If you’re experiencing acne, there’s a good chance you’re also experiencing stress along with it. Even if you are doing everything right on the outside, the acne might be caused by something within. Now, stress doesn’t necessarily cause acne, but it certainly plays a role in the development of acne. Stress acne is a mix of bacteria, oil, inflammation, and hormones. Your body will prepare itself for a stressful environment by overproducing a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol stimulates your oil glands and puts them into overdrive. This overproduction of oil then clogs your pores which causes you to breakout.
Stress acne can be a combination of blackheads, whiteheads, red bumps, and pus pimples. A telltale sign that you’re dealing with stress acne is if you get several new pimples all at one time. Hormonal breakouts tend to happen one at a time. Even if you aren’t prone to acne, stress can trigger breakouts.
Each of us will react to stress differently because we are genetically different. But interestingly, our skin can’t tell the difference between different types of stress – physical, emotional, psychological, and environmental. So when we are feeling stress the skin will react regardless of the type or severity. If a saber-tooth tiger is chasing you or you are running tight on a deadline for work, your skin won’t know the difference. There are, however, two types of stress: acute and chronic. Chronic stress is long and enduring and will have serious effects on your skin.
To alleviate stress-related acne, consult with your Illuminate Skin Therapies therapist to ensure your skincare regimen is meeting the needs of your skin. Your therapist will also recommend a treatment program to help alleviate your inflammation.
Now… for that stress. Be sure you are drinking plenty of water and maintaining a clean and healthy diet. Most importantly, take the time you need to care for yourself. Our favorite self-care routines include:
- Meditation. We meditate every day! It’s an opportunity to sit in stillness with whatever is going on for you and breathe. If you’re just starting out with meditating, we love the Headspace app.
- Sleep. It’s important to get the appropriate amount of sleep for you and your body. We love anywhere from 7-9 hours of sleep a night to maintain good feelings emotions and energy for your day ahead.
- Exercise. This is different for everyone. It could be a 60-minute high-impact sweat-fest, or it might be a 30-minute walk around your neighbourhood. Whatever this looks like for you, try and make sure you are getting at least 30 minutes of exercise per day to keep your heart rate strong and your mind and body feeling good.
- Avoid triggers. There are things in our lifestyle that can actually trigger our stress. Caffeine and alcohol intake can actually increase anxiety and depression. We want to remain in good feeling energy while we’re stressed.
- Write it down. We love to journal so this is a great opportunity to write down exactly what has you feeling stressed about and then release it. Focus on what you are grateful for and keep a running list each day. Gratitude can help relieve stress and anxiety by focusing your thoughts on what’s positive in your life.
We know it’s a stressful time and we’re always here to support you. Love, Illuminate.
