You’ve had a busy, overwhelming week. Your to-do list never ends, your sleep’s all over the place, and your mind feels like it’s constantly racing. And now like clockwork your skin is flaring up again. Whether it’s a fresh breakout, an itchy patch, or redness that won’t settle, the timing feels almost too perfect to ignore. Sound familiar?
If you’ve ever wondered whether stress might be the hidden culprit behind your latest skin issue, you’re far from alone. At our clinic, we see it all the time. Patients come in with flare-ups they can’t explain, often after periods of high emotional or physical pressure. They ask: Could stress be triggering my eczema? Making my acne worse? Causing my rosacea to flare up again?
And the truth? Yes stress can absolutely affect your skin. In fact, there’s a growing body of scientific research showing that what’s happening in your mind can have a direct, visible impact on what shows up on your skin.
In this article, I’ll walk you through exactly how emotional stress interacts with your skin health, the biological processes involved, and why dermatologists take stress seriously when diagnosing and managing conditions like acne, psoriasis, and beyond. We’ll also explore how addressing stress not just the symptoms can lead to more effective, long-term skin solutions.
How Stress Impacts the Skin
Stress doesn’t just live in your head it affects your whole body, including your skin.
When you’re feeling stressed, your body produces more cortisol, also known as the “stress hormone.” This hormone can interfere with several processes that keep your skin healthy. It increases oil production, triggers inflammation, weakens your skin’s defences, and slows down healing. As a result, stress can easily throw your skin’s natural balance off track.
Here’s how stress often shows up on your skin:
- Increased inflammation
Stress can lead to inflammation in the body, which may trigger flare-ups of skin conditions like acne, eczema, or rosacea. - Slower skin repair
When you’re stressed, your skin takes longer to heal from breakouts, cuts, or irritation due to reduced cell repair and regeneration. - Weakened skin barrier
Cortisol can weaken the skin’s protective barrier, making it easier for moisture to escape and irritants to get in. This can lead to dryness, redness, or sensitivity. - Hormonal fluctuations
Stress can cause changes in hormone levels, especially androgens, which may increase oil production and lead to more breakouts. - Aggravated immune response
A stressed immune system may overreact to minor triggers, making skin more prone to allergic reactions, rashes, or infections.
Even if you’re doing everything else right hydrating, cleansing, moisturising chronic stress can still undo your efforts and show up visibly on your skin.
Conditions Commonly Worsened by Stress
Stress may not directly cause skin conditions in every case, but it can certainly make them worse. If you already struggle with a chronic skin issue, emotional or physical stress can act as a powerful trigger, setting off flare-ups or making symptoms more difficult to control.
Let’s look at some common examples where stress plays a key role in worsening skin concerns.
1. Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis)
Eczema is one of the most stress-sensitive skin conditions. When you’re under stress, your body increases production of cortisol, which affects immune function and compromises the skin’s natural protective barrier.
As a result, you may experience:
- Dryness
Your skin loses moisture more easily, leading to rough, flaky patches. - Cracking
As the skin becomes drier and more fragile, it’s prone to splitting and soreness. - Itching
Stress can intensify itching, and scratching only worsens the cycle of irritation and inflammation. - Infection risk
Broken or inflamed skin is more vulnerable to bacteria, which increases the chances of infection.
For many eczema sufferers, stress management is just as crucial as a good skincare routine. Techniques like mindfulness, breathing exercises, or even taking short breaks during a hectic day can make a meaningful difference.
2. Acne
Stress isn’t the root cause of acne, but it can definitely make it worse. When you’re under pressure, your body produces more cortisol, which in turn stimulates your sebaceous glands to produce more oil (sebum). Excess oil can clog pores, trapping bacteria and dead skin cells setting the stage for breakouts.
Stress also contributes to:
- Hormonal imbalance
Stress can disrupt your hormone levels, particularly androgens, which are linked to increased oil production and acne formation. - Inflammatory flare-ups
A stressed immune system is more reactive, which can lead to increased redness, swelling, and tenderness around existing blemishes. - Skin-picking behaviours
Anxiety and stress can trigger compulsive behaviours like touching or picking at the skin, which not only worsens inflammation but also increases the risk of scarring and hyperpigmentation.
That’s why many people notice new spots or worsening acne during times of high pressure like before a job interview, a big event, or exam season. Even if your skincare routine hasn’t changed, stress alone can tip the balance.
3. Rosacea
For people living with rosacea, stress is one of the most frequently reported flare-up triggers right up there with spicy foods, alcohol, sun exposure, and extreme temperatures. The connection isn’t just anecdotal; emotional stress causes blood vessels to dilate, which can worsen the hallmark redness and sensitivity associated with this condition.
During stressful periods, you might notice:
- Flushing
Sudden, intense blushing or warmth in the cheeks, nose, or forehead that lasts longer than usual. - Increased redness
A general worsening of background redness, making the skin look more inflamed or irritated. - Sensitivity
The skin may become more reactive to products, temperature changes, or even touch. - Pustules or spots
Stress can trigger inflammatory bumps or acne-like spots, adding to the discomfort.
While rosacea doesn’t have a permanent cure, managing stress can significantly reduce how often flare-ups occur and how severe they become when they do. Simple stress-relief practices like breathing exercises, regular sleep, and mindfulness can go a long way in supporting calmer skin.
4. Psoriasis
Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition, which means the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy skin cells, causing rapid skin cell turnover. This leads to thick, scaly patches that can be itchy, sore, and difficult to manage. Unfortunately, stress is one of the most well-known triggers for worsening symptoms.
Because the condition already involves an overactive immune system, stress tends to amplify that response making flare-ups more frequent and harder to control.
During stressful times, psoriasis may:
- Spread to new areas
Existing patches can grow larger, and new ones may appear on areas that were previously unaffected. - Become itchier or more painful
Increased inflammation can intensify discomfort, making symptoms harder to ignore. - Take longer to heal
Stress slows the skin’s natural healing process, so flare-ups may linger longer than usual.
That’s why stress reduction is often included as a key part of holistic psoriasis care plans. Whether through exercise, meditation, therapy, or relaxation techniques, managing stress can make a noticeable difference in both the severity and duration of flare-ups.
The Stress-Skin Cycle
Unfortunately, the connection between stress and your skin isn’t a one-time event it’s a cycle. And once it starts, it can be difficult to break without the right support.
Here’s how it usually plays out:
Stress → Skin flare-up → Stress about appearance → Worsening symptoms
You feel stressed, which triggers a skin reaction. Then you become self-conscious or frustrated about your appearance, which creates even more emotional stress and that, in turn, leads to a more intense or prolonged flare-up. It’s a vicious loop that can affect not only your skin but your overall well-being.
This cycle is more common than many people realise, and dermatologists see it often in clinic settings. That’s why an effective treatment plan doesn’t just focus on the skin it also includes emotional support and lifestyle changes to help reduce stress in your day-to-day life.
Whether it’s through mindfulness, therapy, medication, or simply learning to identify your personal triggers, the goal is to calm both your skin and your stress response so they’re not feeding off each other.
How Dermatologists Consider Stress in Treatment Plans
At London Dermatology Centre, we believe that effective skincare goes beyond treating symptoms on the surface it means caring for the whole person. That’s why stress management plays an important role in many of our treatment plans, especially for patients with chronic or stress-sensitive skin conditions.
Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, we tailor our care to reflect the emotional and physical factors influencing each patient’s skin. Here’s how we incorporate stress awareness into our clinical decisions:
Skincare Adjustments
During periods of high stress, the skin often becomes more reactive or sensitive. In these cases, we may recommend modifying your routine to reduce potential irritation. This might include:
- Switching to gentler, fragrance-free cleansers
- Adding barrier-repairing or anti-inflammatory ingredients like ceramides, niacinamide, or colloidal oatmeal
- Reducing the frequency of exfoliants or retinoids
- Prescribing topical treatments like mild corticosteroids or antihistamines to calm flare-ups
Medication Reviews
If stress has triggered or intensified a skin condition such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, or rosacea, we may consider adjusting your medication. For example:
- Short-term use of oral antibiotics to control inflammation
- Immunosuppressants or biologics for severe flare-ups
- Oral antihistamines to relieve itching or discomfort
Our goal is to reduce inflammation quickly while also addressing the root contributors including stress.
Lifestyle Guidance
We know that lifestyle plays a huge role in skin health, especially when stress is a factor. That’s why we regularly discuss supportive habits that help patients manage stress and reduce the likelihood of flare-ups, such as:
- Improving sleep hygiene, since poor sleep is closely linked with both increased stress and skin sensitivity
- Mindfulness techniques like breathing exercises, journaling, or guided meditation
- Diet and hydration, as nutrition can affect inflammation, hormone balance, and barrier function
- Referral to counsellors or therapists, when emotional stress seems to be significantly impacting skin or overall well-being
These conversations are always handled with care and confidentiality, and we work closely with patients to find what suits their lifestyle best.
Follow-Up Timing
Stress-related flare-ups can change quickly, so we often adjust the timing of follow-up appointments. In stressful periods such as during exams, major life changes, or work pressure we may schedule more frequent reviews to monitor symptoms closely and tweak the treatment plan as needed.
This proactive approach allows us to respond to changes early, rather than waiting for the condition to worsen.
Tips to Reduce Stress and Support Skin Health
You don’t need a total lifestyle overhaul to see improvements in both your stress levels and your skin. In fact, it’s often the small, consistent habits that make the biggest difference over time.
Here are a few simple but effective steps we often recommend to our patients:
- Practice daily deep breathing
Just two minutes of slow, focused breathing can calm your nervous system and lower cortisol levels. Try breathing in for four counts, holding for four, and exhaling for six. This can help reduce tension in both your body and skin. - Exercise regularly to reduce cortisol
Movement whether it’s a brisk walk, yoga session, or light jog helps regulate stress hormones and improve circulation. Better blood flow means better nutrient delivery to your skin. - Use fragrance-free skincare during flare-ups
When your skin is reacting to stress, it’s best to avoid products with perfumes or strong active ingredients. Fragrance-free, hypoallergenic formulas are gentler and less likely to trigger irritation. - Avoid harsh scrubbing or over-exfoliating
When your skin feels rough or broken out, it’s tempting to scrub it clean. But harsh exfoliation only damages the barrier further. Stick to gentle cleansing and let your skin recover at its own pace. - Keep hands away from your face
Stress can trigger unconscious habits like face-touching or picking at blemishes. This introduces bacteria and increases the risk of infection, scarring, and prolonged inflammation. Keep your hands clean and busy stress balls can help! - Stick to a simple skincare routine
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, simplify. A gentle cleanser, moisturiser, and sunscreen are enough. You can always reintroduce actives once your skin is calm again.
Remember: when stress flares up, your skin is already working hard. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is slow down, give it space to heal, and support it with steady, gentle care.
When to See a Dermatologist
If stress is affecting your skin and over-the-counter products just aren’t cutting it, it may be time to seek professional help. Many stress-related skin issues need more than gentle skincare they require targeted medical treatment and personalised advice.
You should consider booking a dermatology appointment if:
- Flare-ups happen regularly during stressful periods
If your skin condition always seems to worsen during exams, work deadlines, or emotional challenges, it could be a sign that your treatment plan needs adjustment. - Symptoms disrupt your sleep or daily life
Severe itching, burning, or pain can interfere with your ability to rest, focus, or enjoy everyday activities especially if they’re getting worse over time. - You feel self-conscious about your appearance
When skin problems start affecting your confidence, social life, or emotional well-being, it’s important to get support. You deserve to feel comfortable in your skin. - Scarring or long-term damage is developing
Repeated inflammation, picking, or untreated flare-ups can lead to lasting marks, pigmentation changes, or even permanent scarring. Early intervention helps prevent this. - You’re unsure how to treat the condition safely
Not all products or treatments are suitable during a flare-up especially when stress is involved. A dermatologist can help you navigate options safely and effectively.
At London Dermatology Centre, we take a holistic approach. That means we’ll look at your skin concerns in the context of your overall health including your stress levels and create a plan that works for your body, your routine, and your lifestyle.
Final Thought: Taking Back Control of Your Skin
Stress affects us all but it doesn’t have to control your skin. With the right support, you can break the stress-skin cycle and get back to feeling comfortable in your skin.
You can get in touch with us to book a consultation with one of our expert dermatologists in London. We’ll help you understand your triggers, calm your flare-ups, and develop a skin care plan that works with your life not against it.
References:
- Manolache, L. and Petrescu‑Seceleanu, D. (2013), ‘Stress involvement as trigger factor in different skin conditions’, World Journal of Dermatology, 2(3), pp. 16–26. doi: 10.5314/wjd.v2.i3.16. Available at: https://www.wjgnet.com/2218-6190/full/v2/i3/16.htm
- Balieva, F. et al. (2022), ‘Perceived stress in patients with inflammatory and non‑inflammatory skin conditions: an observational controlled study’, Skin Health and Disease, 2(4), e162. doi: 10.1002/ski2.162. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9720195/
- Zhang, H. (2024), ‘Role of stress in skin diseases: A neuroendocrine-immune perspective’, Cutaneous and Ocular Immunology, preprint. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159123003768?utm_source=chatgpt.com
- Manolache, L. et al. (2010), ‘Life events involvement in psoriasis onset/recurrence’, Journal of European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 24(6), pp. 187–191. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20618467/
- Goyal, N. (2023), ‘Stress and common dermatological disorders: the vicious cycle’, Current Dermatology Reports, July 2023. Available at: https://journals.lww.com/cddr/fulltext/2023/07040/stress_and_common_dermatological_disorders__the.4.aspx