How stress and anxiety are affecting your skin and what you can do about it

It’s always important to take time for yourself, as it will improve your mental health and help you have a healthier looking skin.


Daniel Neira
Daniel Neira - Los Angeles
Senior WriterLos Angeles
MARCH 4, 2022 9:58 PM EST

Balancing your work-personal life and keeping a healthy lifestyle, can be a big challenge sometimes. And while we think this will only cause a temporary moment of stress, it might be affecting your life in more ways than you know, including your skin.

Many of the skin conditions we normally notice are caused by changes in our diet, however a lot of these conditions, including rosacea, acne and eczema, are connected to our brain, sometimes reflecting our mental health.

Dermatologist Whitney Bowe explains that there are two different types of stress, acute and chronic stress, and one example for chronic stress, can be the difficult, personal and professional situations people have experienced due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, ultimately affecting the microbiome and pH balance of your skin.

© GettyImages

It’s also important to understand that most of the over-the-counter skin products that are advertised are not made for skin conditions caused by stress, and don’t present a real solution, sometimes even making skin issues worse.

However a long-term solution can be achieved, as it has been recommended by experts that focusing on meditation, breathing exercises, plenty of sleep, outdoor exercise, lots of water and mindful moments, can eventually lead to a less stressful life, or better management of your work-personal life.

It’s always important to take time for yourself, as it will improve your mental health and help you have a healthier looking skin.