Our bodies are naturally equipped with chemical compounds responsible for regulating our emotions. Responsible for motivation, building relations, focus and many other aspects of our everyday life they make sure we make the right decisions (most of the time) and avoid harming behaviors.
A group of so-called happy chemicals are neurotransmitters, responsible for carrying the messages between our brain and our bodies, including the skin. Knowing how they operate and how to regulate them can help us explore the benefits of wellbeing on the quality and condition of our skin.
The supposedly complex neurological system is developed in a way that it simplifies the transmission. What starts as an electric impulse in the first neuron travels through an axon to the second neuron that either accepts or rejects it. It the communicates via a chemical link sending the message to the neuron in our brain.
Produced mainly in the part of our brain called hypothalamus they responsible for rewarding us with a good feeling related to various activities. Maintaining the right balance of them is crucial to our overall wellbeing, which as previously discussed has a direct impact on the condition of our skin including inflammations, psoriasis, eczema or hydration. They also indirectly help us maintain good condition by enhancing the quality of our sleep and rest.
THE MAIN 4 HAPPY CHEMICALS
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter produced by hypothalamus. It’s a crucial compound responsible for rewarding and motivating us. It helps us stay focused and productive on a task at hand, whether intellectual or physical. Extensively studied by behavior psychologist only recently it has been deconstructed you to help us understand that it’s not the amount of dopamine that is important to your motivation, but the relative level vs the standard level, as well as the dopamine drop that we experience after. Today we are exposed by significantly larger number of stimulants that can trigger dopamine kicks, each post of Instagram that we see, each easily accessible junk food or Netlfix series to we watch is responsible for immediate dopamine shots. Binge eating, watching or scrolling is the direct effect of that, as we will naturally search for more stimuli. No matter how much we consume, it never seems to be enough. That is because our dopamine base levels are constantly adjusting and if we are not careful, they can lead us to recurring dopamine slumps (or mood swings) l– which can easily deteriorate the state of our skin due to stress and irritation associated with the..
Extremely important neurotransmitter responsible for the quality of our sleep, appetite and mood it is produced when we are satisfied. Sufficient levels of serotonin are required for balanced lifestyle. It is made from amino acid tryptophan, which can be delivered to your body by healthy protein-rich diet. Serotonin depletion leads to depressions and mood swings, affecting your overall health including the health of your skin.
Known as cuddle hormone, is a neuropeptide responsible for transmitting positive signals related to relationships – like trust, empathy or desire. Extensive studies have been done to link oxytocin levels with skin health. One of the most comprehensive results showed direct connection between Oxytocin level and the age of the skin:
LEVELS, SKIN AGE SCORE AND SUN EXPOSURE SCORE, PER PARTICIPANTS
The pilot study’s subject participant with the highest oxytocin level in the pilot study (306 pmol/L/24h) was a 57-year-old woman. She had a history of using only basic skin care and a strong lifetime sun exposure history (score, of 5 out of a possible 7). Her SAS skin age score was 23, which is a 60% reduction from the expected score for her age and consistent with her relatively youthful looking skin.
There are 3 endorphins produced by human body: α-, γ- and β-endorphin. The latter one is the most important for our skin’s conditions. As another neuro peptide responsible for our wellbeing its primarily functions are to reduce the negative sensations of stress, hunger, pain, as well as maintaining homeostasis. The b-endorphin, produced in the pituitary gland and a variety of skin cells, promotes wound healing via regulation of cytokeratins. Some of the practical stimuli for endorphins production include sporting activity as well as sex. So generally activity promoting production of these peptides is crucial to maintain health skin.
In conclusion, there are multiple hormones responsible for the wellbeing of our brain, and as demonstrated by many studies and experiments the presence or level of these hormones has a tremendous impact on our skin condition, as they act both as stress regulators, as well as directly on the rejuvenating, healing or hydrating properties of our cutaneous tissue.