The mental effects of stress often manifest in physical symptoms, from insomnia to stomach pains. Whilst you might not make the connection, if your skin is looking dry, sore, and you keep breaking out, stress could be the underlying cause.
Read on to find out what to do about stressed-out skin.
Acne
Spots, cysts, and all the glorious signs of acne are a classic symptom of stressed skin. Hormones do play a part, of course, but if you are under stress, you can bet your bottom dollar your skin will explode into crops of pustules. It’s not pretty and definitely not desirable right before a hot date or job interview.
Dullness
Healthy skin is fresh-looking and luminous. It shines from within. Unhealthy, stressed skin is dull and lifeless. Your skin loses volume and may appear sunken in places. Again, this isn’t a good look.
Inflammation
Inflammation often goes hand in hand with acne and other skin problems. Rising stress levels lead to a surge in cortisol, which is part of the body’s fight or flight response. This opens up capillaries in the face and causes inflammation. If your skin is red and inflamed, and you haven’t been out in the sun or hitting the gym, blame stress.
Dry Patches
When stress hormone cortisol is high, your skin’s outer barrier breaks down and previously healthy skin starts to look dry and dull. That dry patch on your forehead might not be caused by cold weather – it could actually be a sign you are under too much stress.
Irritated Skin
Dry skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis often flare up when we are under stress. Excessive histamine in the blood can lead to irritation and hives. Your skin might also be itchy and red. If left untreated, this will soon worsen into dermatitis and eczema.
Dark Circles Under Your Eyes
It stands to reason that if you are stressed, you won’t be sleeping properly. If your sleep is poor and you aren’t getting the recommended seven hours of sleep a night, before long you will have dark circles under your eyes.
Signs of Aging
Collagen is again responsible for accelerated aging. It breaks down the elastic and collagen fibers in the skin. This makes the skin less supple and before long, fine lines start to appear around your eyes, mouth, nose, and forehead.
Treating Stressed Skin
To deal with the most immediate symptoms of stressed skin, prepare a soothing facemask at home. Nourish your skin with an oatmeal, egg white, and honey facemask.
Make a paste with milk, witch hazel, and blueberries. Massage this into your skin and then wash it off after five minutes.
Green tea bags are great for puffy eyes.
Cleanse your face and then steam it over a bowl of hot water containing some olive oil to restore a dewy complexion.
Keep some good quality facial cleansers and toners in your cupboard and use these regularly. A high-quality CoQ10 facial toner can help to regenerate skin and deliver long-lasting hydration.
In the long-term, it is important to deal with the underlying causes of stress. If your job is making you stressed, see if you can cut back your hours or move to a less stressful position. Bad skin isn’t great, but don’t forget that too much long-term stress can knock your immune system and lead to all manner of potentially deadly health problems, such as strokes and heart disease.
Finally, if you’re stressed, prioritize sleep as much as possible. Your body heals when it sleeps, so sleep is the best cure for stress and all of the associated ailments.
