Stress could be the reason behind that pimple – here’s how to fight it

The effect of stress on skin was anecdotal until a 2003 study by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center showed that it can indeed trigger acne.

In the study, 22 university students rated the severity of their acne worse on the Leeds scale (which categorises acne sores into a range of 0 to 10) during exam periods. And this corroborated with the researchers' assessment of the students' stress levels using questionnaires.

What all that science means is: Stress leads to pimples. One of the culprits is a stress-related hormone known as corticotrophin-releasing hormone or CRH, said Dr Adam Friedman, an associate professor of dermatology at George Washington University, who wasn’t involved in the study. CRH binds to receptors in the skin’s sebaceous glands and causes skin to increase its oil production.

When you are stressed, your nerve signals also increase, leading to itchy skin. “That can cause people to scratch or pick at their skin, which can create even more swelling and redness,” said Dr Friedman. And it doesn’t stop at an oily complexion. Prolonged or constantly recurring stress can actually damage your skin’s protective barrier and affect its ability to hold on to water, said Dr Peter Elias, a professor of dermatology at the University of California.

Reduced moisture then leads to diminished luminosity, rough skin texture and fine lines.

THE SURPRISING ALLY FOR BETTER SKIN: BACTERIA The logical remedy would be to rebalance skin’s oil and moisture levels.

And here’s where it gets science-y but interesting: Bacteria can play a part in this. “Not only are there microflora that live in the human gut, there is also a skin microbiome with friendly microorganisms for protection,” said Dr Eileen Tan, dermatologist from Eileen Tan Skin, Laser and Hair Transplant Clinic. “The skin microbiome has been shown to protect against unfriendly bacteria, pollution and free radicals, all of which can accelerate ageing,” she said.

Basically, our skin needs good bacteria to keep the bad bacteria in check. Enter probiotics. “Probiotics are live bacteria and yeast that are beneficial to health,” said Dr Tan. “It has already been proven that probiotics perform a role in skin heath, such as anti-inflammatory effects in atopic dermatitis, promoting the healing of scars and burns, rejuvenating skin and strengthening its innate immunity.”

“Supplementing with probiotics will often improve acne-prone skin,” she said. Probiotics can also help with skin’s moisture. “Skin creams containing streptococcus thermophiles were found to increase moisture in the skin of ageing women, and hence, this helps to reduce wrinkles and anti-ageing effects,” said Dr Tan.

Streptococcus thermophilus is found in Lactomin, Lactokids and Lactocran Probiotics.
CNA 14/09/2018