« Acne Scars: Video | Home | What Causes Acne »
Stress and Acne – Yes, They’re Related!
By Acne Free | May 22, 2008
Did you know that acne is the most common disease affecting the world today? That may sound surprising…that is, until you consider the fact that stress is the number one factor that causes acne flare-ups! That’s why stress-induced acne lesions commonly appear during the most stressful times of a person’s life- the teens and during the ‘mid-life crisis’ years.
Stress-induced acne can be distinguished from: hereditary Acne Vulgaris, which consists of papules, pustules, comedoes, and cysts located all over the face, and: Acne Cosmetica, which is a negative reaction to a product placed on the skin and consists of small, slightly raised red lesions in the affected areas (common causes are hair products touching the forehead and FD&C dyes in blush). Stress-induced acne can be recognized by its large pink and purplish lesions that are deep in the skin and are painful to the touch. These lesions are generally located on the forehead, cheeks, and chin area. They also appear around two weeks after the stressful stimulus, and can take just as long to clear up on their own- which they can only do if you are no longer stressed out!
Here are some tips for clearing up stress-induced acne:
First of all, stay relaxed! Practice daily relaxation techniques, especially when you are dealing with stressful situations.
Drink a LOT of water, preferably with fresh lemon added. This will help your body to flush toxins, and keep your skin hydrated so that it doesn’t want to produce even more oil.
Use a deep pore-cleansing cleanser and a spot treatment with salicylic acid and tea tree oil. These will keep your follicles open, and aid in healing the lesions.
Go to a local spa and get a cleansing facial. Your aesthetician will give you a treatment to clear out the follicles and perform extractions as needed, to rid your skin of excess oils and bacteria so that your skin can heal itself.
Finally, DO NOT attempt to squeeze, pick, or otherwise extract your pimples! This will cause the follicular walls to rupture and spread bacteria to surrounding follicles, causing even more blemishes than you started with!
Topics: stress and acne | 1 Comment »
July 14th, 2008 at 11:48 am
That’s why people need to live for the moment and take things as they come. There’s no point to worry…it never helps the situation anyway.