SKIN AND sTRESS

[Guest Lynne Clemens]

Of interest:

 

 

Stress Hormone Behind Bad Skin

 

Hormone-Blocking Lotion a Possible Treatment

By   Daniel DeNoon  

 

 

 

 

May 17, 2002 -- Skin responds to stress -- and now researchers know why. New studies show that stress hormone sends the skin's oil glands into overdrive.

 

The study, led by Christos C. Zouboulis, MD, of the Free University of Berlin, Germany, appears in the May 14 issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

 

"Stress may upregulate the production of [chemical messengers] in the skin that regulate oil," Zouboulis says in a press release. "This is the first time a clear pathway has been shown."

 

The German research team found that oil glands are part of a major system through which the brain sends signals to the body. In response to stress, the brain signals production of several hormones. One of them is stress hormone, which makes the oil glands in the skin go into overdrive. Triggering of the stress system can also lead to hair loss, skin aging, and other skin problems.

 

"The reality is that it's probably not the one hormone, but the situation of a game between the different players," Zouboulis said.

 

The finding suggests that if scientists could develop a drug that blocks stress hormone, it could be put into a skin lotion that might help many different kinds of skin problems.

 

"It's going to be some time before this is proven out, but it holds a lot of promise," study co-author Samuel M. McCann, MD, of Louisiana State University says in a press release.

 

 

? 2002 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.

[Kristy]

Hey everyone!

 

I stumbled onto more of the story from Reuters....

 

Stress hormone in skin may trigger acne, oily skin

http://www.reutershealth.com/archive....19.html

 

Check out more of the story!

[Guest terry jackon1]

My philosophy is not of any scientific nature but this is what I believe:

In raising my two teenagers, they seldom even had pimples or acne.  None of their friends had acne.

They had such smooth clear skin.  All thru the teenage years.

 

Now back in the 50's when I was a teenager, everyone I knew practically had pimples, acne.  WHY?  It couldn't be the food because I watched my kids eat greasy foods a lot just like I did and still no acne.

 

So I thought about the stress levels of each generation.

 

In my generation, 50's, we were very uptight; not always having a friendly relationship with parents; not knowing what we were going to do as a profession; not having as money $$; not having the freedom to do alot of sports and they didn't even have a lot of sports for girls.  My daughter did more sports than my son.

 

My kids, however, were pretty good friends of mine; knew they were going to college; had more $$; and did an awful lot of sports.  THESE THINGS ARE KNOWN TO LESSEN STRESS.

 

That's what I think!

[Guest jamahnken]

Hmmm...stress causes acne? Well I could have told them that!

Terry-youre kids are lucky to have had not only a less stressfull life, but clear skin too. However, I wouldn't say that teenagers have it any easier today than they did back in the fifties. I am 21 and I would not go back to being a teenager for anything. I also have a 16 year old brother and a 17 year old sister. I'm pretty close with them, so they let me in on a lot of their problems; the same as I had, and  probably the same as you. If anything, I would say that teenagers have it tougher now than ever. I guess that's just my opinion though! No more scientific or right than yours.

 

-Jessica