Simple ways to stop your skin stressing out
FEELING tense or under pressure? You’re not alone. Recent research suggests that more than 80 per cent of UK adults say they feel stressed on a regular basis. However, while the effects of stress on health are well known, you may not be aware of the devastating impact it can have on your skin.
From under-eye bags to dullness and breakouts, chronic stress can cause a host of skin problems.
To mark Stress Awareness Month we’ve rounded up our top tips, tricks and treatments to ensure you stay glowing when the pressure is on.
STRESS TEST: EYE BAGS
Stress can prevent you from sleeping properly which can cause fluid to pool below your eyes.
Tackle it: Develop good sleeping habits. Go to bed and get up at a regular time and turn off any electronic devices at least an hour beforehand. Avoid coffee or alcohol and try a soothing drink such as camomile tea or warm malted milk. In the morning try this quick trick to blitz bags. Dip the corner of a flannel in iced water and gently massage the skin directly under your eyes, working from the inner to the outer corner.
Skincare saviour: A caffeine-based eye cream will reduce puffiness. Try The Ordinary Caffeine Solution, £5.80 (cultbeauty.co.uk) which also contains a potent blend of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories.
In the clinic: Pelleve is a quick high-tech treatment that uses radiofrequency to shrink bags and soften lines.
You’ll see an improvement immediately but a course of four to six is recommended for best results.
From £350 per treatment.
STRESS TEST: DULL SKIN
A recent study found that when women experience stress it reduces the skin’s natural protective barrier.
Chronic stress deprives the skin of oxygen and essential nutrients, leaving it dehydrated and susceptible to damage.
Tackle it: Stay hydrated by swapping tea and coffee for water and antioxidant-rich green tea.
Include foods with a high water content in your diet such as cucumber, tomatoes and celery.
Skincare saviour: Choose a serum that contains hyaluronic acid. This hydrating ingredient occurs naturally in the body and can hold 1,000 times its weight in water. Try La Roche-Posay HyaluB5 Hyaluronic Acid Serum, £37 (boots.com).
In the clinic: Profhilo is a skin-boosting treatment that hydrates from the inside out. The treatment involves having five tiny injections on each side of the face, depositing hyaluronic acid just underneath the surface of the skin.
Over the next few weeks it diffuses into the skin, hydrating and plumping. Results last six to nine months.
From £200 per treatment.
STRESS TEST: BREAKOUTS
Stress releases the hormone cortisol which increases oil production in the skin leading to blocked pores and spots.
Stress can also disrupt the balance between good and bad bacteria in the gut, triggering a breakout.
Tackle it: Eating a healthy well-balanced diet and cutting down on sugar and saturated fat will increase levels of friendly gut bacteria.
For an additional boost take a daily probiotic supplement such as Optibac For Every Day, £35.99
(optibacprobiotics.co.uk).
Skincare saviour: Try Avene Cleanance Anti Blemish Routine, £18.37 (boots.com) which promises to banish excess oil, tighten pores and soothe blemishes.
In the clinic: A course of glycolic peels will slough off any dead skin cells, unblock pores and clear up spots.
You’ll need four to six treatments for best results. From £80 per peel.