level but, we can help you identify the issues you are having and the best treatments for them. Using the following strategies will help you to correct the top 5 stress-related skincare issues. Leaving your skin and ultimately you looking calm, cool and collected.

Dryness

“Chronic stress increases the hormone cortisol, which damages skin’s ability to hold on to water,” says Peter Elias, MD, a professor of dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco. The resulting moisture loss also diminishes luminosity, explains David Goldberg, MD, a clinical professor of dermatology and director of laser research at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

To eliminate dryness look to use hypoallergenic, fragrance-free products. These products will have a lower pH, which will help to prevent further dryness and inflammation. Even how you wash your face can have an effect on the dryness of your skin. Make sure to wash your face using lukewarm water instead of hot water. Hot water will strip your skin of the natural oils it needs.

Once you have washed your face with a properly pH balanced cleanser, make sure to moisturize with a quality moisturizer. Your moisturizer should be applied to your skin while it is still damp as this will trap additional moisture.

Fine Lines

Cortisol is definitely not a proponent of young, vibrant looking skin. In addition to damaging the skin’s ability to hold water, cortisol also triggers an elevation in blood sugar by a process call glycation. This process damages the collagen and elastin levels in our skin, which are the protein fibres that keep our skin youthful, plump and smooth to the touch. Then on top of this, add muscle tension and the various facial expressions we make when stressed, and voila, you have fine lines and wrinkles.

To counter this, products containing retinol and antioxidants will encourage collagen production and help firm the skin. Skindulgence Essence is a product that was developed specifically for this issue. Another product that can help with collagen production, fine lines and wrinkles and even to a small extent stress, is the Skindulgence Facelift.

While this is a three-step process, cleanser, hardening masque and moisturizer, the facelift tones the muscles under the skin, increasing collagen levels and elastin. With the face being the only place in our bodies where the skin is directly connected to the muscles, toner muscles immediately provide tighter toner skin with fewer fine lines.

The facelift can also help in the area of stress as while the hardening masque is working, you get to sit back, relax and unwind.

Redness of the Skin

The increased blood flow that occurs when you’re under duress may cause capillaries to expand. Stress also triggers flushing known as rosacea, according to the National Rosacea Society. And because stress weakens your immune system, flare-ups may last longer.

Treating Rosacea comes in many forms. For some people, the daily use of topical creams made with anti-inflammatories can help to ease the redness. Again the Skindulgence Essence is a great product to help with redness.

For some individuals where the Rosacea is more severe, light or laser therapy may be required. These types of therapies target the blood vessels to help them retract to their natural state and eliminate redness.

Acne Break Outs

Stress increases the inflammation that leads to breakouts, says Gil Yosipovitch, MD, a clinical professor of dermatology at Wake Forest University.

To help with your breakouts you can use a lotion containing skin sloughing salicylic acid or bacteria-busting benzoyl peroxide, plus a noncomedogenic moisturizer so skin won’t get too dry. If your skin doesn’t respond to treatment within a few weeks, see your doctor for more potent meds.

Tired eyes

Anxiety causes a chain reaction, leading to sleepless nights, which in turn cause puffiness, says Amy Wechsler, MD, a dermatologist and psychiatrist in New York City and author of The Mind Beauty Connection.

There are both topical creams as well as home remedies that you can use to eliminate tired puffy eyes.

Take time every day for you, to relax, recharge and shed the stress in your life. Say good-bye to your stressed-out skin and your body, your skin and your health will thank you!

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