Find out what studies reveal about the relationship between stress and acne.
Acne is the most common skin disease, and it affects approximately 85% of the population at some time in their lives. Due to its prevalence, researchers and dermatologists continually try to discover its causes, prevention, and treatment. One prevailing question with regards to acne is this: does stress cause acne?
Many believe that stress is one of the culprits of acne breakouts in adolescents and adults alike. The Mayo Clinic, for example, believes that stress does not cause acne but worsens it in cases where there is a pre-existing acne condition. However, recent studies show that there is indeed a direct link between stress and acne, which results in a recognition of the condition called “stress acne”. A 2003 study by the Stanford University and a 2007 research by the Wake Forest University School of Medicine reveal that among the student population they studied, acne breakouts were more severe and frequent during times when stress levels are higher, such as prior to and during examinations. Researchers also believe that stress contributes to acne breakouts by worsening them. So, can stress cause acne? The answer is a definitive “yes”.
How does stress cause acne?
In 2004, the journal Experimental Dermatology published a study by German dermatologists C.C. Zouboulis and M. Bohm entitled “Neuroendocrine regulation of sebocytes – A Pathogenic Link Between Stress and Acne.” In it, they described the process by which stress causes acne: stress causes the skin’s clogged pores to inflame and break, causing redness and an influx of pus (zits). Androgen production also increases with stress, causing a hormonal imbalance known to precede acne breakouts.
Since many people suffering from acne are actually adults, it is now widely held that stress is what causes acne in adults. This usually happens with chronic stress wherein high stress levels are recurring due to environmental (pollution, work environment, etc.), emotional (overwhelming workload, relationship problems, etc.), or physical factors (smoking/drugs, sleep deprivation, sedentary lifestyle, etc.), or a combination of these factors. In such cases, stress acne can be severe and, when not given proper treatment, may lead to more than just pimples and zits. Stress acne, when left untreated, may progress to cysts – a condition called cystic acne.
Natural Acne Treatment
Fortunately, acne is treatable and preventable given proper acne skin care and the best acne treatment that suits your skin type.
Aside from medications and acne treatments procedures and therapies, there are some inexpensive, drug-free, and long-term acne remedies that you can adhere to while undergoing stress acne treatments. Here are the two basic foundations to a natural acne treatment:
Maintain a healthy body
Nothing gets more natural than starting from within you. A healthy body ensures that your body has the right weapons to fight against infections that cause acne to spread or worsen. Being healthy also ensures that your body will work alongside acne medications to make it more potent at healing broken skin and keeping acne breakouts at bay.
Practice Stress Management
In essence, stress management is lifestyle management. Having a healthy lifestyle reduces stress which is one of the leading causes of acne in adults. While there may be some things beyond your control, those things that are within your power to change would benefit from a little tweaking towards a healthier stress-free lifestyle. For example, you can devote some time in your daily routine to exercise. Whenever possible, cut back on TV time, stop smoking, and sleep for at least 6 hours or more daily.
If you suspect that your acne is getting worse or is not improving despite stress management and a healthy body, contact a dermatologist right away for other acne treatment options that you can take.