Why Does Stress Cause Skin Issues? There are several reasons why your skin may act up during stressful times, but one of the main culprits is the stress hormone cortisol. When you are stressed, your body thinks that it’s under attack and responds by producing cortisol and inflammatory messengers. This is nothing to worry about in the short term, but long-term stress increases the number of sebaceous glands in the skin which means your skin produces more oil. This can in turn lead to clogged pores and break-outs right before that big presentation you are stressing about! Not only does long-term stress lead to increased oiliness, it also becomes harder for the skin to repair itself naturally and produce healthy collagen and elastin which can cause wrinkles and fine lines to appear. Additionally, it has been proven that stressing for an exam or interview impairs your skin barrier function which makes skin more vulnerable to aggressors like pollution and harsh chemicals. #stress #skinstressed #signsofstress