Psychodermatology is an independent field of science that studies the Skin-Mind connection. It links two very related domains - psychiatry and dermatology.
The skin is the largest organ of our body and is, therefore, most severely and promptly impacted by our mental well-being. Studies have proven that approximately 30-40% of patients seeking treatment for skin disorders have an underlying psychiatric or psychological problem that either causes the skin issue in the first place or flares it up, meaning that our skin feels mental stress more than any other organ in our body. You’ve probably had this happen: a pimple is likely to show up right before your most important event that you’ve been stressing about for days. It’s not your skin; it’s your stress.
We partnered with Dr M. Jafferany, one of the world’s leading psychodermatologists and clinical professors of psychodermatology, psychiatry and behavioural sciences at Central Michigan University, to create the SEREKO line of personal care products. Here he is to explain more about Psychodermatology and his role in the creation of our patent-pending Mind and Skin Calming Formula NeuroCalm™: “Psychodermatology is a growing medical speciality that seeks to understand the interaction between mental health and dermatological disorders”, explains Jafferany, adding that the skin, as a sensory organ transmits information in response to mental stress through the Neurotransmitters which manifest themselves as skin disorders. “There are certain disorders in dermatology prone to be more affected by the mind and mood, such as acne, psoriasis, vitiligo and eczema. These diseases tend to get worse with mental stress”, says Jafferany.
“Stress”, says Dr Jafferany, “directly impacts your physical and skin health. When stressed, your sympathetic nervous system releases stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline into your body. Cortisol leads to an increase in oil production in your skin glands, which causes acne breakouts and clogged pores.” Daily stresses like toxic relationships, overworking, lack of sleep, etc., if not resolved, lead to constantly spiked levels of cortisol and adrenaline, which harm your skin’s health.
During his practice, Dr Jafferany has navigated various treatments for these psychodermatological disorders like cognitive behavioural therapy, habit-reversal therapy, and practising mindfulness and yoga, for which he has received medical training and has had continued success.
SEREKO’s proprietary Psychodermatology Formula NeuroCalm™ is reflective of the mind-skin connection that Dr Jafferany has spent his career practising. Dr Jafferany worked closely with the SEREKO team to formulate the NeuroCalm™ Formula, leveraging his 40 years of Psychodermatology research.
After identifying the full impact of Mental stress on the skin, the challenge was how to undo it. So Dr Jafferany and Team SEREKO embarked upon a global search to identify nature’s most potent ingredients that could relieve Mental stress and actively dial down its effect on the skin. “Wild Indigo, Micro Marine Algae, Basil Oil and Centella Asiatica, when blended in the right proportion,” says Dr Jafferany, “actively reduced Cortisol production and increased Serotonin production. It also induces anti-oxidants into the skin, improving overall skin health. Combining these ingredients in NeuroCalm(S)™ was the most effective way of creating a topical solution of the NeuroCalm™ formula for the stress triggers that manifest on your skin.”
As the truly holistic approach of encompassing the mind, body and beauty grows, psychodermatological solutions in personal care will continue to emerge to undo the effects of mental stress on both your skin and psyche.
