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The science behind what stress does to your skin

压力如何影响皮肤？了解其背后的科学原理

文字稿

Stress activates the amygdala – a part of the brain involved in primitive emotions.

压力会激活杏仁体，这是大脑中负责处理本能情绪的相关区域之一。

This signals to a command centre called the hypothalamus, which triggers glands to make various hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.

杏仁体会向被称为身体 “控制中心” 的下丘脑发送信号，后者随即刺激腺体分泌多种激素，比如皮质醇和肾上腺素。

These travel in the bloodstream all over the body, including to your skin.

这些激素会通过血液流经你的全身，包括皮肤。

As well as receiving hormones from the brain's stress response, the skin releases its own stress chemicals too.

除了接收大脑压力反应产生的激素外，皮肤自身也会释放压力化学物质。

Dr Alia Ahmed, consultant dermatologist
"The skin will talk to your brain, and your brain will talk to your skin."

艾莉娅·艾哈迈德医生皮肤科顾问医师
“皮肤会向大脑传递信息，大脑也会向皮肤传递信息。”

The stress chemicals can boost inflammation, and reduce the fatty lipids that make up the outer skin barrier.

这些压力化学物质可能会加剧炎症反应，并减少构成皮肤屏障外层的脂质成分。

Dr Alia Ahmed, consultant dermatologist
"What we tend to lose from the skin barrier is important things like water. We also can become more sensitive to things in the outside environment. So, for example, allergens like pollen or someone else's fragrance get into the skin and cause irritation."

艾莉娅·艾哈迈德医生皮肤科顾问医师
“皮肤屏障受损时，我们容易流失一些重要物质，比如水分。我们也会变得对外界环境更加敏感。比如花粉，或他人香水中的香料等过敏原，更容易进入皮肤并引发刺激。”

Stress also activates cells within the skin to release chemicals like histamine that make you feel itchy.

压力还会激活皮肤内部的细胞，让它们释放出组胺等化学物质，从而使你感到瘙痒。

At the same time, stress reduces antimicrobial peptides in the skin, small molecules that normally kill off germs, making infections like cold sores or shingles more likely.

与此同时，压力会减少皮肤中的抗菌肽，这类小分子物质原本能够杀灭病菌，因此会增加唇疱疹和带状疱疹发生的风险。

What's more, the stress chemicals are thought to stimulate glands in the skin to make more of an oily substance called sebum, which can contribute to spots.

此外，也有研究人员认为压力化学物质会刺激皮肤腺体分泌更多皮脂，这是一种油性物质，可能促进粉刺形成。

This might be one of the reasons why people with more stress also tend to have worse acne in various studies.

这或许也是为何许多研究发现压力较大的人痤疮往往更严重的原因之一。

Stress can trigger flare-ups in other skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis and hives too.

压力还可能诱发湿疹、银屑病和荨麻疹等皮肤病的发作。