Stress activates the adrenal glands to produce extra androgen hormones, which eventually result in inflamed acne breakouts in acne-prone skin. These additional hormones stimulate the sebaceous glands beneath the skin and trigger a breakout. The increased oil production triggers the microcomedone to flare to the surface, causing an inflamed breakout. This flare-up typically happens within 48 hours after the stressful event occurred. The cycle creates more stress, which feeds the never-ending roller coaster of the skin calming down and flaring up again.

The stress-hormone connection is more of a problem for women than it is for men because women produce most of their male hormones (androgens) in their adrenal glands. Men, on the other hand, produce most of their male hormones in the testes and only a minimal amount in the adrenal glands. Men’s primary hormone is testosterone. When they get stressed, and the body produces extra testosterone, it does not have as big of an impact as it does for women. Women produce about one-tenth of the amount of testosterone as men do so a sudden surge of additional testosterone can be significant.

Acne in and of itself causes stress. You pile this on top of everyday stressors, and you will find that the majority of clients we work with have high-stress levels. Rejuvenating the adrenal glands with our herbal formulas and also offering support and encouragement with our program helps calm the stress-acne connection.

*Cortisol sticks around for a while “stress stacking”