1. Itchy, ugly rashes
Your epidermal skin cells lie on top of each other and are packed tightly together, forming a strong barrier that blocks the penetration of bacteria and other pathogens. When you are under stress, however, this protective outermost layer of skin becomes impaired.
In one study, researchers examined the skin of 27 students in three situations: just after returning from winter vacation (low stress), during final exams (high stress), and during spring break (low stress). Stress caused the outermost layer of skin to break up as skin cells shrank and the lipids between these cells evaporated. These tiny cracks make the skin more permeable, allowing harmful bacteria to infiltrate the deeper layers of skin. These bacteria produce a protein that activates the immune system, leading to eczema and psoriasis.
2. More severe acne
In one study, researchers at Stanford University examined the severity of acne in 22 college students during final exam week. Students who were more highly stressed by their exams had worse acne than calmer, less stressed students. In other research, relaxation therapies have been shown to reduce the severity and incidence of acne.
3. More deadly skin cancers
In studies on mice at Johns Hopkins University, chronic stress sped the formation of skin cancer when mice were exposed to ultraviolet light. In a different study completed at Yale University, people with melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, were more likely to have gone through stressful life events during the years leading up to their diagnosis than people who did not have skin cancer.
Page 1 of 2 - more ways stress affects your skin on page 2
Excerpted from Stop Aging, Start Living by Jeannette Graf, M.D. and Alisa Bowman. Excerpted with permission from Crown Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced except with permission in writing from the publishers.
