The answer is:  Yes and No.

Stress alone does not cause a case of acne, but it can make it worse.  People may have a zit or two even if they aren’t experiencing stress, however stress increases the chances of a break out even in clear skin.

You may have noticed in your own life during a really stressful time more blemishes appearing- perhaps before a big date, during finals, or an upcoming interview.  What are the mechanics behind this phenomenon?

How zits are formed.

Your skin is full of tiny pores that connect the surface of your skin with the lower layers, where the hair follicle and tiny oil producing glands are located.  Your skin needs a normal amount of oil to function properly, but when your body produces too much oil and there is a build up of dead skin, this creates a plug.  A clogged pore is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, the bacteria feeds on the sebum, which creates inflammation, this creates pressure on the outside walls of the pore, which then ruptures and creates a pimple.

How stress relates to your skin breaking out.

There have been a few studies in recent years confirming that breaking out at stressful times is not just our imagination, there is a scientific reason.  “Acne is an inflammatory disease that can be exacerbated by hormones released during stress which increase inflammation.” (Dr. Michele Green).  Another study confirmed this, showing that when you are stressed a hormone called CRH can cause the glands in the skin to produce more oil.  (Dr. Adam Friedman, George Washington University).  A study in 2003 at Beth Israel Medical Center by Dr. Alexa Kimball also found that stress could trigger breakouts, and the greater the stress, the more pronounced the breakout.

Inflammation in our bodies.

We already know stress provokes inflammation in the body.  The oil glands in the skin are a part of the immune system, so turning on this immune response increases swelling and inflammation in the skin.  In addition, since chronic stress affects the immune system, this slows healing.

Other contributing factors from stress.

What’s more, people tend to itch when they are nervous or stressed, and scratching creates swelling at the site.  People who are stressed may pick at their skin more, increasing inflammation at the site.  They also tend to sleep poorly, eat less healthy food, and don’t follow their usual skin-care routines.  All these factors contribute to breakouts when you are stressed.

Our fast pace world

The pace of modern living create stress in our lives.  A 2014 study in the Archives of Dermatological Research found that acne in women is on the rise.  Their conclusion is that the fast-paced, pressure-filled society we live in is contributing to a worsening of acne conditions.

Take an inventory of your current life. 

Evaluate if you are unnecessarily tied to activities that don’t contribute positively to your or other’s lives.  Cut them out without shame.  Ask yourself what is causing you the most stress?  What can you cut back or change?  Take a break from some activities for a time.  Remember you don’t have to do everything right now.  There are different seasons for different opportunities.  Actively practice relaxing and letting go of the hold situations you cannot change have on you.  Remind yourself that life goes on and things have a way of working out whether you worry about them or not.  The world will not fall apart if you don’t manage every detail or do everything perfectly.  Trust that you will take care of what is most important.  Make a list of the problems you can do something about and write out how and when you will deal with them.

Managing stress can be stressful in itself

Do plan in your schedule time for social connection and maintaining friendships.  Do take time to care for yourself, for example:  Make time for physical activity you enjoy, Pursue creative endeavors.  Plan margin in between your activities.  Not every minute of every week needs to be filled.  Down time is good, it is not laziness.  Set a timer for when you need to go to bed so you are getting enough sleep.  Sleep is a great way to reduce inflammation and give the body time to heal and reset.  Implement an app or system on your electronic devices that will help you cut down your screen time.  Set up a time to talk with a friend, family member, or a counselor about nagging problems in your life, perhaps they can help you be accountable to cut out unnecessary activities and implement healthy habits.  Consider yoga and/or meditation.  If you are a spiritual person, schedule regular time on your calendar to grow your faith and talk to God about your problems.

If you have found helpful and simple ways to reduce daily and ongoing stress please share in the comments below.  As always if you have any questions about your skin care needs or if you have an emergency with a breakout at an important moment in your life, contact me, I can help you with immediate and ongoing skin care needs.

Please contact me at 913-702-4769, topekasparetreat.com

“I’ve tried everything and I continue to get Acne”

When you struggle with acne you want the quickest and easiest route to clear skin, yet it’s not always simple to achieve.  We tend to focus on products and cleansing routines and even the foods we eat to get rid of our blemishes.  You may feel like you’ve tried everything, searched every possible trigger, and yet still your skin is still breaking out.  Have you considered that environmental factors like laundry products may be a source of your acne?

Are fabrics that are coming into contact with your skin, a trigger?

Many people might not consider the fabric their skin comes in contact with, such as wash cloths or sheets as triggers for acne.  It isn’t the fabrics themselves, but the products you cleanse them with that may be contributing to your skin problems.

Are fragrances making your skin breakout ?

Detergents, fabric softeners and dryer sheets contain a host of chemicals, waxes, and fragrances that affect your skin?  In fact, the term ‘fragrance’ could be a combination of any hundreds of chemicals, because laundry product manufacturers are not required to list all their ingredients.

So how do these products actually cause break outs?  

Laundry soap and fabric softener, whether liquid or dry, leave residue on your fabrics.  That residue then transfers to your skin when it comes in contact with you.  Even in residual amounts, these substances could be a culprit for acne especially if you struggle with it in places besides your face like your back and shoulders or chest.  Contact with the elements used in laundry products causes inflammation, especially with the pores of your skin.  Simply put, no matter how minute, the chemicals left on your fabrics after washing can clog your pores.

Here are a few of the most typical offenders in your laundry care products.

Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate (a foaming agent) is known to clog pores. Check out my blog about SLS in shampoos and conditioners here.  All laundry soaps contain surfactants because they reduce the surface tension of liquids increasing its spreading and wetting property which is great for getting your clothes clean.  However most commercial laundry detergents use synthetic surfactants which, you guessed it- clogs pores.  Perhaps worse than detergent, fabric softeners and dryer sheets coat your laundry with fat derivatives, waxes, fragrances and chemicals that quite likely keep you from experiencing clear skin if you are prone to acne.  Unfortunately, there are many more ingredients in your laundry products that are not healthy for your skin, or the environment for that matter, but we’ll keep it simple and leave it with the few I listed for this post

What are those unpronounceable names on my laundry products?

If you’ve ever looked at the list of ingredients on laundry products, most of them contain unpronounceable names that only a chemist would understand!   Generally, the more recognizable the name and natural ingredients as well as a shorter list of ingredients, the more likely the product may be safe.  However, don’t assume all natural and organic substances are non-pore clogging.  Even natural ingredients can be comedogenic- pore clogging.  Fortunately, nowadays there are more and more chemical and fragrance free soaps and detergents available and not just in special health shops.

So, what do you do…

You may enjoy the fresh smell and softness laundry products provide, but your skin will benefit if you switch to safe laundry cleansing brands, and you won’t have to sacrifice great scent or softness.  If you are leery about making hard core changes you can start by trying some widely available safer laundry products that many major brands now make.

Here is a short list of non-pore clogging, safer detergents available in most grocery stores:

+ All:  Free & Clear

+ Tide:  Free & Gentle

+ Purex:  Free & Clear

+ Seventh Generation:  Free & Clear

+ Molly Suds

Also, don’t be afraid to talk to your local Natural Grocer about laundry products they offer that are free from fragrance, chemicals, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and such.

I can’t live without my fabric softener!

As for fabric softener, if you just can’t help yourself, try Downy:  Free and Gentle Liquid Fabric Conditioner.  However, there are natural methods for softening laundry like using wool dryer balls in your dryer or even tennis balls.  You can add a drop of 100% essential oil of your choice to the wool balls to add fragrance, it won’t clog your pores.  Try adding White Distilled Vinegar during the rinse cycle or in the fabric softener slot to keep laundry plush.  A cup of Baking Soda added to the water in the washer before adding clothes is also known to soften fabric.

If you want to go even more hard core and switch your stain remover out for a more skin friendly product try Clorox:  Free & Clear Stain Remover and Color Booster.  Ecos:  Oxobright Multipurpose Free & Clear does not contain poor clogging ingredients either.

Fighting Acne can be frustrating, but in this post we have covered a topic fairly easy to implement as you work to improve your skin and identify your triggers.  If you have found a difference in changing your laundry products leave a comment below.

As always, here at Topeka Acne Skin Care and Spa I am available for any and all of your skin care needs.  Take a look around my website and checkout my Facebook page.  Call for a consultation today 913-702-4769.  topekasparetreat.com

It’s time to finally feel good about your skin.

For more information on acne check out other blog posts:

Did you know that some of the ingredients in your shampoo, conditioner, and hair-styling products could be causing pimples?

If you are doing everything you can to get rid of your acne, yet still breaking out around your hairline, it may be pore-clogging ingredients in your hair products causing the problem.

Even if a product says “noncomedogenic”, “oil free”, or “won’t clog your pores” on the bottle, that doesn’t mean it’s safe for your skin. There isn’t a government agency overseeing this, so skincare companies can claim their products promote clear skin and still contain pore-cloggers.

Leave-in products like conditioners and dry shampoos also stay on your pillowcase, then transfer to your skin while you sleep. If the products you use contain pore-clogging ingredients your acne problem will continue.

Topeka Acne Skin Care carries shampoo and conditioner that is truly acne-safe.

Use a skin care line that’s correct for your skin type. This is super important! If you use the wrong products your skin will not improve much and can even become worse. If a product is too strong, it could irritate and dehydrate your skin, and the acne will continue.

Products must be used in the correct way. It takes strong products to get acne under control, so it’s important to take small steps to improve your skin. Using too much of a good thing too quickly can dehydrate your skin.

Switch it up. You can’t let your skin get too used to one product or it will stop responding. You have to fool your skin into working correctly in order for it to clear.

As a Face Reality Skin Care Specialist I know what it takes to get and keep your skin clear.

We have all heard there is a connection between acne and some of the foods we eat. These foods are not the “cause” of your acne, but they could be making it worse.
Salty foods and food high in iodides are common culprits. Eliminating (or reducing) foods with these ingredients can support your journey to clearer skin.

Milk & Cheese contain iodides and hormones that contribute to acne. Heavy milk consumption contributes to cystic acne in teens.

Health Foods & Supplements – Sometimes vitamins contain some form of iodide and/or biotin – it could be in the form of iodine, iodide, potassium iodide, or kelp.

Protein Bars often contain potassium iodides. Whey and soy protein powders can be bad for problem skin. Try hemp or pea protein powder instead.

Asparagus & Broccoli are higher in iodides than other veggies. Eat them – just not every day.

Iodide Contents in Food (parts per million of iodide):

Salt
Iodized Salt (1/4 tsp) – 100
Seasoned Salt – 40
Sun Evaporated Salt – 30
Non-iodized Salt – 19

Meat/Poultry
Beef/Liver – 325
Turkey – 132

Seafood
Kelp – 1020
Cod (3 oz) – 87
Squid – 39
Crab – 33

Vegetables
Asparagus – 169
Broccoli – 90

Dairy
Cheddar Cheese Spread – 27
Milk – 11
Butter – 26
Mozzarella Cheese – 13

Miscellaneous
Tortilla Chips w/ salt – 80
Potato Chips w/ salt – 40