Skin Care

Why Your Skin Needs a Shrink

Your skin issues aren't actually just skin deep. The good news: You can think your way to better skin

by Emily Woodruff | 1 COMMENT

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A Typical Psycho-dermatology Session Howard begins her sessions by talking about the basics, like sleep, exercise, diet and exposure to the outdoors. "It sounds simple, but these are the things that are often neglected," says Howard. Neglecting one of these things leads to higher stress levels, which breaks down the skin's ability to recover and regenerate itself. The most common way people neglect self-care? "Sleep is where most people try to cut corners," says Howard.

Howard utilizes talk therapy in her sessions -- discussing stress triggers and developing coping mechanisms. For some patients, this means expressing anger directly instead of resorting to picking at their skin. For others, that means de-emphasizing an outbreak and going out on a date or seeing friends -- even if they'd rather just stay in and hide.

Lastly, Howard equips her patients with stress reduction techniques like progressive relaxation. "It's a mindfulness technique that starts at your toes and you work your way to your scalp, tensing and relaxing each muscle group," says Howard.

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