Beauty Find Friday: How Stress Affects Your Skin

Portrait of a stressed young housewife in a modern kitchen photo via Shutterstock

Wearing your heart on your sleeve is one thing, but when you wear your stress on your skin, that’s an entirely different story. And it’s not one you want told during your big day.

Nichole Brennan of Skin Deep Med Spa gave us these tips for helping your skin when stress is written all over your face.

Issue: Blemishes
Solution: Stress causes the hormone cortisol to rise, which leads to an increase of oil production and acne. “Taking time to de-stress is essential for healthy skin and body repair,” says Brennan. She suggests salicylic peels that go deep into the pores and dry out any active acne brewing under the surface of the skin. At home, brides can use spot correctors like Brennan’s favorite, the Violet Skin Corrector, which has calamine powder, zinc, and other calming ingredients that take away redness and irritation. In an emergency, there’s also a cortisone injection, which brings large blemishes down within 24 hours. “This is a very popular treatment for brides,” she adds.
Issue: Dry Patches

Solution: Stress can also cause the skin to become dry by depriving it of oxygen and essential nutrients. Not to mention that busy days might translate to forgetting to stay hydrated. Microdermabrasion can buff away dry patches, as well as the DIY Clarisonic cleansing brush. At home, Brennan suggests using an ultra hydrating moisturizer like Obagi Hydrate to lock in moisture to prevent those nutrients from escaping. “Drinking water is extremely important for keeping skin hydrated and healthy, and keeping a humidifier in your home can also help to combat dryness and lock in moisture,” she says.

Issue: Flushed Face
Solution: “As well as becoming drier, skin can flush, and rosacea and eczema can worsen,” says Brennan. “Laser treatments are great for targeting problems like this. The laser facial works by directing a beam of light to an irregularity on the skin, such as enlarged blood vessels. This removes the underlying broken capillaries that cause redness and stimulates collagen, resulting in improved skin texture and lessening red appearance.” Calming masks can also be used to soothe redness at home. Putting them in the fridge an hour before use can constrict blood vessels and deliver de-puffing and anti-redness benefits.

Issue: Hives
Solution: Sometimes excessive stress can weaken your immune system and cause your body to begin sending histamine to try and fight the stress. In other words, you get almost an “allergic reaction” to the stress and can break out in hives. Sometimes hives can also appear without any explanation. If hives are accompanied by restricted breathing or swelling of any part of the throat or face, it’s important to contact your doctor immediately. However, for a mild outbreak, Brennan says to avoid hot temperatures, wear loose clothing and apply a cool compress to help to relieve itchiness. Keeping a topical cortisone cream on hand can also help to calm skin and take out redness and itchiness.

Issue: Under Eye Bags
Solution: Disrupted sleep patterns are another side effect of stress. “Lack of sleep can weaken the immune system and lead to lackluster skin and eyes, including under eye bags,” says Brennan. She offers the Violet calming facial, which includes a facial massage, to help brides to completely relax and stimulate circulation of blood flow to all the areas of the face. “After the facial, brides will enjoy a soothing mask, such as the chocolate mask, which contains a natural egg yolk and nourishing oils to leave skin ultra soft and give it a natural glow,” she says. Eye creams can also be left in the fridge to have a cooling and de-puffing effect on under eye bags.

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