Only calmness: the effect of stress on the skin

The fact that the skin is the largest organ of our body has long been learned by everyone, for which many thanks to the educational work of glossy magazines. But it turns out that the skin is also a real conductor between the body and the outside world. She, like an antenna, transmits all the signals that come from the inside, honestly broadcasting them to the outside. You were caught doing something unseemly – your ears are burning. At the planning meeting, the boss praised me – my cheeks flushed. A loved one stroked his hand – the hair immediately stood on end with excitement. The skin has many functions that we sometimes do not even know about:

• protects against infections and dangerous pathogens;
• protects against overheating, hypothermia, dehydration;
• changes temperature;
• removes toxins;
• absorbs light and converts it into heat.

With the help of thin sensitive cells, hairs and nerve receptors, the skin does everything to make us as safe as possible in the outside world: it reacts to sharp, cold, dry and wet, soft or hard.

And always gives signals. Some of them are not very pleasant to us.

Skin and nervous system are twin brothers

Scientists have established that any processes in the body are controlled by the nervous system. And she has a very close relationship with her skin – in some ways they are twin brothers. In the process of embryonic development, all parts of the nervous system, the brain and spinal cord, as well as the epidermis are created from the ectoderm – the outer germ layer of the embryo. And this fact makes their connection inseparable, they constantly exchange messages.

Goosebumps, bashful blush – all these are processes controlled by the autonomic nervous system. And acne and irritation is a reaction of the hormonal system to the hormone cortisol, which is produced under the influence of stress.

The science of psychodermatology, a direction that arose at the intersection of psychiatry and dermatology, is engaged in the study of this complex issue.

She studies the relationship between skin and mental illnesses that develop simultaneously in the same person. In the course of numerous observations, scientists have found out how negatively stress affects the skin:

• Due to stress, the protective functions of the skin barrier are reduced.
• Stress can trigger skin pigmentation disorders.
• Stress suppresses the formation of skin lipids, thereby disrupting its protective functions, opening the gate to problems such as dryness, dehydration, dull complexion.

But this is not a complete list of his crimes against the skin.

Change of complexion

Stress is a very broad concept. It includes emotional stress and negative environmental influences, large amounts of alcohol, steroid use, and even fitness abuse – all of which are instantly reflected on the skin with dullness and grayness. During such situations, a portion of stress hormones is released into the blood, due to which the vessels and capillaries narrow, automatically blocking the full supply of blood, nutrients and minerals. The blood drains from the face – hence the pale appearance and circles under the eyes.

Puffiness

If you think that puffiness of the face occurs solely because of the love of salt and the abuse of liquid at night, then you are mistaken. Another reason is stress response. When a negative situation drags on and stress becomes a “chronic” status, everything looks completely sad. Lack of sleep is added to the puffiness, which also does not bring anything good with it, eternal dissatisfaction with oneself, signs of early aging become obvious – the oval of the face creeps down, and a pitiful expression appears near the eyes, giving the face a “crying” look.

Loss of tone

Surely you have noticed that on days when everything is bad, we do not look at all the way we would like. The skin seems less elastic, the shine in the eyes disappears. Nothing surprising. During stress, the adrenal glands release the stress hormones adrenaline, norepinephrine, and cortisol. On the one hand, they increase blood pressure and sugar levels for a sufficient amount of energy, but on the other hand, such a violation of microcirculation necessarily affects the condition of the skin. It becomes sluggish, because the connective tissue fibers are not ready to contract with the usual intensity. Under the influence of these processes, wrinkles on the bridge of the nose, lacrimal grooves begin to form, the oval loses its clarity.

Unpleasant blush

For someone to blush – you can’t imagine worse. The mental illness of erythrophobia may even develop, when we begin to blush simply from the fear of blushing. Many with this disease feel terribly unhappy and sick. The head splits, sweat appears, weakness is felt. Scientists know what causes this condition: there is a lot of cortisol and inflammatory neurotransmitters in the blood, which is very similar to the condition with infections.

Skin sensitivity

Another nuisance from stress is increased sensitivity and dryness of the skin. Against the background of experiences, this problem becomes large-scale, but as soon as unpleasant pathogens disappear, the skin returns to normal.

Cosmetic procedures and stress

Many women under the influence of stress decide to radically change their lives and, for example, to do the first serious cosmetic procedure. Be careful, don’t rush! It is well known that stress slows down the process of cell regeneration and weakens the immune system. The healing process is delayed, and undesirable consequences may develop. It is best to pay attention to procedures associated with pleasant tactile sensations, for example, massage in any form: face, back, neck, general.