Pimples from nerves - what is the reason for their appearance on the skin

Pimples can appear for a variety of reasons. This includes poor nutrition, increased hormone secretion, and lack of skin care. However, there are reasons on this list that many are not even aware of. Although they are on the surface, you just have to listen carefully to yourself.

That is why few people know that pimples and blackheads may well appear from nerves and stressful conditions. This condition is quite common, especially among girls and women. But unfortunately, it is still poorly studied.

There is also such a thing as psychosomatic acne. This medical word refers to a rash on the face that appears after stress, anxiety or psychological problems. Therefore, often a cosmetologist or dermatologist, after a patient contacts him, will advise you to also visit a psychotherapist.

Does stress cause acne?

Stress is a response to overstrain of the human body due to experienced fear, anxiety, negative emotions, and physical activity. This weakens the body and it becomes susceptible to various diseases. Stress causes acne, and all this is not just speculation.

Probably everyone is familiar with the situation when, after experiencing strong emotions, pimples appear on the face after a while. Scientists have suggested that the appearance of acne after nervous or physical stress is not an accident. But a definite pattern of their appearance could not be discovered. So can acne be caused by stress?

Stress and acne on the face: the cause of its appearance

Let's consider situations in which acne forms due to stress. Excitement before an exam or an important meeting is often accompanied by heavy sweating. This is what leads to the rapid appearance of acne.

This happens due to an increase in the production of adrenaline, norepinephrine, cortisone and the active work of male hormones, which make the sebaceous glands, located literally throughout the human body, work more actively. These glands secrete sebum, an increase in the level of which creates favorable conditions for the proliferation of acne bacteria and other pathogenic microflora. But in addition to bacteria, the ducts through which hairs grow on our body and sweat appear are also clogged, which also contributes to the appearance of pimples. And in order to clearly present the information described, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the structure of our skin.

You can learn more about the mechanism of stress acne from the following video, in which a certified specialist expresses his view of this problem:

Acne can occur on different parts of the skin, so a pimply back or face can all be the result of unnecessary nervous worries. And while you are under the influence of stress, the number of pimples will only increase, and their healing will take much longer, with possible negative consequences and complications. These include scars that arise from the formation and long healing of purulent acne.

Trying to get rid of a few sudden pimples while under the influence of stress, you may notice an increase in their number. Most often, stress acne looks like subcutaneous inflammation of various sizes. They can be painful and itchy, but a big mistake would be to try to squeeze or scratch them - this will lead to the appearance of new pimples and scars. Therefore, you need to start treatment immediately.

Acne due to nerves - the main causes

On the path of a person there are not only all kinds of diseases, but also stressful conditions. And they can be much more dangerous than microbes and viruses, since the first and second are treated with medicine, but the treatment of stress requires a long and sometimes very expensive process.

It turns out that any negative impact on a person’s nervous system and psyche significantly reduces immunity. It is at this moment that a variety of rashes, ulcers, pimples and acne appear on the skin. And, as practice shows, overcoming them is not at all easy.

Another common reason is the release of large amounts of adrenaline. It causes severe vasoconstriction, and this negatively affects the blood supply not only to internal organs, but also to the skin. It becomes dry, dull and lifeless. And reduced immunity makes any collision with microbes dangerous, which results in the appearance of acne. And not on any specific area of ​​the skin, but all over the face.

The hormone cortisol, which is also produced in large quantities during nervous shock, also makes its contribution. And a large amount of it blocks collagen synthesis. This means that epidermis restoration does not occur.

Fighting stress

When we say that acne occurs as a result of stressful situations, we do not elevate this statement to the rank of an axiom. Agree, today almost everyone is exposed to stress, but only some people get acne. What does this mean? About people's predisposition to acne. In addition, we are not always aware of the very fact of the onset of a stressful situation. For example, long-term sexual abstinence or, conversely, sex, menstruation, hunger or thirst - all this is perceived by our consciousness as something ordinary and everyday, but for the body it is stress.

To successfully treat acne, the first thing you need to do is get rid of stress itself or the causes of it. The reasons may be different:

• Difficulties at work.
• Difficulties in personal life and relationships.
• Lack of sleep.
• Overwork.
• Excessive physical activity.
• Drug use, smoking.

Stressful situations affect the functioning of not only the sebaceous glands, but also other internal human organs, for example, the adrenal glands, which begin to actively produce cortisol. This, in turn, causes the activity of the sebaceous glands. In addition, stress weakens a person's immune system by about 40%, which prevents the body from fighting acne bacteria on its own.

In this regard, we will divide the initial set of measures related to the treatment of acne from stress into several stages:

• Preventing stress and getting rid of the causes that cause it.
• Strengthening the immune system.
• Hygienic measures.

To effectively prevent stressful situations and minimize their negative consequences, you need to:

• Adhere to the correct daily routine, sleep and nutrition.
• Change your diet, reducing the amount of smoked, fried, fatty and sweet foods, but filling it with fermented milk products, herbs, and vegetables.
• Take vitamin complexes containing antioxidants and zinc.
• Maintain a drinking regime, minimizing the amount of coffee consumed, sweet carbonated drinks containing preservatives and chemical additives, replacing them with green tea, mineral water, and freshly squeezed juices.
• Continuously increase daily physical activity, but avoid overwork.
• Eliminate or minimize the use of alcohol, drugs and smoking.

We proceed from the fact that you will not be able to avoid stressful situations, but you can prepare your body for them and minimize their negative consequences by following these recommendations. In addition, you will need psychological protection from stress. The best option is to set yourself up in a positive mood and accept all everyday difficulties with a smile. To do this, you can work with a psychologist or take sedatives for a while. But the latter should be done only after consultation with a specialist.

Types of acne

If you still have to deal with the appearance of acne, you should immediately decide what type they are. There are acne:

• Non-inflammatory blackheads are black spots on the skin that appear due to the oxidation of melatonin contained in the pores.
• whiteheads - barely noticeable white spots on the skin;

What makes the situation worse

Due to the uncontrolled release of adrenaline, malfunctions of the liver begin. Toxins are not eliminated at the proper level - this is immediately expressed in the form of rashes.

A reaction to a stressful situation can be problems with intestinal function and the appearance of dysbiosis. This is eloquently evidenced by the red pimples that appear on the forehead.

The development of intense, unbearable itching deprives a person of control over his actions. The affected areas of the body are scratched, sometimes to the point of bleeding.

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An open wound is an excellent opportunity for bacteria to penetrate the epidermis and cause rashes. If you do not follow the rules for taking medications, acne may also appear.

The general condition and appearance of the skin deteriorates significantly when trying to squeeze out pimples. The lack of proper antiseptic treatment of the resulting wound creates conditions for infection.

Factors that complicate the treatment of skin rashes:

• wiping the cover with an alcohol solution;
• frequent use of soap;
• the use of powder, foundation, creams, as a result the skin loses its ability to “breathe”;
• decreased immunity due to bad habits.

Getting rid of nervous tension and reviewing your habits helps avoid stress. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe medication.

To eliminate the causes of nervous acne, including anxiety and stress, medications are prescribed. There is no getting used to them.

Special ointments and antihistamines are used. For treatment to be successful, be sure to consult a doctor. The appearance of acne due to nervousness requires consultation with a psychotherapist.

Treating Acne from Stress

If you find such tumors on your body, if their number begins to grow, you need to start treatment. As usual, we treat all diseases in two ways: first we self-medicate, and then, if it doesn’t help, we go to the doctor. In the case of stress acne, the treatment mechanism will be the same, but you should not delay going to the doctor, especially if home treatment has not given the desired results and if cystic acne and nodules begin to appear.

You can fight acne at home by reviewing the number and content of your hygiene procedures, using various homemade masks, tonics, scrubs and lotions. In particular, you can use a mask, for the preparation of which we take 3 tablespoons of honey and add a dozen drops of lemon juice to it. You can also add egg white here. Apply this mixture to your face in a thin layer, and place chilled cucumber slices on top of the mask. After 15 minutes, wash off the mask with summer water. This will help relieve skin irritation and reduce acne spots.

A visit to the doctor will be marked by blood tests and various procedures, for example, skin scrapings that determine the composition of the microflora common on it. Next, individual treatment is prescribed, depending on the diseases identified in you and the causes of acne. This may include:

• Use of antibacterial ointments and creams.
• Taking antibiotics and birth control pills.
• Chemical peeling.
• Laser therapy.
• Skin drainage (with its help, cystic acne is removed).

It often takes a long time to select an individual treatment program—several months. Therefore, be prepared for the fact that you may not expect a quick cure. Also, there is no need to doubt the doctor’s qualifications and rush to ignore his recommendations, succumbing to the persuasion of loved ones, people who know everything.

Having diagnosed the causes of acne, you can choose one of the drugs for treatment presented in the following table:

In addition, we recommend that you pay attention to the effective and inexpensive acne remedies presented in this article.

How to stabilize your psycho-emotional state

It is useless to fight acne that appears as a result of nervous breakdowns without eliminating the root cause. Therefore, the right decision is to make efforts to achieve emotional balance.

1. No matter how hackneyed it may sound, it is important to look at the problem abstractly and find positive aspects in it. If it is impossible to do this on your own, then do not hesitate to consult a doctor.
2. It makes no sense to spend all night thinking about the problem and thus reliving the stress. Talk to your doctor about choosing sedatives to help you sleep. It is not necessary to take medications; medicinal herbs are also suitable for this purpose.
3. Replace meaningless pastime with sports. This step will have two positive effects at once: it will distract and saturate the body with oxygen, which will have a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin.

Psychological problems cannot be left to chance. The common belief that time heals is a misconception. The problem hides, “falls asleep” in order, under favorable conditions, to remind itself of itself with redoubled force.

Myths about acne

And they can advise a lot that not only will not help get rid of acne, but will further aggravate the problem. You don't have to look far for examples.

Myth No. 1. We have often heard that to get rid of acne you need to spend more time in the sun, because... The sun's ultraviolet radiation has a detrimental effect on acne. This is not entirely true. Long exposure to the sun reduces the protective properties of the skin, which becomes a catalyst for inflammatory reactions. Therefore, exposure to the open sun on a hot summer day should be limited to 15-30 minutes, depending on the darkness of your skin.

Myth No. 2. Another common myth is that to effectively fight acne, you need to wash your face with soap as often as possible. This is definitely not worth doing, but such hygiene procedures should be limited to twice a day. The fact is that soap dries out the skin, and this leads to increased irritability and increased inflammatory processes. Therefore, it is recommended to use moisturizing tonics immediately after washing.

Medicines

In addition to psychological treatment, the doctor prescribes the patient the simultaneous use of certain medications. Complex therapy will allow you to achieve the desired results much faster. Popular medications that can be prescribed include:

1. Baziron. The product dries out the skin due to the alcohol content. It should be applied pointwise to each pimple individually.
2. Klindovit. This is an antibiotic that allows you to destroy all pathogenic microflora that appears under the skin.
3. Tar or laundry soap. It is important to remember that washing with these products is only permissible if you have acne on your hands. This treatment method is not suitable for the face.
4. Calendula tincture. This folk remedy allows you to quickly and very effectively get rid of acne.
5. Masks. There are many recipes for acne remedies that you can prepare at home. The main thing when selecting them is to take into account your skin type and the severity of inflammation.

During drug treatment, it is important to avoid possible stress.

Sometimes acne from nerves coincides with other diseases. Then the treatment complex will be much more comprehensive. But acne resulting from stress is always much more difficult to eliminate than, for example, from clogged pores.

Sedatives

Such drugs calm the nervous system, while toning the body. They are not addictive and are made on the basis of bromine, medicinal plants or a combination of several components. The most famous are:

• Valerian (tincture and extract);
• Corvalol;
• Valoserdin;
• Nervoflux;
• Potassium bromide;
• Adonis-bromine;
• Novo-Passit;
• Dormiplant.

These drugs are often prescribed to people with cardiovascular diseases.

Sleeping pills

Sometimes, to calm the nerves, it is enough to normalize the patient’s sleep. For these purposes, sleeping pills are prescribed to reduce the level of stress hormones, strengthen the immune system and improve skin condition. These include:

• Phenobarbital;
• Pipolfen;
• Clomethiazole;
• Zopiclone;
• Brotizolam;
• Flurazupam;
• Zalepton.

Self-administration of these drugs is fraught with serious complications for the patient.

Tranquilizers

These drugs are used only in rare cases and as prescribed by a doctor. They suppress anxiety syndrome if detected by a psychiatrist.

Tranquilizers are addictive, so they are a last resort for treating nerve acne. Among these means:

• Diazepam;
• Afobazole;
• Buspirone;
• Medazepam;
• Hydroxyzine.

To take these drugs, the patient must undergo a psychiatrist.

Antihistamines

These products can help you get rid of the symptoms associated with acne. Antihistamines relieve itching, reduce swelling and reduce inflammation. Solutions containing antibiotics and antiseptics (Levomycetin, Boric acid, Salicylic acid, etc.) are used topically. If they do not bring any results, then general antibiotics are used (Tetracycline, Azithromycin, etc.).

Additional Information

When we say that acne can occur after stress, we do not identify the latter as the root cause. Rather, it is a catalyst that enhances the inflammatory reactions that lead to acne. In addition, as mentioned above, it is simply impossible to avoid stressful situations in our difficult times - just go outside, breathe in the air polluted by cars, and here you have a ready-made stress for the body. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare for stress and its consequences, leading to the appearance of acne, and successfully resist them. The result of stressful situations can be not only new acne, but also redness of the skin, so it’s a good idea to learn how to get rid of facial redness.

A healthy lifestyle, sufficient and timely hygiene, a good psychological attitude - all this will help you not only avoid acne, but also make your life better. After all, happy is the one who is healthy, but you can’t buy health in a store or pharmacy; it needs to be developed and maintained throughout your life, which is what we recommend you do every day. In addition, we recommend reading information about what to do if you have acne on your hands.