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Posted on: September 13, 2015

Stress is a constant in our lives. It's a natural reaction to change, and it affects your thoughts, behavior, emotions and your body, including your skin. When you experience stress, the level of a hormone called cortisol increases significantly in your body. The rise in cortisol can lead to more production of an oil called sebum that is one of the primary causes of acne and a host of other skin issues. Stress also significantly weakens the barrier function of the skin and can cause dehydration that allows more allergens, irritants and other infectious agents to permeate the skin, leading to inflammation and increased sensitivity. The affect of stress on the skin is so significant that estheticians and researchers maintain that only ultraviolet light is more damaging when it comes to speeding the aging process and harming the skin. Long-term stress can hasten the aging process by more than five years, causing wrinkles, dark spots and an increase in free radical damages. If you are experiencing breakouts, redness or other issues due to stress, making small changes to your daily skin care routine and seeing an esthetician can help. Applying antioxidants, avoiding hot showers and staying hydrated can regenerate your skin and reduce the effects of stress, but the real key to long-term results is to reduce the amount of stress in your life. Using meditation to improve skin is one of the most helpful methods for reducing the effects of stress. Learning to relax can reduce the amount of stress hormones that wreak havoc on your skin, so find a quiet place, focus on your breathing instead of your worries and make meditation part of your daily routine to reduce stress, breakouts, skin sensitivity, wrinkles and inflammation.

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