Another summer is ending. It’s hard to believe how fast it went by. I hope you’ve enjoyed time with your family and friends and found time to relax. After the easygoing days of summer, autumn’s arrival can feel like an abrupt return to reality, ramping up stress and you guessed it… acne. Stress and acne go hand in hand. But getting back into the school-year groove and facing the upcoming holiday season doesn’t have to wreak havoc on your nerves or your skin.
I’d like to say that I never get stressed out. That I breeze through my day like a serene goddess, untouched by the troubles of mere mortals. That I wake naturally with the sunrise, have time for yoga and green tea, and accomplish every task on my to-do list with grace and ease.
But in reality, I get stressed out about a lot of things. Burning my Pop-tart? Stress. The daily grind and morning commute? Stress. Car trouble? You guessed it, stress.
All that anxiety triggers our acne-prone skin. And that stress-induced acne breakout? Yeah, you better believe it causes EVEN. MORE. STRESS.
Now you see what they mean by a “vicious cycle.” But who knew that stress wasn’t just bad for your temper and sanity, but also bad for your face and skin?
Does Stress Really Trigger Acne?
Unfortunately, yes. Research has shown that internal stress triggers acne and the greater the stress, the bigger the breakout. Managing stress and acne go hand in hand. When you get one under control, it will directly affect the other in a positive way.
There’s nothing like waking up to a big bold pimple to get the good ol’ anxiety going, right?
We know the morning drill for most of our clients…wake up and inspect the skin for any new pesky outbreaks. And, if you typically have clear skin, you know what it’s like to wake up to a new friend on your face. Aaagh!
We are seeing more and more adult clients develop cystic acne. These are people who have been clear most of their life and have never experienced the heartache of congested skin. And stress may be the trigger that sets off this new normal for their skin.
Let me break it down for you simply.
Chronic stress increases levels of a stress-related hormone—cortisol, which sends the skin’s sebaceous (oil) glands into overdrive.
Cortisol participates in regulating various bodily functions, including anti-inflammatory action. Increased cortisol leads to increased inflammation.
Stress also causes people to make poor food choices, sleep less, and skip normal routines, including skincare and exercise.
Chronic stress ultimately affects the duration and severity of our breakouts.
Stress Busters–Managing Stress and Acne
So what can you do to alleviate stress?
- Exercise.
- Sleep. Make sure you and your kids go to bed at an appropriate time (eight hours is best.)
- Meditate. (see list of apps below)
- Practice yoga.
- Journal your thoughts. Put your stress on paper to release it from your mind.
- Cut back caffeine—limit coffee and energy drinks.
- Organize—organize your space and your life to reduce clutter.
- Take a break from social media. Challenge yourself and your kids to put the devices away one hour prior to bedtime.
- Play relaxing music or a guided meditation while you light up your face at night with the LightStim or Celluma professional light panel.
- Eat nutrient-dense, hydrating snacks throughout the day to keep your blood sugar regulated
- HYDRATE often. Water & minerals are essential to keeping your cells at their optimal state
Stress-Causing Habits
We all have our vices and bad habits. We’re only human! But some of these little quirks may be bumping our stress levels up more than we know. Check out some of the most common factors of inducing stress in your life below & see if you can minimize them.
— Caffeine: Is coffee your thing? Or maybe you drink a LOT of soda. Watch out, because the caffeine inside can make your anxiety spike dramatically, sometimes doubling your body’s stress response.
— Lack of sleep: That caffeine may also keep you up at night. And not getting enough sleep? That’s also going to increase your stress, night owl.
— Burnout: Another stressor may be the tendency to overcommit yourself. Do you say yes to every task, favor, and invitation that comes your way? Pace yourself! Burnout is real, and it ain’t pretty.
— Procrastinating: When you do have unavoidable responsibilities, don’t wait until the last minute. Procrastination now will mean stress later, as you try to rush through an assignment or end up bringing work home with you. Do anything you can in advance. Seriously, future you will be so grateful.
Relieve your Stress by Working with a Clear Skin Coach
One thing we have discovered is that the appearance of acne causes more stress—most people worry about what to do about it, how to clear it, etc. Googling remedies and solutions adds to the stress. If you are working with us, it should alleviate this stress, as you can stop Googling and worrying about what to do.
We find that our clients breathe a sigh of relief when they join our clear skin program.
Stress and your Body
You tend to think of stress as something that’s only going on inside your mind. But the truth is that stress affects your entire body with real physical impacts. This has a lot to do with the stress hormone cortisol.
When cortisol is released, it can affect the reproductive system, your growth processes, your digestive system, and even your body’s immune responses. So, it should come as no surprise that it also affects your skin.
Stress acne is a clear sign that the mind-body connection is real. Your physical health depends on your mental health, and vice versa. By working to manage your stress while taking care of your body, and seeing us for an initial consultation, you can get a handle on your acne and feel better in the end.
The Bottom Line
Managing your mental health takes practice and time. Many of us work on it well into old age. But learning to better manage your stress levels can have benefits well beyond clearer skin. It can simply make life easier.
Your health determines what kind of life you lead and the way you feel about yourself. You are worthy of feeling and looking your best. Are you ready to go all in for clear skin? Schedule your initial consultation and treatment today, so we can get you on the road to clear skin!
Cheers to clear!
Rene