Can Stress and Depression Trigger Pimples?(And What To Do About It!)

Mike Walden — Mon, 27 Dec 2021 13:52:19 +0000

What do you do when you have a bout of acne? Do you panic, throw up your hands in despair, become hysterical, anguish about it every moment, and get depressed?

I foolishly acted exactly like that whenever I woke up and saw a new set of pimples, some of which were painful cysts mainly on my cheeks and on my forhead.

You will be surprised to know that not only acne can cause depression, but in turn, it can cause more acne! It forms a vicious cycle, leading to continuous infliction of acne that simply refuses to relent.

Substance-P (SP), a neuropeptide, binds itself to receptors in the skin when a person undergoes stress.

This process is essentially a part of the stress response mechanism that is designed to protect the body from external harm but can harm the skin if it happens too often and for prolonged periods.

The research suggests that this binding of SP to receptors leads to:

Hyper sebum production
Heightened propensity of skin inflammation
Increased turnover of epithelia

This essentially means that once acne sets in, if you do not tackle your psychological response, it can lead to chronic depression and more acne, in a closed chain mechanism that keeps on intensifying.

Have you noticed that certain people, who simply don’t care much about a little pimple here and there and just go about their daily routine in a carefree way, don’t seem to suffer from acne that much compared to you, the stressful type?

But how can you teach yourself to be more stable when that dreaded acne occurs?

The first step is to accept it. Accept the fact that it has already happened, and now the best option before you is to accept it, and not panic about it.

Acceptance does not mean that you do nothing. Rather, it implies that you understand that there is a deeper imbalance in your system which has manifested as acne.

Ask yourself whether you know the exact reasons of acne in your skin, and then deal with it accordingly. Choose a treatment that suits your needs instead of a generic drug-based approach.

By giving your 100 percent towards treating your acne, you automatically negate stress and guilt.

Do Style up. Add Zing to your look. If you dress smartly, have a great hair-do done, and put on accessories that complement your body and clothes – you will automatically divert people’s attention away from your acne-ridden face.

It is a method of creating psychological barrier, to stop yourself from collapsing into an acne-induced hysteria!

Have a friend or colleague who never fails to point out those ugly pimples?

Make sure that you consciously de-stress these stressors! Ignore their comments, or smile in a detached way.

Remember, no matter what, you don’t want to set a cyclical depression-acne chain into motion!

Need guidance on how to get rid of your acne? Check out my Acne No More program

The post Can Stress and Depression Trigger Pimples?(And What To Do About It!) first appeared on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

The post Can Stress and Depression Trigger Pimples?(And What To Do About It!) appeared first on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

Adult Acne Caused By Blushing (Cut Down Triggers by Doing This…)

Mike Walden — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 17:02:22 +0000

You probably kissed acne good-bye with the end of teen-years, or maybe you have never had acne at all. But after all these years, acne has struck you out of the blue.

You have probably tried most of the common treatments, all in vain. What is worse, you don’t even know why you are getting acne in the first place!

Well, if you and your physician are still groping in the dark for a cause, here’s some substance for you.

Recent development in the study of adult acne indicates that adult acne may be caused by the ‘blushing’ mechanism – a condition known as Rosacea, which affects approximately 10 percent of the population. Surprised?

Contrary to popular belief, your sweetheart is not the only one who can trigger a blush in you.

‘Blush’ is a bio-chemical process which involves dilation of the veins in the face, causing more blood to reach the cheeks, and thus the rosy color.

A blush can be induced by strong emotions (such embarrassment, shyness), exposure to sun, consumption of spicy food, vigorous exercise, steam rooms, or simply aggressive physical labor.

People affected by rosacea have a genetic inclination to blush more often than others, and it is more common in the fairer population.

Due to frequent blushing, the blood vessels remain continuously dilated, causing the pores to remain open for prolonged periods.

Your sebum secretion goes overdrive as a result, and act as points of dirt-magnet where acne-causing bacteria proliferate, leaving you with the horror of adult acne.

Mere presence of white pimples doesn’t indicate rosacea, but if your skin is perpetually reddish, sprinkled generously with white pimples (caused by leaking of white blood cells from the dilated veins), and is characterized by hyper oil secretion and hyper keratinisation, then maybe it’s high time you diagnosed your condition for a possibility of rosacea.

But you need not lose hope. Once you have confirmed that you are indeed suffering from this condition, your first job will be to cut down the blush-triggers.

Control stress, sleep well, eat healthy, apply an oil-free sunscreen before leaving home, and keep your face clean and dry (not overly dry).

To lessen hyper sebum secretion, treat your facial skin with aloe vera extracts.

Applying ice cubes frequently (but for short durations) can help to narrow down the blood vessels. Ice also acts as a natural toner and closes down your pores.