How Does Stress and Anxiety Affect Skin Health?
Have you ever wondered why you tend to see changes in your skin during times of high stress and anxiety? As the body's largest organ, your skin is a reflection of what's going on inside your body. Chronic stress and anxiety can cause or contribute to flare-ups of numerous skin conditions. But what is stress and why does it affect us so much? According to the World Health Organization, stress is "a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation." Stress in itself isn't bad since it's a natural response that can help us face challenges and threats. How we handle it, however, can make a big difference in our overall well-being.
A similar emotion, anxiety, deals more with our feelings. The American Psychological Association defines anxiety as "an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure." While it is a natural function just like stress, anxiety stops being helpful when it starts controlling our lives. If you can't effectively manage your stress levels, your skin could pay the price. It's one thing to know what stress and anxiety are, but knowing their impact on your skin can help you take control and keep your skin looking happy and healthy. Many people turn to over-the-counter tools like a microcurrent facial device or anti-aging gels and skincare to mitigate these effects.
Effects of Stress on the Skin
Stress has numerous negative effects on the skin, which shows the powerful connection between the mind and body.
Breakouts
Stress and anxiety can increase your skin's oil production. Our natural oil, or sebum, mixes with dead cells and blocks the pores, causing breakouts and acne. Stress also weakens your immune system, making it easier for P.Acnes Bacteria to grow in your pores. Combined with slowing the skin's healing process, it's clear to see why stress and anxiety create the perfect storm for breakouts and acne.
Inflammation
Stress increases inflammation throughout the body, causing flare-ups for conditions like eczema, psoriasis, hives, rashes, and rosacea. Inflammation is a natural immune system response to harmful stimuli, infection, and injury, but chronic inflammation contributes to numerous health conditions. Additionally, it can cause hypersensitivity to skincare products, friction, and heat. The result? A red, blotchy, or uneven appearance.
Wrinkle Formation
Stress hormones weaken and break down the collagen and elastin in your skin cells. Stress can also cause dryness which emphasizes fine lines. Dehydrated skin is more prone to wrinkle formation and tends to look dull and textured. The increased tension and movement in your facial muscles from stress can also cause wrinkles to form in areas like the forehead, crow's feet, mouth, neck, and nasolabial folds.
Stress Management
Take care of your skin and restore its balance and glow by managing your stress levels. Self-care is a great way to decrease anxiety! As many estheticians say, " You can't pour from an empty cup." Prioritize the things you enjoy, like yoga, sports, swimming, working out, or other physical activities that help you decrease restlessness and sleep better. Make equal time for meditation, breathwork, creating art or music, or reading a book - these practices can all help you recenter your mind and self regulate. Show yourself love by taking care of your body, and your mind will follow. Self care can take many forms - getting a facial, massage, acupuncture, or a new hairstyle. The list goes on! Making time for yourself will help you fill your cup so you can thrive.
Treating Stressed Skin with 7e Microcurrent
Myolift™ Microcurrent uses gentle electrical currents to stimulate the facial skin and muscles, which has been proven to have numerous benefits for stressed skin.
Myolift microcurrent is antimicrobial, which prevents acne causing-bacteria from surviving on the skin. It also helps maintain the skin’s ability to keep out infection and to retain moisture, leading to calmer, less inflamed skin. Microcurrent has been shown to boost lymphatic drainage for powerful skin detoxification, which can help prevent future breakouts and inflammation by removing waste and toxins from the cells. For a calming boost of moisture, try adding a weekly hydrating treatment into your routine. We recommend pairing the 7e Vitalizing Sheet Mask with your Myolift Device so you can pulse the microcurrent through your sheet mask while it is on the skin. The sheet mask nourishes and soothes your skin. Ingredients like glutathione and niacinamide brighten and reduce hyperpigmentation while the skin is flooded with moisture by the hydrogel material. The magic happens when you combine this with Myolift, which pushes these ingredients deeper into the skin and intensifies the results of the treatment. After this, your skin will be bouncier, glowier, and visibly refreshed.
Think of wrinkles and other signs of aging as a gradual damaging of the skin's structure over time that is aggravated by stress. Microcurrent was pioneered in hospitals because of its ability to heal the skin quickly. By replenishing cellular energy, Myolift treatments boost collagen and elastin production to rebuild damaged and weakened skin. Myolift Microcurrent also strengthens the facial muscles and can be used to smooth out wrinkles and reduce laxity or sagginess. Every Myolift Device has a setting (‘Stretch’ waveform on the Myolift QT Plus or ‘Erase’ on the Myolift Mini or Myolift Triwave) that helps release tension and lengthen the muscles. This setting will be your best friend - as it directly targets all of the expression lines that stress causes. For example, you can use your Myolift all over your forehead and around your eyes to reduce or prevent the wrinkles that form there from constant movement and tension. This setting is your at-home, no-downtime botox alternative that you can also use to smooth out other areas like the lipline and chin. When you use a microcurrent facial device, you'll notice brighter, more radiant skin after just one treatment. Then with repeated treatments over the next few weeks or months you will see your results get better and better as your skin health improves and your muscles become stronger.
Are you interested in adding Myolift Microcurrent into your routine? Learn more about it here!
