STRESS AND YOUR SKIN
Janine Mendes-Franco
We all know when we’re feeling stressed: our bodies tense up, we’re more short-tempered, we may experience headaches, pain, or even insomnia – but stress also takes a toll on your skin, creating a chemical response that makes the management of certain skin conditions more challenging – and there’s been a lot of stress in 2020.
Since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors have been concerned about how people’s mental health has been holding up as a result of job losses and financial worries, not to mention the psychological weight that the prospect of contracting COVID-19 carries. As they juggle increased demands, people must find creative ways to do more with less, even as they struggle with the effects of isolation.
At Serpentine Dermatology, we’ve been seeing a marked increase in cases of stress-induced dermatoses like itching and hives, anxiety-provoked disorders, and flare-ups of conditions like psoriasis and eczema, which thrive under stress. In fact, because so many skin disorders have been linked to emotional well being, it’s started a whole new field: psychodermatology.
RASHES /
The first thing that stress attacks is your immune system, throwing it off balance and making you more susceptible to rashes, redness and itching. Such rashes usually appear as raised bumps or hives and can appear anywhere on the body, most typically the face, neck, arms and torso. Some go away almost as quickly as they begin, while others can persist for weeks at a time.
There are initial steps that you can take to soothe symptoms, like applying ice packs to the affected area, or taking an over-the-counter antihistamine. If you don’t get relief, however, it’s a good idea to come in and see us. For elderly, immobile or immunocompromised patients, we continue to offer virtual diagnostic consultations.
Part of our approach will include recommending stress-management strategies, including regular exercise or meditation practice, family time and time spent in nature, and the pursuit of enjoyable hobbies.
ECZEMA, PSORIASIS, ROSACEA /
There are scientific links between stress and these types of skin conditions, for which anxiety is a common trigger. Here’s how it works: when we’re under stress, our bodies produce increased levels of hormones like cortisone and adrenaline, which can cause an inflammatory response in the skin.
Relaxation techniques, however, can be quite effective in reducing these types of flare-ups, though serious outbreaks require medical attention. Also helpful are good lifestyle practices like engaging in regular exercise, maintaining a balanced diet and getting adequate amounts of restful sleep.
DELUSIONS OF PARASITOSIS /
Since COVID-19 began, there has been an uptick in patients experiencing itching, mistakenly convincing them that some type of parasite – fleas, mites, lice, etc. – might be present. In such cases, patients will scratch their skin for relief, damaging the epidermis.
Unfortunately, this battling of bugs (which aren’t actually there) happens more frequently when people are under stress. We can quickly determine whether your skin condition has a medical foundation or if it’s happening because of the powerful of the mind/skin connection by doing a physical exam along with relevant lab tests.
The skin is our largest organ, comprising millions of nerve endings – no wonder it’s so closely linked to our mental and emotional well being!
