Stress is a common part of our everyday lives. In fact, despite the negative connotation associated with the word, some level of stress is actually positive. However, when we become overwhelmed with tasks in our daily life and experience a constant state of physical tension as a result, it can start taking a toll on our bodies. The effects of excessive stress can be diverse, but one of the most important impacts it can have is on the state of your skin. This is how stress and anxiety affect your skin health and what you can do to mitigate it.

Speeds Up the Development of Acne

For starters, stress and the anxiety that often goes along with it are key factors that contribute to acne breakouts. This is because they cause the body to produce more of a hormone known as cortisol, which then triggers the brain to stimulate your oil glands. With more oil on the surface of your skin, it becomes a lot easier for your pores to clog and inevitably become enflamed, increasing the frequency and severity of acne.

Produces Under-Eye Bags and Wrinkles

Stress is also responsible for many of the signs of premature aging. Everything from wrinkles and fine lines to dark circles and under-eye bags occurs as a result of our skin’s loss of collagen. This process happens naturally over time as the production of this material slows, and the existing elasticity of our skin breaks down. However, since stress can break down cells at a faster pace, collagen loss speeds up, and blemishes appear sooner.

Dries Out Your Complexion

Stress and anxiety affect your skin health as well by reducing your cells’ ability to hold onto essential moisture. While you may think that the overproduction of oils would mean your skin remains hydrated, it does little good if your cells are already damaged. As mentioned above, stress removes elasticity from your cells and weakens their ability to bounce back from damage. This also releases any water that those cells may already contain and makes the surface of the skin appear drier and flakier.

Makes You More Susceptible To Rashes

Worst of all, stress and anxiety can make it much easier for you to develop additional skin conditions. When we’re stressed for long periods of time, the effectiveness of our body’s immune system begins to weaken. This prevents us from properly dealing with infections as they occur and allows them to grow into larger problems. Should this happen on the surface of the skin, it can form painful rashes that are difficult to treat.

As you can see, regulating your stress is a major part of maintaining a clear and healthy complexion throughout your life. Therefore, it’s important that you take the necessary steps to manage stress by occasionally treating yourself to a spa day in the comfort of your own home. Not only are these activities great for your mental health, but they also promote better skin care practices. That’s why at Flawless Beauty and Skin, we aim to provide the best home spa products for your self-care and relaxation needs.