Emotional Stress And Acne!! Is It True That Worrying Causes Acne?
It’s no wonder that getting ready for your wedding or for an exam is stressful. However, what makes it worse is noticing that your skin is also stressing out along with you, forming more pimples than ever before. So, leaving everything behind, now you may have to hunt for acne treatments. Many years ago, scientists believed that stress was a direct cause of pimples. However, recent studies have proved that stress doesn’t trigger a new case of acne, but it can aggravate the condition in someone who is already prone to acne.
What is acne?
Acne is a common skin condition, especially among adolescents, though it can affect people at any age. It is the most common skin disorder in the USA, with up to 50 million people experiencing it each year (American Academy of Dermatology). Further, acne is the 8th most prevalent disease, affecting 9.4% of the global population annually. Pimples are formed When the hair follicles become clogged with oil and dead skin cells. These clogged pores get infected with bacteria and resulting in swelling. In addition, due to the high number of oil glands, the skin on the face, chest, shoulders, and upper back is more prone to pimples.
What causes acne?
There is a multitude of factors that trigger acne. However, changes in hormonal levels are one of the leading causes. Hormonal changes- Androgen is a hormone type that rises during puberty. Androgen boosts the production of sebum, which is an oily substance secreted from hair follicles. Increasing levels of sebum can eventually block the pores leading to bacterial infections and inflammations. Several other factors that trigger acne are genetics, medications, menstruation, and cosmetics.
Myths about acne
Myth 1- Pimples mean you haven’t washed your face enough.
Fact- Acne has nothing to do with dirt on the skin. An unclean face, on the other hand, can allow bacteria to infiltrate existing acne, resulting in larger boils.
Myth 2- Popping pimples will make it sooner to heal.
Fact- It’s critical that people don’t pick and squeeze their pimples to avoid scarring. Also, when you squeeze a pimple, the bacteria can go into the deeper levels of the skin causing more swelling and inflammation.
Myth 3- Eating oily food causes more acne.
Fact- There is adequate evidence to back up that dairy products trigger acne conditions. But no connection that has been found between oily food and acne.
What can treat acne?
Acne is considered as a choric condition, so most of the time it requires treatments. Nevertheless, treating stress alone won’t make pimples vanish. Therefore, it is always recommended to visit a dermatologist to seek advice. Depending on the severity, some typical treatments for acne include,• Oral antibiotics
• Retinoids- reduce oiliness
• benzoyl peroxide formulation- reduce p. acnes bacteria
• birth control medication (for women to manage hormonal levels)
• Salicylic acid – reduce inflammation
Despite oral and topical medications, your skin specialist might also perform medical procedures to prevent scarring: laser treatments, chemical peels.
Acne care; daily tips
1. Wash your face two times a day with a mild soap.
2. Wash your hair with shampoo regularly.
3. Avoid touching your face and the infected area.
4. Minimize applying greasy cosmetics.
5. Wash your pillowcases, caps, and bed linen regularly
