Healing Skin From Within; Root Causes of Common Skin Concerns

Functional Approaches to Healing Your Skin Naturally

When it comes to achieving healthy, glowing skin, the journey goes far beyond what’s applied topically. The functional approach to skin healing dives deeper, addressing the root causes of skin issues rather than merely treating symptoms. Here, we’ll explore how this holistic perspective can transform your skincare routine and overall health.

Understanding the Skin-Body Connection

Your skin is a reflection of your internal health. While breakouts, dryness, or irritation might seem like isolated issues, they’re often signals from your body about deeper imbalances. A functional approach examines the underlying factors that could be contributing to your skin concerns, such as:

• Gut Health: The gut-skin axis highlights how digestive health impacts the skin. Conditions like leaky gut or dysbiosis can lead to inflammation, acne, and conditions like eczema. 
• Hormonal Balance: Fluctuations in hormones can manifest as cystic acne, dullness, or sensitivity, particularly during life stages like puberty, pregnancy, or menopause.
• Nutrient Deficiencies: Vitamins and minerals like zinc, vitamin A, and omega-3 fatty acids play crucial roles in maintaining healthy skin.
• Stress and Sleep: Chronic stress and inadequate sleep can disrupt your body’s ability to repair and rejuvenate, showing up as dark circles, fine lines, and dullness.

Common Conditions: 

• Eczema: Often linked to breakdown in the immune system, or autoimmunity. Eczema can stem from food sensitivities, gut dysbiosis, environmental toxins, or chronic stress. The skin’s barrier may also be compromised, leading to dryness and inflammation. There is a huge connection between eczema and the mucosal barrier of the gut! A GI-Map and a Mucosal Barrier Assessment can be so helpful for navigating treatment. 
• Psoriasis: This autoimmune condition is influenced by systemic inflammation, gut health issues, and triggers such as stress or infections. Most of the time, psoriasis has some parasitic and/or fungal root cause. Getting rid of the pathogens is key. Utilize a GI-Map or a Parasitology stool test to discover pathogens. 
• Acne: Hormonal imbalances like excess androgen production in women, excess oil production from stressed out adrenal glands, and bacterial infection (whether topically or in the gut) are direct contributors. Liver/gallbladder health also matters for acne treatment. If the body is having a hard time breaking down fat and protein, then skin damage will often result. Consider testing with a DUTCH hormone test, a GI-Map, and a Metabolic Wellness Panel to discover root causes. 
• Dry Skin: Chronic dryness may indicate dehydration, insufficient intake of healthy fats or difficulty digesting fats, or an impaired skin barrier. Environmental factors like low humidity or harsh skincare products can also play a role. Your skin barrier, just like your gut mucosal barrier, requires a balance of good and bad bacteria. Too strong of products that kill everything often end up damaging the good bacteria and resulting in damaged skin. 

Steps to Heal Skin Functionally

1. Nourish from Within: Focus on a nutrient-dense diet rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, and hydration. Vitamin C-dense foods especially can support collagen production and reduce inflammation (berries, citrus fruits, broccoli). Vitamin A-dense foods especially can support skin healing (liver, carrots, leafy greens, eggs, sweet potatoes). Mineral dense foods containing magnesium, calcium, zinc, and selenium also help support healthy skin (avocado, broccoli, beans, brazil nuts).
2. Support Your Gut: Incorporate fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut, or consider a high-quality probiotic to restore balance to your gut microbiome.
3. Detox Your Environment: Minimize exposure to toxins by using clean, non-toxic skincare products and avoiding processed foods. Filtering your water and air can also help reduce pollutants that impact your skin.
4. Prioritize Stress Management: Engage in mindfulness practices such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing. Reducing stress can help lower cortisol levels, which can otherwise trigger breakouts and inflammation.
5. Adopt a Holistic Skincare Routine: Use products that complement your skin’s natural barrier function. Avoid harsh chemicals that strip the skin. Work with a practitioner to discover the correct products for your specific condition and root cause! (see my favorite products below) 
6. Consult Functional Experts: Work with a functional medicine practitioner or holistic dermatologist who can tailor a plan based on your unique needs. Comprehensive testing can reveal hormonal imbalances, food sensitivities, or nutrient deficiencies contributing to your skin issues.

Patience and Consistency

Healing skin through functional approaches takes time. While quick fixes might be tempting, addressing the root causes delivers sustainable and lasting results. Celebrate small wins, like reduced redness or improved hydration, and trust the process. Like hair, skin takes about a minimum of 3 months to see maximum impact. 

Try this Creamy Blueberry Skin Healing Smoothie

for a dose of healthy fats, antioxidants, vitamin C, and fiber! 

Happy skin healing!

Thinking about digging deeper into your own health?

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 Always rooting for you! 

- Allie CHN, FDN-P

Allie is a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner located in Birmingham, Alabama. She helps women across the country online and in her hometown office dig deeper into their root health issues and find holistic healing! 

No information in this blog should be considered medical advice. I do not diagnose or treat disease. Taking any recommendations should be considered an opt-in model of self care.