What are the effects of stress on our skin and how to deal with it?
Stress not only affects mental health, but it can also aggravate many skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema and acne. It accelerates skin aging and can cause hair loss . You will have understood, our emotions and our brain have a direct link with our skin. Here we explain how stress can affect the beauty of the skin and scalp.
The action of stress on the skin: how does it work?
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a complex system that plays a key role in the body's response to stress. Its activation triggers the production of the stress hormone: cortisol , which is essential for the proper functioning of our body. However, high levels of cortisol can impact skin quality through several phenomena.
Increased skin aging
By increasing cortisol production, stress can, research shows, decrease collagen production . Indeed, there is a balance between the pro-inflammatory system, which induces destruction of collagen fibers, and the anti-inflammatory system which induces reconstruction.
In cases of chronic stress, the system is imbalanced in favor of collagen destruction. However, collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body and its main function is to provide resistance to tissues so that they maintain their structural organization.
Collagen is therefore essential for keeping skin firm and elastic . So, if collagen production decreases, signs of aging such as wrinkles and sagging skin appear.
Reduction of the skin barrier and worsening of skin diseases
Stress can also disrupt the epidermal barrier , which is essential for maintaining healthy skin. In times of stress, skin sensitivity is increased and this can aggravate skin diseases, including eczema or psoriasis. Acne breakouts and stress-related rashes are also common.
Hair loss
Stress not only affects the quality of the skin, but it can also affect the health of the hair and scalp . Stress is, for example, one of the causes of telogen effluvium, a hair disorder that leads to diffuse hair loss in women.
By reducing the quantity and quality of collagen in the skin, chronic stress therefore promotes the appearance of signs of aging. It damages the skin barrier, which limits healing, aggravates skin diseases and weakens the skin in general.
How to manage your stress ?
Here are some stress management strategies that can help preserve the quality of your skin and hair on a daily basis.
- Meditation
Meditation and breathing exercises can help reduce the amount of stress hormones in people who practice them regularly. Some studies even indicate that meditation and relaxation techniques help fight psoriasis. Further studies are obviously needed to show the benefit of meditation for skin conditions.
- A healthy lifestyle
A more balanced lifestyle, including healthy eating and exercise, can also help regulate stress-causing hormones in the body.
- Take care of yourself
Doing things you love like reading a book, following your beauty routine or even cooking can help reduce stress hormones and maintain beautiful skin.
- Restful sleep
Finally, it is of course important to get enough sleep and respect the sleep cycle: fatigue contributes to an increase in cortisol.
To prevent the effects of stress and take care of your skin, discover the Nooance Hydration Bubble Serum . This treatment, beyond a simple serum, offers an innovative two-phase dosage. It targets hydration and signs of aging while soothing the skin. Its unique formulation contains niacinamide, vitamin B3, as well as meadowsweet oil, essential for strengthening the skin barrier and making the skin more resistant to external aggressions.
###serum-bulles-d-hydratation-apaisant-regenerant###
It also preserves the skin's microbiome , that is to say all of the microorganisms present on the surface of the skin and which play an important role in protecting the skin from the external environment. These active ingredients are combined with bisabolol, an ingredient derived from chamomile to soothe the skin, as well as two extracts: a rosemary leaf extract and a marine microorganism to reduce the signs of aging.
Sources:
- Stress, immunity and skin collagen integrity: Evidence from animal models and clinical conditions, V. Kahan a, ML Andersen a, J. Tomimori b, S. Tufik a Brain, Behavior, and Immunity , Volume 23, Issue 8 , November 2009, Pages 1089-1095
- Factors contributing to the facial aging of identical twins, Bahman Guyuron 1 , David J Rowe , Adam Bryce Weinfeld , Yashar Eshraghi , Amir Fathi , Seree Iamphongsai , Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2009
