Katie Wright
Asks skin specialists for tips on dealing with stressrelated issues
We all know the emotional and physical symptoms of too much stress – exhaustion, sleepless nights and falling ill more often are all sure signs that you’re running on empty and need to slow down.
Another way to determine whether your body is struggling to handle your hectic lifestyle? Take a look in the mirror.
“Stress and anger can be felt on the skin,” says Beiersdorf ’s Dr Dominik Goddertz. “Symptoms such as pimples and red patches signal that the inner balance is disturbed. A look is often enough to tell how someone feels.”
Why does this happen? “Emotional stress resulting in cortisol release can result in premature ageing of all organs, including skin,” says Dr Rozina Ali, anti-ageing doctor and molecular biologist.
“It often manifests as exacerbations of underlying skin conditions, so the secret is to protect yourself from such triggers where possible.”
So what should you look out for if you’re feeling frazzled? Here, three experts talk us through the main symptoms and causes of stressed-out skin.
Plus, we suggest the best products to tackle your concerns.
Dry skin
“For many people who are stressed at work, they are unlikely to take the time to ensure that they are drinking enough water, leading to dehydration and dry, flaky skin,” says Dr Pam Benito, facial aesthetics specialist and founder of Dr Pam Benito Aesthetics (drpambenito.com).
“In the case of stress, the lipid barrier of the skin can be attacked. The result? The skin’s water evaporates faster and the skin dries out,” adds Dr Goddertz. “To combat stressed skin, make sleep and water your best friends!” he recommends.
As well as making sure you’re staying hydrated from the inside out, use a serum or moisturiser with hyaluronic acid, which acts like a sponge in your skin, helping cells to soak up water and stay plump.
Acne
If you’ve been breaking out with spots and can’t tell why, it may be down to stress. “When the body is severely stressed, it releases large quantities of the hormone testosterone,” explains Dr Goddertz. “This can, among other things, promote sebum production, which can lead to so-called stress pimples and blackheads.”
Salicylic acid helps to reduce sebum secretion and dissolves the dead skin cells that clog pores and cause typical ‘whitehead’ spots, so apply daily with a cleanser, tonic or serum.
Ageing
We all know that we should wear a high-quality SPF daily to help prevent wrinkles, but there are lots of other factors that can contribute to skin ageing too.
These include, according to Dr Gommertz: “Environmental stress like sun rays, pollution or oxidative stress, as well as ‘lifestyle’ stress caused by smoking, poor nutrition, or mental stress contribute to ageing of skin.”
He recommends using a product that contains co-enzyme Q10, a substance which occurs naturally in our skin cells and acts to facilitate cells’ energy supply and protects against free radicals due to its antioxidant properties.