We all experience some degree of stress as part of our daily lives. But when you suffer from chronic or frequent episodes, it can lead to physical side effects. Stress alone is not the main cause of acne. Hormones, age and genes play a large role. We tackled the link between stress and serious skin conditions but let’s explore the link between acne and stress.
When a person with acne experiences a lot of stress, their corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) binds with sebum-producing cells. That means more follicle-clogging oil is produced. More oil mixed with dead skin cells or hair and can lead to a pimple or acne cyst arriving on scene.
In addition to this stressful situation, the appearance of acne can cause even more stress. The best way to mitigate this situation is to ease the effects of stress on your skin at the onset.
Here are a few tips:
- Practice stress management techniques as part of a daily care routine: yoga, meditation and other relaxation practices.
- No matter how tired or stressed you may be, don’t neglect your skin or skip your skincare regimen.
- Get enough rest. Not enough shut eye can wreak havoc on your skin and make you more susceptible to stress.
- For some, during bouts of intense stress, we can fidget with our nails or skin. Be mindful and do not pick at acne.
- Exfoliate! We are constantly shedding skin cells. They don’t always fall off and can clog our pores and hair follicles. When they mix with our overproducing, stressed sebum-producing cells, that’s the perfect storm for an acne outbreak.
- Feed and hydrate your skin. What we use to nourish inside can have direct results on the way we look on the outside. Fruits rich in vitamin A, E and C and dark leafy greens are your best bet to fight acne from the inside. Be sure to get your daily water intake to keep skin hydrated and filtering out toxins that can cause skin irritations.
Most over-the-counter topical treatments are for mild acne. When incorporated with the above tips, and used according to directions, these topicals can be an effective treatment. If you experience moderate to advanced acne and your skin just isn’t responding well, it’s time to consult a skin expert.
Acne left untreated can cause scarring and make individuals insecure, introverted and stressed, continuing this outbreak cycle. Treating acne and acne scarring is beneficial for the mind, body and spirit. Your skin experts at Trillium Creek Dermatology will formulate a multifaceted treatment plan to combat acne.
About Trillium Creek Dermatology: Few places in the country offer the quality care, innovation and state-of-the-art procedures that are available at Trillium Creek. Through our integrative medicine approach, Trillium Creek offers world-class general dermatology, dermatologic surgery, laser surgery, cosmetic dermatology, skin cancer treatment, Mohs surgery and holistic medicine.
