Effects of Psychological Stress on Skin Aging: A Literature Review

This literature review explores how psychological stress contributes to premature skin aging by affecting dermal collagen and elastin remodeling. Chronic stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and sympathetic nervous system, leading to increased glucocorticoid and catecholamine signaling, oxidative stress, extracellular matrix degradation, and impaired epidermal barrier function. These processes accelerate skin aging. The review suggests that understanding these mechanisms could aid in developing therapeutic strategies targeting stress-responsive pathways to maintain skin structure and function. Future longitudinal studies are needed to translate these findings into preventive or treatment measures for stress-related skin aging.