Whether or not crying is good for your skin is a frequently asked question, but the answer isn’t cut and dried. That being said, there are a few different pros and cons to consider, as well as post-cry skin care tips you might want to have on hand. Take stress breakouts, for example: “Our skin is both an immediate stress perceiver as well as a target of the stress responses,” board-certified dermatologist Keira Barr, M.D., previously told mbg. “This is why the presence of acne not only contributes to a feeling of stress, but acne is more common in those who experience a higher intensity of stress from life events,” she added. When you’re stressed, your body will release a hormone called cortisol. High cortisol levels trigger a chain reaction in the body including activating sebocytes, the epithelial cells that produce sebum—the waxy, oily stuff that protects the skin. However, when sebum production is cranked up too far, that is linked to acne2. What’s more, stress has been shown to slow wound healing3, too. All of this to say, your skin can certainly be impacted by emotional stress. However, crying can actually relieve that same emotional stress4, so don’t hold back your tears any time soon. Luckily, once these emotions are at the surface, they can be dealt with then and there. Plus, research echoes that once the tears begin to flow, your body actually releases stress and you may even have an easier time falling asleep4. Hence, why you might feel both relieved and sleepy post-cry. To get more specific, research has shown that crying releases unique hormones in the body, such as oxytocin and endorphins, which help relieve physical and psychological pain while reducing other stress-related hormones such as adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). “Crying can help one better manage their emotional stress and strengthen relationships as a result of a healthy, safe response to negative outcomes or situations,” district medical director at One Medical Michael Chen, M.D., once told mbg. “Crying can help one’s mood by improving sleep, reducing inflammation, and strengthening the immune system.” All of this to say: You don’t need to hold back your tears just for the sake of doing so. Crying is actually good for your mental and physical health, so consider science on your side. Of course, you should make sure you’re in a comfortable and safe situation before doing so, but letting the tears flow will help you feel better mentally and physically. PSA: There’s more than one kind of tear. “Emotional tears have a different chemical composition than standard tears we know to lubricate the eyes all day long,” Westbay explains. “Emotional tears, also known as psychic tears, have higher concentrations of protein-based hormones, including prolactin, as well as the neurotransmitter leucine enkephalin—a painkiller produced when one experiences stress,” she continues. “Interestingly, this confers greater viscosity, so emotional tears stay on your face longer, which researchers believe may be a biological advantage in that it helps others see your distress and help you appropriately,” Westbay finishes. Pretty cool, right? So, how do emotional tears actually affect your skin? Part of the answer is hidden in the pH difference. See, tears have a pH level similar to saline, which is right around 7. This happens to be higher than the pH of our skin, “Which is typically a pH of around 5.5 to 6,” she explains. “Consequently, while short-term exposure to tears is unlikely to be harmful, long-term exposure can produce irritation and affect skin hydration by way of altering the natural pH,” Westbay says. Read: A good cry session won’t be detrimental to your skin’s pH in a few minutes. “Tears also contain electrolytes, which explains their salty taste, and the sodium and chloride content, specifically, can alter the skin’s normal fluid balance,” Westbay explains. “Thanks to osmosis, water travels to wherever the fluid is more concentrated, in order to maintain homeostasis.” So, when the more concentrated “side” of your skin is the outside (given the recent flow of tears), water moves from inside your skin’s barrier to the surface to try to balance both sides, Westbay says. This may result in dehydration of the skin’s superficial layers, she adds. The answer: Focus on replenishing hydration to the skin post-cry (yes, it’s really that simple). To come, a few expert-backed methods to do just that. “This causes your eyes to appear puffy, which is only aggravated when you rub them while you’re crying,” she says. If you produce a lot of tears (meaning you cry for more than a few minutes), the nearby blood vessels dilate to increase blood flow to the eye area because tears are derived from the blood supply. “This also increases swelling and inflammation,” Westbay explains. “This is often exacerbated by the (often forceful) rubbing and wiping away of tears around the eyes, a mechanical friction that can further damage the skin’s sensitive barrier,” Westbay says. So, while you may not be able to avoid red or puffy eyes post-cry, you may be able to ease the irritation if you’re mindful of how you rub your eyes (try to gently dab, not rub). So, you’ll want to be sure to include your unde-eyes in your post-cry skin care routine, as they’ll likely need the most TLC. After you finish crying, though, you may be left with an odd feeling. Maybe you’re not sure what to do next, you quite literally feel like there are no tears left to cry, or you’re starting to feel better but don’t understand why (though the oxytocin release can easily explain that). Luckily, self-care and skin care can go hand in hand. This means the following steps will not only help replenish moisture in your skin but also ease your mind and help you center yourself. Here’s what Westbay recommends for post-cry session skin care: You don’t want the towel to get so cold that it burns your skin (as placing raw ice on the skin often can) but definitely cold enough to stay cool for more than a minute or so. “This cold helps construct the vessels and tissue to help reduce redness and swelling,” Westbay says. Be sure to keep the compress over your eyes if that area looks puffier as well. Before you sit down for 10 to 15 minutes to let the towel really cool your skin, you may consider putting on your favorite clothes, wrapping yourself up in a blanket, turning on your favorite music, dimming the lighting, or even lighting a candle (that won’t catch anything on fire while your eyes are closed, of course). These small tweaks to your current environment can help you begin to feel like that crying session is officially over, which may help you continue on with your day should you need to. Westbay recommends looking for humectants like hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, and glycerin. If you want to whip up your own mask, one of these five DIY aloe vera formulas will definitely check the box. If you like to use tools, opt for a jade roller or gua sha to assist in the process. You can find all of the steps you need here if you’re starting from scratch. After you cry, you may choose to do one of the following things either in addition to the steps above or instead of the topical routine:
