Stress and Teen Acne
Doctor Larry Jaeger is a Board Certified Dermatologist and the founder and owner of Advanced Dermatology Associates in New York.
He has treated thousands of teenage patients suffering from all forms of Acne.
Larry Jaeger notes that the teen years are exciting, but they can also be stressful. With school assignments and tests, after-school activities and jobs, plus the pressures of dealing with relationships and family life, lots of teenagers feel overloaded, over scheduled and stressed out.
Maybe you’ve noticed your acne getting worse, and wondered if there is any connection between the stress you feel and the pimples you see.
Can stress really make acne worse, or is that just a another acne myth
Some dermatologists and skin care professionals believe that stress can indeed make teen acne worse.
They suggest that stress may revs up oil production, and may increase inflammation of existing pimples. Previous studies have shown stress causes inflammation within the body.
Not so fast! Not everyone buys the stress-acne connection.
Even so, there are still plenty of pros who don’t think stress has much, if anything, to do with acne at all.
They say, and rightfully so, that acne tends to wax and wane on its own. What may be attributed to stress could be just the natural progression of acne itself.
Besides, we already know that it’s the changing hormone levels in the body during puberty that triggers acne to develop in the first place. No amount of stress, or lack thereof, is going to change that.
Larry Jaeger advises stress isn’t good for you, even if it has no effect on your skin. It’s no fun to be stressed out all the time. You can do things to help lower your stress levels. Try listening to music, exercising, talking to friends and family about things that are bugging you. And don’t underestimate the power of getting enough sleep and eating right!
If you’re feeling chronically stressed or overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to ask for some help. Talk with your parents, an adult friend, or a trusted teacher or counselor at school.
Will just reducing stress clear your acne? Not likely.
Even if stress is making your breakouts worse, just reducing it won’t clear up acne completely.
Larry Jaeger recommends you’ll need a good over-the-counter acne treatment, if your acne is mild. For moderate to severe acne, a prescription acne medication will work best.
But you can consider stress management a piece in your acne treatment toolbox. Even if it doesn’t affect your acne directly, stress reduction is good for your entire body, and it’s a healthy habit you can take with you into adulthood.
