does stress cause pimples?
exploring this random question
I have always wondered whether or not stress/anxiety/nerves causes pimples. Anecdotally, I always find my skin breaks out when I am under high stress — working, studying, etc. — but I have no idea if this is really true.
But then again…I have also heard this is not true.
It’s probably not just your imagination, says Lisa A. Garner, MD, FAAD, a clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. “When you already have acne and you get into a stressful situation, that seems to be when your acne really flares up.”
For a long time, doctors have suspected that stress worsens acne, but evidence was mostly anecdotal. In the past decade, though, research has suggested that the doctors may be on the right track. — https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/acne/features/stress-and-acne#1
So it seems like there is some interest in the space…but still no direct correlation?
Scientists and dermatologists alike have long speculated that stress and acne are linked, but the reasons for this correlation haven’t been proven. Studies have shown that the cells which produce sebum contain receptors for stress hormones, according to NCBI. Sebum is the waxy substance produced by the skin; when combined with dead skin cells, debris, and bacteria, this mixture can clog the hair follicles, resulting in pimples and other acne lesions. — https://www.bioclarity.com/pages/does-stress-cause-acne
Perhaps pimples cause stress?
One last explanation I found:
Acne is the result of bacteria building up in clogged pores in the skin. It has been shown that stress causes an inflammatory response in the skin and can lead to the walls of these pores breaking. When this happens the pore turns red and fills with pus (commonly known as pimples).
Stress also makes the adrenal gland work more than usual. The adrenal gland produces androgens (male sex hormones) and higher levels of androgens can lead to more acne. This is particularly true with women who produce a larger percentage of their androgens in the adrenal gland than men do. — http://www.exposedskincare.com/acne-treatment-faq/does-stress-cause-acne.html
