Did your skin take a turn for the worse over the last few years? It’s no doubt that stress effects the skin. In this article, I’ll discuss the effects of stress on the skin and how you can best support your skin during difficult times.
Ever see the face of someone who is newly in love? They are glowing! This is because happiness and love increase blood flow to the skin, help the body absorb nutrients and increase oxytocin, thereby decreasing inflammation.
Now look at a face of someone who is stressed, grieving or depressed; the skin looks dull, wrinkled, breakouts present, possible bags under the eyes…the skin is a mirror to the mind.
Let’s take a look at the effects that prolonged periods of stress have on the skin:
Increased Lines and Wrinkles
People hold so much tension in their face from worry, sadness and fear. This creates the fascia in the skin to become stuck and rigid, creating wrinkles; and decreased lymphatic drainage, resulting in puffiness.
Solution:
- Face massage. You can massage your skin nightly with a pure oil, or go to an aesthetician for a professional face massage. Either way, it feels good and it works to decrease tension held in the muscles.
- Awareness. Check in with yourself regularly and notice if your face is relaxed. It takes awareness to change holding patterns in our body.
Increased Cortisol Levels
Undergoing prolonged periods of stress activates the stress hormone cortisol which shunts blood away from the core of the body out to the limbs so you can run. Which means:
- A decrease in blood flow to the skin resulting in less nutrients reaching the skin. As a result, the skin will be drier and there will be a decrease in collagen production, circulation and natural healing abilities for wound repair.
- Imbalanced hormone production which can lead to oily skin, acne or extra dry skin.
- Reduction in HCL- (stomach acid). Your body is not thinking of digesting your food when it’s running from a tiger. Stomach acid is decreased which can lead to nutrient deficiencies, bacterial overgrowth, parasites, h-pylori infection and yeast overgrowth. All of which affect your skin. Conditions such as acne, rosacea, eczema, hives, dry skin, and rashes are all linked to digestion imbalance. Digestive enzymes, HCL tablets, Herbal Bitters, all can help increase digestive strength.
- Increased Insulin levels. Cortisol increases insulin levels which is a cause for PCOS. This hormonal imbalance in women can lead to acne, hair growth on the face and weight gain. High insulin levels can also be a cause for skin tags, large brown spots on the body and dry, itchy skin.
- Low Thyroid Production. Cortisol can inhibit secretion of TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) from the pituitary gland, leading to partial suppression of thyroxine, the main hormone produced by the thyroid gland. Low thyroid function, hypothyroid, can result in dry skin, decreased collagen, hair loss and weight gain.
Solutions for High Cortisol Levels
- Meditation. This is by far the most potent medicine for the body. Meditation decreases stress, period. I can’t tell you how important it is in relaxing the nervous system and taking someone out of flight-fight mode. It will have a systemic effect for the whole body in decreasing inflammation. Inflammation is the primary cause for numerous health conditions.
- Deep Breathing. If you feel like you don’t have time to meditate (which is just a story your creating) practice deep breathing a few times a day. (TIP: set an alarm on your phone for 3 times a day (or more) to breath deep and connect to your heart).
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- Place both hands over your heart
- Close your eyes
- Relax your shoulders
- Take a slow, deep inhale, filling your lungs completely, so your belly expands
- Exhale all the air out completely (without force)
- Repeat 3 times
- Relax in Nature. Grounding is when your barefoot on the ground, connecting to the earths revitalizing and healing energies. If you can’t go barefoot simply being out in nature helps connect us to our true self.
- Find Pleasure. Do what fills you up. What excites you the most. Follow your heart and take time out for the things that make you happy.
- Light Exercise. Light exercise like walking and yoga help to decrease stress levels. High intensity like running can actually increase stress on the body.
Topical Solutions for Stressed Skin
Dry Skin-
- Moisturizing mask 2-3 times a week, such as Hydrating Honey Mask will replenish skin lipids and hydration.
- Use a face oil on top of a cream. Using a face oil such as Radiant Face Oil or Luminous Face Oil, on top of a moisturizer helps to lock hydration and moisture in the skin.
- Hydrating serums. Use a hydrating serum twice a day such as, Youthful Glow Serum. This serum contains hylauronic acid plus antioxidants which feed the skin with moisture and nutrients.
Acne-
- Youthful Glow Serum contins anti-inflammatory properties which help to decrease redness, scarring and inflammation breakouts.
- Salicylic acid containing products help to clear pores, decrease excess oil, redness and inflammation in the skin. Products such as these listed below contain a natural form of salicylic acid and are formulated specifically to help clear acneic skin:
Final Thoughts:
Know that your skin can heal and regenerate. Give your body and mind the care that it needs to repair and heal, and your skin will balance out as a result. 💜