How Mental Health Impacts the Skin

Did you know that our mental health can have a direct effect on our skin, and vice versa? For the sake of your health, it’s so important to take control of your skin care and your self-care.

In the same way that our cheeks turn pink when we are embarrassed, low mental health can influence breakouts. When we’re stressed out or going through a rough patch, our brains assume that we are in danger and release a hormone called cortisol in response. This hormone increases our sweat and oil production, clogging our pores and leading to acne. On top of this, cortisol suppresses the immune system. This prevents us from properly fighting off bacteria and inflammation, resulting in breakouts, infections, and irritation. Cortisol also slows down the rate of collagen production meaning that our skin cells cannot adequately renew and repair themselves, leading to aged skin, fine lines, and wrinkles.

How to Maintain Good Skin During Difficult Times

Now that you know why mental health impacts the skin, here are our top 4 tips for maintaining good skin during difficult times.

1. Stay hydrated
It can be hard to remember to drink water when you are feeling down but staying hydrated is one of the best things you do for your skin. Drinking two litres of water each day will significantly reduce the likelihood of skin flare ups occurring. This flushes out all the extra toxins your body produces when you are stressed out. If you find it difficult to motivate yourself to drink water, try mixing it up by adding lemon or lime to your water. This is a great option because the antioxidants in citrus fruits protect the skin from harmful bacteria. If you aren’t a fan of lemons or limes, herbal teas are a great alternative that have numerous health benefits.

2. Choose chemical-free skincare products
During difficult times your skin already has to work extra hard to fight off bacteria so the last thing you should do is use toxic or harmful chemicals to cleanse your face. This will only worsen the appearance of acne and blemishes. Instead, choose products with natural ingredients. In particular, during these tough times you should be using anti-inflammatory, strengthening products that are designed to soothe and rejuvenate the skin. Our favourite clean skincare products are from Medik8. Their products are cruelty-free and do not contain any parabens, phthalates, sulphates, or alcohol. We recommend using the Calmwise Anti-Redness Elixir, a soothing formula made up of just 7 ingredients that are designed to calm redness and provide intensive relief during breakouts.

Shop here: https://lapeau.com.au/product/calmwise-serum-night-serum-15ml/

3. Get enough sleep
We know that it can be extremely difficult to get a good night’s sleep during stressful times, but sleep is essential for maintaining a healthy immune system and good skin. While we sleep, our immune system works hard to fight off infections and repair dead or damaged skin cells.

4. Stick to a healthy diet
What we eat can dramatically influence the appearance of our skin so it’s important to maintain a healthy diet during tough times when your body is already stressed. Although many of us crave sweet foods when we are feeling low, try to replace chocolate or lollies with fruit. Instead of ordering greasy takeaway meals, find a fun, new, healthy recipe that will not only be nutritious, but it will also keep you busy so you don’t have time to think about negative thoughts. We understand that it can be difficult to maintain a healthy diet during difficult periods, so we recommend taking powder supplements such as Vita-sol’s Purity Greens. The combination of ingredients used in Purity Greens allows you to gently remove any toxins and impurities through a digestive cleanse.

Shop here: https://lapeau.com.au/product/purity/

In a similar way that how our mental health affects our skin, breakouts can lead to low confidence and affect our overall mood. That’s why it’s so important to maintain good skin and feel confident in your body.

Feel free to call us or come into the clinic if you have any further questions!
P: (07) 3207 4100⁠
W: https://lapeau.com.au/
A: Suite 12/120 Birkdale Road, Birkdale⁠