CONNECTOR.AE 30 CONNECTOR.AE 31 Health and Wellness Health and Wellness How Stress Can Impact Your Skin Health Stress has become an integral part of our lives due to our fast-paced lifestyle and demanding work schedules. While its effects on mental and physical health are well-known, it’s often overlooked how stress impacts our skin health. Chronic stress triggers the release of stress hormones, affecting the skin’s exposure to itch, inflammation, irritation, and infection. The connection between the brain and skin means that stress can display visibly on our skin. Let’s dive deep into this and understand how stress affects our skin and what measures we can implement to reduce its impact. How Are Stress And Skin Related? Our brain and skin (the body’s largest organ) are intimately connected; they communicate with each other and impact the quality of sleep and life in general. When our body is under constant stress from work, relationships, or life events, our skin feels the strain too. Stress hormones like cortisol and catecholamines mess with our skin, making it prone to itching, Highlighting how stress interferes with rejuvenation, Dalya Sager, Senior Medical Aesthetician and Skin Expert at BROWZ, says, “Stress hormones break down the collagen and elastin in the skin and interfere with rejuvenation, which can speed up the ageing process causing more fine lines and wrinkles and laxity in the skin. The hair and its growth are also affected by stress by contributing to hair thinning and hair loss. While most stressinduced hair loss is temporary, it’s important to address it quickly to prevent irreversible damage.” Furthermore, chronic stress can compromise the skin’s natural barrier function, leading to increased water loss and reduced protection against environmental aggressors. It can resultin dryness, sensitivity, and a higher risk of skin infections. Sharing her inputs on this, Dr Tanya Unni, Skincare and Cosmetic Care Specialist, Founder of Dr Tanya Skincare, adds, “Stress may influence the production of sebum (skin oil), potentially leading to an imbalance that contributes to oily or dry skin conditions. Stress can also make the skin more reactive and sensitive, leading to a heightened response to internal and external triggers, potentially manifesting as redness, itching, or discomfort.” inflammation, and infections. This chemical reaction triggers inflammation and makes our skin more sensitive and slower to heal. So, when stress levels soar, our skin suffers too. Hence, it’s essential to manage stress to keep our skin healthy and happy. How Does Stress Impact Skin Health? Psychological stress can mess with the top layer of your skin, called the epidermal barrier. This layer keeps moisture in and protects against germs. Stress can slow down its healing, leading to irritated skin or chronic conditions like eczema and psoriasis. Stress can also make your skin age faster by breaking down collagen and elastin, which leads to more wrinkles and lines. Second, feeling stressed might lead to habits like teeth grinding or lip biting, which can also damage your skin. Dalya Sager, Senior Medical Aesthetician and Skin Expert at BROWZ, adds stress causes an increase in the release of the hormone Cortisol, commonly known as the ‘stress hormone’ this can have a large impact on how our skin ages.
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