Huffington Magazine Issue 54 | Page 14

DATA Enter HUFFINGTON 06.23.13 Is Stress Making You Less Attractive? It’s official: Stress is not hot. As if it weren’t enough that chronic stress increases the risk of developing a number of serious diseases, weakens the immune system, makes us more susceptible to anxiety and depression, and decreases longevity, it also makes us less good-looking. In fact, a recent study showed that men find women with higher levels of stress hormones to be less attractive. But that’s not the only way chronic stress can wreak havoc on your looks. The release of stress hormones like cortisol in the body can negatively affect your physical appearance in a number of ways, from brittle nails and hair loss, to weight gain and a general appearance of exhaustion. “When people are chronically stressed, they look tired and they feel tired,” stress specialist David Posen, M.D., author of Is Work Killing You?, tells The Huffingon Post. Check out the infographic below for a breakdown of seven outward signs of stress that might be leaving you looking less than your best. — Carolyn Gregoire HAIR LOSS YOUR FACE BECOMES LESS APPEALING DRY AND DULL SKIN INCREASED ACNE TAP CIRCLES FOR INFO ACCELERATED AGING ILLUSTRATIONS BY TROY DUNHAM WEIGHT GAIN BRITTLE NAILS