Dr. Heather Reagin, Board Certified Dermatologist

Estrogen isn’t just a reproductive hormone, it’s one of your skin’s biggest allies. It signals collagen production, helps skin hold onto water, and keeps your barrier strong.
So when estrogen starts declining in perimenopause, your skin feels it fast: less bounce, more dryness, slower healing. This isn’t neglect. It’s biology.
Swipe through for what’s actually happening underneath the surface, and what the evidence says can help.
Save this for when you need it, and grab the free Gut-Skin-Hormone Checklist in my bio for the fuller picture on your hormones and skin.

Patients often ask me about probiotics for
their skin.

And the honest answer is: it depends
on what your skin is doing.

Here’s what the research actually shows condition by condition.

ECZEMA: The strongest evidence of all
four.

ACNE: Growing evidence, especially for
hormonal and adult acne.

ROSACEA: The gut connection is real.
Direct probiotic clinical trials are still limited.
Promising, not yet proven.

PSORIASIS: A 2025 analysis found less consistent results. What IS consistent: probiotics reduce systemic inflammation markers like CRP in psoriasis patients.

THE BIGGER PICTURE:

A probiotic supplement is one tool.
Diet is the foundation.

A diverse, fiber-rich diet consistently
feeds and rebuilds your gut microbiome
better than any capsule alone.

Fermented foods. Prebiotic fibers.
Lower glycemic load. These are the
dietary inputs that create the gut
environment where probiotics,
and your skin, can actually thrive.

Strain matters. Condition matters.
Diet matters most.

Save this before your next purchase.

Free checklist → link in bio
(20 signs your hormones, gut + skin
are out of sync)

Hot take from your dermatologist:

Go outside. ☀️

Play the round of golf.
Book the beach trip.
Win the pickleball match.

I am never going to tell you to avoid
the sun. I am going to tell you to
respect it.

SPF 30+ broad spectrum.
Reapply every 2 hours.
Wide brim hat.
UPF clothing if you’re in it all day.

That’s it. That’s the whole protocol.

That’s not a reason to stay inside.
It’s a reason to be prepared before
you walk out the door.

See you out there. 🌊




skinhealthforwomen

“Leaky gut” is everywhere online.

Some claim it causes everything. Some dismiss it entirely.

Here’s what the research actually shows.

THE STRONG EVIDENCE:

A January 2025 study from Uppsala University found that 50% of psoriasis patients have increased intestinal permeability compared
to healthy controls.

Additionally, the same activated
immune cells found in inflamed psoriatic
intestines were also present in psoriatic
skin lesions.

That’s not a correlation.
That’s the same inflammatory process
operating in two places simultaneously.

Psoriasis patients also consistently show
altered gut microbiomes with lower microbial diversity and higher pro-inflammatory species compared to people without psoriasis.

WHERE WE STILL NEED MORE RESEARCH:

Whether leaky gut directly causes psoriasis
or whether both are driven by the same
underlying systemic inflammation has not
yet been established.

Gut-targeted interventions show benefit
for some psoriasis patients, but large
high-quality clinical trials are still
limited.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

The gut-skin connection in psoriasis is
real and documented.

Cause vs. consequence? Still being studied.

The gut-skin connection matters, and so does scientific nuance. Great skin starts from the inside, but root-cause care should stay grounded in evidence.

Save this the next time someone tells you
the gut has nothing to do with your skin.

The truth, as always, is more nuanced
than either extreme.

⬇️ Free checklist → link in bio
(20 signs your hormones, gut + skin
are out of sync)

Your skincare routine matters. But what you do before you ever open a product? That matters more.
I see patients every day who are doing everything right on the outside and still struggling. Most of the time, we have to look inward.
Sleep. Gut health. Blood sugar. Omega-3s. Stress. These are not wellness trends. They are the biology your skin runs on.
Pick one. Start today. Save this as your reminder.

PCOS officially has a new name: PMOS — Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome.

And honestly? This shift is long overdue.

For years, the name “polycystic o***y syndrome” centered the condition around ovarian “cysts,” even though many patients never have cysts at all. The old name also failed to capture the full-body impact of this condition including insulin resistance, inflammation, skin changes, metabolic dysfunction, fertility challenges, and mental health effects.

The new name reflects what many patients and clinicians have known for years:
PMOS is a complex hormonal + metabolic + inflammatory condition - not simply an ovarian disorder.

Why this matters:
✨ More accurate diagnosis
✨ Less stigma and confusion
✨ More whole-person care
✨ Greater recognition of metabolic health

As a dermatologist, I see PMOS show up far beyond the ovaries:
• Acne
• Hair thinning
• Hirsutism
• Insulin resistance
• Inflammation
• Mental health struggles

An integrative approach matters because symptom suppression alone often isn’t enough.

That may include:
🥗 Blood sugar support
💤 Sleep + nervous system regulation
🏋️ Strength training + movement
🧠 Stress management
🦠 Gut health support
🧪 Root-cause evaluation
💊 Evidence-based medications

This isn’t about blaming lifestyle.
It’s about understanding the condition more completely and treating patients more compassionately.

Acne InsulinResistance FunctionalMedicine HormonalAcne Dermatologist GutSkinAxis MetabolicHealth HormoneBalance

The best sunscreen is the one you’ll actually wear every day. 90% of visible aging is UV-driven and skin cancer is largely preventable.

The problem has never been the science. It’s the texture, the white cast, the way it sits under makeup. Those are real barriers, and they all have solutions.

Swipe through for the formulas I actually recommend, for every skin type and every excuse.

Comment SPF for my full list.

antiaging EltaMD Colorescience BeautyofJoseon dailyspf dallasdermatologist dfwdermatologist skincareadvice dermatology

Patients ask me every week what I actually use on my skin. Here is the honest answer.
I keep it simple. Intentionally.

AM: gentle low-pH cleanser, rotating vitamin C formulas (L-ascorbic acid), rotating serums such as niacinamide, squalane, plated exosomes, calming moisturizer, mineral SPF.

PM: same cleanser, I rotate between retinol/retinoid (years of consistent use - no shortcuts), barrier-repair moisturizer

Weekly: chemical exfoliant

I do not chase every new launch. I do not need a 10-step routine. I stay consistent with what the evidence supports and what my skin actually responds to.

Consistency is the active ingredient most people are missing.

What is the one product you would never give up? Tell me below.

Hashtags:

Exciting news! I’ve been accepted to the UCI Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute Integrative & Functional Medicine Fellowship!

This is a huge step in my mission to bring a truly whole-person approach to dermatology, connecting the dots between gut health, nutrition, stress, sleep, and the skin you’re living in.

I believe the future of skin care is integrative, and I can’t wait to bring everything I learn back to you and to my patients at Epiphany Dermatology. 🙌

More to come. Stay tuned.

Another year, another reminder of why I love this work and these people. ☀️ Epiphany Dermatology’s annual retreat did not disappoint. An incredible keynote by Dr. Stephen Trzeciak on the power of compassion (n=1: we are each our own experiment in becoming better). Connecting with colleagues left me feeling recharged and ready to pour into my patients. Here’s to doing great things together. ✨