
The way your skin looks can depend on your mood. If you’re stressed, your skin can look dull. You can also have eczema, and breakouts can become worse. On the other hand, if you’re in a good mood, your skin will be able to retain its glow. This article will discuss five surprising ways your mood can affect your skin.
Stress Can Cause Rosacea, Eczema, and Other Skin Conditions
One of the hormones your body releases when you’re stressed is cortisol. This hormone regulates your flight or fight response and gives you energy during the day. However, despite its apparent benefits, it can also affect your skin.
According to research, cortisol can worsen inflammatory skin conditions and prevent wounds from healing quickly. In addition, cortisol is associated with a hormone known as the corticotropin-releasing hormone, which interacts with your oil glands, increases oil production, and subsequently increases your breakouts. Scientists believe that higher stress levels can make your acne more severe.
Eczema is another skin condition stress can aggravate, according to the National Eczema Association (NEA). Getting stressed can cause flare-ups which can, in turn, aggravate your stress level and anxiety.
Stress Can Lead to Skin Picking
Some people deal with anxiety through repetitive behaviors that involve their bodies. This is an activity that scientists from Mental Health America have traced back to obsessive-compulsive disorder. Skin picking is a mental condition often caused by stress, anxiety, and genetics. Doctors treat this condition with a mixture of SSRI drugs (antidepressants). A classic example of skin picking is acne excoriée which occurs when a person often picks at their acne bumps.
Anxiety and stress can make acne excoriée worse. If your condition worsens, your skin can get scarred.
Depression Can Cause Unhealthy Skin Care Habits
Stress can lead to depression, and when you’re depressed, you can find it challenging to eat healthily, drink enough water and even take in enough oxygen. All these things can affect your body negatively, and when your body isn’t feeling well, it shows on your skin which is one of your body’s most significant organs.
In addition, people with depression ignore self-care activities such as skin care routines.
Frowning Can Cause Wrinkles
Constantly frowning can create permanent wrinkles on your forehead, as constantly squinting can create deeply etched lines around your eyes. Scientists recommend that you smile more often to prevent your skin from aging faster. That way, you can eliminate frowns induced by squinting and stimulate the emotions that can help you achieve better-looking skin.
Feeling Good Makes Your Skin Look Better
As we’ve mentioned in this article, your mental health can affect your skin negatively is positive. Feeling good can neutralize the effects of stress on your skin. When you feel good, your body releases the serotonin and dopamine hormones which keeps cortisol at bay.