Reading the Body: Emotional Implications on Skin Disorders - Issue #43

In current research, it’s been found that stress, depression and other kinds of psychological problems can exacerbate the skin problems. The common dermatological issues that have been documented to be made worse by stress include acne, rosacea, psoriasis, itching, eczema, pain and hives, just to name a few. Today, we’re going to learn briefly about the skin, how it functions, & some emotional implications that you can learn to identify.

The skin is the largest organ in the body and the largest part of the integumentary system. 

The skin has three main layers:

The epidermis is the outer, thinnest layer of the skin. It is composed of dead cells that face the extracellular environment and layers of additional cells underneath. One of the main types of cells in the epidermis is keratinocytes, which are dead at functional maturity and help form a barrier of the skin. The epidermis also contains melanocytes, which produce melanin for protection from ultraviolet rays from the Sun. There are also sensory cells and immune cells in the epidermis.

The dermis is the thick, middle layer of the skin. It contains two main layers, the papillary and reticular layers. The papillary layer is the thin upper layer made of loose connective tissue. The reticular layer is the deeper, denser layer filled with collagen fibers. Within the dermis are the sweat glands, muscles, hair follicles, nerves, and blood vessels.

The deepest layer of the skin is the hypodermis. The hypodermis is also called the subcutaneous fascia. It houses the adipose tissue of the skin and helps regulate temperature in the body. The hypodermis can also contain blood vessels and nerve endings as well.

 

There’s a strong connection between mind and skin, and we’re just starting to figure it out. Early research indicates that how we feel can affect how our skin looks and acts, and may even factor into what sort of skin conditions we may suffer from.

Below is a chart of how these and other emotional triggers/stresses show up in the skin and how: 

Feel free to use this information as a guide when getting to the bottom of why you may be having disruptions in your skin.

Because remember, it’s all about healing the whole person, in order to achieve optimum health.

See you soon,

-Iya Ifayomi