Risen Skin Co.

🌿 Eczema / Atopic Dermatitis 🌿

✨ Eczema is simple yet complex. It is difficult to squeeze all the aspects of eczema into one post, but here is the foundation I work off.
*Spoiler alert- it’s not a deficiency in topical steroids.* ❤️‍🩹

⚖️ Eczema is driven by the TH2 immune pathway. Imbalances in the gut microbiome can contribute to activation of the TH2 immune pathway, along with fragrances, environmental allergens, mold, heavy metals, and more. When the TH2 pathway is triggered, the release of inflammatory cytokines and histamine occurs. Once these immune mediators hit the skin, they decrease NMF (natural moisturizing factor), trigger itching, and decrease the expression of important proteins and ceramides needed to maintain a healthy skin barrier (insert red, rashy, itchy skin here). A decrease in NMF shifts the pH of the skin to be higher than normal which allows staph and yeast on the skin to thrive, further increasing inflammation.

🔎 When addressing eczema, we support the skin barrier with nontoxic pH balancing topicals *while* addressing WHY the TH2 pathway is being triggered in the first place.

🌿Here are a few of my favorite tools for eczema; this list could be a mile long if I listed bathing, nutrient, environmental, etc., but I’ll keep it short for now:

🤍 Favorite eczema topicals: active skin repair spray or hydrogel, aloe vera inner leaf juice/gel, and jojoba oil

🤍 Favorite scent free nontoxic laundry detergent: Branch Basics

🤍 Favorite diet recommendations: consider temporarily removing dairy, gluten, eggs, nuts, and soy. These are some of the most common foods that increase inflammation in individuals with eczema. Do this *while* rebalancing your gut microbiome to assist in healthy immune signaling. Often times, diet adjustment makes a noticeable difference in inflammation and allows us to see other triggers more easily. Journal your food to help identify your unique triggers.

🤍 Favorite recommendation for long term improvement: look beyond your skin (see studies below)

📊 So many studies have been done on the gut microbiome of individuals with eczema. Here’s (just some of) the research:

✔️ people with eczema have been shown to have lower levels of beneficial gut flora (the microbes that help train the immune system and encourage healthy immune responses)

✔️ people with eczema have been shown to have higher levels of pathogenic bacteria including c. diff, e. coli, and staphylococcus aureus in their gut

✔️ people with eczema appear to have increased gut permeability also known as “leaky gut”

✔️ there is a correlation between reduced microbial diversity in the gut and the severity of eczema (translation: more diversity in your gut microbiome -> lesser eczema severity)

✔️ pre and probiotics have been shown to be beneficial in the prevention and treatment of eczema

📊 Links to studies mentioned in this post:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6021588/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3745938/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25413686/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8533290/

✨ What worked? ✨

🌿 temporary diet modification - removing gluten, dairy, and alcohol, significantly reducing sugar, and increasing plant diversity

🌿 liver support + targeted antimicrobial herbs - support healthy detoxification while address microbial imbalances

🌿 gut supporting nutrients - including tools like meat stock, minerals, L-glutamine, and aloe vera

🌿 targeted probiotics - support a balanced gut microbiome

🌿 supportive topical routine - active skin repair spray, aloe vera, neem oil, and shea butter

Gut health = skin health 🤍

🌿 Psoriasis 🌿

Research has found that people with psoriasis often have increased gut permeability or a “leaky gut” and higher levels endotoxins in their blood. Endotoxins (like LPS) are produced by certain bacteria in the gut. When the balance of benficial and potentially harmful microbes is disrupted, endotoxin levels increase.

🦠 These endotoxins contribute to inflammation and are harmful to the gut barrier. When the gut lining becomes “leaky,” substances that normally stay inside the gut pass into the bloodstream where they can activate immune responses- including the Th17 pathway (main pathway associated with psoriasis). Researchers have also detected the DNA of gut microbes in the blood of people with psoriasis, providing additional evidence that gut barrier function plays a role.

🦠 A history of strep throat has been strongly associated with psoriasis exacerbation.

🍄 There is also a fungal component to psoriasis. In one study, researchers applied a suspension of a Malassezia yeast (a yeast that normally lived on our skin in small amounts) to an area of unaffected skin in 10 participants with psoriasis. All 10 developed a new psoriasis plaque at the application site. Other studies have found that people with psoriasis have higher rates of Candida Albicans in their gut than people without psoriasis.

So what does all this mean for someone with psoriasis?

⚖️ When the gut microbiome and gut barrier are disrupted, immune pathways can be triggered. In this instance, it’s the Th17 pathway that is associated with increased keratinocyte (skin cell) proliferation- result in the red, raised, scaly plaques seen in psoriasis.

📈Looking at the gut microbiome can provide insight into whether imbalances in the gut are contributing to a triggered Th17 pathway.

🌱 At Risen Skin Co., we take a root-cause approach to supporting skin health. We consider gut microbiome testing, lifestyle, nutrition, environmental exposures, and gentle topicals to support the skin barrier and encourage a healthy skin microbiome.

📊 Links to studies mentioned in the post:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11413927/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29908580/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14643904/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6023392/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1739285/

🌿 Acne 🌿

Rather than asking “what can I put on my acne?” lets shift our focus to ask “why is my skin responding with breakouts in the first place?”

An important pathway involved in acne is called mTOR. It helps regulate skin cell growth and oil (sebum) production among other things— like mitochondrial metabolism and protein synthesis. When the mTOR pathway becomes overstimulated, it ramps up sebum production and skin cell proliferation, clogging pores while trapping bacteria and yeast—resulting in acne.

Some factors that can contribute to acne include:

✨Gut microbiome - dysbiosis can contribute to increased inflammation and influence the mTOR pathway
✨Diet - excessive intake of dairy, sugar, refined wheat, and the amino acid l-leucine found in muscle proteins, cow milk protein (casein), whey protein, soy protein, and egg protein can overstimulate the mTOR pathway
✨Stress - elevated cortisol stimulates oil glands to increase secretion of sebum and disrupts the integrity of the skin barrier
✨Hormones - excess androgens and insulin/insulin like growth factor-1, and the relative drop in estrogen prior to menstruation can increase the production of sebum. Supporting gut health also supports healthy hormone metabolism (although hormones can be influenced by multiple factors)
✨Some cosmetics / skin care products
✨Some supplements, medications, and ingredients in person care products including vitamin B12, biotin, birth control, steroids, fluoride, and SLS (these aren’t a trigger for everyone, but some individuals)

Some foods help regulate the mTOR pathway:
✅Green tea
✅Pomegranate
✅Curcumin - found in turmeric
✅Blueberries

Studies:
✔️ - A 2014 study showed that 60% of people with mild acne showed H. Pylori colonization, while 88% of people with severe acne had H Pylori upon testing.
✔️ - A 2017 study showed that a diet high in plants and low in processed foods was linked to improvements in acne.
✔️ - A 2002 study found that people in non-westernized societies don’t have acne. 115 People in Paraguay ages 15 and up were examined over an 843 day time period and not one pimple, pustule, or comedone was found. 1,200 people in Papua New Guinea ages 15 and up were examined over a 7 week time period and again, not one pimple, pustule, or comedone was found.

🌱 At Risen Skin Co., we take a root-cause approach to helping clients with acne. We focus on supporting a healthy gut microbiome, reducing inflammatory triggers, supporting healthy nutrition, reviewing skincare products, supplements, and other factors that could be contributing, and supporting a health skin barrier with gentle topical care.

📊 Links to studies mentioned in this post:

https://scialert.net/abstract/amp.php?doi=jms.2014.92.96

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28513546/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12472346/

🌿 Keratosis Pilaris AKA “chicken skin” 🌿

Keratosis pilaris is a common skin condition characterized by small, rough bump due to a build up of keratin within the hair follicles. Most commonly found on the back of the arms, thighs, and buttocks.

There is still a lot to learn about KP, but
some factors that may contribute are:

•Inadequate intake of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A & E, and/or zinc - all of which are essential for healthy skin barrier function

•Gluten and/or dairy sensitivity - contributes to inflammation that can alter skin barrier function and sebum quality in some individuals

•Hormonal fluctuation - changes in hormones impact skin barrier function like keratin production, and skin hydration

•Gut dysbiosis - contributes to inflammation which can reduce absorption of nutrients needed to support healthy skin barrier function

Paying attention to what flares your KP can help you identify your contributing factors.

🌱 Natural recommendations to consider:

✨ Include foods rich in omega 3, zinc, vitamin A & E in your diet consistently. A high quality multivitamin can help fill these gaps. My favorite is GUD (can be found on my Doctors Supplement Store supplement dispensary)

✨ Consider a trial of removing gluten and dairy for 1-3 months

✨ Add a *high quality* fish oil like Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil or Ayush Herbs High Omega-3 Fish Oil (can potentially be found locally or on my Fullscript supplement dispensary)

✨ Topically- apply organic cold pressed h**p or flax seed oil to the area 1-2x daily / exfoliate 2-3x per week with a gentle exfoliator - I like Buf-Puf gentle facial sponge on Amazon with Vooqo Body Scrub or Freshwater Farm Rosewater + Pink Clay soap bar.

✨ If gut dysbiosis is suspected, targeted herbal support may be needed to move the needle. This is individualized due to everyone’s unique situation.

🌿 If you tried all the KP things and haven’t seen improvement, it may be time to look beneath the surface.

How does Risen Skin Co. help people address skin conditions? 🌿

⚖️ Did you know 70-80% of your immune system lives in your gut? No wonder gut health has become such an important topic!

🦠 Your gut microbiome— the 38 trillion microbes living in your gut— works closely with your immune system. When your gut microbiome is balanced and healthy, it helps regulate inflammatory pathways that can impact skin health.

🛠️ These microbes don’t just live in our gut for fun, they perform numerous beneficial tasks including the following:

•Help break down our food for better nutrient absorption
•Produce vitamins such as certain B vitamins and vitamin K
•Crowd out harmful pathogen
•Train and support the immune system
•Produce short chain fatty acids that nourish the gut lining and support healthy inflammatory responses
•Support immune regulation, including promoting T regulatory cells (Tregs), which help maintain immune balance

All seems pretty important right? It is crucial to nourish our beneficial bacteria so they can perform these functions efficiently.⚡️

Research has found associations between gut microbiome imbalance and a variety concerns including:

•Eczema
•Psoriasis
•Acne
•Seborrheic dermatitis / dandruff
•Rosacea
•Alopecia
•Other conditions beyond the skin including asthma and allergies

📊 Functional testing such as a GI Map looks for gut microbiome imbalances that may be contributing to inflammation. We create a plan to bring it back into balance with proper diet, antimicrobial support (when appropriate), prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotic, and other resources as necessary to help restore a healthier gut ecosystem.

📑 Links to a few relevant studies if you like to read:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6048199/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11556587/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7916842/

Here’s my “why.” 💛

Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.

🌿 Risen Skin Co. is now accepting clients! 🌿

Hi, I’m Tori, a certified natural health practitioner, and I’m excited to help children and adults with skin conditions including eczema, psoriasis, acne, keratosis pilaris (also known as “chicken skin”), and seborrheic dermatitis.

📣 Coming soon: rosacea and alopecia support!

If you’re struggling with any of the skin conditions listed above and are interested in exploring and addressing the root cause, we may be a great fit to work together.

Research shows a strong connection between skin concerns and an imbalanced gut microbiome through what is known as the gut-skin axis.

I offer functional testing options, such as the GI-MAP® and Tiny Health stool test, to help identify imbalances within your gut microbiome that may be contributing to your skin concerns.

Additional testing may be recommended based on your individual needs, including:

• Organic Acids Testing (to evaluate markers related to candida, mold exposure, mitochondrial function, nutrient status, and more)
• Mycotoxin Testing
• Food Sensitivity Testing
•Hair elements (toxic metals)

✨ Together, we’ll create a personalized plan to help bring your body back into balance using non-toxic, botanical-based products and lifestyle strategies. I also utilize natural skincare products that support the skin barrier, maintain healthy pH, reduce toxic load, and provide optimal hydration for healthy skin function.

If you’d like to learn more, check out my Practice Better link below or send me an email at [email protected].

I’d love to help you on your journey to healthy skin!

https://my.practicebetter.io/ #/6a00b8dd7671da741d0f1e3c/profile