Skin problems can cause psychological distress, but new research suggests that the reverse is also true. In a six-year study of 6,630 young women in Australia, those who reported high levels of depression and stress in an early survey were more likely to develop skin problems such as psoriasis, eczema, and severe acne. Depression and stress are known to cause hormonal and nervous-system activity that can trigger changes in the skin, explains lead study author Parker Magin, senior lecturer in the School of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Newcastle in Australia. Minimizing stress is likely to help protect skin health, he concludes. Managing stress or treating depression might also reduce the symptoms of skin conditions, but more studies are needed, he adds.