3 Common Skin Conditions and What to Do about Them

“Love the skin you’re in,” so the saying goes. Sometimes that’s easier said than done. Skin conditions, ranging from mildly irritating to painfully debilitating, are ubiquitous nowadays. Even mild-to-moderate symptoms can take a serious physical and emotional toll.

I started thinking about skin the other day after a bout of nostalgia had me revisiting old reader success stories. Going through the archives, I was reminded how many readers reported that their acne, psoriasis, eczema, and other skin conditions were “miraculously” resolved after going Primal.

I’m not surprised. I’ve always believed that there is a deep connection between skin health, gut health, and inflammation. The Primal Blueprint is designed to support a diverse, well-balanced microbiome, reduce chronic inflammation, and provide epigenetic signals that optimize health. It makes sense that clearer skin would be one of the benefits.

As I perused the success stories, it occurred to me that it’s been a while since we talked about skin issues here. Today I’m going to cover three of the most common, along with some alternative (non-pharmaceutical) approaches to addressing them. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not judging anyone for opting for pharmaceutical options. However, many conventional treatments—antibiotics, oral steroids, hormonal birth control pills, and isotretinoin (sold with brand name Accutane)—have serious, sometimes downright scary, side effects.

Given that, I know many of my readers are interested in diet and lifestyle interventions that might help. They won’t fix all your skin issues, but they’re bound to improve some aspects of your life, even if your skin doesn’t clear up completely.

Acne

Acne is widespread among adolescents and adults. The most common form of acne is acne vulgaris. You’re undoubtedly familiar with the characteristic whiteheads and blackheads usually found on the face, chest, back, and shoulders. Cystic and nodular acne are severe types of acne vulgaris involve large, deep, painful blemishes that take longer to heal.

Acne doesn’t have a single root cause. Sebum (oil) production, pore blockage, bacteria (Propionibacterium acnes), and inflammation each contribute. Androgens increase sebum production, and hormonal changes due to puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, PCOS, or menopause often lead to outbreaks.

As common as these skin issues are today, they are not an inevitable part of the human condition. Grandfather of the ancestral health movement Loren Cordain asserts that acne is basically unheard of in traditional-living societies.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26897386/‘>²

Glycemic load

Both observational and experimental studies link greater intake of high-glycemic carbohydrates to more frequent and more severe acne symptoms. For some people, acne is significantly improved simply by lowering the glycemic load of their diet.

High-glycemic load diets probably promote acne through several metabolic pathways, including by stimulating insulinlike growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and androgen.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4769025/‘>⁴ Acne sufferers would do well to moderate their carb intake, especially high-glycemic carbs. The good news is that if you’re already eating a Primal-aligned diet, you’ve probably greatly cut down your glycemic load by removing grains and added sugars, as well as legumes. Fruit can also carry a heft wallop.

Dairy

The AAD recommends that acne sufferers limit dairy intake.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0261561418301663‘>⁶ This jibes with tons of anecdotal evidence from people who report significant relief from acne symptoms when they cut out dairy.

What about other food sensitivities?

I can’t tell you how many readers have confided they struggled for years, even decades, with acne before switching to a Primal diet and finally getting relief. Many of them have traced their problem back to gluten. Some are particularly affected by dairy, others by soy. Occasionally, random food sensitivities are the issue.

Despite the preponderance of anecdotal evidence, there is a glaring lack of scientific studies on food sensitivities and acne, so the link remains somewhat controversial. No matter. This is one of those cases where proof is in the pudding as far as I’m concerned.

If you are suffering from stubborn acne, consider what foods may be triggering for you. Start with the usual suspects. Track your symptoms and see if you can spot any patterns. When you identify likely culprits, try eliminating them for a few weeks and see what happens with your skin.

What If Dietary Changes Alone Don’t Solve My Acne?

First things first, look at your gut health. There is a strong gut-skin connection.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23886975‘>⁸ You have nothing to lose by adding sauerkraut or kimchi to your meals. If you’re not sensitive to dairy, try kefir, one of my favorite sources of probiotics. You can even try doing a yogurt mask since topical probiotic treatments could be beneficial.

Supplementing with certain nutrients might help, too. There is limited evidence in support of
zinc,https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17147561/‘>¹⁰ and fish oil supplements.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6516982/‘>¹² Doctors aren’t sure what causes it. Rashes seem to be triggered by an immune system reaction, but it’s not clear why. Specific triggers differ from person to person.

Because the root causes are unknown, finding relief can also be difficult and frustrating. Patients are advised to keep affected areas moisturized, avoid detergents and soaps that might irritate the skin, opt for cotton clothing, and take baths with oatmeal or vinegar. Doctors may prescribe topical steroids or other creams or, in extreme cases, immunosuppressing drugs.

Other Ways to Address Eczema

Probiotics?

Studies of infants and young children have found that eczema sufferers have, on average, less microbial diversity in their guts.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30860574/‘>¹⁴ Probiotic supplementation, especially with strains of Lactobacillus, may reduce the risk of developing eczemahttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11069570‘>¹⁶ A 2012 meta-analysis also concluded that when pregnant women supplement with probiotics, their babies have a significantly reduced risk of developing eczema.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6517242/‘>¹⁸ There are so many other benefits of supporting a healthy microbiome that it doesn’t hurt to try probiotics, though.

Coconut oil

Thanks to its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, coconut oil applied topically to eczema rashes may provide some relief.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22207450/‘>²⁰, acupuncture https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22813359‘>²²
Ultraviolet radiation triggers the release of nitric oxide, which in turn activates T cells that modulate the overactive immune response.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29241748‘>²⁴ cardiovascular disease.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31309536‘>²⁶ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22004481/‘>²⁸

Supplements

Many psoriasis patients try supplementing with fish oil, selenium, and vitamins D and B12, but there is only mixed evidence that they are actually effective.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30193251‘>³⁰

Stress reduction

Stress leads to psoriasis flare-ups.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30193251‘>³² Or, treat yourself to an at-home spa day. Start with an Epsom salt or oatmeal bath, then apply some topical treatments using stuff you already have in the house. The National Psoriasis Association recommends using aloe vera, apple cider vinegar, and tea tree oil topically, as well as mahonia (Oregon grape) cream (which you probably don’t have lying around).https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28628749/‘>³⁴

General takeaways

Skin disorders are complex. The remedies I mentioned here are not the only ones you might try. Severe or prolonged cases may respond best to a combination of treatments, including medications.

No matter what your specific challenge, the following are always good practice:

Support a healthy gut microbiome through the usual means.

Eat a nutrient-rich diet. Most vitamins and minerals directly and indirectly affect skin health. Vitamins A, D, and E probably get the most attention, but they are all important.

Avoid harsh cleansers and products that might irritate your skin. I have a few posts about Primal skincare, but the most Primal skincare “product” is just plain (clean, filtered) water.

Avoid foods that promote inflammation. If you suspect that food sensitivities make your skin problems worse, simple elimination experiments can provide answers. For skin issues, it’s not generally necessary to undertake a complete elimination diet along the lines of the autoimmune protocol (AIP) or low-FODMAP. However, if you have other symptoms that suggest serious gut health impairment, your practitioner may recommend that you do eliminate a wider swath of foods for a while.

Finally, avoid touching your face as much as possible. That’s just a good idea anyway.

I know I just scratched the tip of the iceberg here. Tell me about your personal successes and challenges. What’s your secret for healthy skin? Maybe your advice can help someone else.

The post 3 Common Skin Conditions and What to Do about Them appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.