Stress and Acne: the dangerous liaisons

Widespread acne by its nature can cause unsightly some anxiety. But unlike what the consequences of our ideas on black skin? U.S. scientists now believe that stress aggravates the severity of the disease.

"Evil in his skin," the nerves on edge "... expressions mixing psyche and skin are legion. Just as if linguists had already highlighted the strange relationship that scientists discover little by little.

Stress on edge
Skin problem very often, acne affects about 85% of the population during life. Cracking primarily during adolescence, this disease affects the hair follicle. Located at the base of the hair, sebaceous glands are responsible for the production of sebum. In normal times, this fat prevents drying of the skin. But during puberty, the natural mechanism of hydration is experiencing some failures. Sebum is produced in large quantities, the skin becomes oily, the pore becomes blocked and bacterial growth occurs in the follicle. This button acne (which is the comedo or blackhead microcysts in white).

Due to its unsightly nature, the acne can have significant psychological impact. Speaking at the age of the construction of adult identity, it can cause significant stress in adolescents. But conversely, the stress it can influence the severity of this skin disease? Some clinical observations suggest, but few studies have previously had to prove it.

The exams will they right for your skin?
Studies on the harmful effects of stress are increasing: on immune system1The sensation of pain2, Healing3The recovery time after surgery4 and even accumulation of fat5 or back pain. Regarding skin problems, major studies concerning the atopic dermatitis6 or psoriasis7.

Yet doctors and patients agree links between acne and psyche. Among 215 medical students, 67% believed that stress played a role in the exacerbation of acne8. And nearly three quarters of patients and their relatives (74%) also felt anxiety as a contributing factor to their illness9. To make a clean breast, U.S. researchers have studied students with the intention of dismantling what they believed to be only a myth10.

Twenty-two students have been recruited and 19 completed the study (7 men and 12 women). The researchers measured stress and the severity of their acne outside of exam periods and during. To be blameless, the trio of scientists used two scales to assess the severity of stress and acne completely validated. By adjusting the results according to other parameters (duration and sleep quality, number and quality of meals, etc..), A link between perceived stress and severity of acne was highlighted. Students are more stressed were also those with more marked worsening of their disease. A relationship with the lower quality food (often widespread during periods of review) has also been noted.

Better deal at the approach of stress
This study does not relate the behavior of students regarding their facial hygiene, the influence of menstrual cycle or the result of scratching their buttons. However, no student has reported a deterioration in his appearance modeled on that pace.

In addition, investigators were able, by the authors to differentiate the worsening of the severity of acne simple tampering. But acne is it the consequence or the cause of stress? For authors, the answer is no doubt that students are unconcerned about their appearance during examinations, so it's stress that causes acne and not the reverse.

Such results can they have a practical interest in the treatment of this disease? Again, the authors answer in the affirmative saying that "behavioral approaches may be viable options for patients, as therapeutic approaches could be adjusted to approach the predictable times of stress.

Besides the low number of people involved in the study, it is important to note that the discovery of a correlation does not always cause and effect. And until now, researchers are struggling to explain by what mechanism would stress our skin

 

Home » Acne » Stress and Acne: the dangerous liaisons