The Gut-Skin Connection - Is Your Gut Health Causing Your Acne?

You’ve probably heard all about the gut-brain connection, right? But did you know that there is also a pretty strong connection that exists between your gut and your skin? 

In fact, you could consider the skin as a mirror for your digestive system - if it’s not functioning at its prime it is likely going to show up, in some way or another, on your skin. This isn’t just through acne, but in various other skin conditions including psoriasis, eczema and allergies such as rashes and hives as well. The gut has a direct link to the skin! So it makes sense that to look for the root cause of what is causing your acne, your gut health is the best place to start.

That is exactly what I do with most of my clients - we start by addressing what’s going on in their gut. It never ceases to amaze me how people with no digestive symptoms often experience rapid improvement in their skin when we address their gut health.

Fun fact time: Did you know that around 80% of people who experience acne aren’t producing adequate levels of stomach acid & digestive enzymes? What this means is that these people are more likely to be nutrient deficient, failing to effectively absorb the goodness from their food and triggering a range of inflammatory responses. 

So how does poor gut health show up in the skin?

  • It generates inflammation that is reflected in the redness & pain of pimples

  • Harbours chronic infections like overgrowth of fungi, bacteria, parasites or yeasts that affect our skin microbiome and immune system

  • Slows down the body’s capacity to detoxify and clear hormones - this usually shows up through disruptive bowel habits such as constipation or diarrhoea

  • Not breaking down or absorbing nutrients from our food - regardless of how ‘acne-friendly’ your diet is

  • Bloating that causes you to avoid foods you deem not to digest well - things like meats, fats and  certain vegetables that contain skin loving nutrients

  • A lack of beneficial probiotic bacteria to keep all the above in che

So, are you wondering if your gut could be the driver of your persistent and confidence-zapping breakouts? There can be lots of clues that you might be missing.

Here are 5 of the biggest signs that your gut health could be a key player in your acne:

1.The location of your breakouts

Is your acne predominantly around your mouth, chin and forehead? Nine times out of ten when breakouts are in these regions it suggests an inflamed gut is to blame. These are key elimination zones within the face, and flare ups in these areas suggest inflammation in the elimination pathways - of which the bowels are one!

2. Your tummy is not happy (funky poops?)

The reality is that if you are experiencing digestive symptoms as well as persistent acne, then it is HIGHLY likely that the two are connected! So often in clinic I see my clients reporting digestive symptoms such as bloating, constipation, flatulence, cramping, symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, and they don’t realise the connection between their gut and their skin.

3. Your acne is triggered by inflammatory foods
Do you find that your skin gets particularly worse after a weekend of indulgence? If you can link sugar, alcohol, dairy and/or gluten to your flare ups then it is highly likely that your gut health is one of the main drivers of your skin problems! This was a big one for me, and reducing my intake of sugar, alcohol and dairy did wonders for me and my skin. I’ll be talking more about this in the coming weeks so keep your eyes peeled here on the blog and on my instagram.

4. You experience recurrent fungal or bacterial infections
We all hate getting them, they can be painful and embarrassing but recurrent fungal and bacterial infections are often connected with acne. I’m talking about things like thrush, UTIs, tinea and fungal infections. You see, we have a gut microbiome - this is a collection of bacteria, yeasts, fungi, parasites and viruses that hang out and thrive off of our intestines. We also have a skin microbiome (and vaginal microbiome). So if you have signs of fungal or bacterial overgrowth or fungal acne showing up on the skin often there will be fungal overgrowth in the gut as well!

5. My skin is on fire (hello inflammation)
Do you have red skin, pus, swelling, pain & heat around your breakout? These are surefire signs that your inflammation extends beyond your skin into your gut. Remember if your gut is inflamed it is highly likely that your skin is too! The good news? If you get the inflammation down internally slowly but surely the skin will follow suit.

Still not sure what is causing your acne? Take my FREE quiz which identifies the underlying root cause in under ten questions!


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Alexandra McPhee