Stress Acne – Can Stress Cause Breakouts?
Indeed, stress can cause breakouts. While stress isn’t the primary cause of acne, it can act as a trigger and, in some cases, make acne worse, especially in people who are prone to breakouts. So how does this happen? To start with, stress can reduce the natural healing process by nearly half its normal rate. That means that if you already have breakouts, then they might not clear up as quickly as they ordinarily would if you were not under any stress. Stress can also produce more hormones by stimulating the adrenal glands. In fact, hormonal problems are usually the culprit when it comes to people who have severe cystic acne. The adrenal glands produce cortisol, which can cause the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum. As a result, the skin can become oily. The oil can mix with dead skin cells and bad bacteria can be trapped. This, in turn, can cause acne to occur. The sebaceous glands aren’t just found on the face, either. Occasionally, people will notice cyst-like bumps on their hea