Acne - A Symptom of Stress

Acne - A Symptom of Stress

Acne, is it a symptom of stress?

The connection between stress and acne has long been debated. Research on the topic has been limited with no firm conclusions being reached. Recently though, scientists conducted studies on a small group of students who already suffered from acne. From those studies they determined that acne does worsen in situations of extreme stress such as preparing for final exams.

The fact that stress exasperates acne is not a surprising revelation to the millions who suffer from it. But, does stress cause acne? That has not been proven. Many people report the belief that their acne appeared during a stressful time in their life.

What is known is that stress can cause your adrenal glands to produce the male hormones, testosterone and androgens. Yes, women's bodies do produce male hormones. These male hormones in turn cause the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum. The production of this oily substance, combine with dead skin cells, clogs pores and may trigger an acne outbreak.

One fact is not debatable. Acne may be a symptom of stress but...acne can cause stress too! Just ask a teenager who is avoiding a date due to new acne pimples 'popping up' over night or an adult frantically trying to 'cover' a huge new blemish just before a job interview.

Acne can have a very negative impact on a person's life. People with acne often suffer from embarrassment and low self-esteem. They fear that people will believe the myth that poor hygiene causes acne. There is absolutely no truth in that misguided notion but, the uninformed may still believe it.

In a world where so much value is placed on beauty, a poor complexion can lead to a devastating loss of self-confidence. Anger, frustration and depression may also occur sometimes leading to social withdrawal.

Since we know that the relationship between acne and stress does exist, stress management may be one effective way to help control acne outbreaks.

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