Don’t be angry or anxious! These skin problems that damage your appearance are all psychologically related.

A suggestion for everyone

Be happy now!

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after all

Psychological effects on the skin

Skin affects psychology

If you are in a bad mood or depressed

Do you sometimes break out in acne or develop rashes?

Even your face becomes oily?

If your skin is not good, it will affect your appearance

Are you feeling worse?

Can’t eat?

To sum up,

The more "sad" you are, the uglier you are.

The uglier, the more sad

Psychological factors and skin problems

There is a bidirectional association

Effects of stress on the skin

Psychological problems (such as stress, anxiety, or depression) activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to a series of physiological responses:

1. Causes dry and sensitive skin

Long-term stress can lead to excessive secretion of cortisol, which can damage the skin's barrier function and weaken the skin's ability to protect against external stimuli. At the same time, it can increase the skin's water loss, making the skin dry and sensitive.

2. Trigger or aggravate eczema, psoriasis, and acne

Stress can trigger or worsen inflammatory diseases of the skin (e.g., eczema, psoriasis, acne) because it activates the immune system through neurotransmitters and cytokines (e.g., pro-inflammatory cytokines).

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The role of the neuro-immune-skin axis

Psychological problems affect skin health through the "neuro-immune-skin axis".

1. Cause itching, erythema or inflammation

Psychological stress can lead to the release of neurotransmitters (such as norepinephrine, epinephrine, and acetylcholine), which can act directly on the skin and cause itching, erythema, or inflammation.

2. Cause immune system disorders and aggravate skin diseases

Psychological problems can lead to immune system dysfunction, such as immunosuppression or overactivation, which can trigger or aggravate skin diseases such as urticaria, atopic dermatitis, and psoriasis.

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The itch-scratch cycle

Psychological issues such as anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or depression may lead to excessive concern about the skin or compulsive scratching behavior.

1. Causes itching

Psychological stress can induce itching. Even if there are no obvious lesions on the skin itself, patients may suffer from skin damage, infection or chronic dermatitis due to scratching.

2. Unconscious scratching behavior

People with anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder may scratch their skin unconsciously, causing damage to the skin barrier and the formation of chronic excoriation dermatitis.

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Changes in hormone levels

Psychological problems can cause hormone fluctuations, which in turn affect the skin.

1. Oily skin and acne

Stress can cause levels of androgens (such as testosterone) to increase, stimulating the sebaceous glands to produce excess oil, which can trigger or worsen acne.

2. Aggravate melasma or acne

Psychological issues may affect a woman’s menstrual cycle, leading to hormone fluctuations that can exacerbate hormone-related skin conditions such as melasma or acne.

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In addition, changes in behavior and lifestyle caused by psychological problems can also indirectly affect the condition of the skin. Lack of sleep, overeating, and not paying attention to skin hygiene will definitely lead to a decline in skin condition.

On the other hand, skin problems can also cause many psychological problems that should be taken seriously, such as damaged self-esteem, anxiety and depression, social avoidance, and chronic stress due to dissatisfaction with one's appearance.

1

Psychological aspects

Seek professional help

Find a doctor! Find a doctor! Find a doctor!

Doctors are not monsters, and psychological problems are not incurable diseases. It is imperative to seek help in a timely manner and take medicine when necessary.

Build a support network

Share your feelings and stress with family and friends, or join a skin disease patient support group to get support and resonance.

You should also take the initiative to socialize and participate in group activities.

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Practice relaxation techniques

**Meditation and Yoga: **Spending 10-20 minutes a day meditating or doing simple yoga exercises can significantly reduce stress levels and regulate your mood.

**Deep Breathing:** When you feel anxious, try to relax your mind and body by taking deep breaths to calm your body.

**Listen to music: **Choosing relaxing, soothing music can help improve your emotional state.

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In addition, it is also important to adjust your cognition and cultivate a healthy attitude towards life . Learn to regard skin disease as part of life rather than the whole, and find more other advantages in yourself.

2

Skin

1. Skin care must be gentle, cleansing, moisturizing and sun protection.

2. Eat more foods rich in vitamins A, C, and E, such as carrots, oranges, and nuts; consume a moderate amount of foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and flax seeds; eat less high-sugar, high-oil, and spicy foods.

3. Develop healthy living habits, ensure adequate sleep, and increase exercise.

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Whether it is a psychological problem or a skin problem, the starting point for solving the problem is a positive attitude. Here are three "good attitude" tips to remember:

★I am actually in a very good condition, and what others say has no say!

★I still have a lot of meaningful things to do, appearance is not everything!

★It’s not shameful to seek help, the doctor understands my problem!

By taking care of your skin externally and adjusting your mentality internally, you can also make your skin glow with health and embrace a better self!

Statement: This article is a medical-related educational popular science article. It does not involve specific treatment methods or medical behaviors and cannot replace hospital visits.

Author

Liu Yichen, Excellent Laboratory Physician Program of West China School of Clinical Medicine, Sichuan University

Tang Haolin, Clinical Medicine Excellent Laboratory Physician Experimental Class, West China School of Clinical Medicine, Sichuan University

Xu Yingbo, Excellent Laboratory Physician Program of West China School of Clinical Medicine, Sichuan University

Yang Liusensen, the Experimental Class of Excellent Laboratory Physicians of West China School of Clinical Medicine, Sichuan University

This article is guided by the teacher

References

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[2]Picardi, A., et al. Stress, social support, and psychological distress in patients with psoriasis: A cross-sectional study[J]. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 2005, 59(4): 287-294.

[3]Hunter, HJ, Momen, SE, & Kleyn, CE The impact of psychosocial stress on healthy skin[J]. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2015, 40(5): 540-546.

[4]Gupta, MA, & Gupta, AK Psychodermatology: An update[J]. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2003, 49(6): 1050-1058.

[5]Tisseron, S. Psychosomatic aspects of dermatology[J]. Dermatologic Therapy, 2005, 18(1): 22-27.

[6]Boelsma, E., et al. Nutrition and health of skin: Effects of dietary factors on skin function and aging[J]. Journal of Dermatological Science, 2003, 48(3): 159-169.

[7]Kim, J., et al. The effect of omega-3 fatty acids on inflammation and skin health[J]. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2016, 9(4): 37-41.

[8]Chiu, A., & Chon, SY Stress and the skin: Mechanisms of interaction[J]. Archives of Dermatology, 2003, 139(11): 1313-1316.

[9]Evers, AWM, et al. How stress gets under the skin: Cortisol and stress reactivity in atopic dermatitis[J]. British Journal of Dermatology, 2010, 162(5): 1144-1146.

[10]World Health Organization (WHO). Global burden of skin diseases and psychological disorders[R]. Geneva: WHO, 2004.

[11]Sun, C., Ren, Y., & Zhang, W. Association between skin disease and anxiety: a logistic analysis and prediction[J]. Annals of Translational Medicine, 2023, 11(2).

[12]Brodell, RT Stress and skin disease quality of life: the moderating effect of anxiety sensitivity social concerns[J]. British Journal of Dermatology, 2018, 178(4): e319.

Content Production

Editor: Zhang Fuyao

Map: Eastern Zhou Dynasty