The Connection Skin and Stress

By Dixie Medford, P.C.C.D

 “The Future Belongs to Those Who Believe in the Beauty of Their Dreams.”  They are the words of Ms. Eleanor Roosevelt.  In the past few weeks, we as Americans have felt the sorrow of our lost friends, the anger of those that threaten our shores, and the fear of a falling economy.   The growing stress levels of our already over stressed lives has become a serious emotional impact on our lives.

 Because the skin and the psyche are in such very close communication stress plays a large role in many skin disorders.  All types of stress trigger involuntary changes in the skin, which incidentally, is your largest organ.  Stress is the way your psyche perceives the pressures on you.  That determines how much the stress will effect you, not the situation itself.  What one person experiences as stress may be considered challenging to another.  Research does show that some means of controlling your perception of a stressful event, even for a while, will lessen it’s effect.

 When the brain perceives a situation as stressful it signals the nervous system and creates a rush of hormones including adrenaline.  These can cause breathing and heart rates to become rapid, blood is directed to large muscles and away fro smaller ones, and energy sources may be on stand-by.

 During these times of stress, the skin will be the last to receive blood and nutrient supplies.  Chronic strain slows the skins ability to slough off dead cells, exacerbating dryness and other skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, eczema and hives.  While chemical changes brought on by tension and anxiety don’t cause  skin diseases, they can worsen an existing condition. 

STRESS HELPERS

 Stressful events can be either avoided, changed or managed by improving coping skills.  The good news is that making the effort to manage stress better has a positive effect on your entire mental and physical health, not just your skin. 

Changing negative habits such as poor nutrition, lack of exercise, not enough sleep, smoking, drinking or working too much, can make you vulnerable to the effects of stress.

 Problem solving techniques help you gain control over stress by helping to evaluate, choose and implement effective methods to manage any stressful situation.

 We as Americans need to remember the words of Eleanor Roosevelt.  The future truly does belong to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.  We need to believe in America and support each other.  Our shores will be safe and our American spirit and strength will prevail.