Skin Health Treatments

Our skin health is a manifestation of our overall health which is why our skin glows when we are adequately hydrated and following a healthy diet.

Skin issues like pimples, acne, or psoriasis often come as a result of a combination of factors ranging from an unhealthy microbiome, food sensitivities, an imbalanced immune system, and nutrient deficiencies. To have healthy looking skin it is important to understand what the root cause of the problem is.

What Causes Unhealthy Skin?

There are many nutrition and lifestyle factors that can contribute to unhealthy looking skin, including:

Poor gut health i.e. dysbiosis, leaky gut, H. pylori infection
Environmental toxin exposure
Environmental pollutants
Hormonal imbalance
Chronic stress
Low omega-3 fatty acid intake
Excess omega-6 fatty acid intake
Low vitamin D and other fat soluble vitamins
Excess inflammation
Poor hygiene
Impaired detoxification
Poor diet or nutrient deficiencies (Vitamins A, D, E, zinc, selenium)
Food allergies or sensitivities
Smoking
Alcohol consumption
Bile acid deficiencies

Your skin also has a unique microbiome of its own, and the bacteria in your gut influence the bacteria on your skin. Because of the intimate connection between the gut and the skin, called the “gut-skin axis”, optimizing the health of the gut is crucial for having healthy skin.

Naturopathic Approach To Skin Health

A Natural Approach To A Healthier Skin

While medications may be indicated and helpful in some cases, they don’t necessarily get to the underlying root cause of what is causing the skin problem. Some of our approaches include the following:

Gut Health

As mentioned earlier, the health of the gut directly influences the health of the skin, through what’s known as the “gut-skin axis”. This happens through several different mechanisms. The gut comprises approximately 80% of our immune system and many skin issues are immune mediated.

Additionally, inflammation present in the gut affects the entire body and many skin issues have an inflammatory component to them. Finally, nutrient deficiencies play a large role in skin issues, and nutrient absorption is highly dependent on the health of the gut.

Food Allergies and Sensitivitie

Many people have food allergies and/or sensitivities that they may be unaware of. These foods when consumed set off the immune system and contribute to inflammation in the body, which manifest on the skin. Common food sensitivities include dairy, gluten, eggs, and soy.

Hormone Imbalance

Imbalanced hormones are commonly seen, especially elevated testosterone levels in women. Elevated androgens cause excess sebum production and can lead to breakouts on the skin.

Stress Reduction

Stress promotes the release of cortisol and proinflammatory cytokines that negatively affect the skin. Stress also causes us to make unhealthy dietary changes like sugar which causes skin issues.

Vitamin D

Optimal vitamin D levels play a huge role in skin health including increasing the amount of antimicrobial proteins in the skin, reducing inflammatory cytokines, improving the health of the immune system, and improving skin barrier function.

Detoxification

Detoxification is a complex process and involves many organs, most notably the liver, kidneys, colon, and skin. If these processes are not working properly, toxins can be recirculated within the body, which can lead to undesirable manifestations on the skin and can lead to poor overall health.

Immune Health

Some skin problems like psoriasis and atopic dermatitis are immune mediated and are the result of an overzealous immune response.

This immune response contributes to high levels of proinflammatory cytokines which can damage the skin barrier.

Calming down and balancing the immune system is imperative in order for these types of skin conditions to improve.

Does Your Skin Care Routine Need A Boost? Get In Touch For Natural Treatments

Book a FREE consultation with one of our experienced naturopathic doctors to learn how we can help.
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Common Skin Conditions We Treat:

Acne:

Symptoms of hormonal acne:

Painful cysts that feel like bumps under the surface of the skin
Oily and shiny skin
Pimples that show up at the same time each month for women
Zits along the chin and jawline, and sometimes in the neck, shoulders and back

Eczema (atopic dermatitis)

Symptoms of eczema:

Red, inflamed, and usually itchy areas on the skin
Typically followed by dryness, scaling, and skin thickening
Flexural regions (behind the knees, and on the inside crease of the elbow), hands, wrists, ankles, feet, and/or face (particularly the forehead and around the eyes)

Psoriasis

Symptoms of psoriasis:

Silvery and scaly, red patches on skin
Mostly asymptomatic, although some report itchiness
Extensor surfaces (knees, elbows), scalp, lower back, sacral region

Conventional Treatments:

Conventional treatments consist of mild topicals all the way to potent immunosuppressive drugs, depending on the severity of the disease.

Some typical medications include the following:

Antibiotics i.e. erythromycin, clindamycin, tetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline
Topical Retinoids
Isotretinoin (Accutane)
Oral tetracyclines
Salicylic acid
Azelaic acid
Oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) i.e. spironolactone, clascoterone
Benzoyl peroxide
Oral corticosteroids (for severe inflammatory acne)
Methotrexate
Biologics i.e. ustekinumab, secukinumab, ixekizumab, brodalumab

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