Stress and Your Skin

 

the words stress awareness spelled out in block lettersApril is Stress Awareness Month. Unfortunately, stress is common in our lives. Especially with the many stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic over the last couple of years, feeling worried, anxious, and overwhelmed may be more present in your life than ever before. We hope you’ll take the opportunity of this awareness month to think about how stress affects your life and what you can do to mitigate it, including rejuvenating face, body, and skin treatments

How Stress Affects You

The natural stress reaction is deeply embedded into our development as people. In ancient times, stress helped us outrun predators and dangerous situations with a sudden rush of adrenaline and cortisol. The heart rate increases and non-essential body functions are muted so that the mind and body can fight or flee. While this may have been helpful back then, the benefit of stress for a long-term work project or a viral pandemic that lasts years are a little more debatable. In fact, chronic stress can have all kinds of negative consequences:

  • Poor sleep
  • Anxiety and depression
  • Lack of concentration
  • Increased risk of high blood pressure
  • Increased risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke

It’s so important to manage stress. Not only does it have the serious consequences listed above, it also affects your skin and beauty by leading to:

  • Dull and dehydrated skin
  • Fine lines and wrinkles
  • Dark circles and bags beneath your eyes
  • Puffy eyes
  • Gray hair
  • Increased oil production caused by cortisol, which can lead to breakouts
  • Redness and flushing
  • Vulnerability to rashes and skin reactions because your immune system is compromised by stress

At Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald’s practice, we provide an array of services targeted at many of the problems listed above. Treatments including the HydraFacial, chemical peels, and the HALO hybrid laser are just a few of the many services that can rejuvenate and refresh your skin. Just getting the treatments are an act of self-care that may relieve some of your stress and worry. In addition to these great treatments, we think you should take steps to reduce stress in your life:

  • If your stress is taking a bigger part of your life than you can manage, talk to a therapist or psychologist about stress management and anxiety
  • Exercise regularly, preferably for 30 minutes each day
  • Take time to enjoy hobbies, have fun, spend time with loved ones, and do other things that nourish your soul
  • Know when to say no to additional work and home projects that are an overcommitment of your time
  • Take breaks at work – eat lunch away from your computer and go for an afternoon walk
  • Talk to friends, loved ones, and coworkers when you are feeling overextended
  • Ask for help with chores, work projects, errands, childcare, etc.

Stress is very present in our lives but that doesn’t mean there aren’t things you can do to manage it.

Schedule Your Skin Rejuvenation Appointment

You deserve nourishing and rejuvenating skin treatments. To learn about our services and discuss your current aesthetic goals, please call the Los Angeles practice of Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald at 323-464-8046.