In the hustle and bustle of today’s culture, it’s no surprise that we sometimes feel like we’ve bitten off more than we can chew. Whether we’re working hard to achieve our professional goals, managing our family time and social calendars, or trying to find the balance between everything all at once, we’re bound to run into periods of high stress.
Because stress is so prevalent in our society, many researchers have dedicated their time to understand how stress affects our physicality; but recent research has also extended its scope to explore how stress can actually affect our skin. They discovered, in what they call “the brain–skin connection,” that our bodies’ psychological and biological responses to stress can damage our healthy skin. This is because our skin, which is actually the body’s biggest organ, has its own response to stress: It activates the endocrine and immune systems, which can leave us with acne flare-ups; itchy, dry skin; or even inflammatory conditions such as eczema.
Although these are typically short-term effects, the study suggests that stress, especially if it’s chronic, has the potential to ramp up the skin’s aging process. This can happen in a few ways: One is through insomnia or sleeplessness caused by stress. Researchers noted that those who experienced poor quality of sleep saw increased signs of skin aging, which included extra fine lines and wrinkles, uneven tone and skin pigmentation, and diminished elasticity. The other two reasons behind stress-induced aging are a little more difficult to observe; however, researchers pose two theories, one which suggests that stress reduces the lifespan of cells, while the other points to overall bodily inflammation and free radical formation.
That being said, there are plenty of ways to manage stress—experts often recommend techniques such as meditation, mindfulness, yoga, and of course a trip to Profiles! But the thing is, we’re never going to avoid stress altogether, and so it’s important that, as we actively try to manage our stress with these techniques, we put in equal effort to protect our skin from the potentially damaging effects. So even if you get slammed with that huge project at work or have an intense lineup of family events, it’s crucial that you don’t neglect your skincare routine. Obviously, this is easier said than done, which is why it’s a great idea to partner with experts, like the team at Profiles, who can help you keep your skincare regimen on track even on your busiest days. For all our clients – but especially our clients on the go – we really love HydraFacial as a 1-2-3 punch with cleansing, extracting, and hydrating all in one session so you can look and feel great in less time. These highly customizable therapies can be paired with a variety of unique Boosts to minimize the appearance of dark spots and sun spots, minimize signs of aging and recharge skin, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, or minimize discoloration for an instantly gratifying glow.
Another great option is our Clear + Brilliant facial, a preventative treatment we love to minimize visible signs of aging, stress, and environmental factors. Quick and gentle, you can even have it done on your lunch break!
In the face of stress, it’s important that you look your best so that you feel confident and empowered to take on the day, no matter what your schedule throws at you.