As one of the original founders of internal skincare, my philosophy is that every organ in your body is connected, and our skin is the body’s window to wellness.¹ The mind-skin connection is stronger than you think²  and this “mind-skin” connection has inspired the founding of two fields: psychoneuroimmunology is the study of how the immune system and the brain connect illness, mood, thought, trauma and stress, and psychodermatology considers invisible and visible elements of a disease, [(e.g., the mind (invisible) and the skin condition (visible)] when forming a diagnosis and treatment. While treating [skin issues] with topicals is a start, I recommend investing in your emotional and mental well-being, too.³

A healthy diet and plenty of water are the not-so-secret secrets to a healthy and hydrated mind, body and skin.³ Diet is an integral part of any skincare routine— it’s proven that a diet full of cell-hydrating omega-3 fatty acids and water-rich foods is essential for skin health. You can use the most expensive topicals in the world, but if you’re not also caring for your internal health, it’s counterproductive.  The only three rules I follow when it comes to my diet are: I don’t limit myself, I don’t follow recipes (I always adjust them to my liking) and I savor everything I eat—because food should create joy, and that joy radiates from the inside out. I also make sure to incorporate supplements throughout the day, the first thing I do when I wake up is take my supplements: a multivitamin, omega-3 and glucosamine and then I finish the day the same way I started – with supplements!¹

State of minds and psychological profiles are often associated with skin conditions, according to both researchers and dermatologists. For instance, a Stanford study published in the Archives of Dermatology in 2003 found that college students had acne flare-ups during finals, when they reported more stressed mental states. Moreover, in the thousands of patients I’ve seen over the years, people who have eczema or atopic dermatitis have tendencies toward an interesting psychological profile. They tend to be overprocessed in many ways. They’ll work really hard to become the best student or the perfect child. They’ll put a lot of pressure on themselves to succeed.²

But there’s another stress that we’re all subject to, and most of the time are not aware of, that I call Cultural Stress. In contrast to the acute stress of an accident, a divorce, a job loss, or a death in the family, [the term] cultural stress is the constant, pervasive, ever-increasing stress of modern living. It is the 24-hour news-cycle delivered directly to our cell phones. It is constant digital connectivity, which blurs the boundaries between work and personal life. It is on-demand delivery of goods and services, severing neighborhood and community relationships and adding to our long sedentary hours in front of screens.⁴ It is the pace of technological change, compounding professional, economic, and social anxiety. It is our global economic system, which sows uncertainty as it outsources jobs overseas or to new technologies. It is a disconnection from nature and the slower pace of natural systems. It is the noise, traffic, pollutants, and ‘‘always on” tendencies of modern life. The most significant elements of cultural stress consist of time pressure, digital intrusion, digital dependency, isolation, sedentary lifestyle, poor sleep, and uncertainty. Cultural stress has become such a constant part of our daily experiences that most people do not even identify it as an anomaly.⁴

When you’re under stress, you release cortisol stress hormones that have a deleterious effect on skin, specifically the skin barrier. Cortisol is needed, it protects you, but like so much else, too much of a good thing can turn into a bad thing. What exactly is that bad thing for your skin? Most commonly, it’s dehydration. Cortisol can cause a slowdown in hyaluronic acid production, which leads to moisture loss. This dehydration can then compromise the skin barrier that defends against all manner of skin woes ranging from premature aging to inflammation to environmental threats. And remember, while most people associate the word “stress” with psychological (e.g., sadness, anxiety) and psychosocial (e.g., relationship troubles, financial worries) stress, there’s also physical (e.g., injuries, unhealthy eating) and psycho-spiritual (e.g., finding meaning, purpose) stress that can drive up cortisol levels to negatively affect skin.²

With my own patients (and myself), I prescribe a four-fold treatment plan [to deal with stress] that includes a healthy diet and adequate hydration, daily exercise, good sleep habits and, on the psycho-social emotional level, any practice that reinforces patients’ personal authority over their own lives. Rather than turning to devices to distract or entertain themselves or allowing technology to violate the boundaries between work and play, I encourage them to silence their cell phone notifications, turn off their devices an hour before bed, and even unplug from them entirely one day each week. During this ‘‘unplugged” time, I recommend that they practice self-care and attend to their in-person relationships. Connection and community are really the most powerful antidotes to cultural stress.⁴

Studies show that practicing mindfulness can reduce stress and pain in patients with skin diseases. You need to figure out what helps you de-stress and do it daily, if not hourly. Walk, cook, dance, read, journal—whatever helps you release a little stress will be beneficial for your mind and subsequently the health of your skin.³


References
1. https://wellconnected.murad.com/the-mindfulness-menu-x-well-connected-what-dr-murad-a-founder-of-internal-skincare-eats-on-the-regular-from-popcorn-to-gjelina-pizza/

2. https://wellconnected.murad.com/the-hidden-brain-in-your-skin-how-the-mind-skin-connection-is-stronger-than-you-think/

3. https://wellconnected.murad.com/eczema-explained-part-3-acclaimed-dermatologist-dr-howard-murad-reveals-the-truth-about-eczema-flare-ups/

4. Murad, H., Cultural stress: The undiagnosed epidemic of our time, Journal of Integrative Medicine





About the Author

“Skincare is healthcare. If we truly understood that, we would see that everything we do is connected.” – Dr. Howard Murad, MD


Howard Murad, MD, is recognized around the world as a leading visionary for his unmatched scientific innovations. A board-certified dermatologist and trained pharmacist, Dr. Murad has personally treated over 50,000 patients. In 1989, he founded Murad to share his groundbreaking skincare formulas, which were among the first to achieve significant, measurable results without surgery. Today, the brand stands tall on over 100 awards and recognitions for outstanding product performance.

In 2018, Dr. Murad reinvented himself as a champion of Modern Wellness, which involves “connecting the dots”—linking cellular hydration, nutrition, mental wellness, joyful exercise, creative expression, reducing Cultural Stress (the stress of modern- day living), and yes, efficacious skincare. He is a bestselling author, influential speaker and passionate artist who continues to write, speak and paint in response to Modern Wellness while spearheading research and development of skincare formulas rooted
in his “inside-out” philosophy of aging, beauty and health.