HOW STRESS SHOWS THROUGH YOUR SKIN

Is stress making your skin crawl? Unfortunately, your skin is one of the first organs to show the effects of stress. Deadlines, social angst and the tireless hustle and bustle at work start to surface – no matter how hard you try to disguise it.

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"When stress hormones are dialed up, we get a downstream effect on many organs, including the skin — an increase in inflammation and oxidative stress, which can lead to acne breakouts, slower wound healing, thinning of the skin, and it's thought to contribute to hyperpigmentation and textural changes over time," says Whitney Bowe Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York.

Here are four telltale signs that stress is wreaking havoc on your skin.

STRESS ACNE
Ah, yes – the dreadful stress breakout. It really gets under your skin, doesn’t it? Although going through a stressful time will not directly cause acne, it plays a crucial role. The combination of hormones, bacteria, oil, and inflammation causes acne. "To prepare ourselves for a stressful environment, our bodies overproduce certain hormones like cortisol," says Joshua Zeichner, Director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research in Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York. The hormones cause your skin to overproduce oils, which clogs the pores and creates breakouts on your forehead, nose, and chin.



DEHYDRATED SKIN
According to celebrity dermatologist Howard Murad, the effects of stress can show up on the skin as dehydration, causing hyperpigmentation, inflammation, dullness, and acne. Stress can also create tiny perforations in your cell membranes, causing water to leak from these cells and dehydrate the skin. Even more reason to down that extra glug of water!

LACKLUSTRE APPEARANCE
Not getting the beauty sleep you need (read: deserve)? Worry and angst can interrupt your sleep, leaving you and your skin looking tired. According to Kathy Heshelow, founder of Sublime Beauty, a lack of sleep coupled with stress weakens the immune system and messes up your body’s chemicals – leaving you with dull eyes and lacklustre skin.



HAIR LOSS
According to certified dermatologist David Bank, stress causes the blood vessels to constrict, depriving hair follicles of minerals, vitamins, and oxygen. When you are stressed, organs like your heart, lungs and brain are prioritized to receive the vitamins and nutrients to survive – with little left for your scalp. In turn, hair loss and thinning are caused. In extreme cases, stress can cause Alopecia and Psoriasis.

Stress not only causes strain on your outer appearance but on your body’s inner workings. So, keep calm, maintain good stress-management routines and take care of your organs!