How Does Stress Acne Differ From Other Breakouts?

When feeling stressed or anxious, you may notice that you have more breakouts. How does stress acne differ from other breakouts? 

Fortunately or unfortunately, our confidence is very heavily dependent on our looks. Certain things such as a bad hair day, a little bit of extra weight, and a huge pimple can ruin it. Pimples are one of the worst skin nightmares for all of us especially when there is a special event coming up.

Often times before a wedding, a public event or any major life event can trigger stress which can lead to pimples. Experts have found that the relationship between pimples and stress, is oftentimes called “stress acne.” If you are struggling with acne, the first thing you need to do is drink a glass of water, take a deep breath, calm down and keep reading.

Reasons Why Pimples Pop Up on Your Face

There are many reasons why your face or body is spotty. Some of them are:

• Stress
• Bad skincare routine
• Diet (Bad food choices to be specific)
• New skincare products
• Hygiene issues
• Sleeping with makeup on
• Medication

Stress Acne

Now that we have established that stress affects acne, let’s dive deeper. First things first, if you already have acne, additional stress will not affect it. Stress can make your hormones go crazy which in turn makes your skin turn wild. Stress releases CRH in your body which triggers excess oil production, resulting in pimples.

“In times of stress, your stress hormones rise and trigger your oil glands to produce more oil, which then triggers acne flares.” — Donna Hart, MD

You can experience stress acne on your face, back, chest, and in some cases on the back of your arms. Typically, acne due to stress takes a long time to fade away.

Types of Stress-Related Acne

We all are different, and so is our acne. Let’s discuss a few of the main types of acne:

• Mild Acne – You might not know but whiteheads and blackheads are a type of acne. Yes! You heard right.
• Moderate Acne – If you have relatively small pimples that look like tiny bumps with pus and redness, your acne is considered to be moderate.
• Severe Acne – This type of acne is a nightmare and typically covers almost every single part of your skin and looks like nodules, scars, cysts and is extremely painful.

Can We Prevent Stress Acne?

The answer is yes. We can prevent stress acne. The key to prevention is being proactive. Here are a few steps that will help prevent future stress acne breakouts:

1. Exercise

Make exercise a part of your daily routine. Research has proven that exercise produces happy hormones that automatically lift up your mood and reduce stress. The key here is to find a workout or a physical activity that you actually enjoy doing. You can opt for a sport, a dance class, or swimming if you are not a fan of going to the gym. You can find a ton of videos on YouTube and do at-home workouts. If you hate the type of exercise you are doing, it will have the opposite effect. Find something you love!

2. Meditate

Most people think it is a joke but my friends it isn’t. Start with a simple five-minute guided meditation if you have never done this before. Stick to it and slowly increase the duration. You will see a difference within two weeks if you stay consistent.

3. Talk About Your Feelings

If you are the type of person that constantly keep their feelings to themselves, it’s time to let them out.  Talk to your friends, family members, or a professional therapist. It is one of the best ways to lower stress levels and in return keep your skin clear.

How to Treat Stress-Related Acne?

Treating stress acne is a little different than treating any other type of acne. You have to fix the root cause here instead of piling on skincare products. The first step is to visit a dermatologist or professional spa service. They will analyze your skin, get to the underlying cause and recommend products that suit your skin best. Let’s get to the tips now:

1. Manage Your Stress

First things first, you have to control your stress. Talk to a therapist, exercise, meditate and take some medication if you need to but keep your stress under control. Without this step, all the following steps are useless. So, this is the basis of everything that will follow next.

2. Don’t Cake It Up

When you are dealing with acne, all you want to do is cover it up with layers of makeup. Trust me, it will not hide the fact that you have acne and it is one of the worst things you can do for your skin. If you have to use makeup, make sure it’s mineral makeup that won’t clog up your pores and is designed for acne-prone skin. If you can let your skin breathe, it is ideal.

3. Use Gentle Products

Your dermatologist will give you a list of products to use. If you haven’t visited a dermatologist, get your hands on good quality, medicated, fragrance-free gentle cleansers. Follow it up with a toner and a moisturizer that is meant for acne-prone skin. Do not use an excessive amount of products as they can irritate your skin.

4. Diet

Have a close look at your diet. If you have been eating excessively oily and sugary foods, it’s time to make a change. Incorporate more fruits and veggies in your diet, drink loads of water and keep a check on the deep fried foods.

5. Be Patient

Last but not the least, you have to be patient with yourself. Acne stress typically takes longer to heal as compared to normal acne. Let your skin get clear in its own due time and do not use extremely drying products.

Final Thoughts

Do not freak out and remember; keeping stress at bay will keep your skin clear. However, you cannot deny the importance of a good skincare routine. Couple these two together and you will have acne-free, clear skin. Moreover, visiting a dermatologist is the best way to kick-start your skin healing process. Do you have questions about clearing acne-prone skin? Call our team of skin care professionals today!