Skin and emotions: what is their relationship?

When we are sad or stressed, our skin appears less lustrous, rougher, dehydrated, and has less color than usual. However, If we feel good, our complexion seems to be in perfect harmony.

At nearly two meters long and more than five kilograms in weight, the skin is the largest organ in our body. And it’s an open book on mood and health issues. That’s why, any intense negative feeling can become visible through it.

Allergies, itching, roughness, paleness, redness, hives, dryness, cracking, wounds, pigmentation changes, sweat, dehydration… These are signs that are difficult to hide and some of the changes that may appear on the skin lack a physiological trigger.

In these cases, we speak of psychosomatic alterations whose origin is psychological and emotionally rooted. That being said, let’s look at how skin and emotions are related.

The relationship between skin and emotions

In the last decades, Various studies have confirmed the close relationship between skin and emotions. In fact, in light of the evidence found, a new area of ​​study has been created: psychodermatology. This discipline divides psychodermatological disorders into three categories:

Psychophysiological: They are those skin problems that worsen or arise from emotional states. For example, psoriasis.Primary psychiatric: They refer to skin conditions caused by some mental disorders. Most of them self-induced, for example, trichotillomania.Secondary psychiatric: They refer to skin conditions that develop low self-esteem or social phobia. For example, cystic acne.

The relationship between the skin and emotions is bidirectional. That is, skin conditions not only worsen or are generated by different emotional states; but they can also develop mental disorders as a consequence. And, the bigger the problem, the greater the physical or mental condition.

Some skin disorders

According to information in an article by psychiatrist Mohammad Jafferany, some of the skin conditions that validate its relationship with emotions are the following.

Atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is a condition characterized by skin redness, swelling and itching. In this case, a 2016 study published in the International journal of environmental research and public health found that The higher the level of stress, the greater the prevalence of atopic dermatitis..

The conclusions of other research on the association between this disease and the risk of depression and anxiety indicate that People with atopic dermatitis are more likely to have such disorders.

Psoriasis

It is a skin condition that causes redness, silvery scales and skin irritation. It has been observed that stress and psoriasis have a very close bidirectional relationship.

The authors of an article published in Frontiers in Psychology state that “this condition is related to emotional reactivity characterized by negative emotions that have a greater impact on patients’ quality of life.” Emotions do not go unnoticed on the skin.

Urticaria

Another skin condition that exemplifies the relationship between skin and emotions is hives; whose symptoms include appearance of red or colored welts on the skin, causing itching.

Most of these episodes have no apparent explanation, so Some experts suggest that stress plays a fundamental role in its appearance. Well, many of these patients go through stressful situations.

This condition is also associated with psychological factors, such as depression, anxiety and stress, which can influence its appearance and evolution. Apart from that, when hives become chronic, it affects people’s quality of life and emotional well-being.

Hyperhidrosis

This is a condition where those affected experience excessive sweating. It is usually associated with exercise or an increase in temperature. Some studies indicate that hyperhidrosis and stress They are linked.

In these cases, People develop different emotional consequences, such as social phobia and low self-esteem.. Therefore, a vicious circle is created that worsens the condition, as is the case with psoriasis.

excoriated acne

It occurs when acne is scratched or squeezed.. This causes wounds, scars and spots on the skin. It can be driven by personality and body image disorders, depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and low self-esteem.

In addition to the named alterations, there are many others that reflect the relationship between the skin and emotions. To name a few we have:

herpes simplex artefactual dermatitisalopecia areataneurotic excoriationspsychogenic pruritus

Skin and emotions: other forms of relationship

Beyond skin diseases and disorders, there are other ways in which the relationship between skin and emotions can be evidenced. These cases are usually momentary responses of the organism to external stimuliwhich in addition to generating an emotional reaction, produce a skin change.

For example, When we feel ashamed, our face tends to turn red, due to the dilation of blood vessels. On the other hand, when we are afraid, the blood vessels constrict, which makes our skin take on a pale tone.

For its part, Another fairly common example is the so-called “goosebumps.”which usually appears when we feel afraid or shudder.

Physical contact and well-being

Another relationship between skin and emotions is observed in the need for physical contact to develop and live fully. This is evident in premature babies who require skin-to-skin contact with their mother.

Likewise, the hugs, kisses and caresses that we can receive from our loved ones are balms for the soul in difficult times. Thus, our skin receives stimuli that raise our spirits or restore our joy.

Conclusion

In this article we have reviewed how The skin and emotions maintain a bidirectional relationship, where changes in one can generate modifications in the other. The causal relationship is not yet clear, but their connection is evident.

Thanks to psychodermatology, we know that conditions such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, hives and hyperhidrosis are associated with stress and other psychological factors. Now, this connection is not always negative, since through it we can enjoy the benefits of physical contact.

Finally, we invite you to identify how the connection between your skin and your feelings is evident in your daily life. How does your skin react when you are happy? When your stress levels rise, what changes does it cause on the skin?

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