Does Stress Cause Wrinkles?

Stress impacts our appearance in numerous ways. It can speed up the graying process, trigger acne, and cause you to lose your hair. And yes, the rumors are true: If you don’t get your stress under control, you could start seeing it manifest as photo-aging. Directly and indirectly, a stressful life can lead to lines and wrinkles.

To learn more, read on for everything you need to know about the relationship between stress and wrinkles.

Does Stress Cause Wrinkles?

Yes, stress can cause wrinkles. Stress does contribute to wrinkle formation in the skin through various pathways. The most prevalent is that stress increases baseline cortisol levels in the body, which triggers a breakdown of collagen and elastic tissue, leading to thinning skin and wrinkles. Recurrent facial expressions we make because of stress in the forehead and between the brows (the so-called ‘worry lines’) can also lead to etching of these worry lines. With time, this depletion of collagen and elastin causes the formation of wrinkles. More stress = more wrinkles.

Stress can lead to wrinkles in less direct ways, too. Stress can cause us to engage in behaviors—such as drinking alcohol, vaping, eating poorly, etc.—which negatively impact the skin.

Stress and Other Skin Conditions

Now that we are clear about the link between stress and wrinkles, are there other skin conditions that stress contributes to? In short, yes. Stress and increasing cortisol levels worsen pre-existing inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne. Stress has been shown to increase transepidermal water loss (loss of moisture through the skin), leading to more dehydrated skin.

Stress can also cause an inflammatory response in the body, which is why you will often hear of ‘cortisol bloat’—people who feel that they carry weight around the abdomen due to high stress levels. The same happens to the skin because inflammation increases oxidative stress which inhibits our skin’s natural ability to repair and regenerate.

Preventing Stress Wrinkles

 With knowledge comes power, and there are options to help reduce stress and lessen the effects that contribute to wrinkles, the key among them being lifestyle. Managing stress is essential for skin health, beauty, and overall health. Try taking a 360 approach to anti-aging and wellness, and alleviating stress is a big factor. Stress management, diet, exercise, lifestyle (limiting alcohol, smoking, and unprotected sun exposure for long periods), sleeping 8-10 hours per night, and drinking enough water for your body weight, are all ways to age your best. A holistic routine like meditation to help manage stress will benefit the skin directly or indirectly.

And of course, there are preventative treatment options, too. Decreasing repetitive movement that creates wrinkle etching over time with neuromodulators, like Daxxify, can also directly address stress-related frown lines. 

Treating Stress Wrinkles

While lifestyle and preventative treatments can help us be proactive, there are other actions we can take to treat and reduce the effects of wrinkles. Anti-aging skincare ingredients like retinoids, SPF, and vitamin C all can improve the preservation of collagen and elastic tissue in the skin.

There are also neuromodulators, which can slow down the repetitive crunching of ‘worry lines’ and thus can reduce and prevent etching and long-term formation of these wrinkles and”treatments such as microneedling, laser resurfacing, and chemical peels that can help with the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Whichever treatments you opt for, you won’t want them to be performed in vain. Doing your part daily with your skincare regimen by using scientifically-backed, clinical-grade products with sunscreen is a big part of making whatever you are doing at your plastic surgeon’s office work.

Taking a Holistic Approach

While there are many skincare treatments and topicals that help prevent and reduce wrinkles caused by stress, our experts emphasize the importance of a healthy lifestyle and improving your overall wellness. Healthy living (factors like eating a healthy, well-rounded diet, avoiding smoking, and managing stress and sleep well in your life) will result in less cortisol-induced breakdown of collagen, as well as decreased systemic inflammation—all of which will holistically result in both improved overall health and healthier, more youthful appearing skin.

Practicing meditation daily can exercise our emotional regulation, which impacts our hormone releases during stressful periods. By nurturing our emotional resilience, we can navigate stressful situations with greater ease and hopefully, lessen the likelihood of beauty consequences. Additionally, a meal preparatory service that measures my protein intake to ensure I am eating optimally for my age, weight, and body type.

The Final Takeway

Stress can cause wrinkles in direct and indirect ways. While there are many ways to treat and prevent those wrinkles, ultimately, addressing the underlying factor—stress—is the best course of action for your skin and overall well-being. And when in doubt, pamper yourself with an anti-aging facial at Botanica to ensure your skin is being taken care of by the best!