Have you ever experienced an acne breakout right ahead of an important event? It could be anything, from a wedding in the family to, perhaps, a stage performance. This experience is more common than you may think, and the reason for this is the underlying stress surrounding the said event.
“Have you ever noticed your skin may get worse during a period of increased stress? Stress doesn't just affect your mood; it can also affect your skin as well,” he stated. His explanation of how that works is presented as follows.
Stress is a known driver of inflammation, which causes multiple skin conditions. In the words of Dr Sood, “When you're under chronic stress, your body will release hormones and inflammatory signals that can make certain skin conditions flare.”
For some people, the dysregulated hormones and inflammation mean acne. Other people may notice eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, or even hives becoming more active, cautioned the physician.
Chronic stress can result in the weakening of the skin barrier. This makes the skin tissue irritated as well as lose moisture, giving rise to a host of related skin conditions.
Sleep is the time of tissue repair, and that includes the tissues of the skin. Chronic stress is a known disruptor of sleep, and as such, also disrupts the healing process.
As Dr Sood stated, “(Stress) can also disrupt your sleep, which gives your skin less time to repair itself overnight.”
“While stress isn't the only cause of these conditions, it can be an important trigger for many people. That's one reason managing stress is an important part of keeping both your body and your skin healthy,” he noted.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
Dr Kunal Sood, MD, is a double board-certified physician in Anesthesiology and Interventional Pain Medicine. He did his residency and fellowship in anesthesiology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, followed by a one-year fellowship in interventional pain medicine. He later became the Medical Director of the office in Germantown, Maryland.
Debapriya Bhattacharya is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times. He started his career in 2022, working in newsrooms in beats like education, US news, trending stories, and entertainment. In his new role in the lifestyle desk, he seeks to deliver a balanced blend of research-driven reporting and creative storytelling from health and recipes to art and culture. Science, philosophy, food and pop culture are what pump his veins and help bring heart to his stories. Debapriya tries to see out subjects that will allow him and readers to explore new frontiers and improve the quality of life for all. The explorations can be both external and internal, as thoughts seek to be as chaotic as the greater universe. As a citizen of the world, Debapriya has been fascinated by the lives of people across the globe throughout time. His curiosity leads him to explore new linguistic and cultural landscapes to broaden his horizons and deepen his understanding of global narratives. Beyond the newsroom, Debapriya loves to participate in debate and theatre, spaces that he considers to be holy grounds for nuance and self-expression. A graduate from Ashutosh College, University of Calcutta, Debapriya completed his Master's degree from the same university in 2022. An ambiverted bibliophile, he loves his solitude as much as he adores stimulating conversations. And despite his reverence for tech, libraries continue to be his favourite place for research.Read More
