How Stress Is Hurting Your Skin

Jul 19, 2023, 9:47:53 AM / by GlyMed Advanced Aesthetic Institute

Have you ever noticed you tend to have more skin problems when you’re going through something stressful?

That’s because stress releases hormones that prepare your body to respond to an emergency. While these hormones help you respond to immediate danger, they become harmful when your body stays in “fight or flight” mode for a long time. The longer you have high levels of stress, the more these hormones wear on your body and damage your skin health.

Fortunately, you can prevent stress from hurting your skin and stressing you out even more by using top-quality professional skincare.

7 STRESS-INDUCED SKIN PROBLEMS AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM

FINE LINES & WRINKLES

Stress ages your skin faster, thanks to the primary stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline constricts the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients to your skin. Without oxygen and nutrients, your skin cannot produce collagen—the protein that makes up about 80 percent of your skin. This protein is what makes your skin firm, smooth and tight. As adrenaline keeps you from producing collagen, cortisol breaks down this protein, causing your skin to sag and form lines and wrinkles.

WHAT TO DO

Increase elasticity and prevent lines and wrinkles using Rejuvenating Peptide Masque. This powerful anti-aging product relaxes your facial muscles and slows the contractions that can deepen wrinkles. It also has active minerals that firm your skin to maintain a youthful complexion.

Use Rejuvenating Peptide Masque 2 – 3 times a week, even while pregnant, and leave it on for 5 – 10 minutes for maximum effect.

PRO TIP: You may notice your face looks a little red after using this masque. That’s because it increases your circulation, so your skin receives the oxygen and nutrients it needs to produce collagen. The redness will dissipate and leave you with a healthy glow.

ACNE

Board-certified dermatologist Marisa Garshict told Insider that one of the major skin problems stress causes is acne.

"It is very common for people to experience breakouts when stressed," explained Garshick. "Your body releases stress hormones including cortisol, which may increase the skin's oil production, making you prone to breakouts."

While your skin needs some oil to stay moisturized, too much can clog your pores and create blackheads, papules and pustules. Stress may also trigger breakouts because it increases inflammation and weakens your immune system so it can’t fight the bacteria that causes acne.

WHAT TO DO

If your skin starts to break out, wash your face with Clear Skin Cleanser or Purifying Cleanser morning and night, then apply Blemish Control No. 5 or Mattifying Sulfur Masque. These GlyMed Plus professional skincare products will keep those pesky breakouts at bay by killing bacteria, reducing excess oil and unclogging your pores.

ROSACEA

Stress-induced inflammation can trigger rosacea—a skin condition with abnormal flushing, vascular damage and sometimes papules. These symptoms can worsen your chronic stress, which can trigger more flare-ups and trap you in a vicious cycle.

WHAT TO DO

Prevent this vicious cycle from happening to you by using Rosacea Relief. This serum reduces redness and vascular damage, so you have less severe and less frequent flare-ups. Apply it morning and night after cleansing to achieve the best results.

RASHES

Stress weakens your immune system by suppressing how many white blood cells your body produces to fight off infection. At the same time, cortisol releases histamine: the hormone responsible for allergic reactions, such as redness or itching. These conditions increase your chances of developing painful rashes. Stress can also trigger pre-existing skin disorders that include rashes, such as eczema, psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis.

WHAT TO DO

Instantly soothe irritated skin with Comfort Cream, a healing moisturizer fortified with pure concentrated aloe vera. It also includes a natural skin brightener called arbutin so the rash does not leave a dark spot on your skin.

Cell Protection Balm is another great option for healing rashes. It repairs the skin barrier by reintroducing essential lipids and promoting cell renewal and collagen synthesis.

Both Comfort Cream and Cell Protection Balm work for all skin types and are safe for pregnant or nursing mothers.

SLOW WOUND HEALING

Cortisol slows down the production of lipids that make up your skin barrier. Without a strong skin barrier, your skin becomes sensitive and likely to tear or scrap. Viruses, pollutants and other impurities can also easily seep into your skin and cause infection.

But that’s not all. Cortisol decreases new cell growth, which means it not only increases your chances of getting hurt or infected but also causes your skin to take longer to heal.

WHAT TO DO

Essential Serum offers the best wound healing support by combining immune-boosting minerals, strengthening amino acids and anti-inflammatory Bulgarian rose oil. Restore health to damaged skin as you apply this healing serum morning and night. It’s pregnancy-safe and works for all skin types and skin tones.

DRY SKIN

Stress dehydrates your skin by causing you to sweat and produce less hyaluronic acid, the molecule that stores moisture inside your skin. Also, as mentioned before, cortisol weakens your skin barrier, letting water leak out of your skin like a broken flowerpot. Without enough water, your skin dries out and starts to crack and flake, leaving you vulnerable to infection.

WHAT TO DO

Replenish your skin with these ultra-hydrating moisturizers from GlyMed Plus:

• Vitamin E Cream increases skin hydration by 25 percent by delivering essential nutrients that prevent water loss.

• Barrier Repair Cream will not only hydrate your skin but also strengthen your skin barrier, so it retains moisture.

• Skin Recovery Mist puts life back into dehydrated skin with the help of algae, hyaluronic acid and Vitamin B.

DARK CIRCLES & PUFFINESS

When you’re stressed, your body directs blood away from your face to essential organs to increase your chance of survival. Unfortunately, this makes the blood vessels under your eyes more apparent, which forms dark circles. Stress also causes pools of fluid to build up underneath your lower eyelids, so they look puffy.

WHAT TO DO

Eye Calm reduces dark circles and puffiness using a luxurious blend of natural botanicals. This gentle yet effective formula heals the delicate skin around your eyes, so you look your best. For added relief, keep Eye Calm in the refrigerator and apply cold.

PROTECT YOUR SKIN WITH STRESS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

Stress can damage your skin by affecting your behavior. You may scratch or pick at your skin to channel your anxiety or neglect basic needs such as exercise, sleep or nutritious meals, which also impact your skin health. That’s why part of taking care of your skin is managing your stress levels.

While stress management doesn’t replace skincare, it still helps you have healthy skin by lowering your adrenaline and cortisol levels. Not to mention it makes you feel better.

Dermatologist Heather Woolery-Lloyd told The New York Times she is a “big believer in the healing power of nature” and recommends her clients use it to relieve stress.

“People say, ‘I don’t have the time,’ but it doesn’t have to be this drawn-out thing. Just going outside and seeing a tree and looking at a few birds is proven to lower inflammatory markers in our body,” Woolery-Lloyd said.

She also recommends having a regular sleep schedule because “something as simple as sleep can change the skin barrier.”

Dermatologist Purvisha Patel told The New York Times that sometimes you just need a good cry.

“Crying is a stress reliever and helps decrease cortisol levels,” Patel said.

OTHER STRESS MANAGEMENT TIPS

• Exercise regularly—increases antioxidants in your body according to a 2018 study, which help prevent skin damage.

• Meditate—helps reduce stress-related skin conditions, according to the National Library of Medicine.

• Eat a healthy diet—foods rich in antioxidants and vitamins can improve skin health.

• Drink enough water—helps your skin stay hydrated.

• Talk to a trusted friend or family member—lowers blood pressure and cortisol levels in your body.

CONCLUSION

The last thing you need when you’re stressed is to have to worry about your skin healthy. Use professional skincare and stress management to keep your skin looking young and healthy so you can tackle life’s challenges with your inner confidence shining through.

Shop GlyMed professional skincare here.

GLYMED ADVANCED AESTHETIC INSTITUTE

How stress is hurting your skin

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Hyperpigmentation: How to Reduce Dark Spots on your Skin

Jul 5, 2023, 8:30:00 AM / by GlyMed Advanced Aesthetic Institute

If you’ve ever noticed dark patches of skin on your body, you’ve seen what's called hyperpigmentation. Most people have it at some point in their lives as it’s primarily caused by unprotected exposure to the sun.

Hyperpigmentation doesn’t hurt your skin. However, if you’re someone who feels self-conscious about these dark patches of skin, you’re in luck! Professional skincare can lighten hyperpigmented skin so it’s much less noticeable. If you’re not self-conscious about it, it is still a good idea to manage hyperpigmentation to prevent it from becoming worse.

Here’s everything you need to know about what causes hyperpigmentation, the different ways it appears on the skin and what you can do to avoid or minimize it.

WHAT IS HYPERPIGMENTATION?

Hyperpigmentation is a condition where the skin produces excess melanin or pigment, resulting in small or large patches of discoloration.

Melanin comes from melanocytes—octopus-shaped cells located in the top layer of your skin. The type of melanin these cells produce determines the color of your skin, hair, eyes and other parts of the body.

THREE TYPES OF MELANIN

• Neuromelanin: A dark pigment found in the brain.

• Pheomelanin: A pink or red-hued pigment found in red hair, lips, nipples and reproductive glans.

• Eumelanin: Dark pigment found in hair, nipples and skin

Although everyone has roughly the same number of melanocytes, some have more active melanocytes than others. The more active melanocytes they have, the darker their skin tone.

WHAT CAUSES HYPERPIGMENTATION?

Hyperpigmentation occurs when some force inside or outside your body causes melanocytes to produce more melanin than normal. It stimulates the melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) that activates melanocytes or damages these cells so that they release more melanin into your skin.

Here are some of the most common hyperpigmentation triggers.

EXTRINSIC FACTORS

SUN EXPOSURE

• UV Rays (primary cause)

• Elevation

• Climate

• Outdoor Activities

HEAT

• Hot Showers

• Vigorous Exercise

• Saunas

PRESSURE

• Picking

• Improper Extractions

INJURY OR TRAUMA

• Scrapes

• Scars

• Wounds

TREATMENTS

• Improper Skin Preparation

• Overly Aggressive Treatments

INTRINSIC FACTORS

HORMONES

• Pregnancy

• Menopause

• Autoimmune

INFLAMMATION

• Acne

• Allergies

• Infection

GENETICS

• Skin Tone

• Ethnicity

• Freckles

MEDICATIONS

• Birth Control

• Antibiotics

• Antidepressants

WHO GETS HYPERPIGMENTATION?

Anyone can develop hyperpigmentation. However, it’s more common in people with darker skin since they already have more active melanocytes.

The face and décolleté alone contain half of the body’s melanocytes, so you’re more likely to see hyperpigmentation in these areas.

TYPES OF HYPERPIGMENTATION

The four most common types of hyperpigmentation are:

Post-inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH) or Post Inflammatory Erythema (PIE): Red or purple pigment (PIE) or purple, darker pigment (PIH) caused by inflammation.

• Common in acne-prone skin

• Near the skin’s surface

• Easy to care for

Recommended Products: Peptide Serum, Diamond Bright Skin Illuminator

Age Spots: Small dark patches of skin from over-exposure to UV radiation

• Also called sunspots, liver spots and solar lentigo

• Common in aged skin

• Deeper pigmentation

• Harder to care for

• Often need chemical peels

Recommended Product: Pigment Brightening Serum (See results in just 30 days!)

Melasma: Dark patches of skin caused by hormone imbalance.

• Called the “mask of pregnancy.”

• Usually on the face

• Possible Triggers:

• Birth control

• Pregnancy

• Menopause

• Deep pigmentation

• Harder to care for

• Recommend meeting with an endocrinologist.

Recommended Products: Diamond Bright Skin Illuminator and

(Hydroquinone-free and pregnancy-safe)

Freckles: Clusters of small red or brown spots located on the face, neck, back, chest, hands or arms

• Triggered by sun exposure.

• Can also be genetic.

• Common in fairer skin tones

• Appear as young as 4 years old.

• Can lighten but not remove.

Recommended Solution: Laser treatments

HOW TO CARE FOR HYPERPIGMENTATION

Professional skincare can reduce and even eliminate dark patches of skin, depending on what type of hyperpigmentation you have. Even for permanent hyperpigmentation, such as freckles, skincare can help make your skin tone appear much more even.

SKINCARE ESSENTIALS FOR HYPERPIGMENTATION

1. Tyrosinase Inhibitors: Substances used in skincare to block melanin production.

Tyrosinase is the enzyme in melanocytes that tells the cells to produce melanin. By applying tyrosinase inhibitors to your skin, you reduce pigment production.

Strong tyrosinase inhibitors give you faster results and do not increase activity on the skin, so don’t be afraid to use strong tyrosinase inhibitors when needed.

2. Sun Protection Factor: The #1 anti-pigmentation ingredient!

You’ve probably seen the letters SPF on sunscreen and other skincare. These letters stand for Sun Protection Factor, a relative measurement of how much a product protects your skin against UV radiation. The higher the number, the stronger the protection.

UV rays trigger melanin production and are the primary cause of hyperpigmentation. If you want to prevent hyperpigmentation from developing in your skin or keep any dark patches you have from becoming darker and bigger, SPF is your best bet!

For maximum UV protection, use broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Apply at least one ounce of it to your skin 15 minutes before venturing outdoors and reapply every two hours you're in the sun. You won’t regret it!

3. Chemical Peels: A series of cosmetic treatments in which skincare professionals apply an acid solution to exfoliate your skin.

Chemical peels are by far one of the best treatments for hyperpigmentation. They lighten your pigmented skin by removing dead cells and generating new ones. Depending on what type of hyperpigmentation you have, you can see results just after the first peel!

Ask your esthetician about receiving an AHA or TCA chemical peel as these peels are highly effective and safe for every skin tone.

Your esthetician will let you know how many chemical peels they think you’ll need as well as which products to use at home to prevent the pigmentation from coming back.

WHY YOUR HOME CARE REGIMEN MATTERS Regardless of what clinical skincare treatments you get, 80 percent of results will depend on what you do at home. Follow the home care regimen your esthetician recommends. This skincare routine will include tyrosinase inhibitors to keep melanocytes from producing too much melanin. It’s always easier—and less expensive—to prevent hyperpigmentation than reduce it, so commit to doing your regimen. TREAT THE SKIN AS A WHOLE Like an iceberg, much of your hyperpigmentation lies below the surface where you can’t see it. To keep pigment below the skin from rising to the surface, apply skincare to the entire area where your hyperpigmentation is showing. By treating the skin as a whole, you will reduce hyperpigmentation much faster. CONCLUSION Now that you have a solid understanding of hyperpigmentation, you are ready to transform your skin! If you have any questions and would like to speak to one of our friendly Master Aestheticians in your area, please email support@glymedplusaustralia.com.au

GLYMED ADVANCED AESTHETIC INSTITUTE

Hyperpigmentation - To Reduce Dark Spots on Your Skin

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Aestheticians' vs Skinfluencers: 4 Key Differences You Should Know About

May 3, 2023 8:30:00 AM / by The Institute of Skin Science

Hundreds of skin care influencers claim to have the answers to your skin care problems. Whether they’re on Instagram, TikTok or YouTube, they are constantly posting their latest skin care tips.

But is their information reliable?

Not all skinfluencers are equal as not all have aesthetic training. The key to your skin care success is finding skinfluencers who are licensed aestheticians that understand the science of skin care. These professionals can help you resolve your skin care concerns and give you proper guidance to reach your skin care goals.

Here are four reasons why aestheticians are the best source for your skin care needs.

1. LICENSURE & TRAINING

Skin care influencers, or “skinfluencers,” are social media users who share tips on how to take care of your skin. Sometimes these users are licensed professionals; other times they are simply skin care enthusiasts.

Skinfluencers don’t need to attend an esthetic school or obtain a license. Anyone can become a skinfluencer by creating a blog or social media account and sharing content about skin care.

Aestheticians, on the other hand, must graduate from a state-approved aesthetics program, which can include up to 1,200 hours of instruction. They learn anatomy, chemistry, physiology, histology (study of small human tissues) and other related skin sciences in a classroom and spa setting. They also learn the latest technologies and techniques for treating the skin for specific conditions, such as acne, hyperpigmentation and visible signs of aging.

Some states allow aestheticians to earn an expanded or master aesthetician license. To obtain this license, aestheticians must enroll in an advanced aesthetics program and complete hundreds more hours of training. They can then perform advanced procedures, such as deep chemical peels, laser treatments, tattoo removals and microneedling.

When you meet with a licensed aesthetician, you know you are talking to someone who’s received hours of training and has the scientific knowledge to help you achieve your skin goals.

2. PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE

Skinfluencers can try different skin care products to see how well they work and give recommendations. However, their product knowledge may be limited to what’s on the bottle.

If they use a skin care brand with good packaging, they should be able to tell you what the product does, which skin type it is for and whether to use it in the morning or at night. Hopefully, they can warn you about side effects and whether the product is pregnancy-safe.

What skinfluencers may not know is which products you can safely mix or use on the same day. They may not be aware of how different ingredients can cancel each other out or damage your skin when combined.

Aestheticians, however, learn everything about skin care ingredients in aesthetics school. They know exactly how these ingredients affect your skin cells, nerves, muscles and veins. They can tell you which products to mix together, which to use separately and which are safe to use in the morning and when you’re pregnant or nursing. On top of that, they can teach you how to reduce negative side effects, so you always enjoy taking care of your skin.

Aestheticians can also sell you pharmaceutical-grade skin care like GlyMed Plus, which is WAY more effective than anything you’ll find in a department or drug store. Professional skin care contains 99 percent pure ingredients and is clinically tested, so you know you’re getting products that produce real results.

3. PERSONALIZED SKIN CARE

Skinfluencers have different audiences; they may target a specific age group, ethnicity, gender or skin type. Other influencers speak to anyone and everyone who is interested in skin care.

Regardless of how broad or narrow their audience is, they are still speaking to all of their followers.

When you meet with an aesthetician, you get personalized treatment and product recommendations. First, they analyze your skin to see which skin type you have and how severe your skin condition is (if you have one). Then, they recommend skin care and in-clinic treatments that will help you to reach your skin care goals.

An aesthetician can also create a skin care routine for you to do at home to keep your skin glowing between treatments. This regimen is customized just for you and your skin care goals. With this personal touch, you will quickly notice a difference in your skin.

4. SAFE SKIN TREATMENTS Skinfluencers create tutorials for DIY facials and skin care treatments you can do at home. While it is definitely cheaper and more convenient to do facials yourself, your skin is a sensitive organ that can be easily damaged. Strong active ingredients like retinol and salicylic acid can hurt your skin when not applied properly. Even if skinfluencers walk you through the process step by step, the reality is it takes professional training to do spa-level facials.

In aesthetic school, aestheticians study and practice treatments for hours under an instructor’s supervision. They know how to safely apply peels and other active products so they don’t harm your skin or make it hypersensitive. CONCLUSION Many aestheticians are also skinfluencers and are a great source of information. Just know that some skinfluencers are not licensed professionals. They may start skin care trends that appear legitimate but may actually be based on false information.

Your skin is too valuable to try any skin care product or technique trending on social media. You deserve the real deal. So, follow aestheticians online and meet with them in person to get the best treatment and advice for your skin. The results will show the value of meeting with a skin care professional.

Ready to begin your journey to glowing, youthful skin? Find a GlyMed skin care professional near you. If you have any questions and would like to speak to one of our friendly Master Aestheticians in your area, please email support@glymedplusaustralia.com.au

WRITTEN BY THE INSTITUTE OF SKIN SCIENCE

Aestheticians Vs Skinfluences

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