Common questions about skin health.

Q I've heard that we don't get enough vitamin D, so we should get more time in the sun. Then I hear that the sun is bad for you. What's the truth?

A Vitamin D is a hormone that the body makes when it's exposed to sunlight on the skin. Until modern times, this was the only way to get vitamin D. But today, vitamin D is added to all dairy products, as well as other foods. Plus, even the best sunscreen doesn't block all sunshine, and studies find that even patients who have used maximum UV protection over several years had normal vitamin D levels despite virtually no UV exposure. Additionally, simply walking to and from buildings, driving in your car and sitting near windows will give you all the exposure you need to insure you have adequate vitamin D levels.

--Amy H. Kassouf, MD

University Dermatologists, Inc.

Cleveland, OH

Q How much does stress affect my skin?

A A great deal. The body's way of communicating what's going on internally often expresses itself on the outside. For instance, studies find that stress triggers 62 percent of psoriasis episodes, with the flare occurring within days of the emotional upset. For hyperhidrosis, a skin condition in which you sweat excessively, 100 percent of episodes are related to stress, occurring within seconds of the trigger. And for women with rosacea, 94 percent of episodes have an emotional trigger.

There are very strong mind/body connections between emotions and the health of our skin. The connection is likely related to the immune system and the way it reacts to acute, chronic and muted stress. Short bursts of stress can actually improve your skin, but chronic or blunted stress (when you're exposed to so much stress your system just shuts down), have more negative effects.

So it's important that you learn to recognize the stressors in your life and how you react to them. Relaxation techniques, biofeedback and breathing training can all help you cope better with life stresses and reduce the severity of your skin condition.

--Karen S. Mallin, PsyD

Clinical Psychologist/Instructor

University of Miami School of Medicine

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral

Sciences and the Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery

Miami, FL

References

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