The Connection

According to psychiatrist and dermatologist Dr. Amy Wechsler, people can have “bad skin days” just as they can have “bad hair days.”

“But no matter how stressed you are, you don’t stop brushing your teeth, so that means you shouldn’t stop taking care of your skin either,” said Wechsler, addressing a group of Macy’s shoppers at Tysons Corner last week. “It only takes a few minutes a day.”

After earning a B.A. in psychology from Duke University, Wechsler went on to earn an M.D. with honors from Cornell Medical University in 1995. After completing her residency in psychiatry at Payne Whitney Clinic – the New York Presbyterian Hospital – psychiatrist Wechsler stayed on to do her fellowship in childhood and adolescent psychiatry. Although she loved her work, Wechsler said she found herself missing the “physical aspects” of the field of medicine — so she completed her residency in dermatology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center. Today, she is one of just two doctors in the nation who is board certified in both psychiatry and dermatology.

“They are the perfect combination,” said Wechsler of psychiatry and dermatology. “The more you think about it, the more you realize the connection between them. Every single skin condition affects your self-esteem, and the same is true of the reverse. If you don’t feel good about yourself, it affects your skin — so it’s bio-directional.”

WECHSLER, who has been featured in Glamour, Cosmopolitan, O, The Oprah Magazine, InStyle, Self, Shape, Marie Claire, Seventeen, Teen Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Associated Press, New York Times, Good Housekeeping, Modern Bride, and Real Age, made a special appearance at the Clinique counter in the Tysons Corner Center Macy’s store last Friday, Sept. 28 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wechsler spent the day providing shoppers with skin consultations and participating in question and answer sessions.

“We’ve been talking about three topics — stress and the skin, different products’ ingredients and lifestyle,” said Wechsler who has been working with Clinique for several years and calls their products “consistently awesome.”

On Friday, Wechsler said she had a lot of questions from customers about dark marks and acne, which she considers “fairly typical” concerns among her clients. She advises people to take care of their skin by cleansing, exfoliating, moisturizing and using sunscreen, and recommends avoiding harsh products that irritate the skin. However, Wechsler also emphasizes the importance of having a healthy mindset.

“When you are stressed, your skin is more sensitive,” she said. “So give yourself a break and de-stress. Exercise, see a friend. A lot of people tend to fall into unhealthy habits when they are stressed, like smoking or drinking, and these only make your skin worse.”