Oftentimes STRESS and PIMPLES go hand-in-hand. Stress Awareness Month takes place every year in April from the 1st-30th.
Since launching in 1992, during this month, health care professionals and experts aim to increase public awareness about stress, highlighting the causes of stress, the negative effects stress has on the mind and body, and how to relieve stress. However, the most often overlooked symptom is the toll stress can play on one’s physical appearance, mainly the skin.
According to Dr. Jody Levine, a leading dermatologist and director of dermatology at Plastic Surgery & Dermatology of NYC, “Stress certainly plays a role in the cause of many skin problems because the skin is directly affected by the release of the stress hormone –cortisol- in our body. When a person feels overwhelmed and pressured, anxiety or fear sets in, causing the level of cortisol released to rise dramatically. This in turn causes an increase in oil production in the body, which can lead to oily skin, acne and other related skin problems.”
This year, all the members of the ‘High Anxiety Club’ can take a deep breath and let out a sign of relief, as Dr. Jody Levine provides some short and long-term solutions for stress- related skin turmoil. So, if you’re too shiny, fire-engine red, developing hives or rashes, looking tired, or just prone to break-outs, here is what she suggests from Plastic Surgery & Dermatology of NYC:
For Oily Skin: Buy PSD Acne Toning Pads – these pads are used on acne-prone skin to control breakouts and improve skin texture, as well as on other skin types to enhance texture and reduce the signs of aging. Apply morning and night, as a toner, after cleansing.
For Redness: Apply Green Tea Serum or Cream from Plastic Surgery & Dermatology of NYC to combat redness, inflammation, and blotchiness
Hives/Rashes: Apply PSD Aloe Calming Cream containing 1% hydrocortisone–ideal to use for calming and treating itchy skin or other skin mild irritations.
Tired, Dull Appearance: Apply PSD Brightening Eye Cream that contains caffeine and natural brighteners – caffeine helps constrict blood vessels, it will reduce the swelling around your eyes and in your face. Also, try cooled-down tea bags applied directly to the eyes to eliminate fatigue, puffiness, and restore radiance.
Try Laser Treatments –A BBL or PicoSure laser treatment(s) will brighten the dullness of long-term sun damage. Proper antioxidant skin care products such as PSD’s Green Tea Serum or Cream will also help revitalize the skin.
Breaking out: Use PSD Acne Wash Cleanser Daily made with glycolic acid, coupled with the proven acne-fighting ingredient, salicylic acid – formulated to accelerate the removal of dead skin cells that can interfere with proper oil drainage of the skin and lead to clogged pores. Salicylic acid (2%) acts against excess sebum production, which leads to the development of white heads, black heads, and acne cysts. Together, these two ingredients work to decrease acne outbreaks, allowing the skin to heal and restoring a healthy glow and complexion.
