What role do amino acids play in hydrating the skin?
February 21, 2024
FREE Shipping on orders over $70
Menu
You’re fidgeting in your seat, not getting any sleep, feeling rundown, and your skin has been looking a little lackluster lately. Think one of these things doesn’t quite sound like the others? As it turns out, your entire body can be affected by stress and anxiety, including your skin. Here’s what you might notice about your skin’s condition under stress, and some tips for de-stressing your mind and calming your skin.
When most people are under stress, they tend to subconsciously adopt a variety of nervous tics, including biting their nails, pulling at their hair, and picking at their skin. These habits, though, can lead to some unwanted cosmetic concerns, including scarring on your face. When you pick or scratch acne or other blemishes on your skin, you could increase the chances that scars will develop [1].
If you have a pre-existing skin condition like eczema, psoriasis, or rosacea, you may notice that these symptoms tend to flare up when you’re stressed or anxious. This is because your body chemistry reacts to stress with inflammatory responses, which can trigger dermatitis and other skin conditions related to immune system function [2].
Anxiety may create a lack of good quality sleep which contributes to lines, wrinkles, and an overall dull complexion. Additionally, stress itself can have a degenerative effect on your skin cells, which can lead to damage and premature signs of aging. The inflammatory response to stress may compromise your skin’s barrier and self-repair functions, contributing to the formation of lines and wrinkles [3].
In addition to inflammation, stress and anxiety also trigger your skin’s production of sebum, or oil. This can become trapped in your pores, leading to acne breakouts. Then, if you develop a nervous skin-picking tic as noted above, this cycle of stress-related skin damage may lead to scarring and more permanent concerns.
While acute stress may be impossible to avoid altogether, there are a few things you can do to help manage chronic stress, as well as to reverse the damaging effects it can have on your skin.
• Meditative exercises. Exercise and meditation have been shown to have a huge impact on your mental health, so why not combine the two? Meditative exercises such as tai chi, yoga, and Pilates can help both your mind and body to relax and unwind. Studies have even made a connection between regular meditative techniques and the skin’s improved ability to fight off inflammation and infection [4].
• Get enough sleep. Those who suffer from chronic stress often tend to also experience poor sleep quality, which, in turn, can lead to even more stress and skin damage. Following a regular sleep schedule, avoiding cellphone use in bed, and getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep nightly can help to improve your sleep quality and reduce chronic stress [5].
• Use amino acids in your skin care. To really give your skin a boost, especially when you’re stressed, you may want to reexamine the ingredients in your skin care products. Some products with harsh ingredients can exacerbate unwanted skin conditions, so choosing the right nourishing and moisturizing skin care products may be the key to keeping your skin under control, even while under stress.
Fortunately Simply Better Skin Care™ has designed an all over body moisturizer and facial cream that contains a powerful blend of 17 plant-based amino acids to help keep your skin gently nourished, hydrated, and clean without causing further irritation or skin damage.
In today’s competitive market, stress is a growing health concern for many, although a large number of men and women don’t make the connection between poor skin health and chronic stress. By taking steps to control stress and anxiety, as well as arming your skin with effective ingredients, you can help to boost your mental health and achieve a glowing, healthy complexion.
[1] Livestrong
[2] Acta Dermato Venereologica
[3] Inflammation and Allergy Drug Targets
