This article is part ofHealth Divide: Skin Conditions and Darker Skin, a destination in our Health Divide series.Julie Bang / VerywellVerywell Health: How do environmental and lifestyle factors impact skin conditions?Dr. Woolery-Lloyd: One of the biggest environmental factors for skin disease isstress. This is especially true for inflammatory skin diseases that have flares, likepsoriasis,eczema,rosacea, and even certain types ofhair loss.So, although stress doesn’t cause any of these skin conditions, stress can make them worse and exacerbate symptoms like itching.Other factors, like diet, can play a role in skin disease, but it really depends on the specific condition.For acne, the greatest environmental factors aredietand stress. There’s significant data to show that high-sugar diets, dairy, and whey may influence or exacerbate acne.There are also many studies that show that stress influences acne. One of the more famous studies looked at pimples in students throughout a college semester and found that acne lesions increased during exam times, like midterms and finals.This association between stress and acne has been repeated in multiple studies.Eczema also gets worse with stress, particularly the symptom of itching.For psoriasis, obesity is a risk factor. In terms of caloric intake, some studies have looked at calorie-restricted diets in patients who have psoriasis and found a significant improvement in their disease.What to Eat When You Have PsoriasisFor aging skin, research shows that a diet rich in green leafy vegetables and fish is associated with younger-looking skin. Diets high invitamin Candlinoleicacid are also associated with younger-looking skin.On the other hand, diets high in saturated fat and sugar are associated with older-looking skin.And, of course, excessive sun exposure can significantly accelerate aging skin.Skin Elasticity: What It Is and How to Protect It
This article is part ofHealth Divide: Skin Conditions and Darker Skin, a destination in our Health Divide series.
Julie Bang / Verywell
Verywell Health: How do environmental and lifestyle factors impact skin conditions?
Dr. Woolery-Lloyd: One of the biggest environmental factors for skin disease isstress. This is especially true for inflammatory skin diseases that have flares, likepsoriasis,eczema,rosacea, and even certain types ofhair loss.So, although stress doesn’t cause any of these skin conditions, stress can make them worse and exacerbate symptoms like itching.
Other factors, like diet, can play a role in skin disease, but it really depends on the specific condition.
For acne, the greatest environmental factors aredietand stress. There’s significant data to show that high-sugar diets, dairy, and whey may influence or exacerbate acne.
There are also many studies that show that stress influences acne. One of the more famous studies looked at pimples in students throughout a college semester and found that acne lesions increased during exam times, like midterms and finals.This association between stress and acne has been repeated in multiple studies.
Eczema also gets worse with stress, particularly the symptom of itching.
For psoriasis, obesity is a risk factor. In terms of caloric intake, some studies have looked at calorie-restricted diets in patients who have psoriasis and found a significant improvement in their disease.
What to Eat When You Have Psoriasis
For aging skin, research shows that a diet rich in green leafy vegetables and fish is associated with younger-looking skin. Diets high invitamin Candlinoleicacid are also associated with younger-looking skin.On the other hand, diets high in saturated fat and sugar are associated with older-looking skin.
And, of course, excessive sun exposure can significantly accelerate aging skin.
Skin Elasticity: What It Is and How to Protect It
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Woźniak E, Owczarczyk-Saczonek A, Placek W.Psychological stress, mast cells, and psoriasis—is there any relationship?.Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22(24):13252. doi:10.3390/ijms222413252
Dall’Oglio F, Nasca MR, Fiorentini F, Micali G.Diet and acne: review of the evidence from 2009 to 2020.Int J Dermatol. 2021;60(6):672-685. doi:10.1111/ijd.15390
Penso L, Touvier M, Deschasaux M, et al.Association between adult acne and dietary behaviors: findings from the nutrinet-santé prospective cohort study.JAMA Dermatol. 2020;156(8):854. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2020.1602
Klingberg E, Bilberg A, Björkman S, et al.Weight loss improves disease activity in patients with psoriatic arthritis and obesity: an interventional study.Arthritis Res Ther. 2019;21(1):17. doi:10.1186/s13075-019-1810-5
Pullar JM, Carr AC, Vissers MCM.The roles of vitamin C in skin health.Nutrients. 2017;9(8):866. doi:10.3390/nu9080866
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