Life as we know it has changed completely. Self-isolation and social distancing are the new normal. With the confined space, lack of social interaction and decreased time spent outside, anxiety and stress are at an all-time high for almost everybody. Unfortunately, this can reflect on one's skin and hair. Stress causes hormonal imbalance which can lead to acne, rashes, hair thinning and fall. To help us through this tumultuous time, Dr. Geetanjali Shetty, Consultant Dermatologist and Cosmetologist on behalf of Cetaphil India shares her valuable expertise on how our skin and hair is suffering during the current lockdown situation and how to stop stress and anxiety from affecting it.
The Effect Of Stress On Skin
Acne and oily skin are the most common side effects of stress. When our body is stressed, it releases cortisol which is our fight-or-flight hormone. The cortisol (stress hormone) weakens the skin's immune system, leading to oxidative (free radicals) stress, which manifests itself as wrinkles, lines and lacklustre skin. It also increases inflammation in the body and conditions like eczema, rosacea and psoriasis can flare up.
(Also Read: Anxiety In The Coronavirus Quarantine Is The New Normal. Tips To Deal With It)
Beauty Tips To Prevent Stress From Affecting Your Hair And Skin
Follow these tips to keep your skin and hair healthy while you're at home.
1. Stick To Your Routine
It is imperative that people follow good skin care hygiene while they're locked indoors. Staying inside does not necessarily mean you should overlook skin and hair care. These are prone to more damage owing to stress. People are encouraged to follow a strict, if not elaborate skincare routine, which involves cleansing, toning and moisturising. Keep a sunscreen handy for the times that you may have to make quick (only necessary) dash to the grocers. Even if you're not wearing makeup, your face still gathers sweat, sebum and dirt build-up throughout the day.
2. Don't Forget Your Hair
Hair is non-essential to physical survival and so it will always be the first part of you to suffer when something is off-balance in your body. Using a warm, natural hair oil can do wonders for hair health and texture, while it aids repairing damaged hair, it also helps nourish your scalp. You should ideally warm around 100ml of your chosen hair oil and then gently apply it on your hair every alternate day. Staying at home isn't a license to avoid combing your hair. Shampoo and condition your hair at least thrice a week. These are simple steps that can help you take your mind of the current situation and at the same time it will help maintain the health of your skin and hair.
(Also Read: 4 Hormones That Play An Important Role In How Your Skin Looks)
3. Deal With Breakouts
Stress is evident in various forms on the skin like redness and acne. If there are skin breakouts and eruptions, it is advised to avoid exfoliation and stick to cleansing your face thrice daily. Those who are on the drier side should aim to wash their face only twice a day with a foaming cleanser. Should your skin need a little boost, indulging into vitamin C will help combat the loss.
4. Eat Right
The lockdown can result in redundancy, as your physical activities will be down by notches - this can cause your digestive system to slow down leading to poor digestion; the effect of which can be seen in multiple ways including your face - oily skin, acne, skin eruptions etc. It is highly recommended that people eat a nutritious and balanced meal to ensure the overall well-being. Stay away from fried and spicy food. Vitamin E is the superfood of the skin: you can apply it on the skin topically or you can chose to consume it through vitamin E rich foods like almonds, corn oil, cod-liver oil, hazelnuts, lobster, peanut butter, safflower oil, salmon steak and sunflower seeds. The most essential thing to bear in mind is to keep you hydrated - drinks lots of water, juices and liquids.
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(Also Read: How To Prevent Hormonal Imbalance: 5 Diet Changes You Need To Make)
