Not just skin deep
How stress starves our skin, and ways to nourish it. By Quincy Austriaco

Here's another good reason why you have to combat stress. In addition to the many bodily ills it brings, stress strikes at the heart of our vanity---our skin.

Dr. Janet de Grano, a dermatologist at the Asian Hospital and Medical Center, says, "Stress can trigger or aggravate a number of skin disorders." Falling hair, eczema, psoriasis, hives, unexplained itching, seborrheic dermatitis (dandruff or skin scaling) and alopecia areata (hair loss in localized or discrete patches) are some of these skin disorders.

Also, when under stress, we frown, crease our foreheads or pout, all precursors of those dreaded fine lines and wrinkles.

Fight or flight
The human body responds to stress by going into a fight-or-flight mode, diverting blood flow from elsewhere to support increased heartbeat and muscle activity. When our bodies are constantly on overdrive, the skin is inevitably starved of both blood and oxygen---essential elements of healthy skin.

Healthy body, healthy skin
After she determines that stress aggravates a patient's skin problem, de Grano recommends an anti-stress regimen to supplement prescribed medications. This "healthy body, healthy skin" approach is in line with the holistic attitude advocated by many skin and beauty experts.

For more on this story, read the August 2006 issue of HealthToday. Grab a copy now!