Skin afflictions targeted by cosmetic products have, traditionally, been linked to external factors, physiological reasons, molecular interactions, or biomedical causes.
However, a new holistic approach takes into consideration that humans are affected by emotions, specifically negative emotions, which have an adverse impact on skin. This has given rise to psycho-dermatology, which considers all the aspects of the brain-skin interaction.
Stress, tiredness and lack of sleep all affect our skin in many ways. Our immune system is disturbed, making the skin more vulnerable and causing inflammation and dehydration. More wrinkles appear while existing wrinkles become deeper. There is a loss of elasticity, a delay in wound healing, damage to skin structure and a decrease in barrier function. In severe cases it can even result in atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, or acne.
There is a known relationship between the skin and the nervous system with both cell types coming from the same embryonic tissue. Psychosocial stress has an immediate impact on skin because of the action of stress hormones, for example Cortisol, that get released in excess, altering skin homeostasis.
Cortisol is one of the key hormones in the stress response, and when accumulated on skin, it can cause physiological disruptions. It is important to highlight the key role of this hormone as a stress mediator.
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