Chronic Flare Ups and Break Outs?

THE GIST:

A brief discussion about psychodermatology and it’s effects on persistent acne breakouts, eczema and psorasis flareups?

LET’S DISCUSS…

You’ve been struggling with persistent acne, which seems unresponsive to medication or facial treatments. You’ve done everything you can to eliminate these annoying breakouts but they still persist, flaring up at the most inconvenient times causing you more anxiety and stress. You get a zit, you pop it, it scars, and then another zit appears, frustrated, you repeat the process, throwing in a detoxifying mask or topical cream in the routine hoping it will finally be the cure. Next thing you know, your face is littered with dark spots and scars. Sound familiar?

Or maybe you have eczema which tends to flareup when you are experiencing stress from work, family or personal issues. The use of topical cortisone creams temporarily soothes the irritation but you notice when one area is managed another area on your skin has an outbreak. You become more anxious because the creams aren’t working as expected and you panic. The flareup then moves to the face, neck and other delicate areas causing you to become embarrassed and depressed. You’ve lost hope and you don’t care to continue treatments so the condition worsens. Ring any bells?

Photo Credit: Alvin Balemesa

HOW DO STRESS AND DEPRESSION AFFECT THE SKIN?

Emotions and psychological feelings of any type can, may and will have an effect on your skin. Think of a time when you were ever feeling happy, sad, embarrassed, nervous or even turned on. Your body responded to those emotions by releasing hormones, you may have felt hot, sweaty, goose-pimply or you’ve broken out all over in hives. How and what you are feeling directly impacts your skin as your body responds to these emotions by releasing hormones that correlate to what you are feeling.

There is a direct link between your skin and your emotions that stems from the ectoderm. The ectoderm is a crucial part of the body’s nervous system that connects the nerve tissue, immune system, and your epidermis, the outermost layer of skin. A stimulus, particularly over stimulus of emotion, such as anxiety and stress to the ectoderm can cause anything from acne breakouts, eczema, and psoriasis flareups, resulting in more frustration, embarrassment, anxiety and in some cases severe depression. It’s a vicious cycle that is hard to break and that can worsen without proper treatment.

PSYCHODERMATOLOGY

If you have been struggling to manage chronic acne, eczema or psoriasis through the use of facial treatments and doctor-prescribed medicines but it’s no longer working for you, it may be time to look past the physical condition and identify the underlying cause. 

There’s a new type of treatment gaining traction that may offer substantial relief for those suffering from treatment-resistant skin conditions. Psychodermatology uses the discipline of modern-day psychology and dermatology to both solve and treats chronic skin conditions. 

With psychodermatology, your therapist can help you identify the underlying issue causing your breakouts and flareups. Understanding where your stress comes from is the first step to healing the skin. Once identified, your therapist can offer stress management and relaxation techniques; paired with doctor-prescribed medicines you’ll be sure to see noticeable differences in your skin.

At-Home Treatments

If you are a bit hesitant to look into psychodermatology as part of your skincare routine be it due to financial or time restraints, there are steps you can take at home to jump-start the healing process.

Eating healthy is an easy step to take when trying to heal the skin. Eat more fruits and veggies and drink lots of water. Switch sweet and salty snacks to nuts and berries. Remove excessive consumption of dairy and replace it with dairy-free alternatives. 

Create a simple work out routine and stick to it. Committing to walking 30 minutes a day three times a week will have a positive impact on the way you look and feel about yourself, not to mention this will improve blood circulation and your complexion.

Trying adopting stress management techniques and allow yourself 30 minutes to relax and recharge. Whether it’s a quiet time with a book, writing in a journal or hanging out with your best friend. Finding ways to destress will have a huge impact on your skin.

Professional Skin Treatments

As a licensed Esthetician, I will always push for skin care treatments offered by a licensed professional. Though my opinion may be biased, you can’t deny the results of successful facial treatments, especially in the long term. Getting a facial treatment can be helpful in learning more about your skin and what ingredients you should be using to best aid in your skincare journey. But be sure to tell your esthetician of any medical treatments or prescriptions prior to the appointment so that he or she may be better equipped to service your skin.

If you are looking to take a step towards managing your chronic skin conditions or issues, you have many options. Don’t be afraid to seek and ask for help, these conditions affect millions of people each year, you are not alone fam’!