The Skin Nerd: How to combat skin problems caused by the stress of the Leaving Cert

Don’t allow your complexion (as well as your exams) to stress you out

The Skin Nerd: How to combat stressed out skin

There is no getting around it, exams can take their toll on us physically as well as mentally. The buildup of pressure, intense periods of time sitting at a desk and anxiety concerning the results can accumulate to one of the most stressful periods in a young person's life. In fact, research has revealed that 75% of Irish students reported suffering ‘extreme’ stress over the course of the two-year Leaving Cert cycle.* As well as being bad for the body, stress can have a negative impact on our skin, manifesting itself in many unfavourable ways.

When experiencing stress, a surge of cortisol (known as the stress hormone) is sent throughout our body. Cortisol can be both our friend and foe. In the short-term, cortisol has our back, working to allow our body to handle what it perceives as a threat. However, over prolonged time periods, cortisol causes disruption to our skin and body processes, influencing how our skin heals and triggering inflammation. This can lead to flare-ups for those with inflammatory skin conditions such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis. Research has also revealed that psychological distress can impair skin barrier function and effect how much oil our skin produces.**