Does Stress Cause Acne?

Stress and acne seem to be two distant things. The former is a psychological phenomenon, and the later is a physiological condition. We have always heard that acne is a bad skin condition that is caused by the hormonal changes inside our body. But research shows that unstable psychological conditions too contribute to the outbreak of pimples.

Medical science has never believed easily that stress can cause pimples. Enough research has been carried out to prove this point, and finally it was concluded that psychological disturbances too can be responsible for eruptions on our skin. A research carried in Stanford University found that during exam days the students had an increased outbreak of pimples. The mental burden due to the exams manifested itself in the form of pimples among the students.

How Does Stress Cause Pimple?

It is said that mental tension, or mental burden, leads to lot of hormonal changes inside our body. Stress triggers the production of cortisol that activates the sebaceous gland to produce more sebum. And more sebum in our body means greater chances of getting affected with zits. Thus there is a direct connection between acne and stress.

In fact psychological disturbance is a major reason for adult acne. In teens it is definitely related to the hormonal changes due to puberty, but for men and women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, mental disturbance or tension is a major trigger for pimples. Pimples that are caused due to emotional imbalance are not very intense. They come and go, and do not affect the skin to a deep extent. In case you want to test whether the eruptions on your skin are due to psychological conditions, you can observe the trend over a period of time. If you have a tendency to get pimples as soon as you are tense, then Bob's your uncle! You know that your acne caused is linked to your emotional imbalance. This is also true for people who are already acne-prone.

Today's lifestyle does not allow us to be tension free. Sometime or the other we are bound to face tensions. But if you want to save your skin from the symptoms of stress, you must follow some preventive measures:-

A Few Suggestions To Prevent Stress Related Acne Are:

• Let stress not come between you and your sleep. A seven hour sleep is a must for healthy skin
• Eat healthy and provide your body with a fighting mechanism to fight against any infections·
• Exercise to maintain a smooth flow of blood, and release the extra energy from your body

Although reducing stress will not help much if you have a severe acne problem, but it will definitely reduce the intensity.