12 Signs Your Body Is No Longer Coping With Stress
Together with a dermatologist, we find out how nervous stress affects human health and, in particular, the skin. Chronic stress and fatigue affect our physical and mental health. Some of the body’s responses to stress can be completely unexpected.
Stress level is evident from our face because our skin becomes dull due to stress. Also, there are many other harmful side effects of stress that include excessive sweating, drinking, hair loss, and premature ageing. In this article, we will discuss about the signs that tell us that our body is not coping with stress well.
Signs That Show Your Body Is No Longer Coping with Stress
1- Acne
It’s not just teens who are battling acne. Adults also often experience acne breakouts. There are many reasons for this problem, but stress is often the main one.
Acne is often the result of stress primarily due to hormonal changes associated with it. The body releases stress hormones, including cortisol. This increases the production of fat in the skin, which makes us prone to pimples.
2- Bags Or Dark Circles Under The Eyes
When we are stressed, we often forget to take basic care of ourselves. Lack of sleep, unbalanced nutrition, and insufficient fluid intake leave a familiar mark on our faces.
The beauty industry offers a ton of effective skincare products designed to get rid of bags under the eyes and combat the panda effect. However, before resorting to them, it is worth trying to make up for lost sleep and relieve stress.
3- Excessive Drinking
When you suddenly start to consume more alcohol than regular days, stress might be one of the major reasons for this behavior. However, by excessive drinking, you can end up at an alcoholism treatment center. Therefore, try to minimize this habit and visit a doctor to get rid of stress.
4- Pale And Dull Skin
Likewise, stress can result in skin dullness. In a stressful situation, we often refuse to use our usual creams. As a result, the skin may appear pale and dull. Skincare is a form of self-care and helps to relax. Therefore, it is important not to forget about self-massage of the face and hands, masks, and baths, even in the most stressful times.
5- Dry Or Flaky Skin
Stress can affect skin texture. Excess cortisol leads to a decrease in the synthesis of hyaluronic acid. It can lead to a loss of moisture in the cells. Also, when stressed, we often forget to apply moisturizer and ignore our usual routine. This will certainly affect the appearance of the skin.
6- Complications Of Eczema
Outbreaks of eczema (a skin condition that usually manifests as a red, itchy rash) worsen under stress. And the itchiness and discomfort from the inflammation caused by eczema make patients pretty nervous. It is a vicious circle.
Dry skin tends to be more prone to eczema, so keeping it hydrated is important to minimize irritation.
7- Rosacea Bloom
By a similar principle, stress can be a trigger for a rosacea outbreak. Rosacea, which is characterized by rosacea, redness, or flushing (overflow of blood vessels), can be caused by many factors. Stress, on the other hand, lowers immunity, provokes an inflammatory reaction that can aggravate dermatosis, increase redness and rash.
8- Hives
Urticaria occurs when the level of histamine in the body rises. A similar condition may be associated with recent infection, new drugs, or an increase in their dose, allergies, or food intolerances. In all cases, stress can cause or worsen skin symptoms by increasing the release of histamine.
9- Psoriasis
Stress can be thought to cause psoriasis flare-ups (manifested by the formation of red scaly patches all over the body). But psoriasis flare-ups can also cause stress. The link between stress and psoriasis is cyclical – another vicious cycle.
More research is needed to determine the exact mechanism of the disease. But according to researchers, 66% of patients with psoriasis reported that their disease was exacerbated by stress.
10- Excessive Sweating
Stress causes the apocrine glands to sweat as a result of increased adrenaline levels. This is our inherent response to an emergency. Sweating before an important meeting or public speech is common. But even the most confident person can experience additional stress if it becomes noticeable.
You can control the increased sweating with conventional antiperspirants and, in difficult clinical situations, with medications recommended by a dermatologist.
11-Premature Aging
Stress disrupts collagen production. While we are fighting against skin aging with varying degrees of success with anti-aging products, trying to achieve visible results, stress safely leaves a mark on our face.
As mentioned, stress leads to increased levels of cortisol, which not only decreases hyaluronic acid synthesis but also breaks down collagen. The loss of collagen and hyaluronic acid leads to wrinkles over time. Stress can also increase the production of free radicals, which leads to skin aging.
12-Hair Loss
In some cases, when the body is under increased stress, hair can enter the premature telogen (“shedding stage”) and begin to fall out, causing noticeable baldness. This condition is called telogenic outflow.
People may notice thinning or hair loss months after the initial stress occurs. Stress causes inflammation, which causes hairs to enter the resting phase too early. It leads to hair loss two or three months after the stress. This type of hair loss is considered temporary, but if you are worried about the amount of hair falling out, see a dermatologist. They can help you find the cause of the problem and prescribe treatment.
Summing Up
Remember, any sudden skin reaction should be investigated by a healthcare professional or dermatologist. Taking care of your nerves and health is crucial, especially on such tense days. Therefore, if any of the above signs appear, know that your body is not fighting with stress well. And you should visit a doctor soon.