HOW STRESS AFFECTS YOUR SKIN

Learn How The Daily Stresses of Life Affects Your Skin

Whether it’s your family, friends, job, school, your bank balance, the new haircut you loathe or all of the above, chances are you experience a certain amount of stress just going from day to day each week.  While stress affects our minds and bodies, it can also be highly evident from the way our skin behaves.  This article will explore ways stress shows up on our body’s largest organ: our skin.

CAUSES OF STRESS AND ITS EFFECTS ON SKIN

Unfortunately when we are faced with unpleasant people, places or things, all stressors we are forced to deal with sooner or later, we sometimes tend to look to unhealthy avenues to attempt to relieve that pressure. Smoking, drinking and eating dangerous amounts of non-nutritious foods are all outlets we’ve likely used at some point to deal with stressful situations. These things, in excess, can contribute to blemishes, lines and wrinkles, and the overall weakening of the skins underlying structure. As difficult as it might be, when we are faced with stress it is more important than ever to eat healthy, natural foods and attempt to alleviate or cope with stressors through exercise or positive imaging techniques such as meditation or affirmations. If you get in the habit of using these techniques you will soon find that you automatically revert to them in times of need instead of those other not so productive choices for stress relief.

CORTISOL OR THE STRESS HORMONE

Hormones are another major cause of stress showing in our skin. Cortisol, know as the stress hormone, is surging through our body whenever we encounter stressful situations. What’s worse, cortisol majorly contributes to the break down of collagen.  A large part of skin regeneration happens at night and when coritsol levels remain elevated skin repair is diminished. Try taking a warm bath, write down your worries in a notebook or even vent to your online friends. Do everything possible to try to calm yourself before bedtime so that you have a better chance of getting the rest you need.  This will benefit your body, mind and skin!

SKIN CARE AND COSMETICS

Naturally, your skin care and cosmetic products do matter when it comes to dealing with stress and how it affects your skin. Using pure, organic skin care items and makeup products will pamper your skin everyday. Especially in the event that you are a constantly stressed person, you need to know exactly what ingredients you are using on your skin.  Man made fillers and pore clogging waxes won’t help your skin in times of stress or in times of full on happiness. Read labels and purchase small testers until you find products with ingredients you can pronounce and that compliment your complexion.

Everyone has a certain amount of stress to deal with, so don’t let your skin be the culprit.  The right coping skills coupled with the right products are a winning combination when it comes to stress and your skin.

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Laura Miller is a beauty expert, always on the cutting edge of new products and technologies. Laura lives the mind/body/spirit life every day and enjoys her career as a freelance writer specializing in beauty, health/wellness and fashion.