Is your skin summer ready?
We spend the cooler months covered up – wearing long sleeves, pants, and layers. When summer comes, we shed those layers and enjoy the sunshine! But if you struggle with chronic skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, rosacea, or hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), science has shown that you should be taking a closer look at your gut health when trying to find the fix!
The Gut-Skin Axis
The gut, you say? Yep! There is actually something called the gut-skin axis. Basically, if your gut is inflamed or your microbiome is imbalanced, that inflammation and immune dysfunction can spread throughout your body to other organs including your skin. And the opposite is true as well! When your gut is healthy, calm, and your microbiome is balanced and doing its job, your skin benefits in several different ways:
- Your skin is healthier overall and chronic skin conditions including psoriasis, eczema, and acne is reduced and improved
- Your skin heals more quickly after being damaged or a flare of symptoms from the conditions above
- Your skin heals more quickly and has a protective benefit from damaging UV light exposure
What’s more, the gut-skin axis is also linked to the gut-brain axis, making this a super connected gut-skin-brain axis. Our bodies truly are all connected, and when one major organ system is off, such as the gut & its microbiome, it impacts the entire rest of the body.
Why The Gut-Skin Axis is Important for Those with Chronic Skin Conditions
In the case of the gut-skin-brain axis, it’s been noted that where there are gut symptoms such as bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, and heartburn, acne and psychological conditions such as anxiety and depression frequently appear as well. The mechanisms behind this are still not fully understood, but it is thought to involve the neurotransmitters produced by the microbiome in addition to the inflammation and immune system dysfunction coming from the unhealthy gut.
Our bodies truly are all connected, and when one major organ system is off, such as the gut & its microbiome, it impacts the entire rest of the body.
Reducing Toxins in Skin Care Products
What’s more, the products you put on your skin also impact your gut health! Personal care products are largely unregulated in the US, and many ingredients that are known to be linked with negative health impacts are used in products you are likely putting on your skin every single day. So, the anti-aging creams and products you’re putting on your skin to help improve its quality could actually end up hurting your skin in the long run if they contain ingredients that are harmful to your gut microbiome! Want to check out my favorite ever skin care products + make-up that are both safe and effective? Click here!
Ready to shed those layers and soak up the sun? Reach out and let’s talk about getting your gut health cleaned up, and in turn those chronic skin conditions, so you can feel confident in your skin this summer!
