Have you ever noticed a blemish, i.e., acne, somewhere on your body and wondered why you have that pimple at 40+? You aren’t a teenager anymore, yet periodically, they “pop up.” Stress could be the underlying reason you are having that issue. There are numerous skin and hair conditions directly connected to stress. Psychological and psychiatric factors influence more than 30% of dermatologic disorders.[i] Researchers have shown the connection between chronic stress and these conditions. Some of the signs of stress on your skin are[ii]:
- Acne and skin rashes
- Burning or itching skin
- Eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea flare-ups
- Hair loss or oilier hair
- Hives and red bumps
- Dandruff, redness, and flaking of the scalp
- Delayed wound healing
- Dermatitis
- Dry skin, hair, and nails
- Fever blisters and cold sores
- Fine lines and wrinkles, especially frown and forehead lines
- Nails that stop growing become brittle or peel
- Under-eye bags and dark circles
The goal here is not to stress you out more by learning about why you may have hair or skin problems but to help you understand the possible underlying reason you have issues with your hair or skin. Once we know the underlying risk factors for hair and skin issues, we can be proactive by implementing new lifestyle changes such as stress management, use of dietary supplements, changes in diet, increased activity, etc.
How Does Stress Impact Your Skin Health?
Many have heard of the “Gut-Brain” axis and how our gastrointestinal tract and nervous system are connected, but most have not heard of the “Brain-Skin” Connection. There are two areas in which the skin can experience stress. The first is through the physical stressors of heat, cold, pain, and mechanical. These senses go from the skin to the brain, and then the brain responds and influences the stress responses in the skin. The second way is from the brain to the skin. When your brain perceives stress, it secretes hormones that induce the release of cortisol, a stress hormone, from our adrenal glands. Our skin has receptors for this stress hormone, and the activation results in various changes to our skin[iii]:
- Increased inflammation
- Impaired wound healing
- More oil and sebum production
- Impaired resistance to infection
Taking a closer look at the link between stress and your hair and skin health
Acne
Chronic stress increases stress-related hormones such as cortisol and sends your skin’s sebaceous (oil) glands into overdrive, which mixes with dead skin cells and breakout-causing bacteria. Adult skin is more prone to the buildup of dead skin cells because natural cell turnover slows over time. Throw in a propensity to have a weakened immune system during extended periods of stress, and we can see why acne can be fueled by prolonged stress.
Aging Skin
Research has found a connection between aging skin and stress. For example, elevated cortisol can cause wrinkles to form and break down the skin’s collagen and elastin. Additionally, the inflammatory response caused by stress also helps to accelerate the formation of wrinkles.[iv]
Atopic Dermatitis (A chronic and relapsing inflammatory skin disorder) (Eczema)
As with many of the other skin health concerns mentioned here, atopic dermatitis is connected to stress by similar mechanisms of action, i.e., increases in inflammation, negative impact on the immune response, increased oil production, and disruption of the balance between the production and loss of skin cells (weakening of the skin barrier). These all combine to lead to increased irritation, redness, and itching of the skin.[v]
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a chronic skin inflammatory disease, affecting about 2% of populations worldwide. Psoriasis is most seen over the elbows, knees, and scalp. Stress is a consequence of living with psoriasis and a cause for making psoriasis worse (a double-edged sword). The highly active inflammatory response by the body can also contribute to making the cycle spin out of control. Studies have shown the connection between stress and psoriasis to be a complex situation. Up to 80% of patients report stress as a trigger for their psoriasis.[vi] One of the biggest hurdles for those with psoriasis is that not only can stress trigger the condition, but having the condition also triggers more stress. However, studies have found that taking an active role in addressing your stress, i.e., relaxation techniques, stress management techniques, etc., has been effective for those with psoriasis.[vii]
Wound Healing
Psychological stress can have a substantial and clinically relevant impact on wound repair. This effect occurs primarily because of the initial inflammation response needed to stimulate wound repair. In addition, wound healing is also slowed by increases in the production of the stress hormone cortisol and by neurotransmitters involved in the body’s stress response. Lastly, stress also increases the susceptibility to a wound infection.[viii]
Certain behaviors often found in “stressed” individuals may also contribute to slow wound healing. For example, according to a study published in Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America, individuals who experience greater levels of stress are more likely to increase their alcohol and tobacco use, decrease their participation in physical activity, experience sleep disturbances, and make poorer diet choices, compared to individuals reporting less distress. These harmful health behavior practices can compound the detrimental impact of stress on physiological healing processes.
My Favorite Stress Ingredients
Ashwagandha (Sensoril® from Kerry, KSM-66® from KSM-66®)– Research shows that ashwagandha decreases daily stress and significantly decreases serum cortisol levels. Elevated cortisol levels are linked to immune system suppression.[ix]
Saffron (Affron® from Pharmactive Biotech)– Affron® is a patented and clinically substantiated ingredient of saffron (Crocus sativus). To date, eight clinical trials have been completed, and more are pending, covering a wide array of health benefits, safety, and bioavailability. With regards to stress/mood, just 28mg of affron® daily (the lowest clinically proven dose of any saffron ingredient) provided clinically proven effects of:
- Alleviating occasional stress, frustration, and tension in adults[x]
- Helped children (12-16 years of age) maintain a positive mood and alleviate occasional stress, frustration, and tension.[xi]
- Improve psychological symptoms (low mood and occasional stress) in perimenopausal women (32-33% reduction)[xii]
Holy Basil (Holixer® from Natural Remedies)– A 100-member study with Holixer showed a significant reduction in perceived stress (perceived stress scale)(38%) and hair cortisol levels (66%) when compared to the placebo group. Hair cortisol levels are an indicator of stress over an extended period. Holixer also showed its effects (within 10 minutes) during acute stress.[xiii]
Kanna (Zembrin® from PLT Health Solutions) study showed its direct effect on the amygdala (the brain’s stress center) within 2 hours post-consumption, which provides benefits of decreasing stress and increasing calmness.[xiv]
It is clear from the above information that stress is a major contributing factor to many of the skin conditions we have concerns about. While none of these ingredients have studies explicitly connecting them to skin health, I find it helpful to know the key ingredients that address the underlying contributing factors for developing a health challenge. We also need lifestyle changes, such as stress management and incorporating supplements to help the body recover and adapt to stress. Increased activity should also be incorporated into a new lifestyle for those who want to take a proactive role in their skin health and appearance.
References:
[i] Gupta MA, Gupta AK. Psychiatric and psychological co-morbidity in patients with dermatologic disorders: epidemiology and management. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2003;4(12):833-42. doi: 10.2165/00128071-200304120-00003. PMID: 14640776.
[ii] APDerm® website, The Skin Stress Connection, https://www.apderm.com/the-skin-stress-connection/, Published April 9, 2021, Accessed December 6, 2021
[iii] Chen Y, Lyga J. Brain-skin connection: stress, inflammation and skin aging. Inflamm Allergy Drug Targets. 2014;13(3):177-190. doi:10.2174/1871528113666140522104422
[iv] Chen Y, Lyga J. Brain-skin connection: stress, inflammation and skin aging. Inflamm Allergy Drug Targets. 2014;13(3):177-190. doi:10.2174/1871528113666140522104422
[v] Suárez AL, Feramisco JD, Koo J, Steinhoff M. Psychoneuroimmunology of psychological stress and atopic dermatitis: pathophysiologic and therapeutic updates. Acta Derm Venereol. 2012;92(1):7-15. doi:10.2340/00015555-1188
[vi] Rousset L, Halioua B. Stress and psoriasis. Int J Dermatol. 2018 Oct;57(10):1165-1172. doi: 10.1111/ijd.14032. Epub 2018 May 4. PMID: 29729012.
[viii] Gouin JP, Kiecolt-Glaser JK. The impact of psychological stress on wound healing: methods and mechanisms. Immunol Allergy Clin North Am. 2011;31(1):81-93. doi:10.1016/j.iac.2010.09.010
[ix] Today’s Dietician website, https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/111609p38.shtml, Cortisol — Its Role in Stress, Inflammation, and Indications for Diet Therapy, Published November 2009, Accessed June 3 2020
[x] Kell G, Rao A, Beccaria G, Clayton P, Inarejos-García AM, Prodanov M. affron® a novel saffron extract (Crocus sativus L.) improves mood in healthy adults over four weeks in a double-blind, parallel, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Complement Ther Med. 2017 Aug;33:58-64. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2017.06.001. Epub 2017 Jun 13. PMID: 28735826.
[xi] Lopresti AL, Drummond PD, Inarejos-García AM, Prodanov M. affron®, a standardized extract from saffron (Crocus sativus L.) for the treatment of youth anxiety and depressive symptoms: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. J Affect Disord. 2018 May;232:349-357. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.02.070. Epub 2018 Feb 26. PMID: 29510352.
[xii] Lopresti AL, Smith SJ. The Effects of a Saffron Extract (affron®) on Menopausal Symptoms in Women during Perimenopause: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. J Menopausal Med. 2021;27:e8. https://doi.org/10.6118/jmm.21002
[xiii] Lopresti AL, “A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigating the effects of an Ocimum tenuiflorum
(Holy Basil) extract (Holixer™) on stress, mood, and sleep in adults experiencing stress” Frontiers in Nutrition 2022 DOI
10.3389/fnut.2022.965130
[xiv] Terburg D, Syal S, Rosenberger LA, Heany S, Phillips N, Gericke N, Stein DJ, van Honk J. Acute effects of Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin), a dual 5-HT reuptake and PDE4 inhibitor, in the human amygdala and its connection to the hypothalamus. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2013 Dec;38(13):2708-16. doi: 10.1038/npp.2013.183. Epub 2013 Aug 1.