Tax season could be wreaking havoc on your skin
April – the start of spring. A month of showers to bring May flowers. But, did you know April is also Stress Awareness Month?
Unfortunately, when many people think of April, their first thought is "taxes." Could this be why Google searches for "depression," "anxiety," "pain," "stress" and "fatigue" peak in April? Either way, we know that many feel stressed when prepping for the dreaded tax day, which is just around the corner.
When you think of the effects of stress, do you immediately jump to headaches, feeling tired or weight gain/loss? Have you thought of ways stress effects your skin? No? Don't worry, most people don't, but that's what we're here for!
Stress can impair your skin's protective outer layer, which means that skin will be more sensitive and more reactive. When stress causes skin to be more permeable, more irritants, allergens and bacteria can penetrate and cause problems. That means certain conditions can be worsened by stress. Those conditions include:
- Rosacea
- Acne
- Hives
- Fever blisters
- Psoriasis
- Seborrheic dermatitis
If you suffer from any of these conditions, we strongly recommend seeing a board-certified dermatologist. A doctor will be able to provide treatment for your skin problem, and stress relief can then complement the care plan.
Tips to stay stress-free
In many cases, stress relief alone will not treat these skin conditions; however, to help your overall health and assist in improving these skin problems, we recommend these doctor-approved stress relief tips:
- Meditation – a few minutes a day can go a long way and make you more resilient to stress.
- Breathing Exercises – a 5-minute break to focus on deep breathing counters the effects of stress.
- Decompress – place a warm heat wrap around your neck and shoulders for 10 minutes to relax your muscles.
- Laugh out loud – LOL, literally. Laughing lowers your body's stress hormone and boosts the feel-good chemicals.
- Move around – all forms of exercise release feel-good chemicals called endorphins to reduce stress.
If you want to treat a skin, hair or nail condition, our network of board-certified dermatologists are available 24/7/365 so you don't have to stress about getting into the doctor's office. Start a visit online now to get your diagnosis, personalized care plan and any necessary prescriptions.