Stress isn’t just worrying about what to make for dinner; it’s a serious health issue that comes with a myriad of problems.
Chronic stress exacerbates the symptoms of illness and disease, including depression, anxiety, and fatigue. When it comes to your appearance, stress weakens the immune system and leads to premature ageing, which can result in the following.
Chronic stress exacerbates the symptoms of illness and disease, including depression, anxiety, and fatigue. When it comes to your appearance, stress weakens the immune system and leads to premature ageing, which can result in the following.
Bags under eyes
Stress keeps us awake at nights, and lack of sleep can have serious consequences for our health (and those around us).
It’s called beauty sleep for a reason, and without it your body doesn’t get the rest it needs to recuperate after a long day.
The blood vessels under your eyes dilate, allowing blood to pool, giving a dark tint. Fluid also leaks out into the skin, causing puffiness and swelling, hence the “bags”.
It’s called beauty sleep for a reason, and without it your body doesn’t get the rest it needs to recuperate after a long day.
The blood vessels under your eyes dilate, allowing blood to pool, giving a dark tint. Fluid also leaks out into the skin, causing puffiness and swelling, hence the “bags”.
Spots and pimples
Stress release cortisol into your blood, throwing off the balance of hormones in your body. Many of us experienced breakouts at school during exam time, and it was for this exact reason.
The release of cortisol can also increase oil production, blocking pores causing pimples and spots. If you already suffer from acne, like many people do, stress will only make things worse.
Stress can also affect your skin by making it dry and itchy. Again, the culprit is cortisol, which can hinder the skin’s elasticity and water retention, thus dehydrating your dermis.
The release of cortisol can also increase oil production, blocking pores causing pimples and spots. If you already suffer from acne, like many people do, stress will only make things worse.
Stress can also affect your skin by making it dry and itchy. Again, the culprit is cortisol, which can hinder the skin’s elasticity and water retention, thus dehydrating your dermis.
Weight gain
Comfort eating is a very real thing and the science behind it has been researched for decades.
Stress comes in different levels, and once those levels reach a certain peak, your natural “fight or flight” mode kicks in. Your body does what it has to do to survive, which in the wild, would be running away, burning up a lot of calories as you do so.
To make up the calories you just lost, your body tells you to eat, but of course, you’re not running from a lion in the jungle, you’re sitting at your desk looking at marketing reports.
That craving for food is still there though, and it’s an instinctual, visceral feeling you can’t control. And because increased levels of cortisol also help cause higher insulin levels, your blood sugar drops and you crave sugary, fatty foods, leading to weight gain.
Stress comes in different levels, and once those levels reach a certain peak, your natural “fight or flight” mode kicks in. Your body does what it has to do to survive, which in the wild, would be running away, burning up a lot of calories as you do so.
To make up the calories you just lost, your body tells you to eat, but of course, you’re not running from a lion in the jungle, you’re sitting at your desk looking at marketing reports.
That craving for food is still there though, and it’s an instinctual, visceral feeling you can’t control. And because increased levels of cortisol also help cause higher insulin levels, your blood sugar drops and you crave sugary, fatty foods, leading to weight gain.
Hair loss and greying
Stress can trigger alopecia areata, which causes patches of baldness anywhere on the body, but most noticeably on the head. Hair loss can take 6 -12 months to reverse and start growing back, but if you don’t eliminate the cause of the stress in the first place, you’re going to continue to suffer.
Although science has yet to find a reason why stress turns us grey, we all know it to be true. For some reason the melanin in our hair stops producing, turning the follicles grey. Just look at any photos of Presidents before and after their term in office to see the difference in their appearance!
Although science has yet to find a reason why stress turns us grey, we all know it to be true. For some reason the melanin in our hair stops producing, turning the follicles grey. Just look at any photos of Presidents before and after their term in office to see the difference in their appearance!
Premature wrinkles
There are two reasons why stress can cause wrinkles. The first one is our old friend cortisol, which can break down the collagen in your skin. The more stressed you get, the more of this stress hormone is released, permanently damaging your skins ability to heal itself.
The second reason is when you’re stress, you are constantly furrowing your brow, squinting your eyes and pursing your lips. These are natural facial responses to stress – we can’t control them any more than laughing when tickled – and so all this wear and tear on your face accelerates the signs of ageing, leading to deeper wrinkles over time.
The second reason is when you’re stress, you are constantly furrowing your brow, squinting your eyes and pursing your lips. These are natural facial responses to stress – we can’t control them any more than laughing when tickled – and so all this wear and tear on your face accelerates the signs of ageing, leading to deeper wrinkles over time.
Fight the signs of stress with our help
Stress can mess with your body in countless ways, many of which we don’t even realise are happening.
In extreme cases, our bodies can go into full immune shut-down, leading to serious and life-threatening situations.
The way to deal with stress is to fight it at its source. If you’re working too hard or in a relationship that’s not right for you, you need to reconsider your priorities.
Leading a healthy lifestyle will also reduce the signs of stress. Getting a good night’s sleep, eating well, exercising regularly… all these things can help.
When it comes to appearance treatments to help fight the signs of ageing, we here at the Vein and Skin Clinic have plenty of options to help.
From dermal fillers to Botox injections, we have a vast range of anti-ageing treatments for you to consider, administered with the help of our highly trained and experienced medical staff.
Book an appointment with us today if you would like to know more about how we can help you fight some of the aging signs of stress. However treatments will be more effective once your stress levels are under control.
In extreme cases, our bodies can go into full immune shut-down, leading to serious and life-threatening situations.
The way to deal with stress is to fight it at its source. If you’re working too hard or in a relationship that’s not right for you, you need to reconsider your priorities.
Leading a healthy lifestyle will also reduce the signs of stress. Getting a good night’s sleep, eating well, exercising regularly… all these things can help.
When it comes to appearance treatments to help fight the signs of ageing, we here at the Vein and Skin Clinic have plenty of options to help.
From dermal fillers to Botox injections, we have a vast range of anti-ageing treatments for you to consider, administered with the help of our highly trained and experienced medical staff.
Book an appointment with us today if you would like to know more about how we can help you fight some of the aging signs of stress. However treatments will be more effective once your stress levels are under control.
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