How Your Emotions Affect Your Skin
Your complexion is a great indicator of what you're thinking and feeling — and the link between the two is hardwired into you. It actually starts in the womb: "The skin and the brain are formed in the same embryological layer of cells," says Amy Wechsler, M.D., a dermatologist and a psychiatrist in New York. They split to create your nervous system and epidermis, "but they remain forever interconnected," she says.
"In fact, skin is one of the biggest indicators of our state of mind," adds Merrady Wickes, the head of content and education at the Detox Market. Happy and calm? Your skin tends to maintain its clarity and even adopt an all-over radiance and a healthy flush. But when you're angry, stressed, or anxious, so is your skin; it can turn red, break out in pimples, or flare-up with rosacea or psoriasis.
That's why your skin, just like your psyche, is experiencing the fallout of the anxiety-ridden COVID-19 crisis. "I've had a lot more patients come in with acne and all sorts of skin problems," says Dr. Wechsler. "I've seen a lot of people who say, 'I swear I did not have this wrinkle on my face before the pandemic started.' And they're right."
Here's the empowering news: There are things you can do to stop negative emotions from affecting your face. Read on. (P.S. your emotions can affect your gut too.)
Getty Images - Design: Alex Sandoval
Why Your Skin Gets Moody
It goes back to the fight-or-flight response, that super-adaptive instinct that enables us to kick into action.
"When you face something stressful, your adrenal glands secrete hormones, including cortisol, epinephrine (commonly known as adrenaline), and small amounts of testosterone, which trigger a cascade of reactions that can lead to excess oil production, decreased immunity (which can spur cold sores and psoriasis), and increased blood in your vessels (which can cause undereye circles and puffiness)," says New York City dermatologist Neal Schultz, M.D., a Shape Brain Trust member. Pumping out this cortisol can lead to inflammation, and in short bursts, it's NBD, says Dr. Wechsler. "But when cortisol is elevated for days, weeks, or months, it leads to inflammatory skin conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis."
In addition, cortisol can prompt our skin to become "leaky " — meaning that it loses more water than normal, resulting in dryness, says Dr. Wechsler. It's more sensitive too. "Suddenly you might not be able to tolerate a product, and you develop a rash," she says. Cortisol also breaks down collagen in the skin, which can lead to wrinkles. And it slows the turnover of skin cells that usually happens every 30 days. "Dead cells begin to build up, and your skin looks dull," adds Dr. Wechsler.
Compounding the situation, "recent Olay research has shown that cortisol can lower the energy metabolism of your skin cells by up to 40 percent, and therefore reduce their ability to respond to stress and the resulting damage," says Frauke Neuser, an associate director of science and innovation communications at Procter & Gamble.
Plus, our negative emotions — sadness from a breakup, deadline anxiety — can disrupt our positive lifestyle habits. "We tend to let our skin care routines fall by the wayside, failing to take off our makeup and clogging up our pores, or skipping moisturizer, which can leave us looking weathered. We might also lose sleep, which triggers the release of cortisol, or stress eat foods with refined sugar, which causes insulin to rise and then testosterone," says Dr. Schultz. (Related: The #1 Myth About Emotional Eating Everyone Needs to Know About)
Feeling joyful can manifest physically as well. "For cases in which something positive happens, you get the release of chemicals like endorphins, oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine, the so-called feel-good hormones," says David E. Bank, M.D., a dermatologist in Mount Kisco, New York, and a Shape Brain Trust member. These have been less well studied in terms of what they do to your skin, "but it wouldn't surprise me if these chemicals could have an effect on barrier function, helping our skin stay better hydrated and appear more radiant," says Dr. Bank. "It's even possible that the release of feel-good hormones causes the little muscles around the hair follicles all over your body to relax, leaving your skin feeling softer and smoother." Dr. Bank stresses that while these are just hypotheses, "there is plenty of science to support them."
How to Help Your Skin Chill Out
Keep Your Stress In Check
Taking steps to manage your emotions can help address the skin reactions they spur, says Jeanine B. Downie, M.D., a dermatologist in Montclair, New Jersey. The most common negative emotion you face is the daily stress of being pulled in a million directions. It's imperative to find ways to offset it. "If the stress isn't going to disappear, then the self-care shouldn't either," says Wickes. Research-backed relaxation treatments — such as aromatherapy, sound baths, meditation, biofeedback, and hypnosis — are especially effective. "All of these have helped my rosacea patients who experience emotion-related flares," says Dr. Downie.
Ideally, these mindful practices begin to act preventively. "In so many instances, we treat the manifestation, not the cause," says Dr. Schultz. "And that's not really solving the problem." Acupuncture is especially preventive. "It has been shown to stimulate the release and synthesis of serotonin, which helps boost your mood and balance the nervous system," says Stefanie DiLibero, a licensed acupuncturist and the founder of Gotham Wellness in New York City. She recommends scheduling a visit to a licensed acupuncturist every four to six weeks to maintain calm.
Score Some Shut-Eye
"The hormones that help keep us healthy, like oxytocin, beta-endorphins, and growth hormones, are highest — and cortisol is lowest — when we're asleep," says Dr. Wechsler. "Get seven and a half to eight hours a night to let these beneficial hormones do their job, so your skin can repair and heal." (These sleep affirmations will help you drift off in no time.)
Get Your Heart Rate Up
A surprising key to prevent stressed-out skin: Make time for sex. "Some people roll their eyes at me when I say this, but it works," says Dr. Wechsler. "Having an orgasm has been proved to help us sleep better, and it raises oxytocin and beta-endorphin levels and lowers cortisol." (Related: 11 Health Benefits of Sex That Have Nothing to Do with an Orgasm)
Exercise has a similar effect. When you work out, your endorphins go up and cortisol drops, Dr. Wechsler says. Aim to do cardio and strength training regularly. (Just be sure to apply sunscreen liberally whenever you exercise outside.)
Stick to a Skin-Care Routine
Your skin-care regimen can also help you sustain a positive status quo. Clinique iD's Hydrating Jelly Base + Active Cartridge Concentrate Fatigue (Buy It, $40, sephora.com) concentrate contains taurine, an amino acid that may boost cellular energy, which in turn makes your skin look less tired. And cannabis (or CBD or sativa-leaf extract) is rich in fatty acids that have skin-soothing properties. In testing, Kiehl's Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil Herbal Concentrate (Buy It, $52, sephora.com) was also proved to strengthen skin, making it less susceptible to stressors. Applying or consuming adaptogens, which can reduce cortisol, may help too.
- 40 Available at Sephora
- 52 Available at Sephora
But at the end of the day, maintaining your usual skin-care regimen is crucial. "This is especially important during periods of stress," says Dr. Wechsler. "It's good for your skin, it gives you a sense of control over your day, and it lets you take care of yourself. Once your skin looks better, you feel better too. It all comes full circle."
