How does stress affect the condition of the skin?

If you have ever had a pimple or boil before an important event, you may have thought that it was the stress you were experiencing that caused it to appear.

Almost every person is subjected to stress, and for some people it has even become a daily routine.

For example, in a recent study, stress was identified as a factor that caused the appearance of psoriatic plaques in 60% of participants.

In another study of people with atopic dermatitis, 50 to 67% of participants with eczema reported that psychological stress was the main aggravating factor of their disease.

Similarly, in a study of medical students with acne, it was stated that constant tension was identified as a factor inducing the formation of the abnormal skin growths.

The conclusion that could be drawn based on these results from these studies is that for most people, stress is a major factor in causing various skin problems.

In addition, scientists have found that they can easily demonstrate the conditioning between exposure to severe stress and acne flare-ups.

The skin becomes oily

When a person is under stress, the level of the stress hormone cortisol in the body rises.

This often leads to an increase in sebum secretion, which is the cause of oily skin, acne and other similar skin problems.

But even if the skin becomes oily when subjected to great stress, research shows that constant tension causes the manifestation of other skin abnormalities.

For example, the results of a 2001 study showed that stress negatively affects the skin’s protective function, causing not only dehydration, but also impairing its ability to recover after injury.

Disruption of skin barrier function makes the largest organ in the human body more permeable, making it easier for more irritants, allergens and even bacteria to enter, increasing the risk of infection.

Specifically, stress contributes to the exacerbation and greater persistence of the skin manifestations of acne and rosacea. Prolonged tension can worsen dermatitis, urticaria, and also psoriasis.

This and one of the reasons why a person applies a good moisturizer to their skin when they feel stressed.

If the product used is made from sufficient quality ingredients, then it will help strengthen the skin’s barrier function.

So the moisturizing cream would prevent the appearance of skin as a result of the strong stress.

Increased risk of inflammation

The results of other scientific studies show that stress causes various biological changes in the body, which stimulate the release of substances from the skin called neuropeptides.

The different types of cells in the skin such as immune and endothelial /form the surface of blood vessels/ are subject to regulation by neuropeptides and neurotransmitters, which are chemical substances released by nerve endings in the skin.

But stress may stimulate the release of larger amounts of neuropeptides, which in turn can cause inflammation and unpleasant skin symptoms such as numbness, itching, tenderness or tingling.

In people exposed to chronic stress that began in early childhood, for example due to abuse by parents, there is a higher incidence of the most common form of skin cancer – basal cell carcinoma.