Serenity for stressed-out skin
You can't grab it off the beauty aisle shelf, but relaxation may be one of the best and most natural forms of skincare available. You see, stress wreaks all sorts of havoc on your skin. And relaxation - in whatever form it takes for you - helps to alleviate stress.
"How does stress affect your skin?" you might ask. At least some of the blame lies with one of our bodies' main stress hormones: cortisol. When you find yourself in a tense situation, cortisol and adrenaline send your body into defensive overdrive. Blood pumps to your brain and skeletal muscles to sharpen your reaction time. Your heart rate and breathing quicken, in case you need extra energy whether you decide on fight or flight.
Once a stressful moment has passed, the stress hormone levels should fall. Unfortunately for a lot of people, stress persists and cortisol levels remain elevated. This, in turn, boosts oil production and leads to acne breakouts - and the worse the stress, the more severe the breakouts.
Stress can also lead to flare-ups of psoriasis, eczema, and other inflammatory skin conditions. It has even been noted that stress can undermine the skin's ability to protect us from infections by bacterial pathogens. Not to mention that we tend to frown or furrow our brow when we're tense, surface stresses that can lead to wrinkles.
So, save some money by forgoing a few pricey skincare products. Invest in relaxation instead!
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