The Gut-Skin Connection

Did you know our gut and skin health are linked?

The gut seems to impact just about every system in our bodies. As we have discussed (a few times!), the human microbiome refers to all the genetic information of microorganisms that live in (or on!) us. We have way more genetic information for these microorganisms than we do for human cells!

There are numerous ways in which our gut health can impact the rest of our body, the connection with our skin being one of the most interesting. Our microbiome can impact our skin through several mechanisms, including immune.

The gut and our immune system

A huge portion of our immune system is located in our gut. Our gastrointestinal tract has a tremendous amount of communication with the outside world - we are really just one long tube from our mouth to our rectum. It makes sense that we have a strong defence system there, and our microbes play a huge role in this! Beneficial bacteria both out-compete the more harmful bacteria that may make their way in, and produce beneficial metabolites that help protect our gut lining and reduce inflammation. When the gut lining is disrupted we can have immune reactions to otherwise innocuous compounds. Immune cells, inflammatory mediators, and metabolites that our bacteria produce, can then be transported through our circulation to communicate a threat with our skin. This can impact our skin integrity, barrier and function.

The microbes on our skin?

Did you know you also have bacteria ON your skin? In large numbers too - about 1 million bacteria per square centimetre of skin! They help maintain a healthy skin barrier and support the delicate immune balancing act between protection and damaging inflammation. The beneficial bacteria thrive in (and contribute to) the slightly acidic nature of our skin - which helps protect against more harmful bacteria and maintains a healthy barrier. Choosing cleansers and moisturizers that support this pH balance is important for the integrity and health of our skin! Although we work on gut health for our skin, we also often discuss topical support.