Perception, understanding, and association between psychological stress and skin aging: Quantitative surveys of Asian women aged 18–34 years, dermatologists, and psychologists in China and Japan

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Skin aging involves a variety of structural and functional changes, under the influence of various factors. Preaging skin is a relatively new concept describing self-perceived signs of skin aging that appear in the early 20s-30s and may be triggered by psychological stress. However, it is unclear how young women and healthcare professionals (HCP) understand the association between stress and skin aging. AIMS: We sought to explore the perceptions of stress-related skin aging among young women and HCPs. METHODS: We performed online surveys of 403 young women (18-34 years), 60 dermatologists, and 60 psychologists residing in major cities in China and Japan. Questions covered skin signs, understanding/perceptions of stress-aging connection, and demographics. Young women also completed DASS-21 to assess their stress level, which was dichotomized as normal or mild-extremely severe. RESULTS: The stress level was normal in 52.6% or mild-extremely severe in 47.4% of young women. Greater proportions of women in the mild-extremely severe stress group reported skin manifestations associated with preaging, the top three being "rough skin" (39.3% vs. 24.1%), "slow metabolic rate" (28.8% vs. 14.2%), and "dull skin" (43.5% vs. 29.2%). The top three skin manifestations showing the strongest perceived associations with stress were: "dark eye circles," "slow metabolic rate," and "dull skin" (among young women); "acne," "dry skin," and "skin rash" (among HCPs). CONCLUSIONS: Young women frequently report high levels of psychological stress and signs of skin aging. Perceptions of stress-skin aging association differ between young women and HCPs.