In the world of skin revision, part of what I do as a dermal therapist is detective work. I look at each client holistically to see what factors might be affecting their skin. Aside from the obvious contributors (sun, weather, diet..), there are the silent triggers and the one I want to focus on is stress.
As I was scanning Google to see what kind of inspiration I could derive on the price skin pays for experiencing stress, everything I read was consistent. Stress reduction techniques. Better sleep. Reduce inflammation. These are all really great suggestions, but the one thing we don’t talk about is having the self AWARENESS that we are actually under stress. It is something many people aren’t cognizant of and manage to continue functioning under a dark cloud. You can’t address a problem you aren’t conscious of. Millions of people are functioning day to day on autopilot. It is a very safe place to be in a world that feels unsafe.
We learn ways of coping from a young age. If we grew up in a household that had some toxic behaviors (or possibly worse) chances are we have experienced trauma. In order to resolve some stress, it’s important to look at the root cause and discover healthier ways of dealing with stress while healing.
Let’s look at the expense of stress and your skin differently. What if we first notice our symptoms and then look at widening our treatment? What are the symptoms of stress and the skin?
- Hives and Rash
- Rosacea
- Eczema
- Psoriasis
- Dehydration
- Dull skin
If you have any of these, then perhaps it’s time to examine your stress levels. Maybe it’s time to allow yourself to look at what you are experiencing and how that is manifesting in your life. There are fantastic stress management tools that can help.
Once becoming aware of stress, the next step is to observe your body while experiencing stress. Look at what you are physically feeling, smelling, and seeing. What are your thought patterns? Do you have racing or thoughts of being stuck? Are you working so hard that you’re trying not to feel anything? The first step is to become aware of your behaviors and then begin implementing coping strategies.
When feeling stress, consider…
- Taking a walk outside and getting grounded
- Choosing an anti-inflammatory diet to nourish our body
- Listening to meditation music such as the free app Insight Timer
- Reading a good book for pleasure
- Epsom Salt Baths
- Getting enough sleep each night
For those who have unresolved trauma in their life, I highly recommend the book How to do the Work by Dr. Nicole LePera. The framework she lays out is universal to all types of trauma; however, it is the one thread that ties us together in the commonality of coping skills.
For additional mental health, resources click here.
With stress and the skin, it really begins with the inner work. Once we have awareness, we can identify habits and make tiny shifts. Watch as your body reacts. For skin, to heal inflamed itchy skin, I have a few product recommendations that can really make a positive impact on your skin while gently restoring the skin to normal functioning.
SkinBetter Science offers Alto Advanced Defense and Repair Serum. This serum provides broad, comprehensive environmental defense. It has super potent antioxidants, neutralizes intrinsic free radicals generated by the skin’s natural aging process, and has patented technology that supports the skin renewal cycle for energized more rejuvenated looking skin.
Hale & Hush’s Soothe Essence Serum restores and hydrates the skin. This beautiful serum will bring your skin back to life restoring it to a stronger state, from moisturization, irritation control, and redness reduction to protection against oxidative stress and supporting the skin’s barrier function. It fights inflammation and reduces redness, and rapids skin damage.
DMK’s Beta Gell is a universal serum that makes a difference to stressed skin. It is a versatile serum that can help repair damaged skin that is reddened, tender and compromised.
