Does Stress Cause Acne?—Why Being Super Stressed Can Make Our Skin Breakout

If it seems as though you experience more breakouts when you're under a lot of stress, you may be noticing more than a coincidence. But is acne a direct cause of stress? The answer is...not completely.

Stress doesn't cause acne outright, but research shows that stress triggers hormonal changes that may worsen acne in people who are already prone to breaking out.

While you may end up needing to take several approaches to clear your skin, reducing your stress level may end up being an important one for you for this reason as well as the prevention of other, often more serious health problems.

Why Do Stress Hormones Cause Us to Breakout?

Acne-prone skin is the result of a combination of factors that lead to blocked pores, some of which are influenced by hormones—cortisol and androgens,—that are secreted by the endocrine system in response to stress.

Hormones Help Produce Oil

These hormones escalate the production of sebum, a protective, oily substance naturally produced by glands near skin hair follicles inside of the pilosebaceous unit as part of the skin's immune system.

High population levels of Propionibacterium acnes, a bacterium living in human skin that feeds on sebum, put stress on the pilosebaceous duct and catalyze an immune system response.

White blood cells attracted to this bacterium secrete an enzyme that may damage the wall of the hair follicle, releasing its contents into the hair shaft, and leading to an inflammatory reaction.

Each of these factors individually and together contribute to the ecosystem that gives rise to and perpetuates acne.

Your Gut May Affect Your Skin Too

Interestingly, there is some research suggesting that individual differences in the bacterial populations of the gut microbiome, which are impacted by stress and play a modulatory role on systemic immunity, may also affect acne.

How to Tell If Your Acne Is Caused By Stress

It can be pretty hard to figure out if your acne is a result of stress. A dermatologist will be able to offer more insight.

That said, if you are feeling consistently stressed, there is only benefit in considering that it could be a factor in your acne—especially if you've focused on other contributors without much success.

Start Tracking Your Breakouts

Try taking note of when you get stressed and when you break out over a few weeks (consider keeping a journal). Then, compare these time points to see if there are any correlations.

• Track your stress: If the breakouts tend to match up with the times that you are feeling stressed, there may be a link. If the breakouts do not tend to match up with the times you are feeling stressed, the acne is more likely to be related to environmental or genetic factors.
• Note where your breakouts occur: Check to see if you always get your pimples in the same spots, such as on the side of your face where you hold your phone.

Also consider that the worsening of your acne could be related to stress-driven habits, rather than the stress itself. For example, drinking more coffee or using other stimulants can also lead to an increase in your production of cortisol and have an impact on your microbiome.

Acne can also be worsened by overlooking your personal hygiene needs, changing your diet, or rushing your skincare routine—all things that can easily happen when you're feeling stressed.

Is There a Way to Reduce My Stress?

Try to recognize and remain mindful of when you are most likely to get stressed so that you can come up with preventative strategies. This is highly personal, and doing it successfully can take time and more awareness.

Find—and dedicate yourself—to the strategies that work best for you.

Try Time-Blocking

Let's say you always have really busy Wednesdays and Thursdays. It's a good idea to plan those days out ahead of time to reduce your stress. You can try the time-blocking technique to help you figure out where all of your time needs to go.

Plan When to Dedicate Time to Your Skincare Routine

On the night before those busy days, see if you can get to bed early and give your skin some extra attention.

Maybe you'll use a face mask or put on some medicated skin lotion that can help reduce and prevent breakouts. Products containing azelaic acid or benzoyl peroxide are first-line acne treatments.

Doing this can help alleviate stress because you already built this into your day. You'll feel less rushed and it may even become something you look forward to doing.

Practice Body Neutrality

In a world that's unfortunately so appearance-focused, having acne can make us feel really down in the dumps about how we look. In the moments we don't feel so great about ourselves, practicing body neutrality can help.

Body neutrality practices help us focus on what our bodies can do for us rather than what they look like. So instead of focusing on our acne, we can think about how we appreciate our skin.

Here are some affirmations that you can say to yourself:

• I'm grateful for my skin because it protects my body from the elements.
• I love my skin because the color of it represents my culture and I'm proud of my heritage.
• I am the only person in the world with the genetic makeup that has created my skin—and this makes me special.

Consider Seeing a Therapist

If you've been trying to reduce your stress to no avail, it might be time to seek professional help. A therapist can assist in creating a more manageable schedule. It also helps to work with a therapist because you'll have someone holding you accountable so that you don't get too far off track.

A therapist can also help you work through any body image issues that you may be facing. You deserve to feel beautiful in the skin you're in.