Mind-body medicine

Stress and skin wound healing…..

“Higher psychological stress is associated with slower dermal wound healing….”

“….immunological mechanisms behind this effect…..”

“…investigate whether immune cells present in the skin prior to wounding can affect subsequent healing in high-stress and low-stress participants.”

“…..healthy older adults and showed that higher stress was associated with significantly fewer macrophages in the skin.”

“…..younger adults and showed that higher stress was associated with significantly lower activation of immune cells in the skin.”

“lower activation of immune cells (as measured by human leukocyte antigen (HLA expression)) and fewer Langerhans cells were associated with slower healing. Together these studies show the first preliminary evidence that the number and activation of immune cells in the skin prior to wounding are affected by stress and can impact healing. Larger studies are needed to confirm these effects.”

H.Koschwanez, et al

Stress-related changes to immune cells in the skin prior to wounding may impair subsequent healing

Brain, Behavior, and Immunity….Volume 50….November 2015….page 47