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Acne and Stress: How Stress Affects Acne?
 There was a time when the
medical field was not really convinced that stress can
contribute to acne until a couple of years ago. A study on
22 students ailing from acne was conducted by the Stanford
University. The study showed that the stress about the exams
further aggravated the acne. Researches also concluded that
the students who are most stressed also exhibited the most
aggravation in terms of the acne’s severity.
Stress aggravates acne in two
ways. First, stress stimulates the adrenal glands to produce
more hormones and second, it hampers down the healing
process. During stressful periods the adrenal glands, found
on the upper part of kidneys, produce several types of
hormones: norepinephrine, epinephrine, cortisol and
testosterone. Two of these hormones, the testosterone or
male hormone and cortisol directly impact the sebaceous
glands. For testosterone, it triggers the sebaceous glands
produce more sebum. An abundance of sebum or skin’s natural
oil eventually clogs down the pores. A clogged skin pore
impedes the natural flow of sebum on the skin making it
conducive for bacteria to thrive therefore resulting in
acne.
 On the other hand, stress
also has an effect on the immune system. According to
studies, stress can decrease the healing capacity of the
body by around 45%. Not only does stress aggravate the skin
condition, it also induces the adrenal glands to have an
overproduction of Cortisol. Small amounts of Cortisol are
actually good for the human body. This steroid actually
provides us with quick bursts of energy during fight or
flight experiences, increased over-all capacity of the
immune system as well as making is less sensitive to pain
and increases our memory function. However, if the body
produces too much Cortisol adverse effects include inducing
the sebaceous gland to produce more oil making the skin too
shiny from excess of skin oil furthermore leading to more
flare-ups.
The study made by one German
dermatologist further strengthens the theory that acne and
stress are both related. The German dermatologist, Dr.
Jerome Litt, emphasized that stressful situations make the
adrenal glands produce more male hormones and
androgens which further induce sebaceous glands to produce
more oil resulting in the worsening of the acne condition.
Knowing that stress directly
affects acne, it is a good idea to come up with techniques
that can help manage stress and measures that can help
control acne. Basically, washing your face with water at
least twice a day can help you manage the acne. With regards
to stress, taking some time off with a good way to start,
although, some people take other measures such as consulting
a psychologist that can help manage the stress level.
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