How Freaking Out Can “Freak Out” Your Skin

Growing up we’re taught that we should stay away from greasy food. We shouldn’t have too much chocolate because we’ll break out. We’ve learned to expect our warning zit about a week before that time of the month. We’ve also pretty much succumbed to the fact that no matter what we do, zits are a part of our lives. Asi es la vida mija.

One thing that some may not have been aware of is the fact that stress can wreak havoc on your skin. It’s not just your face we’re talking about, no mija no, I mean your entire epidermis. It’s the largest organ of the body and is the barrier between your insides and what’s outside. Sounds like a scary movie doesn’t it? Yep, it turns out that freaking out about whatever you’re freaking out about is causing your skin to react.

According to an article in the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health; acne, rashes, eczema & psoriasis are a few things that show up or get worse when you’re stressed out. Hay que cogelo suave lo más posible. Stress makes your skin more sensitive and more reactive. It’s a chemical response that makes your body create more cortisol. You know the stuff that grows in your belly and makes you create and hold on to fat? Yeah, THAT cortisol. Well, it also makes your glands make more oil. More oil means more probability for breakouts. More breakouts can stress you out about trying to get rid of them, and so begins a vicious circle.

Contrary to what you may be thinking, all is not lost. Here are 5 ways to help your skin fight back while you learn to manage your stress. Pon atención y apunta. 

1. Use a gentle facial cleanser daily. Dia y noche! Remove your makeup every night and clear away the sweat, oil, and dirt that builds up during the day.
2. Follow with a moisturizer for sensitive skin. Sure, tackling the grease and breakouts with an extra-strong moisturizer might be your go-to, but this is the time to dial it back. Be gentle with your skin. Try to bring it back to its prior healthy glow.
3. In the evening, after a warm shower and comfy PJ’s, try to make it a habit of using a face mask. The easiest way to do this is a sheet mask. They come one to a package, all the good stuff is already on it and the hardest part is unfolding it and getting it to fit on your face right. After that, relajate for 20 minutes, drink some water and let the mask do its thing.
4. Eye cream. It’s a sentence all on its own and it’s a particularly important one at that. I’ve used 3 eye creams per day since I was in my late 20’s. Yeah, I have some fine lines coming in, but they’re not as bad as they could have been if I hadn’t been moisturizing like it was my job before it was too late.  
5. Sleep is the final step to your skincare routine. Though it’s likely not the step you were thinking it would be, it is the most important step you can take. Your body creates collagen when you sleep to help repair itself. When you’ve gotten 7-8 hours of sleep, you’ll notice your eyes less puffy. Dark circles seem to disappear, your skin is glowing, and you look more awake.

Taking care of your skin es lo mejor que puedas hacer por ti misma. Though there is no medical treatment that can prevent or reverse the results of stress on your skin, taking better care of yourself can patch you up from the inside out.