Stress has its way of bringing out the worst in our body, and our skin is no exception. Whether you’re juggling deadlines at work or spread thin at home, you might be starting to notice the signs of stressed skin in the mirror. Follow along as we dig into some of the visible effects of stress on your skin and how to address them with the help of SkinCeuticals, including:

• Acne

• Dark under eye circles

• Redness and inflammation

• Fine lines and wrinkles

Stressed skin issue #1: Acne

If you notice more breakouts when you’re stressed out, it’s likely not a coincidence. Research has shown a link between stress and acne. “In times of stress, the body makes more androgen hormones, which stimulates the oil glands,” says Dr. Joel Schlessinger, LovelySkin CEO as well as a board-certified dermatologist, Mohs surgeon and cosmetic surgeon. “That uptick in oil production can contribute to clogged pores that lead to acne.”

SkinCeuticals LHA Exfoliating Cleanser Gel was created specifically for acne-prone skin. It combines three different types of acids—lipo-hydroxy acid, glycolic acid (an AHA) and salicylic acid (a BHA)—to wash away excess oil and decongest blocked pores. With regular use, it helps resolve existing pimples and prevent future breakouts without drying out your skin.

You can support your acne-clearing efforts by following up your cleansing step with SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Defense Salicylic Acid Serum. “I really like this face serum for adult acne, whether a result of stress or otherwise,” Dr. Joel Schlessinger says. “The exfoliating acids it contains go a long way to address acne as well as fine lines and rough skin texture.”

Stressed skin issue #2: Dark under-eye circles

“Research has shown that stress can interrupt our sleep cycles,” says Dr. Daniel Schlessinger, board-certified dermatologist as well as Mohs surgeon and cosmetic surgeon and LovelySkin Medical Director. “However, most people don’t need a study to tell them that because they feel stress taking a toll on their quality of sleep, and it can show in the form of dark circles and puffiness under the eyes the next morning.”

SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Advanced Eye is a next-generation eye cream that helps brighten dark circles, reduce puffiness and smooth crow’s feet with caffeine, peptides and antioxidant-rich wild fruit flavonoids. In an eight-week study, this eye cream improved the appearance of dark circles by 20% and puffiness by 24%.

“I’m also a fan of SkinCeuticals AOX+ Eye Gel,” Dr. Joel Schlessinger says. “This is a targeted treatment just for the eye area that combines three powerful antioxidants—vitamin C, ferulic acid and phloretin—to help improve fine lines, dark circles and puffiness.”

Stressed skin issue #3: Redness and inflammation

Can stress cause itchy skin? There is such a thing as a stress rash, when hives or welts can appear on your skin as a result of your body’s production of histamine in times of emotional stress. “I recommend my patients treat hives from stress with a cold compress, over-the-counter oral antihistamines, such as Zyrtec, or a topical hydrocortisone product,” Dr. Joel Schlessinger says.

If you’re prone to stress rashes, it might help to keep a hydrocortisone product such as FixMySkin 1% Hydrocortisone Healing Body Balm on hand to help curb the itch. Drs. Joel and Daniel Schlessinger created this medicated balm to help soothe itchiness caused by allergic reactions, insect bites, poison ivy, eczema, psoriasis and other rashes.

“Stress can also cause flare-ups of skin conditions like rosacea, which causes visible redness on the face,” Dr. Daniel Schlessinger says. SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Hydrating + Calming Mask pairs calming dipeptides, hydrating hyaluronic acid and a botanical blend (cucumber, thyme and olive leaf extracts) to help reduce heat sensitivity and redness.

Another product that similarly harnesses the soothing powers of plant botanicals to reduce visible redness in your skin is the SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Essence Mist. This facial mist helps soothe redness and irritation with a blend of cucumber, olive leaf, rosemary and thyme extracts. In a clinical study, participants noticed a 31% reduction in visible redness immediately after use.

What if you could reduce redness while also protecting your skin from sun damage? SkinCeuticals Clear Daily Soothing UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 50 does just that by combining calming ingredients such as tripeptides and bisabolol with broad-spectrum sunscreen ingredients (8% homosalate, 5% octisalate, 5% octocrylene and 7% zinc oxide).

Stressed skin issue #4: Fine lines and wrinkles

Stress can also take a visible toll on your skin by making it look older. This happens when stress hormones break down the naturally occurring elastin and collagen in your skin, leading to fine lines and wrinkles.

Thankfully, SkinCeuticals specializes in creating face serums with cutting-edge formulas to address common types of fine lines and wrinkles, from crow’s feet to lip lines. SkinCeuticals P-TIOX Wrinkle Modulating Peptide Serum helps smooth nine different types of expression lines, including cheek folds, forehead wrinkles, marionette lines and crow’s feet with an advanced peptide complex and PHA, a gentle chemical exfoliant. It can be used to complement in-office wrinkle-relaxing injections or on its own as a needle-free way to address fine lines and wrinkles.

If loss of volume is a concern, SkinCeuticals HA Intensifier Multi-Glycan Multi-Dimensional Volumizing Serum can help by instantly plumping skin and visibly filling lines by boosting your skin’s hyaluronic acid levels. Last but not least, an antioxidant serum such as SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Antioxidant Serum is a staple in any skin care routine to help guard your skin against the effects of environmental stressors, like pollution and UV rays.

Are you looking for more ways to reduce the side effects of stress on your skin? You can check out some of our favorite products to help promote rest and relaxation at home on the LovelySkin Blog.