Stress and the Skin
If you've had a skincare treatment with me at Total Skin Fitness, you've more than likely heard me preach about how stress can affect your skin.
It Happens to All of Us
Last month I went through a very stressful time moving between residences as well as changing the location of my business. Through this process, I saw the harsh effects firsthand of stress on my skin. I experienced everything from flakiness and dry patches around my eyebrows to breakouts on my chin and jawline. My skin was all around lackluster and dull, which for me, is hard to accept being a skin care therapist.Stress, as we all know, can directly affect the health of our body; this is especially true when it comes to our skin. Stress can cause acne flare-ups, inflammation, hives, eczema, rosacea, psoriasis, dryness, alopecia (hair loss), wrinkles (worry lines), and changes in pigmentation.
What exactly does stress do to your body and then the skin?
The most common symptoms I see in my treatment room as a result of stress in the skin are breakouts and inflammation.
How does stress cause breakouts and skin inflammation?
When we are stressed our body releases cortisol which is a hormone that stimulates testosterone to be released in our body which then leads to an increase in sebaceous glands activity (oil production). This can then lead to breakouts, commonly seen around the jawline, neck or temple area. In traditional Chinese diagnosis the jawline and temple area are associated with the adrenal glands which is where our stress hormones come from.
What can we do to combat stress?
Human Touch and Professional Skin Treatments
There are so many benefits provided by all of the amazing professional Dermalogica products that I incorporate into my skin treatments, but that is only part of the treatment experience.Human touch is the other factor that leads to amazing results in the treatment room. Touch therapy is what allows our bodies to relax and release the "feel good" hormones like oxytocin and beta-endorphins. Touch therapy helps to rid our bodies of cortisol and allows for our skin to repair itself.
Additional Recommendations
Clean your environment with the intention of clearing your space of old energy to bring in new energy.Light your favorite candle.Exercise, and not even intense exercise, just 10 minutes of light movement will help!Put your phones away! Really try to not look at any electronic devices two hours before going to sleep. This type of stimulation prevents us from getting a good night's rest because it activates a certain part of our brain that prevents us from falling into a deep sleep.And just a final tip, just breathe and remember, this too shall pass.