A Crazy Life and Pimples
By Greg Podsakoff
The factors contributing to acne breakouts are many.
Hormonal influences, environmental conditions, and stress can lead
to the noticeable red inflammation that occupies our face, chest,
and backs to various degrees.
It is estimated that 85% of the population in the
United States will experience some form of acne at some point in their
lives. Most commonly associated with teenagers who are undergoing
severe hormonal changes, adults also suffer from acne flare-ups. For
both groups, scientists are demonstrating a direct link between stress
and acne.
While reported cases show that 80% of acne sufferers
are teenagers, it is also documented that the remaining 20% of acne
sufferers are adults. Adults are more likely to suffer from stress
related acne than from environmental or hormonal causes, but teenagers
dealing with academic demands, athletic rigors, and relationship issues
are also susceptible to stress related acne.
It has been understood for some time now that acne
is caused when oils secreted by the sebaceous gland beneath the skin
combine with dead skin cells, dirt, and bacteria to clog skin pores
and cause an infection to develop, providing evidence that environmental
factors can contribute to acne. This, though, offers no explanation
for stress acne.
It has also been understood that hormonal changes
such as those experience by teens or women during their menstrual
cycle contributed to acne, but again this offers no explanation for
stress acne.
While there has clearly been a correlation between
stress and acne breakouts, until recently scientist have had a difficult
time supporting the claim with scientific findings.
Our bodies react to stressful situations by triggering
the central nervous system, which in turn sends signals to the rest
of the body to ready the body to take action. A significant part of
this preparedness is the release of hormones from our adrenal glands,
such as cortisol and androgen. These hormones help to prepare us for
our instinctive fight or flight response.
Additionally, it is now understood that as our body
reacts to stress, fatty secretions in the sebaceous glands are released.
This combination of hormonal influences and fatty secretions—known
contributors to acne outbreaks—is sent into action by our own central
nervous system, creating stress acne.
It is also known that during stressful periods, our
bodies immune system is significantly weakened, resulting in slower
healing of acne breakouts. The prolonged visible signs of acne can
lead to more acne. Called an acne cycle, the anxiety produced by being
self conscious about an acne breakout can create more stress and more
acne.
Greg Podsakoff is a former acne sufferer, and currently
provides information on treating acne, pimples, and zits, via an objective
informational skincare website, http://www.acne-treatments-guide.com
