A lot of us have a skincare routine that caters specifically to our skin type. From sheet masks to enriching scrubs, we opt for everything we think can help slow down the process of ageing on our skin. But sometimes it isn't what's outside that can affect your skin as much as what's inside. We're talking about stress. Experts say that stress can pretty much speed up the process of ageing and can lead to premature ageing signs like wrinkles and fine lines.
When we age, our skin tends to age too and the connective tissues in your skin - collagen and elastin start to break down. This is what leads to the formation of wrinkles on your skin. However, there are multiple other factors that can lead to ageing on your skin and these include an unhealthy lifestyle, smoking genetics, sunlight exposure and most importantly stress.
So, how exactly does stress lead to skin ageing, you ask? The experts say that stress leads to a build-up of the stress hormone known as cortisol. Now, in small dosages cortisol can be good for your body, for example, if you need to get away from a dangerous situation it can come in handy. But in large doses, it starts breaking down the collagen and elastin in your skin and this can lead to an increase in wrinkles.
Apart from this, stress is also known to cause inflammation in your body. And when that happens, your skin is unable to repair itself properly since the inflammation keeps interfering. The end result is that you end up with wrinkles. A dermatologist also said that chronic stress can lead to insulin resistance. And this can further lead to elevated blood sugar levels which can interfere with your skin's ability to appropriately form elastin and collagen.
The experts also said that people need to be extra careful about their stress levels once they hit their 20s since this is when your skin starts producing 1% less collagen. And eventually, as you grow older the skin produces even less collagen than before. So, you really wouldn't want anything to add to a process that is already making things worse for your skin.
Some ways of reducing stress are to get enough sleep, get some exercise, follow a routine and opt for a good diet. Stay tuned for more updates.
