How Does Stress Cause Acne?

We have all experienced breakouts in our teenage and adult life. They aren't the ideal thing to have but a reality that comes with having skin.

But, as an adult, there are times when acne breakouts can indicate a bigger issue, past the general explanation of clogged pores. Things like stress and hormonal changes can also lead to Acne breakouts and if you’re suffering from repeated breakouts, this may be the explanation for why.

Stress triggers the oil glands to produce more oil, which clogs the pores and leads to breakouts, similarly hormones increase androgen levels, which lead to acne breakouts. However, hormones are more time-specific. If you feel your acne is more rampant before your periods then it is most likely hormonal rather than stress.

So, how does stress relate to the cause of blemishes on your skin?

Emotional stress triggers an increased release of the stress hormone cortisol, which triggers a systemic response within the body that has the potential to affect the immune system responses, the digestive system, the reproductive system, and growth processes.

Cortisol is vital in causing stress acne breakouts as well. When cortisol levels rise, they disrupt levels of hormones that regulate sebum balance and result in clogged pores and the development of acne. In other words: More oil production means more clogged pores, and more clogged pores mean more breakouts.

Considering the involvement of cortisol, when we talk about stress acne, we’re talking about hormonal acne in a way as well. It’s not the same as acne that will show up around the start of your menstrual cycle, but it is acne that’s appearing because of a response to an alteration of your regularly scheduled hormonal pattern. When you’re under an increased amount of stress, this can trigger hormonal changes as well that simply worsen your acne,
Stress acne can happen at any time, at any age. Usually, in adults, it’s because they’re stressed at work or home. In younger adults, it’s mostly because of school.

 

Where does it appear on your face?
Stress acne usually appears in the oiliest areas on your face. Pimple and breakouts usually appear on T-zone, along with dilated pores, shininess, whiteheads, blackheads with uneven skin. Hormonal breakouts usually appear at the same spot over and over again i.e., your chin or jawline.