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Stressed Out Skin? 4 Ways Stress Affects Your Skin

Stressed Out Skin? 4 Ways Stress Affects Your Skin

By Maria Giovannetti Gil Posted on

The holiday season is coming up fast. For some people, this means family reunions, delicious food, and presents. For others, this means having to accommodate family members coming into town, struggling to shop and make a delicious meal, and never knowing what presents to buy. 

Although the holidays are a beautiful time of the year, the time leading up to them can be extremely stressful. This stress doesn't go unnoticed either – whether you’re mentally tired from the never-ending list of things to do, or physically tired from decorating your home and preparing meals, your body notices you’re overworking it. As you pile on the stress, your body itself will start signaling that it's time to slow down. 

But how exactly does stress affect your mental and physical health? Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of effects and solutions to combat your stress and put yourself at ease. 

Effects of Stress on the Skin

Acne

Although stress can’t directly cause acne, research has shown that stress makes it more difficult for acne to heal [1]. When stressed, the body releases high levels of a hormone called cortisol, which controls the behavioral response to stress, further affecting acne [2]. Essentially, acne may flare up and take longer to heal when the body is under stress [3]. 

Unfortunately, there’s more. For example, some people tend to scratch their arms, pick on their faces, or even bite their nails. If the stress of Black Friday shopping causes you to pick on your face, your acne will likely take longer to heal. 

However, there are products that can help reduce the effects of stress on your skin. For instance, Aloe Infusion’s Face & Body Cream is crafted to moisturize and hydrate the skin, which is often needed when breaking out. Its non-greasy formula is quick-absorbing and contains no harsh chemicals, made to be gentle on your skin (perfect for those with sensitive skin). 

Additionally, Aloe Infusion’s Vitamin C Facial Serum is carefully formulated with ingredients that help rejuvenate the skin and strengthen the skin barrier, making it easier to heal acne wounds [4]. Vitamin C Facial Serum can also help reduce stress-induced redness and inflammation on the skin, evening out your skin tone and reducing sun damage [5]. Your skin will not only be able to get some relief from the effects of stress, but can also benefit from a hydrated, healthy glow.  

mirror face

Rashes

If you’ve ever experienced rashes, you know that most of them are caused by stress. Stress rashes, or hives, are fairly common, as well as extremely frustrating and itchy [6]. Hives can feel like a never-ending cycle, with stress causing them to appear, and their itchiness causing further stress. But don't panic – there are several treatments that can relieve the scratching.  

Did you know a summer staple product can help you say goodbye to the never-ending cycle of stress on your skin? Aloe Infusion’s Aloe Vera Gel can soothe and hydrate damaged skin, helping to relieve and heal wounds. This gel is carefully crafted to relax the skin, relieving it from itches, sunburn, acne, and dry skin. Additionally, it helps repair damaged skin and promotes cell growth, possibly aiding other skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. 

Wrinkles

If your stress is limited to the holiday season, it is likely that any wrinkles formed over the holidays may go away. Unfortunately, if you feel constantly stressed throughout the entire year, it is likely that those stress-induced wrinkles may be here to stay. As we previously mentioned, stress can cause an overproduction of cortisol, not only causing breakouts but also speeding up the aging process [7]. 

Constant stress or anxiety not only affects your mental health, but the health of your skin as well. Think about your habits when you get stressed: maybe you furrow your eyebrows, you put your hands on your forehead, or maybe you even scrunch your nose. Over time, these habits tend to leave a mark on your face, literally, through frown lines and wrinkles. Although you might not be able to help these habits all the time, the Vitamin C Facial Serum and the Face & Body Cream can help slow down those wrinkles. 

Collagen production is stimulated by the Vitamin C Facial Serum, helping slow down the skin’s aging process. The lack of collagen not only causes wrinkles, but also dry skin, which can be avoided by moisturizing with the Face & Body Cream. Help your skin avoid signs of stress and increase its firmness. 

muscle pain

Muscle tension

Our bodies’ first reaction to stress is to physically tense up. Think of it this way: you just remembered you forgot to buy the turkey for the holidays – your body stops moving, specifically to process and react to what is now a stressful situation. However, if you’re constantly under stress, this might result in seriously negative conditions for your body. For example, chronic stress may lead to tightened muscles, tension headaches, and back stress [8]. 

Although getting rid of that stress might be difficult, you can help your body ease the tension. Aloe Infusion’s Muscle & Joint Gel is made to act fast, helping to relieve your body of the ache and soreness caused by stress. It is carefully made with ingredients like aloe and menthol, which can provide a cooling relief to your warm muscles. By aiding circulation, you can reduce the tension in your muscles and feel the stress leave your body. 

Whether it be seasonal acne, or muscle pain from chronic stress, Aloe Infusion’s products can help you treat your stressed-out skin. Although the holidays can be a stressful time, you can help keep your stress from physically affecting your body, allowing you to feel and look your best so you can focus on the joy of the most wonderful time of the year. 

What are you waiting for? Click here to learn more about Aloe Infusion! (Our products also make for great gifts for the skincare fanatic in your life - click here to shop!) 

 

We’ve gone ahead and enclosed a 20% off Coupon below for you to use in the store - remember, you DESERVE to have naturally flawless skin! Click here to start shopping!


Sources: 
  1. Chiu, A. (2003, July 1). The response of skin disease to stress. Archives of Dermatology. Retrieved from https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/fullarticle/479409  
  2. Zari, S., & Alrahmani, D. (2017, December 5). The association between stress and acne among female medical students in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5722010/  
  3. Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., Marucha, P. T., Mercado, A. M., Malarkey, W. B., & Glaser, R. (1995, November 4). The Lancet. Retrieved from https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(95)92899-5/fulltext  
  4. Fuchs, J., & Kern, H. (1998, December 10). Modulation of UV-light-induced skin inflammation by D-alpha-tocopherol and L-ascorbic acid: A clinical study using solar simulated radiation. Free Radical Biology and Medicine. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0891584998001324  
  5. Ellulu, M. S., Rahmat, A., Patimah, I., Khaza'ai, H., & Abed, Y. (2015, July 1). Effect of vitamin C on inflammation and metabolic markers in hypertensive and/or diabetic obese adults: A randomized controlled trial. Drug design, development and therapy. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4492638/  
  6. Kandola, A. (2020, January 6). Stress rash: Effects, treatment, and alternative causes. Medical News Today. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317631#Effects-of-stress-on-the-skin  
  7. Gray hair and wrinkles: Tufts Medical Center. Tufts Medicine - Tufts Medical Center. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.tuftsmedicalcenter.org/news-events-media/news/web/stress/stress-and-appearance  
  8. American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Stress effects on the body. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/body#:~:text=Muscle%20tension%20is%20almost%20a,less%20constant%20state%20of%20guardedness.  

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