Tuesday 5 September 2023

Signs and symptoms of stress damaging your skin: Don't ignore acne breakouts, wrinkles, dry skin

From moneycontrol.com

Talk of modern-day existence of tight deadlines and multiple responsibilities, one thing that has entrenched itself in our life is stress. It demands our attention, and if left unchecked, it can cast a shadow on everything we do, even how we respond to the reasons for it in the first place. Stress is known to be linked with various health conditions, including heart diseases, migraines, multiple sclerosis, seizures, and our mental health. What's more, it is damaging even to our skin!

When stress is triggered, the brain responds by releasing hormones like corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), glucocorticoids, and epinephrine. Interestingly, these chemicals affect the body's largest organ: the skin, a rapid stress detector.



Recent clinical observations have further substantiated the correlation between psychological stress and the development or exacerbation of various skin ailments. Here are some indicators that demonstrate the impact of stress on your skin and scalp:

Stress impact on scalp and hair health: Stress-induced hair loss, often temporary, can affect both your scalp and hair health. Telogen effluvium, a type of hair loss, can be triggered by physical or emotional stressors. Typically, your hair goes through two phases: growth (anagen) and rest (telogen). Most of your hair is usually in the growth phase, with a smaller part in the rest phase. However, when your body undergoes stress, such as due to health issues, hormonal changes, or certain medications, much of your growing hair could suddenly shift to the resting phase. This can result in excessive hair fall and eventual hair loss.

Stress effect on skin hydration: Chronic stress weakens the skin's protective shield. Research confirms that stress disrupts the skin's lipid barrier, a crucial component holding the cells together. This disruption causes your skin to lose moisture, making it dry and susceptible to dryness. This can leave your skin feeling rough and uncomfortable.

Inflammation and acne breakouts: Stress, it is said, plays host to acne. But how does it work? When you are stressed, your body releases cortisol, a stress hormone. This is a signal to your skin's oil glands, telling them to kick it up a notch and produce more sebum (oil). This surplus oil teams up with inflammation, allowing acne to take centre stage.

Wrinkles and stress correlation: Your skin cells help your skin to look youthful. When you're under constant stress, these cells start to tire out faster. This leads to premature ageing signs like wrinkles and fine lines appearing sooner than expected. You can say that stress is a fast-forward button for ageing, making your skin look older than it should.

Rosacea flare-ups and stress: Skin conditions, like psoriasis, eczema, and rosacea, can get worse when you're stressed. Stress causes inflammation and confuses your skin's defences. This leads to your skin reacting to the stress causing  more redness, itching, and discomfort.

Reducing stress impact on skin:

Continuous exposure to stress can take a toll on your skin's well-being. Nevertheless, you can get rid of  these skin-related symptoms by effectively managing stress through relaxation techniques, meditation and self-care. Besides, adopting a health-conscious lifestyle, which consists of a nutritious diet and regular physical activity, can also help  to the regulate stress hormones within the body.

https://www.moneycontrol.com/europe/?url=https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/health-and-fitness/signs-and-symptoms-of-stress-damaging-your-skin-dont-ignore-acne-breakouts-wrinkles-hair-fall-dry-skin-11306531.html 

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