Your Skin, Your Mental Wellbeing – Mental Health Awareness Week Focusses on Body Image

When we talk about mental health so often the focus is on the stress we feel in the workplace or in our relationships but often missed is the effect that mental health can have on our skin; as the body’s largest organ it’s bound to be affected by our mental wellbeing.  At the Skin to Love Clinic we’re really pleased that this year the focus for Mental Health Awareness Week (13-19 May), is body image.

Mark Rowland the CEO of The Mental Health Foundation, the charity behind Mental Health Awareness Week announced that they will be releasing findings that will bring together the latest research on body image giving a clear picture of how people of all ages in the UK feel about their bodies. Importantly it will highlight the increased risk of mental health problems that are linked with poor body image.  The team at Skin to Love really understands the psychological impact of feeling good about yourself and we are passionate about helping people feel positive about their skin and are proud to be able to make a difference to people by providing tangible, often life-changing treatments and results.

How does mental wellbeing affect your skin?

So, just how does our mental health play a part in our skin’s wellbeing? When we experience stress, the body releases a natural hormone called cortisol, this does a great job helping the body deal with the pressure. But, if the body experiences continued high levels of stress it will produce higher levels of cortisol which can have an incredibly negative effect on your skin, added to which it hampers the skin’s ability to produce hyaluronic acid, the body’s natural moisturiser and hardens the collagen fibres.   We all know that when we are overtired and anxious, we don’t look or feel our best, and when we look in the mirror the word ‘worn out’ comes to mind. And we’re not imagining it, our skin literally is wearing out and this is all to do with the length of our telomeres, these are the end parts of our DNA which protect the skin’s cells. A study conducted in 2004 revealed that prolonged periods of stress can shorten your telomeres and as a result of this the cell dies, each time a skin cell dies it ages the skin contributing to the formation of wrinkles and affecting the laxity of the skin.  So, all in all, it is no wonder that our mental wellbeing can be a trigger for common skin issues like acne, rosacea and for people who experience extended episodes of stress premature ageing.  

Helping you and your skin to recover  

The team at the Skin to Love Clinic are aware of the psychological damage and low self-esteem that can be experienced as a result of Rosacea and acne scarring. Both can cause heightened colour and redness and the negative impact of this on mental wellbeing cannot be underestimated.  But we are here to help. Not only with our treatments but with a genuine understanding of your concerns had also suffered from these skin conditions.  At the Clinic, we use Veinwave, Regenlite, Byonik, Fraxel and Clear+Brilliant to help treat and reduce the redness and scarring caused by concerns such as Rosacea and acne. And to protect and preserve your telomeres, we also suggest a Byonik treatment which prolongs the life of and improves the health of your skin cells.

If your skin is affecting your mental wellbeing and you would like to have a chat with one of our medical practitioners then please call the clinic to book an appointment on 01727 837429 or click here to message us online.

Disclaimer: This blog is not to be used for diagnostic purposes. We are all unique which means that our results, recovery and suitability for any type of treatment will vary. Always seek the advice of a professional should you have any health or cosmetic concerns or to discuss treatments specifically for you.