Stress Can Damage Your Skin

With all of the uncertainty floating around the world right now, there are lots of reasons to feel stressed. Stress obviously affects your mental health in numerous ways. Did you know though, that stress can affect the health of your whole body, including your skin? Stress manifests in our bodies in interesting ways and can take a bite out of our skin health.

What can stress do to my skin?

Stress can not only exacerbate existing or underlying skin issues, it can also cause brand new issues to arise. Here are a few things stress can cause to happen with your skin:

  • Canker sores or cold sore flare-ups
  • Advanced hair shedding or hair loss
  • Hives or rashes popping up
  • Decrease in skin moisture leading to dry, itchy skin
  • More wrinkles from damaged skin cells
  • Flare-ups of acneeczemapsoriasis, or other pre-existing conditions due to heightened cortisol levels
  • Scarring if stress causes you to pick, pull, or scratch your skin

Can I prevent stress-related skin conditions?

A major part of preventing conditions that often arise from stress is taking care of yourself, physically and mentally. Get a solid night’s sleep, drink lots of water to keep your skin well-hydrated, cook nutritious well-balanced meals, get regular exercise, and find the time to do things you enjoy. Starting a new stress-relieving hobby or taking up a new sport can go a long way in improving your mental health. Activities like meditation, yoga, or practicing mindfulness can also help alleviate or mitigate some stress too. Taking steps to tone down the pressure in your life can go a long way in clearing up some of the stress-related skin conditions.

If you are dealing with any of the stress-related issues we mentioned above, or any other persistent skin issues, give us a call today! Our board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Juan Vaillant, here at Old Bridge Dermatology, has decades of experience specializing in clinical and anatomic pathology that will lead you to happy, healthy skin. Dr. Vaillant commonly treats conditions such as age spotsacnedandruffhair losspsoriasis, and nail fungus. Contact our Old Bridge, NJ office at (732) 679-0222 for an appointment today!