Mental stress is more harmful to your skin than you think. The skin is considered the largest organ in the body and the skin’s microbiome plays an important role as the body’s first line of defense against pathogens. Normally, the skin barrier helps maintain moisture and water retention, and prevents allergens, irritants, pollutants, and pathogens from entering. But under stress, stress hormones can weaken that barrier, slowing the production of oils that have the “moisture-locking” benefits. At this point, the skin begins a process called transepidermal water loss (TEWL), which causes the skin to become drier and damaged, making it easier for pathogens to penetrate deep into the skin. “When the skin barrier is not functioning properly, it is prone to chronic low-grade inflammation, increasing the amount of free radicals that are harmful to the skin and accelerating the aging process and increasing the risk of allergies” – Dr. Dermatologist Whitney Bowe at Mount Sinai Medical Center (USA) explains. If you’re experiencing these issues, Ms. Bowe advises people to review their daily skin care routine – especially when using anti-aging products. For example, retinoids (common in many acne and anti-aging creams) can cause skin irritation if used nightly. Similarly, alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) or glycolic acid has many wonderful uses such as fading brown spots, evens out skin tone, and promotes collagen production, but it is also a skin irritant. It is best to alternate the use of strong active ingredients. For example, after 1 night of applying solutions containing retinoids and AHAs, you should let your skin “rest” for 1-2 nights to reduce dryness. In the meantime, use nourishing, hydrating actives – like glycerin, sunflower oil or jojoba oil – to “repair” the skin barrier, support the microbiome, and restore shine. Skin pH. And for people with sensitive skin, the skin care process is even more careful. It’s best after washing your face, let it dry before applying the product to see a reaction. If your skin feels tight, itchy, burning, or has small pimples, then you probably have sensitive skin, so avoid using products containing sulfate compounds, such as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or sodium laureth sulfate. SLES). People with sensitive skin should also not shave / wax their face or use a dry brush to exfoliate because it can damage the skin barrier, as well as do not use products with artificial fragrances because they can cause irritation. skin. One thing to keep in mind is that although natural essential oils like lavender, orange, lemongrass and chamomile have the effect of relaxing, reducing stress and improving sleep, applying directly to the skin can also cause allergies and damage. damage the skin barrier. When stressed, many people tend to crave sweets and processed foods, but these foods can damage the collagen and elastin components in the skin through a process called “glycation”. The skin loses its elasticity and is prone to wrinkles. In addition to taking better care of your skin, people also need to make some lifestyle and nutritional changes to combat the negative effects of stress, in simple ways like: + Maintain relationships. Interacting with other people – including through social media – is a great stress reliever, contributing to improved skin health. + Physical movement. Exercise improves blood circulation and oxygen delivery to all parts of the body, thereby promoting the repair of the skin barrier. Exercise also helps release feel-good hormones and endorphins. + Practice how to calm the mind. Yoga, meditation and deep breathing exercises have been shown to significantly reduce stress levels and levels of the stress hormone cortisol. + Get enough sleep. Not only helps restore mental health, a good night’s sleep is also beneficial for the skin’s regeneration process at night. + Drink enough water and add nutrients to beautify the skin. Drinking enough water both helps to hydrate, helps to eliminate toxins, reduces acne and improves skin structure. And skin-beautifying nutrients – especially vitamin E, vitamin C, collagen, omega-3 and biotin – help keep skin healthy from within, while fighting against external damaging agents such as smoke, dust, and dirt. ultraviolet rays in sunlight.

Skin cells do not have enough time to regenerate: Night is the time when skin cells regenerate and recover from the damage of the day. If you don’t sleep or don’t get enough sleep, your skin won’t have enough time to regenerate and heal itself, and this will increase your risk of premature aging. Acne: Levels of the stress hormone cortisol are naturally low at night. But if you stay up late and disrupt your sleep cycle, your cortisol levels will remain high, which means that the sebaceous glands are constantly stimulated, making your skin prone to acne. . Enlarged Pores: Another harmful effect of the sebaceous glands being stimulated due to lack of sleep is that the pores will be enlarged and easily clogged. Increased risk of sun damage: Getting enough sleep is essential for the body to produce natural antioxidants. Research shows that a lack of sleep leads to a decrease in the production of antioxidants, which in turn reduces the skin’s ability to protect itself from UV rays. Increased risk of dermatitis: Research has proven that sleep deprivation reduces the number of white blood cells, which in turn reduces the body’s immune function. Therefore, lack of sleep can increase the risk of skin infections. Puffy eyes bigger and darker: The body’s lymphatic system acts as a discharge system, helping the body get rid of toxins and excess fluids. Lack of sleep adversely affects the function of the lymphatic system, causing excess fluid accumulation, leading to puffiness. Dull, pale skin: Lack of sleep disrupts the normal biological cycles of the skin, including the skin renewal cycle at night. This can lead to a buildup of dead cells on the surface of your skin, leaving your skin pale or dull. Psoriasis and eczema: When you don’t get enough sleep, the amount of the stress hormone cortisol in the body will increase, thereby triggering skin conditions such as psoriasis or eczema.

You should not use wet wipes to remove makeup. Photo source: Internet Cleansing wipes are convenient but not skin-friendly. Some of the ingredients in it can cause mold, creating unnecessary skin damage. Not to mention, makeup remover wipes cannot completely remove makeup like wax or oil products. Only use wet wipes to remove makeup in case the makeup is smudged or you want to change the lipstick color. At the end of the day, use a dedicated makeup remover to clean your skin. Physical exfoliation Regular exfoliation can damage your skin’s texture, says Brightside Pen. Because they have corrosive properties that damage the skin barrier. In addition, the particles in physical exfoliation often have a hard-to-solve, dry texture that causes the skin to take away its natural oil layer, which gradually leads to acne. Face washing machine Facial cleansers with brush heads or silicone are touted to help deep clean, unclog pores. However, if used regularly and for a long time, these products may cause damage to the skin surface because of excessive rubbing. Not to mention, if you do not clean the brush head properly or change the silicone pad periodically, bacteria and viruses will penetrate the skin, causing acne and many other dermatological problems. Dermatologists recommend that people with acne-prone skin should not use a face wash because it will irritate the skin. Facial tissue Facial tissues have long been hailed as the ultimate lazy girl’s face wash secret. The magazine recommends keeping a pack by your bed for easy makeup removal, or storing them in your car for on-the-go emergencies. But unfortunately, cleaning this way is not easy. Used daily, makeup remover wipes can actually cause friction and even tear the skin. Plus, because they’re moist, a lot of alcohol and preservatives are required to keep wipes mold-free – not all of which are good for sensitive skin. On top of that, wet wipes are a huge polluter for the planet. They are mainly made from polyester, polypropylene, cotton, rayon, which won’t break down quickly. If you’re using wipes every night (and beyond), that’s a lot of non-dissolvable clogging happening. Dry brush To make exfoliating more convenient, women often combine with a dry brush. If your skin structure is sensitive, this beauty item may irritate or dry out your skin. For people with inflamed skin, eczema or psoriasis, do not use regularly to avoid causing infection.

Make it a habit to wash your hands. Hand washing protects health and saves lives. However, this can aggravate some skin lesions such as atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, psoriasis … if anyone has it, specifically making the skin drier, cracked, irritated, even even an infection. So what’s the advice: – Dry hands after each hand wash: After washing, dry your hands carefully with a clean towel or tissue, especially between your fingers, as bacteria are more easily transmitted between wet hands. – Use moisturizer to reduce the unwanted effects of heavy hand washing: Frequent hand washing can damage the skin barrier, leaving skin dry and cracked. So moisturizing the skin of the hands is the most important thing. Not only people with diseases but also those with healthy skin should take care of their skin. How to use moisturizer correctly: Take a pea-sized amount of cream, rub it all over your hands, paying attention to the fingertips as this is an easy place to dry and crack. Apply yin lotion after you’ve washed and dried your hands, or whenever your skin feels dry. Besides, you should consult a dermatologist about the right product. Avoid washing hands with hot water: Hot water will make the skin quickly dry and wrinkled, cracked, so only warm water should be used to wash your hands. – Wear rubber gloves When having to contact cleaning chemicals or working in a humid environment, the time to wear gloves should be as short as possible to avoid sweating hands, which aggravates skin damage. BSCKII. Bui Quang Hao ( Head of Infection Control Department, National Hospital of Dermatology )