The effects of stress on our skin and how to minimise them

We are all dealing with stress in some form. Whether it’s related to work & money, our families, our health, the news, or the general hustle to get everything done (and there always seems to be A LOT to do!), stress feels like it has become an inevitable part of life.

One of the areas where it can be most visible, and often don’t recognise the link, is on our skin.

Signs of stress on the skin

Most of us have experienced an unwanted, unexpected pimple appearing just before a big presentation, interview, or eagerly anticipated date.

And it’s widely accepted that stress will exacerbate existing skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, or rosacea.

It can also appear in the form of an unexplained rash, hives, or itchy skin elsewhere on your body.

But some of the effects don’t seem as urgent. Maybe, like me, you notice dark circles under your eyes, skin that has become drier or flakier than usual, a build-up of oil, more wrinkles, or your complexion just looks dull, lifeless, and (dare I say it…) old!?

These issues can cause stress in themselves, others sound innocuous especially on their own. But they are all your skin sending signals … screaming at you … that under the surface you are experiencing stress.

Stress & your skin.

The stress response puts our whole being in to defence mode. It changes the chemistry in our body and brain … and our skin is one of the victims.

In very small doses stress will actually trigger the creation of more collagen to help speed up the recovery of any wounds. However, in the modern world these short, isolated stressors are rare! We are more likely to experience the impact of enduring or repetitive stress.

What is the stress response?

The initial stress response is increased production of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. These are designed to sharpen our senses & focus, and prime us for action.

Priority is given to those functions essential for survival – fuelling our muscles and raising our temperature causing us to sweat more which can cause us to become dehydrated.

Energy is diverted away from non-essential functions such as the digestion & immune systems which can add to the changes in our chemistry and reduce our ability to fight allergic reactions etc.

How does stress effect your skin?

The overproduction of cortisol

This alters 3 key elements in the finely balanced protective skin barrier – water, oils, and the microbiome.

1)The skin barrier retains moisture and defends against infection, inflammation, irritation. Stress slows production of the beneficial oils causing the skin to “leak” water and become dry, rough and easily irritated.

2) Conversely, the sebaceous glands increase production of sebum & other oils which can make the skin feel greasy, clog pores, and cause infection.

3) This changing mix of oils will impact the skins pH and the skin’s microbiome. A normal microbiome contains microorganisms that exfoliate dead skin cells, produce valuable peptides and ceramides which provide moisture and firm the skin, and protect the skin from sunlight, pollution etc. Under stress, the microbiome “cocktail” becomes increasingly sensitive to infection, inflammation, and irritation. For those of us with underlying or genetic skin disorders this can be particularly problematic.

Increase presence of free radicals

Down-regulation of the immune system and out-of-whack microbiome can increase the presence of free-radicals on the skin, causing oxidation and leaving the skin more sensitive to inflammatory disorders such as eczema, psoriasis, rosacea and at a lower-level lead to generally thinner, more lined, and dull skin.

Reduced production of hyaluronic acid

Excess cortisol also reduces the production of hyaluronic acid and collagen which serve as natural antidotes to some of these issues, plumping the skin, reducing lines and giving a more youthful appearance.

Impacts our confidence and self-esteem

And don’t under-estimate the psychological effect. Being focused and alert, our brain will be increasingly attuned to any potential threat, including social threat or our own beliefs about our skin. We may become more sensitive to how our skin looks, how it is viewed by other people. It can become all-consuming which in turn can undermine our confidence and self-esteem, and start a stress spiral.

Minimising the effect of stress on the skin

There are clearly two paths to reducing the impact of stress on the skin:

1) minimising or counteracting the changes on the skin that occur as a result of the stress response.

2) reducing your reaction to stressors.

6 simple steps for countering the effects of the stress on your skin.

1) Increase the amount and frequency of water intake

Water will help eliminate toxins from the body, and counter some of the dehydrating effect of stress. It can also help ward off a completely unnecessary source of stress - dehydration itself creates a stressor on the body, raising production of stress hormone cortisol.

2) Maintain a simple skin care routine

Under pressure, especially when time is a scarce resource or we feel exhausted, it’s small routines like removing make-up or prepping our skin that fall by the wayside. Not only will regular skincare help reduce oil build up, dehydration and inflammation, but it provides a couple of important psychological boosts.

We can acknowledge the time spent – even if it’s only 5-10 minutes a day – as something we did for ourselves … an act of simple selfcare. And, when stress can make us feel like we have no control over anything, recognising the action we have taken to protect our skin can restore a sense of influence over the outcomes. v

3) Replenish and rebalance skin chemistry

By paying attention to which skincare products we use we can avoid exacerbating pH issues, dehydration, oxidation, and irritation or inflammation. We can also boost levels of collagen production, hyaluronic acid, and anti-oxidants through careful supplementation.

4) Reduce levels of cortisol

Being able to reduce the levels of cortisol in our system during or after a stressful event can help us keep a lid on the effects of chronic stress. There are two approaches to this – “burn” the cortisol or learn to proactively switch from “fight or flight” to “rest and digest” mode.

Burning the cortisol through exercise or movement is quick and easy. It doesn’t require a long, gruelling gym session – a few push-ups, star jumps or a brisk walk / climbing stairs will do the trick. It also benefits your skin by increasing blood flow to nourish cells and remove toxins, and reducing inflammation.

Equally, we can improve our ability to activate our “rest” system, the parasympathetic nervous system. The simplest way to do this is by take a few slow, deep “belly breaths”, but regular yoga, meditation or simple self-massage rituals are also good ways to relax. The more we practice this, the easier it is to access when we need it … so it’s worth finding a way you enjoy or combining it with your daily skincare so that it becomes a regular routine.

5) Increase the “love hormone” oxytocin

No, this isn’t a little blue pill! Oxytocin is the hormone typically linked with creating a caring bond between mother & child. However, it has other functions which are helpful both in combatting stress and improving our skin.

Firstly, oxytocin is a natural antidote to stress. As part of the stress response it lowers cortisol and reverses some of it’s harmful effects, especially on our heart and cardiovascular system. Now, small research studies show that higher levels of oxytocin are linked to reduced inflammation, giving younger looking, less irritated skin… and explaining the famous “in-love glow”.

There are several ways to increase oxytocin without relying on romance! Expressing gratitude, doing or seeing acts of kindness, spending time in nature, massage or hugging, connecting with friends or loved ones, and even stroking a pet will all increase oxytocin production.

6) Know that you are not alone

Feeling supported or knowing you have others around you who understand you will decrease stress, raise oxytocin, and build feelings of confidence. So don’t be shy about asking for help from friends, a doctor or dermatologist, or looking for communities who share your experience with skin issues.

Reducing your stress

Avoiding stress is an impossible ask, and I believe a stress-free life is neither possible nor desirable. However, there are way we can engage differently with our stress response in order to direct it in a healthier, more constructive way. To reduce feelings of overwhelm or anxiety and minimise the knock-on effects on things like our skin.

When we talk about stress we tend to focus on the fight or flight response, which is basically the process outlined above.

But there are other elements of the stress response that we can harness that are sometimes more appropriate to the situation we face. These counter the effects of fight or flight, motivate us to rise to the challenge, connect us with those around us, and help us feel more confident and capable … all of which naturally reduce our initial instinct to stress.

Join Embrace Stress

Embrace Stress offers insight into these new aspects of stress, creating the framework of an 8 Pillar Stress Reset.

Easy to understand, recognise and most importantly apply, it can be used to build a personalised strategy against all forms of stress, and relieve or reduce the impact of any symptom of stress.

For more details on Embrace Stress

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