Can stress affect your skin? Understanding the connection between stress and skin health
Can stress affect your skin? Understanding the connection between stress and skin health
It is very common to experience stress from time to time, but when life feels constantly busy, it can affect more than just how we feel. Stress can also have a noticeable impact on our skin, contributing to dullness, dehydration, sensitivity, and breakouts.
For many women, particularly during midlife, juggling careers, family life, relationships and everyday responsibilities, can leave very little time to prioritise yourself. Some women at this stage of life will also be suffering from poor sleep and hormonal changes, so it is understandable that your skin may not look or feel quite as healthy as it once did.
This week marks Stress Awareness Week, and in this blog, award-winning Aesthetic Doctor and skin health specialist, Dr Christine Or explores the connection between stress and skin health, and how taking a holistic approach to your skin can help you look and feel your best self.
How does stress affect our skin?
When we experience times of stress, our body releases hormones including cortisol as part of our natural stress response. While this is a normal and important process, particularly when we experience short-term stress, prolonged periods of stress can have a greater impact on the body, including the skin.
Stress can contribute to increased inflammation in our skin as well as changes in oil production and disruption to the skin barrier. It can also affect our sleep, diet and general wellbeing, all of which can negatively affect our skin.
What are the signs of stressed skin?
You may notice that your skin looks different during particularly stressful periods, and some of the signs of stressed skin may include:
Dull and tired-looking skin: When you are feeling exhausted and run down, your skin can often reflect this making it appear dull, lacklustre or generally less radiant.
Dehydration: Stress can affect the skin barrier which can make it more difficult for the skin to retain moisture. This can leave your skin feeling dry, tight or uncomfortable and can make fine lines appear more noticeable.
Breakouts: Stress can influence hormones and oil production which may contribute to congestion and breakouts. You may find that your skin becomes more unpredictable during particularly stressful periods, even if you don't normally experience blemishes.
Sensitivity and inflammation: Some of my patients notice increased redness, irritation or sensitivity when they are stressed. If your skin barrier is compromised, products that you would normally tolerate may suddenly feel uncomfortable.
Fine lines and a tired appearance: Dehydration, lack of sleep and the cumulative effects of stress can all contribute to a more tired appearance. When combined with the natural changes that happen to our skin as we age, fine lines and loss of firmness may become more noticeable.
Why midlife can be particularly challenging for your skin
For some of my female patients in their 40s and 50s, stress can be just one part of a much bigger picture. During perimenopause and menopause, declining oestrogen levels can affect the skin, contributing to changes in hydration, elasticity, collagen and overall skin quality. At the same time, many women are managing demanding careers, children or caring responsibilities, relationships and busy social lives.
It is no surprise that looking after yourself can sometimes fall to the bottom of the list which is something I see regularly in my clinic. Many of my midlife patients aren't necessarily looking for dramatic changes, they just want to look less tired, healthier and more like themselves again.
A holistic approach to stressed skin
When your skin is looking tired or lacklustre, it is important to take a holistic approach to skin health, looking at your skin itself, your lifestyle, your concerns and what you would realistically be able to maintain at home. For some patients, this may involve a combination of medical-grade skincare, aesthetic treatments and simple lifestyle changes.
The aim is to support the health and quality of your skin rather than simply treating one visible concern.
Medical-grade skincare
A consistent and tailored medical-grade skincare routine is an important part of your long-term skin health plan. Medical-grade skincare can be used to target specific concerns while helping to repair, regenerate and protect the skin. Depending on your skin, this might include products designed to support the skin barrier, improve hydration, address pigmentation or protect against environmental damage.
For busy women, a skincare routine needs to be realistic and not overcomplicated. I would advise having a consultation with an Aesthetic Doctor or skin specialist to discuss your goals and concerns, so they can advise on the right products to make a difference to your skin health and wellbeing, and suit your lifestyle.
Professional aesthetic treatments
There are a number of treatments that can be considered to improve hydration, skin quality, elasticity and overall radiance, particularly during times of stress.
Depending on your individual skin goals and concerns, treatments such as Profhilo, Sunekos and polynucleotides may help support skin hydration and quality. For patients looking to stimulate collagen and improve skin texture and firmness, treatments such as RF microneedling can form part of a longer-term skin rejuvenation plan.
Treatments like anti-wrinkle injections or carefully considered dermal filler may be appropriate where facial movement, volume loss or changes in facial structure are contributing to a tired appearance.
Combination treatments tend to yield the best results, and it is important for an Aesthetic Doctor to thoroughly assess your skin, facial anatomy, concerns and goals for a holistic approach to achieving healthy and radiant skin.
Lifestyle management
As well as the right medical-grade skincare and aesthetic treatments, it is important to also look after your overall wellbeing. When life is busy, the basics can sometimes make the biggest difference, so try to prioritise:
Sleep so your body and skin have time to rest and repair.
Hydration by drinking enough water throughout the day.
Nutrition and a balanced diet which will provide the nutrients your skin needs to function properly.
Movement and regular exercise to support both physical and mental wellbeing.
Stress management and finding small ways to create space for yourself, whether that is a walk, reading, meditation or simply switching off your phone for a while.
Daily SPF to protect your skin from UV exposure is vital for long-term skin health.
The importance of recognising stress
For many women, particularly in midlife, there can be a tendency to put everyone else first, and it is important to recognise when stress might be taking its toll on your skin health and wellbeing. Taking care of your skin can be an important part of taking care of yourself because when we feel comfortable in our skin, it can have a positive impact on our confidence and self-esteem.
Why choose Dr. Christine Medical Aesthetics?
If you feel that stress, tiredness or the changes of midlife are beginning to affect your skin, book your consultation with Dr Christine Or to discuss your concerns and create a personalised plan to your skin health and wellbeing.
