Ways to Save Stressed Skin

10-20-19

Stress happens to everyone and it is the leading factor of disease within the body. But since the average person can’t just avoid their job, bills or life, the best thing is to learn how to manage the stress. Eating healthy, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep and taking care of yourself is just a few ways to manage your stress level. Your skin is often forgotten when it comes to how stress affects it. Stress can show up on your hair, skin and nails in ways that you won’t like.

Skin is the body’s largest organ, so it is paramount that we learn how to keep damage in check during times of anxiety. Here are a few common problems and potential solutions:

Under-Eye Bags
Worrying that keeps you up through the night and prevents you from getting enough sleep can cause under-eye bags. This occurs when fluid pools below your lower eyelid resulting in puffiness in the morning. Stomach sleepers often experience under-eye bags due to gravity.

The Solution: It’s important to get at least eight hours of sleep. The light from your smartphone screen inhibits melatonin. Melatonin helps you sleep. Relaxing and non-caffeine teas, like chamomile, or golden milk can help calm and relax you before bed.

If you still experience puffy eyes, hold the back of a cold spoon to your under eye area and massage it from the inner to the outer corner of your eyes to jump-start the fluid’s drainage. For those who wear makeup, apply concealer afterwards in an inverted triangle under the eyes.

Wrinkles
Are you noticing your skin has more fine lines and laxity? This commonly occurs when stress has impacted you on a hormonal level. Cortisol is a hormone that is released in response to stress. Cortisol can break down collagen. Collagen is part of what makes skin strong and elastic. It has great tensile strength and is the main component of connective tissues, ligaments, tendons, bones, and skin. When collagen breaks down, it can lead to wrinkles.

Anxiety and stress does more than just damaging the complexion of the skin. Facial expressions, such as furrowing your brows, pursing your lips can lead to deeper wrinkles in these areas over time.

The Solution: Be mindful of your facial expressions in the moments of stress and anxiety. Sounds easier said than done. But no worries, it is easy to train your muscles to relax. For example, if you tend to furrow your brow, try placing a piece of clear tape in between your arches when you are at work and stressed. The tape will crinkle when you scrunch up your brow muscles as a way to remind you to relax. If you purse your lips, do the same with the tap above your lips. After a while, you’ll drop the habit. Let’s be honest, how long can you tolerate wearing face tape in public?

Also breath work can help. Such as, breathe in deeply and as you exhale, visualize your face relaxing and become smooth. Meditation is helpful and can be used in conjunction with breath work.

Lack of hydration is the most common culprit to wrinkles. Make sure to consume at least 8 glasses of water each day. Hydration helps remove toxins. Hyaluronic Acid is another way to topically supplement a quick hydration fix. Our own skin cells naturally produce Hyaluronic Acid to maintain moisture levels. Topically applied, it helps hydrate the skin and maintain it.

Dry, Flaky Skin
It is common when people become stressed they forget to drink enough water. You may be consuming drinks like coffee or soda, which can be dehydrating. If you don’t get the proper hydration, your skin can look and feel like crepe paper.

Stress can also produce skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. Best to get a doctor or dermatologist to diagnose these types of problems. They can suggest the proper medications.

The Solution: Drink plenty of water, about 8 glasses a day. Drinking a glass of green tea can boost healthy antioxidants and eat food with high water content (like cucumbers, beets, celery, etc). Hyaluronic Acid is another way to topically supplement a quick hydration fix. Our own skin cells naturally produce Hyaluronic Acid to maintain moisture levels. Topically applied, it helps hydrate the skin and maintain it.

Rashes and Hives
The development of rashes on the skin is a common physical symptom of stress. Various dermatitis occurs when something gets in contact with the skin that irritates it. Dysbiosis occurs from the imbalance in your gut. Most types of rashes and hives crop up when stress takes over and also when too much bad bacteria outweighs the good. It is always best to consult a dermatologist or doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.

The Solution: Use dye-free and fragrance free products in soaps, laundry products, and lotions to reduce irritations. Take probiotics to balance out the good and bad bacteria in your gut. Avoid clothing from rubbing against the rash. Antihistamines can also help with the symptoms.