Face as a mirror: How does stress affect the skin?

Stress is a part of life, but ask yourself if you are managing your stress or if it is taking over you

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Illustration, Photo: Shutterstock
Illustration, Photo: Shutterstock
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.

The feeling of anxiety and any stressful situation is directly reflected on our skin. Stress is the body's response to pressure and can cause both emotional and physical reactions. When we are under stress, our body thinks it is under attack and responds by producing cortisol (stress hormone), which increases the production of sebum, which provokes the formation of acne, redness, inflammatory processes, rosacea, eczema...

Cortisol causes various chemical reactions that can make your skin sensitive to external irritants.

Here's how stress can negatively affect the appearance of your skin.

Redness of the face

People under stress generally breathe in short, shallow breaths as a defense mechanism. While this can help manage stress, it certainly affects the appearance of the skin.

Acne

Whether you already suffer from acne, psoriasis or eczema, stress can cause your skin to flare up. Especially regarding acne, stress releases cortisol, which can disrupt and throw off other hormones in your body. The extra production of sebum can clog the pores, which leads to the growth of bacteria, thus causing acne, he writes harpersbazaar.rs.

Dry and tired skin

Stress reduces the skin's lipid barrier, which allows fluid to evaporate, leading to skin dryness. In addition, the ability of skin cells to reach the surface slows down, causing the skin to flake and peel. Dead cells accumulate and give the face a tired look.

acne, face
photo: Shutterstock

Bad habits

Many do not know how to effectively deal with stress, which can lead to bad habits such as rubbing, scratching, picking at the skin, which allows bacteria to enter your body, resulting in acne, spots, scars and infections. And in the end, everything results in an uneven skin texture and color.

In addition, in stressful situations, many reach for alcohol, cigarettes and have an increased appetite, which also affects the beauty of the skin.

Stress is a part of life, but ask yourself if you are managing your stress or if it is taking over you. The best way is to keep the situation under control. In order to feel good in your body, it is important to listen to yourself and focus on a healthy lifestyle. And this implies, first of all, physical activity, a balanced diet and a regular care routine with products that hydrate, nourish and have a soothing effect.

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