Exploring How Anxiety Can Affect Your Skin | Swinyer Woseth Dermatology

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The health of your skin is not just dependent on how you care for it from the outside. Your skin health starts from the inside. Your diet and lifestyle can have a significant impact on your skin, as can your mental health. Anxiety is a condition that often causes symptoms that can affect your skin. Here is what you need to know about the ways that anxiety can cause skin issues and what you can do with the help of a dermatologist to ease the symptoms.

Psoriasis

People with psoriasis usually experience flare-ups and remissions of their symptoms. In studies of patients with psoriasis, stress is often reported as a trigger for symptoms. In fact, some people have their first outbreak of psoriasis symptoms during a period of extreme anxiety. There is no cure for psoriasis, but it can be managed. In addition to topical medications, biologics, and light therapies, dermatologists often recommend finding ways to reduce stress levels to keep flare-ups in check.

Alopecia

Alopecia, or hair loss, frequently occurs in response to anxiety. Researchers have discovered that many people who experience alopecia have an onset of symptoms about six months after an anxiety-provoking period in their lives. If you have anxiety-related alopecia, your dermatologist may recommend that you give your body time to recover from anxiety and allow your hair to grow back naturally. In other instances, he or she may suggest topical medications that can help with regrowth.

Acne

One of the things that happen in your body when you are experiencing anxiety is that hormones are released to help you deal with stressful conditions. One of the hormones that are released increases the activity of your sebaceous glands, which produce oils. This excessive amount of oil can cause clog pores, leading to acne breakouts.

Don’t let stress-related skin conditions impact you. If the signs of anxiety are showing up on your skin, let Swinyer-Woseth Dermatology help. Make an appointment with a board-certified dermatologist in Salt Lake City by calling 801-266-8841.