At a glance, our skin and our digestive system may seem like two separate entities. However, the evidence is growing that there's a connection between the two, often referred to as the "gut-skin axis." In fact, some scientists suggest that an imbalanced gut microbiome, or community of microbes in the digestive tract, could be linked to skin disorders such as psoriasis and eczema.
"We are really entering a new era in medicine as we begin to decipher the relationship between gut health and disease," said Dr. Brooke Jeffy, a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. "In dermatology, it has become more and more clear that there is a relationship between certain conditions and foods. But this is a fairly new idea. Just 10 years ago, we were taught that any relationship between food and dermatologic conditions was minimal at best. I believe we will see a shift in the approach to treating chronic inflammatory skin conditions, with a focus on gut health over the next few years."
So how exactly does gut health affect the skin? Here's what science tells us so far about the so-called gut-skin axis.
"When your gut microbiome is out of balance, the cells of the gut do not work properly which allows pro-inflammatory molecules to escape and enter the bloodstream," Jeffy told Live Science. "These molecules get to the skin where they trigger inflammation that causes accelerated aging or flares of rosacea, acne, eczema and psoriasis."
Dysbiosis, or "gut imbalance" is when your gut doesn't have enough "good" bacteria to thrive, and instead has higher levels of "bad" bacteria that can trigger things like inflammation. All humans have a unique microbiome, so this imbalance can look different for each of us.
