How to Prevent Acne Breakouts Caused by Stress?
Some of the telltale signs of stress among teens are frequent headaches, stomach aches, sleep issues, increased irritability, academic problems, changes in socialisation, negative change in behaviour, negative talk, difficulty in concentrating, and a general sense of worry.
NHS Digital reports that young women are the highest risk group in England for mental health problems, with nearly 1 in 4 having mental illness. A survey by the American Psychological Society showed teens today are more stressed than adults and only 20% said were happy at school. Teens today have a lot of pressure, both from social and self-pressure. This explains the rise in health, mental health and skin issues among teens.
The uncertainties stemming from the pandemic is another layer of stress that affects everyone, including young people, and has the characteristics of a lingering stress that builds subliminal negativity.
Stress - Gut - Skin Connection
More and more studies are showing a link between the brain (stress), the gut and the skin. Our understanding of the epigenome (the non-genetic factors that affect our wellbeing, or literally, 'above the genetic') has shed light on how diet can affect our moods, health and skin. Another epigenetic factor, stress, has an effect on our skin and our microbiome as well, which then affects our immunity and health in general.
In the fascinating complexity of the human body, the food and the nutrients we consume have the ability to create new cells and destroy and discard damaged cells. Every hour, every minute, our body makes new cells, such as nerve cells, tissue cells, brain cells, cancer cells, etc, or just dividing into another stem cell.
The consumption of large quantity of sugar, processed food, and even dairy, bread and pasta can disrupt the lifecycle of cells. But the good news is that we can accommodate the convenience of pasta and bread without drastically changing our dietary habits. It requires increasing the plant-based food ratio compared to fast/refined carbs (pasta, bread). For those suffering with acne, dairy is clearly problematic. Cow's milk contains growth hormones, IGF-1 (insuline like growth factors), proteins whey and casein, and many amino acids that increase the sebum production and aggravate acne.
What the body really needs in our fast-paced lives, is a constant replenishment of antioxidants. For example, cacao, green tea, matcha, curcumin, onions, garlic are some of the foods that help fight stress and acne by countering the oxidative stress. You will notice the antioxidants are plant based, and both acne and stress can be improved with food.
Acne
Acne affects about 85% of young people. It can be a debilitating skin condition for many. Teens affected by acne are not only stressed, but can also be anxious and have low self-esteem. It is important to target acne at an early stage, as the longer the acne exists on the skin, the harder it becomes to treat it and becomes more emotionally challenging. To give you a sense of how acne can affect a young person, here is the story of Vlad, a young man in his early 20s.
Puberty is a complex period of development and growth, mentally and physically. The hormones are ultra active while the body is experiencing new substances like alcohol and caffeine. Mentally and emotionally, it is a period of higher levels of stress. All of these factors drain the body's reserve of minerals and antioxidants. Inside the guts of teens and young adults, the colonisation of the microbiome continues, and the administration of antibiotics at these ages can have a profound effect. We now know that a balanced microbiome is responsible for 70% of our immune system.
Puberty is also a period when the body is more susceptible to hormonal changes and to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). This is why Skin Diligent has tested all the skincare products for oestrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals (these chemicals mimic hormones and block the cell receptors or give wrong instructions).
And to learn more about acne, click here for All About Acne.
Skin Diligent Acne-Prone Skin Kit
To target acne, an IN & OUT approach is required as the epigenetic factors heavily contribute to the progress of acne.
Skin Diligent's Acne & Stress food supplement helps fight acne and stress from the inside by providing the necessary nutrients to support the body in its period of growth and insuline resistance linked to acne. The food supplement targets stress, hormonal imbalance and replenishes with antioxidants that young people are so acutely short of.
The skincare products target acne with carefully studied and rare but proven botanical ingredients without any of the side effects of antibiotics, retinols or benzoyl peroxide. The Multilayer Serum and the Regulating Cream in the kit use an innovative technology akin to a 'second skin'. The products create a natural breathing physical film that protects the skin and the acne lesions from pollution and dirt. At the same time, the 'second skin' absorbs the oxidised sebum and releases the active botanical ingredients throughout the day.
Furthermore, they are dermatologist tested for sensitive skin, they are hypoallergenic, non-sensitising and non-irritant. In Skin Diligent's skincare, you will find active ingredients like protium heptaphyllum, ceasalpinia sappan, lannea microcarpa fruit extract, a noni plant stem cell, and the only oil-based vitamin C (ascorbyl tatraisopalmitate) which are all sustainably and ethically sourced.
Skin Diligent Acne-Prone Skin kit contains 3 skincare routine products (Cleanser, Serum and Cream) + a food supplement.
The kit is very effective for acne-prone skin (mild to moderate). It usually takes an average of 2 - 4 months to see clear skin (with visible improvements from few weeks for those new to acne). If your child has few but deep inflamed acne, small shallow acne but spread out all over the face, or they have had acne for several years, please contact us as we can provide you with more advice. You will find some testimonials with before & after photos on our homepage.
Acne is an extra stress, so give your child the gift of renewed confidence! Try your Acne-Prone Skin Kit here.