Stress can have damaging effects on your skin. The good news is that now you can reverse the damage.
Ever noticed how much older presidents look when they leave office? Those four years of responsibility to the nation leave a lasting impression — not just on an emotional and psychological level — but, more especially, on the physical. Complexions turn to grey, dark rings circle the eyes, deep lines appear where there were none before. And the number one culprit is stress.
So why does stress show so clearly on our skin? Too much stress or prolonged stress increases the levels of free radicals, which accelerate the breakdown of proteins in many organs, including the skin. Free radicals also suppress the immune system.
THE TELL-TALE SIGNS
Natalie do Pinheiro, educator at Dermalogica says your skin needs therapy if:
You develop pigmentation marks
If under a great deal of stress over an extended period of time, you may experience areas of pigmentation on the face, usually on the temples and jaw line.
Your skin is ultra-sensitive
Excessive histamine — released by the body under duress — suppresses immune function, leading to inflammation, which could lead to eczema, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and increased skin sensitivity in the form of redness. Skin cancer and possible fungal infections are other potential concerns.
You’re breaking out
The primary aggravating factor in adult acne is chronic stress. Acute stress and temporary stress can cause a breakout from time to time. But chronic, continual stress increases hormone levels, which can lead to an increase in oil production in the skin. One reason why adult acne is on the rise in females especially is because of the additional responsibilities that have increased our stress levels.
The pressure to work outside the home to help maintain a steady family income while maintaining a functioning household is unique to this generation of women. Combine workplace stress with household responsibilities, cosmetics that contain known skin irritants and monthly hormone fluctuations, and you have a perfect breeding ground for adult acne.
You’re looking older
Debbie Nel, training manager for Guinot, says stress has a direct impact on the quality of collagen and elastin, causing early ageing.
HOW STRESS AGES US
When your body is stressed, it releases certain hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. These stress hormones can cause irritation and loss of immune function in the skin, and the effects of this are very similar to what happens during the natural ageing process. When skin is irritated, its protective barrier to the outside world — designed to keep moisture in and irritants out — may be compromised so when that barrier is damaged, moisture evaporates more rapidly and irritants can get in more easily, both of which cause damage to the skin.
In addition, when the immune function of skin is compromised, its ability to fight off external invaders and suppress damaged cells before they multiply is also compromised. And the stress hormone, MSH (melanin stimulating hormone), stimulates pigment formation thus excess pigmentation. Whatever its causes, stress shortens the life span of our skin cells, causing them to grow old before their time so our skin takes on a dry, devitalised, and dull appearance and lines and wrinkles appear.
Genetic predisposition accounts for 10 percent of visible ageing, says Dermalogica, while extrinsic factors account for 90 percent of visible ageing. Extrinsic factors include sun exposure, stress, free radicals, diet and lifestyle.
BEAUTY BUZZWORD: SIRTUINS
You are going to see a great deal of this strange-sounding word. Pronounced sir-too-ins, it is a class of enzymes that selectively regulates the activity of many key genes responsible for metabolism, cell defense and reproduction. SIRT 1 activators help to inhibit collagen degradation, have skin balancing effects as well as antioxidant benefits. It increases skin repair and protection, resulting in increased skin longevity, improving stress induced cell survival.
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