If you suffer from acne, psoriasis or another skin condition, chances are you've tried everything to get rid of it. From crazy diets to expensive procedures, there's no rock that goes unturned in the fight for clear, healthy-looking skin. But have you tried wishing it away? Psychodermatology, an emerging field that makes the connection between skin health and mental health, suggests that using your mind to get rid of a problematic skin condition isn't such a crazy concept.

Blushing when you're embarrassed. Sweating when you're anxious. Breaking out under stress. Though you might not realize it, your skin and your mind are inextricably connected, starting in the womb. "After the sperm and egg come together, three germ layers form at 5 to 8 weeks," says Dr. Josie Howard, M.D., a clinical instructor in the psychiatry and dermatology departments at University of California, San Francisco, and a member of the Simple Skincare Advisory Board. One of the germ layers, the ectoderm, will split to form both the nervous system (which controls the fight-or-flight response) and the skin. Howard points to this connection as the reason you're sometimes forced to wear your heart on our sleeve (e.g., blushing after a mistake or sweating profusely during a first date).

Dr. Amy Wechsler, M.D., is one of two doctors in the country board-certified in both dermatology and psychiatry. She lays out a common situation she sees in patients: People experiencing a skin condition are usually stressed, sleep-deprived or maxed-out in some other unhealthy way. When psoriasis or acne flares up as a result, the person gets even more stressed about the shame and embarrassment of having a rash, says Wechsler. As a dermatologist, Wechsler can prescribe over-the-counter treatments, but she also spends 30 minutes to an hour with each patient talking about what might be causing the condition from a mental perspective. Psychodermatology addresses underlying mental issues that might be causing acne, as well as issues that come to the surface (no pun intended) as a result of acne.

In her book "The Mind-Beauty Connection," Wechsler cites stress as the No. 1 reason your skin isn't healthy. "The biggest beauty thief and ager of all is the stress our minds try to endure day in and day out," she says. And science agrees. In a study performed at the University of California at San Francisco, the skin of 27 graduate students was examined during exam time and again during spring break. When students were worrying about exams, their skin was slower to repair itself.

As a nation, statistics suggest Americans are superstressed -- three out of four doctor's visits are due to stress-related illnesses, according to The American Institute of Stress. When that stress manifests as a skin condition like acne, psoriasis, eczema or hair loss, it's time to seek therapy or another stress-reduction strategy.

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.