Ways stress affects the skin

Stressful days can have an effect on your psychological health as well as your skin, your body’s largest organ. The balance between your internal tissues and the outer environment is maintained in part by your skin. This includes controlling body temperature, defence, sensory perception, and water balance. Anxiety, stress, grief, and pain are some of the hormonal changes that affect your skin, and the skin, nails, and hair will all exhibit these signs of stress.

The link between your skin and brain is direct. The skin reserves the vital sense of touch. Therefore, maintaining healthy skin and brain function is necessary for living life to the fullest.

Here are specific ways stress may appear on your skin:

Acne: Your body creates more cortisol when you’re under stress. Cortisol stimulates the hypothalamus, a region of the brain that produces corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH). It is believed that CRH stimulates sebaceous glands near your hair follicles to release oil. These glands’ excessive oil production might clog your pores and cause acne.

Eye bags: Eye bags are recognised by swelling or puffiness under your eyelids. They grow more often as you age because the muscles that support your eyes weaken. Eye bags can also be a result of sagging skin from elasticity loss. According to research, sleep deprivation-induced stress heightens ageing symptoms like fine wrinkles, loss of suppleness, and uneven pigmentation. The appearance of bags beneath your eyes may also be influenced by the lack of skin elasticity.

Dry skin: The top layer of your skin is called the stratum corneum. It has lipids and protein that are essential for maintaining the moisture in your skin cells. Additionally, it serves as a barrier to safeguard the skin below. Your skin may get dry and itchy when your stratum corneum isn’t functioning properly. According to a 2014 study published in Inflammation & Allergy Drug Targets, a pair of mouse studies discovered that stress disrupts the barrier function of your stratum corneum and can adversely impact skin retention of moisture.

Rashes: Stress has the ability to impair your immune system. A weaker immune system can result in dysbiosis, which is an imbalance of microorganisms in your stomach and skin. This imbalance might cause your skin to get red or develop a rash when it happens.

Psoriasis, eczema, and contact dermatitis are a few disorders that are known to be triggered by or made worse by stress.

Wrinkles: Your skin becomes less elastic as a result of changes to its proteins brought on by stress. The development of wrinkles may be influenced by this lack of flexibility.

· Stress can also cause repetitive brow furrowing, which can contribute to the creation of wrinkles.

Damage to the teeth:

Many people start grinding their teeth when they’re upset or anxious. Your teeth may suffer long-term harm as a result of this.

· Loss of hair: Stress can lead to telogen effluvium, a disorder that results in hair loss and thinning. Your hair may become brittle and fall out temporarily, leaving your scalp scaly.