Acne - Can Stress cause Acne?

We already know that stress can be the cause and instigator of a plethora of illnesses as well as health problems, so can stress also be to blame for bad bouts of acne? The simple answer is yes. Although stress does not directly cause the breakouts, it is the way your body reacts to the stress that is to blame for the sudden breakout of your acne. This is because when the body becomes stressed there is an increase of stress hormones.

These hormones throw off the balance of hormones in your body, and as always is the case with unstable hormone levels, your sebaceous cells swell up and sebum production goes way up.

These factors lead to increased amounts of red bumps and blemishes on your skin due to the excess oil your skin produces when influenced by these factors in times of stress. Although the academic community is divided on whether stress can actually cause acne or merely worsens it, it is a definite fact that stress leads to more oily skin which causes clogged pores that lead to acne. A good idea to combat stress-related acne is to use breathing techniques and calming exercises to manage stress levels so that they do not have a detrimental effect on your body and skin.