Have you recently given yourself one of those long, hard glances in the mirror, the kind where you lose count of time scrutinizing unwelcome changes? You’re not alone if you believe 2020 is to blame for your hastened signs of aging. Stress has a negative impact on our health and accelerates the aging process.

Dermatologists, nutritionists, and hairstylists discuss how this year has affected our skin’s health in numerous ways. Here are several takeaways from the essay, as well as some steps we can all take to assist our skin recover. (Spoiler alert: You can do it!)

Stress has a variety of effects on the body.

During Zoom meetings, FaceTime chats, and other such occasions, focusing more on our own faces may cause you to notice defects you’d never noticed before, giving the effect of premature aging. Quarantine-induced aging, on the other hand, isn’t merely a question of perception. The effects of pandemic-induced stress on our skin are numerous.

Stress hormones are detrimental to the structure of your skin.

Collagen in the skin breaks down as the stress hormone cortisol rises. Because collagen gives your skin its structure, this results in sagging, tired-looking skin. Stress can also cause your skin’s barrier function to be depleted, causing it to dry out. What if you’re having trouble sleeping? This only adds to the vicious loop.

Our facial expressions are dwindling.

Consider this: if you don’t see anyone for the entire day, what facial expressions do you make? “We’re frowning more, smiling less, and experiencing feelings we’ve never experienced before for a long time,” dermatologist Linda C. Honet, who was interviewed for the New Beauty story, adds. Frow lines and wrinkles that weren’t noticeable previously can be exacerbated by unhappy faces.

Skin aging is accelerated by a diet heavy in sugar, alcohol, and carbohydrates.

During this period of massive change, our face expressions aren’t the only thing that might deteriorate—for others, good eating habits have also deteriorated. These days, we buy more comfort food, and for many people, comfort food equates to snack or “junk” food. Unfortunately, studies have shown that both sugary and ultra-processed diets contribute to visual aging, as well as having other negative health effects.

Then there’s the fact that we’re drinking more. The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology released a study in 2019 that identified a link between “alcohol usage and aging severity that was statistically significant for under-eye puffiness, midface volume loss, and blood vessels on the cheeks.” According to the same study, “seven facial features were substantially related with an appearance of more severe aging in heavy drinkers (i.e., those who had eight or more drinks per week).” According to the study, alcohol has a variety of effects on the body, including vitamin deficiencies, tissue damage, and a reduced ability to manufacture collagen.

We’re not exercising as much as we used to.

We’ve been kept out of our routines by gym closures, and working from home has taken away a lot of our natural light movement. Exercise improves skin circulation, promotes long-term health and longevity, and keeps us trim.

You’re not going through the motions of a typical beauty routine.
You may not be having your normal maintenance treatments, such as facials and hair color, if you stay at home. You may see more gray hairs than usual, but experts advise you to embrace the grays (it’s fashionable). Skin, on the other hand, requires your assistance. Continue reading for more helpful hints.

What’s the Good News? Our Bodies are Adaptable.

Make it a goal to invest in yourself before the end of 2020. Following an anti-aging skin care program that combines medical spa treatments, at-home skincare, and a healthy lifestyle is the greatest approach to tap into your body’s innate resilience.

Use anti-aging skincare that has been certified by an aesthetician.
You’ll bounce back if you take care of your body on a daily basis and follow a healthy regimen. A medical-grade skincare routine is recommended. Schedule a consultation with one of our aestheticians, and we’ll point you in the direction of products that are both gentle on your skin and successful in achieving your goals.

Medical spa treatments might help you get more out of your daily routine.

Depending on your needs and goals, our aestheticians might also propose frequent maintenance treatments. From our gentle, no-downtime CoolPeel™ laser treatments to our anti-aging peels, our arsenal of skin treatments has something for everyone, whether you’re fighting dryness, “maskne,” or signs of aging in the skin.

Want a mask-friendly beauty boost by focusing on your eyes? Botox injections can be used to soften frown lines or generate a slight brow “lift.” We have a variety of injectable filler treatments to plump and smooth tear troughs. If you’ve considered a surgical forehead lift or eyelid lift to refresh your facial expression, Dr. Samaha is seeing patients for in-office or virtual consultations.

What if I told you that Fillers help to improve the structure of the skin.

Hyaluronic acid-based filler actively regenerates collagen once injected, leading to long-term improvements in your skin’s structure. Maintain your injections on a regular basis to observe long-term results!

We invite you to reach out and schedule some self-care, whatever your issues and aspirations may be. Taking care of your skin can have a positive domino effect on your diet, exercise, and overall happiness, so it’s a perfect way to start making healthy changes in challenging times.

To read the full article on how stress affects our skin, click here.