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Saving your skin
from stress © Copyright 2000 Imagine Media |
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| It's one
of life's cruelest jokes: Just when you're under the most pressure and
need to be at your best, your skin starts looking as stressed out as you
feel. And we're not even necessarily talking about the stress produced by such negative situations as fighting over a parking space. The happiest wedding or job promotion can often result in so much anxiety that skin loses an important nutrient, called AMP (adenosine monophosphate), that ordinarily helps maintain its appearance. Ted Grossbart, a Harvard University psychology instructor considered a pioneer in the use of mind-body approaches to treating skin disorders, has written that "The skin sees as much action and intrigue as any border town. Virtually every act of love or hate involves a dynamic interchange at the skin. So it shouldn't be surprising that the skin often provides the first manifestation of trouble when emotional problems spill over from the heart and mind." Some of today's more advanced cosmetics remedy the loss of AMP, a naturally occurring phosphate derivative, in their formulas. By incorporating stress-sensitive ingredients the cosmetic supplies moisture when the skin needs it and then converts into ATP (adenosine triphosphate) when the body is stressed. ATP, which becomes less naturally available with age, is said to fuel skin cells to breathe, metabolize nutrients and produce collagen, elastin and barrier repair materials with optimum efficiency. Of course, skin can also be stressed by external factors such as smoke, sun and pollution. Some skin products, therefore, now include an anti-oxidant complex. Tips for staying cool, calm and collected while combating the damage caused by stress:
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