Stress Acne
Can Everyday Stress Cause Acne?

Stress Acne

Stress acne -- or acne outbreaks because of stressful conditions in  your life -- is still under discussion.  There is disagreement in the medical fields about this issue, although a number of studies  seem to add credence to the fact that acne in some people does seem to be connected with stressful events.

Stress may aggravate acne in two ways:

• first, stress stimulates the adrenal glands to produce more hormones, and
• second,  stress slows healing processes.

The adrenal glands, which are located on the top of each kidney, secrete two hormones -- adrenaline (also called epinephrine) and noradrenaline (norepinephrine). The brain controls the production of these hormones, and when they are secreted into the bloodstream, they increase the heart rate and blood pressure and affect other bodily function. Physical and emotional stresses usually trigger the release of these hormones. Secreted together with the male hormones which are also released under stressful conditions, causes excess sebum to be released which further exacerbates the stress acne outbreak.

It has been demonstrated that psychological stress can diminish the healing capabilities of the immune system by 40%.  This fact  increases the probability that there may be many  stress acne cases.

In addition to the factors listed above,  unhealthy eating habits during stressful times could also have untoward effects on stress acne outbreaks and progression.

Stress acne flare-ups  may have  considerable affects on the total health  of your skin. Stress causes the adrenal cortex  to generate cortisol,  a steroid which triggers the production of sebum. Sebum is the substance which causes excess oil in the skin if it is released faster than it can be handled. In this way whiteheads and blackheads inevitably form and can lead to infection of acne pimples.

In 2002, a experiement was conducted demonstrating the relationship between stress and acne. It concluded that stress can actually be a factor in the progression and severity of acne in the students involved. The stress factor  in this case was an examination.

Acne urticata, which is actually not acne but a form of eczema, is known to be an infliction of middle-aged women who suffer from some form of depression and/or stress. The relationship in these situations, however, is not clear.

In conclusion,  those people who have the tendency to suffer from  stress acne pimples should avoid stress, worry, anxiety and tension whenever possible since these may be contributing factor to the cause and aggravation of stress acne flare ups.

For more information about stress acne and other types of acne, see:

Acne Rosacea - What It Is and How To Treat It
Back Acne - Causes and Treatment
Teen Acne - Teenager Experiencing Physical | Psychological Changes
Types of Acne - Know Which Form You Have
Helpful Information Source for Acne