Can Yoga Help Your Skin?

Yoga is the simple combination of posture, breathing, and meditation. It is a way that nearly 30 million people worldwide practice to achieve well-being of both mind and body. Interestingly enough, about 14 million Americans reported that brief yoga programs were recommended as a therapeutic practice by a physician or therapist, and understandably so. Various studies suggest that individuals that take part in practicing yoga may see improvements in anxiety, stress, health-related quality of life, and sleep quality, all benefits that can help dermatologic conditions.

With the well-known interaction between the mind, skin, and body, research is being conducted in psychoneuroimmunology, which is the nervous and immune systems interaction with psychological processes. An important correlation was recognized with the interaction between the brain and skin, which underlines several dermatological diseases (such as acne and warts).

One study in particular examined physiological and psychological measurements over time. The researchers found that participants who took part in a 10-session yoga program showed significant improvements on almost all stress and physiological variables. Reducing stress can improve skin, hair and nail conditions.

Only a few studies look at the effects of yoga in managing dermatologic issues. One of which examined a small number of psoriasis patients and found that those who listened to mindfulness mediation tapes while undergoing standard phototherapy (PUVA) healed faster than those who did not listen to the mindfulness tapes. If you can control you’re mind, then you can control you’re body. If you can control you’re body, then you can control you’re skin.

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