The Effects of Stress on Your Skin

Stress has a negative effect on skin. It has been known for some time that it can aggravate skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

A susceptible and dry, dull skin

Furthermore, it makes the skin more susceptible to bacteria, whereby acne, for example, can worsen. Peter Elias, Professor of Dermatology from the University Hospital of San Francisco, demonstrated in 2007 that stress in mice resulted in a higher production of the stress hormone (glucocorticoid). He showed that it was not only the barrier functioning of the skin that was disrupted by the hormone. It also reduced the number of substances in the skin which protect us from bacterial attack. On top of this it makes the skin very susceptible to irritation. Your skin also becomes more dull and dry due to a delayed renewal of cells and a reduction in material that keeps the skin moisturised and hydrated (ceramides and natural moisturising factors). Moreover it was not only demonstrated in mice, but also in people, that stress causes deterioration to the skins condition.

Skin ageing

But there is more; there is also real scientific evidence that you can age more quickly through stress. Chronic stress causes an increase in free radicals and an accelerated break down of our genetic material (in technical terms: it shortens the telomeres in our chromosomes). Through this the cell division stops earlier and consequently ages us.

Relax!

So if you ask yourself in the coming weeks why there are no new messages appearing on my blog for a couple of days that’s because I’m just taking a relaxing break….

All for a healthy and youthful skin.

Regards and take it easy! Jetske

(Dr. Jetske Ultee-Research Physician Cosmetic Dermatology)

You can read here my blogs about ageing of the skin,
and about healthy skin