STRESS & SKINCARE: Here’s what you should know J-Beauties & J-Bruh’s!

According to research, emotions can have an impact on our skin, and one emotional problem we are currently experiencing, or at least most of us, is STRESS. Stress is a very individual matter: for some, it is a stimulant, while for others it is a pressure. (Jović et al. Acta Dermatovenerol Croat 2017) And for some reason stress is a part of life, that includes traffic, work & school deadlines, the #NewNormal, and many more. In this blog, we talked to two women with interesting backgrounds, one from scientific #SkinCare science and the other from Psychology & Counseling, as we wanted to uncover how stress can affect our skin, and of course, a way to deal with both.

How stress affects your skin, the science behind it.

There are several skin issues that stress can exacerbate like Psoriasis, Atopic Dermatitis, and Acne to name a few, for this blog we will discuss each one of them briefly and try to find out if there is evidence linking them to stress.

First on our list is Psoriasis, which is an autoimmune disease characterized by the presence of abnormal skin, that is usually red or purple, it is stated that Psoriasis is triggered by environmental factors and is somehow genetically linked. Further into the discussion, according to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry ‘Stress has been reported in 44% of patients before the initial flare of psoriasis, and recurrent flares have been attributed to stress in up to 80% of individuals’.

Moving forward, Atopic Dermatitis is not caused by emotional stress but can provoke symptoms. According to healthline.com, “the body releases a hormone called cortisol when under stress. In large doses, such as when dealing with chronic and ongoing stress, cortisol increases inflammation throughout the body. This can lead to skin inflammation and an eczema flare”.

Last on our list, is A C N E, though there are several contradictions with the claim of connecting stress to acne flare-ups, here’s literature from Stanford University, they found that college students had acne flare-ups during exams, a period in which they reported more stress, compared to periods without testing (Archives of Dermatology, 2003). Although we should be clear that stress does not directly cause acne, but it is the overproduction of oil then clog pores (Zeichner, 2020), the stress in connection pushes our body to overproduce cortisol, which stimulates oil glands to go crazy!

Dealing with stress and your #skin problems

We have mentioned that acne can be resolved by Lactoferrin in our soap but, hold your horses because a combination of Lactoferrin and Probiotics in one soap is the “real grail” in bacterial management on your skin. According to our #skinexpert MJ Jamias, CEO/ FOUNDER of MARIA JAINELI SKINCARE COMPANY INC. and a Research Cosmetic Scientist of Japonesa Brand, “Probiotics ward off harmful bacteria and keeps your skin at its optimal health”. “Probiotics added to Japonesa® simply remove bacteria side by side with Lactoferrin, while Probiotics replenish the skin with good bacteria to continue fighting the invaders”, she continued. Although, we should bear in mind that extreme skin conditions should always be taken care of, by skin doctors.

But, we also know that you are expecting information coming from us on how to DEAL with stress, to at least avoid ‘skin problems’ or minimize them in the future. Here’s a short message from Avy Acosta, Licensed Psychologist at Ateneo Bulatao Center and Faculty at Ateneo de Manila University, Psychology Department, “Honor yourself. Give your body what it needs. If it needs sleep, give it sleep. If it needs a break, give it a break. If it needs to rest give yourself time to rest. If it needs to cry, give it space to cry. Your self will thank you for giving it space to just be 😊”.

Truly, an inspiring message from Avy, and another informative discussion from MJ.

That ends another ish, See you soon!