Does Anxiety Cause Skin Rashes?

Anxiety can be triggered by situations and experiences that are stressful or perceived as stressful. A brief or prolonged duration of anxiety triggers physical and chemical changes in the body that can cause a variety of symptoms.

What is Anxiety?

• Anxiety is a typical initial stress response to fear. Anxiety can range from slight feelings of uneasiness to phobias and disorders.

Immediate Effects of Anxiety

• At the moment you feel anxiety, a chemical reaction in the brain releases adrenaline and other chemicals. Adrenaline flows into the bloodstream, reaching every cell in the body and triggering the flight-or-fight response.

Function of Anxiety

• Anxiety can lead a person to study harder before an exam or not walk too close to the edge of a cliff. The hormones released can give a burst of unusual energy or physical strength to complete a task, protect a loved one or fight off a wild animal.

Anxiety Effects on the Body

• Anxiety thoughts release hormones that can cause palpitations, rapid heartbeat, flush, elevated blood pressure, headache, trembling, twitching and other uncomfortable symptoms. Anxiety can result in rashes or itchy skin and exasperate eczema, or acne.

Rashes Affected by Anxiety

• According to the Mayo Clinic, some skin rashes can be triggered, started or worsened by anxiety. Some of these rashes include psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis and atopic dermatitis, commonly known as eczema or acne.

Expert Insight

• Dr. Don Colbert, a board-certified family practitioner since 1987, author and national talk show host, offers insight regarding skin eruptions and rashes in his book "Deadly Emotions": "One of the great complicating dangers of these skin reactions is this: Psoriasis, eczema and stress acne all cause a puncturing of the skin...[and] create small open wounds in the skin that allow microscopic organisms to enter the body. This can easily lead to infection."