12 signs your body is no longer coping with stress

Chronic stress and fatigue affect our physical and mental health. Some of the body’s responses to stress can be completely unexpected. Stress levels can seriously affect the skin, exacerbating existing skin conditions such as eczema or rosacea, as well as causing side effects such as excessive sweating or even hair loss.

The effect of stress on skin condition is becoming increasingly evident in the medical community. There is even a new field in science – psychodermatology, which studies the effect of emotions on the skin.

Marisa Garshik, MD and Chief Medical Correspondent for Certain Dri, talks about how stress affects the skin.

MD, Chief Medical Correspondent of Certain Dri

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It’s not just teens who are battling acne. Adults also often experience acne breakouts. There are many reasons for this problem, but stress is often the main one.

“Pimples often appear as a result of stress, primarily due to the hormonal changes associated with it,” explains Garshik. “The body releases stress hormones, including cortisol, which increases the production of fat in the skin, which makes us prone to breakouts.”

Bags or dark circles under the eyes

When we are stressed, we often forget to take basic care of ourselves. Lack of sleep, unbalanced nutrition and insufficient fluid intake leave a familiar mark on our face.

The beauty industry offers a ton of effective skin care products designed to get rid of bags under the eyes and combat the panda effect. However, before resorting to them, it is worth trying to make up for lost sleep and relieve stress.

Pale and dull skin

Likewise, stress can result in skin dullness. In a stressful situation, we often refuse to use our usual creams. As a result, the skin may appear pale and dull. Skin care is a form of self-care and helps to relax, so it is especially important not to forget about self-massage of the face and hands, masks and baths, even in the most stressful times.

Dry or flaky skin

Stress can affect skin texture. “Excess cortisol leads to a decrease in the synthesis of hyaluronic acid, which can lead to a loss of moisture in the cells,” says Garshik. Also, when stressed, we often forget to apply moisturizer and ignore our usual routine, which will certainly affect the appearance of the skin.

Complications of eczema

“Outbreaks of eczema (a skin condition that usually appears as a red, itchy rash) occurs or intensifies under stress,” says Garshik. “And the itching and discomfort from the inflammation caused by eczema makes patients pretty nervous. It turns out to be a vicious circle. “

“Dry skin tends to be more prone to eczema, so keeping it hydrated is important to minimize irritation,” the expert adds.

Blooming rosacea

By a similar principle, stress can be a trigger for a rosacea outbreak.

“Rosacea, which is characterized by rosacea, redness or flushing (overflow of blood vessels), can be caused by many factors. Stress, on the other hand, lowers immunity, provokes an inflammatory reaction that can aggravate dermatosis, increase redness and rash, ”says Garshik.

Hives

“Urticaria, or urticaria, occurs when the level of histamine in the body rises. A similar condition may be associated with a recent infection, new drugs or an increase in their dose, allergies or food intolerances. In all cases, stress can cause or worsen skin symptoms by increasing the release of histamine. ”

Psoriasis

Stress can be thought to cause psoriasis flare-ups (manifested by the formation of red, scaly patches all over the body), but psoriasis flare-ups can also cause stress. The link between stress and psoriasis is cyclical – another vicious cycle.

Garshik explains: “More research is needed to determine the exact mechanism of the disease, but in a 2004 study, 66% of patients with psoriasis reported that their disease was exacerbated by stress.”

Increased sweating

Stress leads to the secretion of sweat from the apocrine glands as a result of increased adrenaline levels. This is our inherent response to an emergency.

Sweating before an important meeting or public speech is common. But even the most confident person can experience additional stress if it becomes noticeable.

Increased sweating can be controlled with conventional antiperspirants and, in difficult clinical situations, with medications recommended by a dermatologist.

Premature aging

Stress disrupts collagen production. While we are fighting against skin aging with varying degrees of success with anti-aging products, trying to achieve visible results, stress safely leaves a mark on our face.

“As already mentioned, stress leads to increased levels of cortisol, which not only decreases hyaluronic acid synthesis, but also breaks down collagen,” says Garshik, noting that the loss of collagen and hyaluronic acid leads to wrinkles over time. “Stress can also increase the production of free radicals, which leads to skin aging,” she adds.

Slow down regeneration

A 2001 study published in the Archives of Dermatology found that water loss during stress interferes with the skin’s ability to heal from injury. Dermatologist Flor A. Mayoral, MD at the American Academy of Dermatology, highlighted this link, noting that the study officially proves for the first time what dermatologists have believed for many years: psychological stress negatively affects normal skin function.

“The delayed skin regeneration may be due to the fact that stress promotes inflammation and thus inhibits wound healing,” says Garshik. “It also reduces the effectiveness of the skin barrier.”

Hair loss

In some cases, when the body is under increased stress, hair can enter the premature telogen (“shedding stage”) and begin to fall out, causing noticeable baldness. This condition is called telogenic outflow. 

“People may notice thinning or hair loss months after the initial stress occurs. “Stress causes inflammation that causes hairs to enter the resting phase too early, which leads to hair loss two or three months after stress,” explains Garshik. “This type of hair loss is considered temporary, but if you are worried about the amount of hair falling out, see a dermatologist who can help you find the cause of the problem and prescribe a treatment.”

Remember, any sudden skin reaction should be investigated by your doctor or dermatologist. Take care of your nerves and health.