It may be the holidays, but acne is nothing to cheer about. The days are shorter. The weather is colder. Everything and everyone is causing you stress. Whether it’s the weight of finals looming over you, or the constant questions for visiting family members grinding your gears, tensions are at an all-time high during the holiday season. 

While the sugary snacks aren’t helping, one of the biggest triggers of acne can be changes in stress. And as these emotional changes won’t usually trigger a new case of acne, it can worsen the symptoms of already existing conditions that you may be struggling with.

The Connection Between Stress and Your Skin

Because acne is an inflammatory disease, it can be triggered by inflammation in the body. When you are stressed, your body releases cortisol and adrenal androgens. These hormones are there to protect you, but they also cause the sebaceous glands to flare up and may result in breakouts.

How to Know if it’s Affecting You

While there is no way to know for sure if stress is attributed to the severity of your acne, paying attention to the pattern of your breakouts, how you feel emotionally, and the link between these two can give you a better idea if stress is causing you to break out more. If you find your stress levels align with new breakouts, this could be a major factor. 

Also, consider if new behaviors may be attributed to your skin changes. Stress keeping you up at night? Is that anxiety causing you to binge out on sugary, unhealthy food? Too busy to effectively wash your face at night? While it might not be hormonally driven, stress can affect your skin in a handful of ways.    

What You Can Do

Managing your stress should be your first concern if you feel there is a connection with your breakouts. While the holidays will always be a stress-filled time, there are always ways to take a step back and relax. Be sure to get a good night’s sleep to reduce stress and allow the body to go through it’s normal cycle of refreshing and healing.

Once your stress is under control, find an acne solution that works for you. Acne Intelligence provides customized skincare that is fitted to your skincare needs, whatever they may be. Give yourself the gift of an acne-free new year with your first month of Acne Intelligence. It’s simple and takes seconds. Just download the app, snap a selfie, get your results, and order your custom routine for 50% off plus free shipping on your first order today.