Tom Branna, Editorial Director05.31.18
If you’re reading this from your desktop or smartphone or other mobile device, consider yourself warned! Digital dependency, a hallmark of the Modern Age, is aging us, according to Dr. Howard Murad MD, a featured speaker at Happi’s Anti-Aging Conference last month.
“Over the last decade, a new sort of stress has come to our earth, I call it Cultural Stress,” explained Murad. “It is the stress of modern living. It’s the digital dependency which is wreaking havoc on every cell in your body because the stress it causes is pervasive and goes unabated.”
To prove his point, Murad threw out some alarming survey statistics to conference attendees:
Murad’s been studying the impact of stress on skin for more than three decades. Traditionally, stress came from personal injury, a death in the family, job loss or divorce. Today, cultural stress comes from technology, perfectionism, poor work/life balance and money issues. But the worst is yet to come, warned Murad, as loneliness and isolation grows, human interaction declines and a sedentary lifestyle becomes the norm.
The effects of stress on skin include breakouts and inflammation, dark circles and puffiness, expression lines and crow’s feet, and dehydration and dullness. Murad told attendees that people with high baseline cortisol levels look, on average, 3.5 years older than those with normal cortisol levels. Furthermore, a high stress lifestyle is accelerated with telomere shortening.
Murad urged attendees to put down their devices and connect with others to reduce stress.
“For me, the future is not in medicine or technology, although both will play a role,” he concluded. “The future is in modern wellness and for me, the key lies in humanization.”
If you need a place to rest and recover, consider the spa. As stress levels rise in the US and around the world, demand for spa services continues to rise, according to industry experts. Also this month, we report on the professional hair care category and the latest ideas in consumer packaging.
It’s summertime here in the Northern Hemisphere; traditionally a time to take time off and recharge our batteries. It’s good for you, good for your soul and good for your skin!
Tom Branna
Editorial Director
tbranna@rodmanmedia.com
“Over the last decade, a new sort of stress has come to our earth, I call it Cultural Stress,” explained Murad. “It is the stress of modern living. It’s the digital dependency which is wreaking havoc on every cell in your body because the stress it causes is pervasive and goes unabated.”
To prove his point, Murad threw out some alarming survey statistics to conference attendees:
- 48% say their stress increased over the past five years;
- 1 in 5 Americans say tech is a major source of stress;
- 58% of Americans say work is a significant source of stress; and
- One in four Millennials claim they are stressed out every day.
Murad’s been studying the impact of stress on skin for more than three decades. Traditionally, stress came from personal injury, a death in the family, job loss or divorce. Today, cultural stress comes from technology, perfectionism, poor work/life balance and money issues. But the worst is yet to come, warned Murad, as loneliness and isolation grows, human interaction declines and a sedentary lifestyle becomes the norm.
The effects of stress on skin include breakouts and inflammation, dark circles and puffiness, expression lines and crow’s feet, and dehydration and dullness. Murad told attendees that people with high baseline cortisol levels look, on average, 3.5 years older than those with normal cortisol levels. Furthermore, a high stress lifestyle is accelerated with telomere shortening.
Murad urged attendees to put down their devices and connect with others to reduce stress.
“For me, the future is not in medicine or technology, although both will play a role,” he concluded. “The future is in modern wellness and for me, the key lies in humanization.”
If you need a place to rest and recover, consider the spa. As stress levels rise in the US and around the world, demand for spa services continues to rise, according to industry experts. Also this month, we report on the professional hair care category and the latest ideas in consumer packaging.
It’s summertime here in the Northern Hemisphere; traditionally a time to take time off and recharge our batteries. It’s good for you, good for your soul and good for your skin!
Tom Branna
Editorial Director
tbranna@rodmanmedia.com
