Women cite stress and anxiety as having a big impact on facial ageing

Nearly 30% of women said they believe stress and anxiety have an impact on visible signs of ageing, according to a recent survey. 

More than 1000 women living in South East England were surveyed by Surrey-based aesthetic clinic Health + Aesthetics, and 21% said lack of sleep was the biggest cause of visible signs of ageing. A further 18% believed having children had the biggest impact, while 15% blamed poor diet and fitness.

Only 13% pinpointed factors that have been scientifically proven to promote visible facial ageing – smoking, high alcohol consumption, and sun exposure.

While stress, anxiety, lack of sleep and poor diet and fitness are all interlinked, the results suggest that clients need more education on what factors actually have a visual impact on the skin.

Dr Rekha Tailor, medical director at Health + Aesthetics, said: “We would have expected women to choose common causes of ageing such as sun damage and smoking. However, it’s clear that women are experiencing high levels of stress and they can see this taking its toll on their skin.

“If you’re busy with commitments at work and home, taking the time to look after yourself can soon slip way down on your ‘to do’ list. It’s so important to take a holistic look at your health and pinpoint exactly what factors in it are causing you to feel so stressed.”