TLDR Psychological stress can worsen skin conditions like psoriasis and acne.
Psychodermatology explores the intersection of dermatology and psychology/psychiatry, focusing on how psychiatric conditions can manifest in the skin and how skin diseases can lead to psychological issues. The study highlights the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the cutaneous corticotrophin-releasing factor-proopiomelanocortin-corticosteroid axis in these interactions. Disruptions in these systems can exacerbate immune-related skin conditions like psoriasis, atopic eczema, acne, alopecia areata, vitiligo, and melasma, which are often stress-related. The paper emphasizes the importance of considering skin color, especially in pigmentary disorders, in the context of psychodermatology.
11 citations
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April 2023 in “Skin Health and Disease” Psychological stress can worsen skin conditions like psoriasis and acne.
102 citations
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July 2020 in “International journal of molecular sciences” Hormones like testosterone and estrogen significantly affect hair growth and structure.
134 citations
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July 2020 in “Experimental dermatology” Hair follicles are normally protected from the immune system, but when this protection fails, it can cause hair loss in alopecia areata.
9 citations
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June 2020 in “BMC Molecular and Cell Biology” Stress hormone CRF can cause hair loss by affecting hair growth cells and hormones.
12 citations
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April 2020 in “British Journal of Dermatology” Caffeine may help reduce stress-induced hair loss.
5 citations
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May 2017 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” The study found no significant difference in stress hormone levels between people with alopecia areata and healthy individuals, suggesting that the disease is not caused by an overactive stress response system.
218 citations
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April 2012 in “British Journal of Dermatology” Guidelines suggest various treatments for alopecia areata, but leaving it untreated is also an option as 80% cases may recover on their own.
128 citations
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September 2011 in “British Journal of Dermatology” Obesity is linked to various skin problems and may increase the risk of skin cancer.
October 2023 in “Acta dermato-venereologica (Print)” People with severe hair loss have lower zinc levels in their blood.
