Let’s Talk Gut-Skin Health: Science, Support & Stories That Matter

This week’s issue is brought to you by Codex Labs

Welcome back, DERM Community!

This week we’re exploring the gut-skin axis, a fascinating and often overlooked connection between digestive health and dermatology.

The gut-skin axis is more than a trend. 

It's a crucial perspective for understanding conditions like eczema, psoriasis, acne and rosacea. The health of the gut influences inflammation, immune responses, and even the skin’s barrier function.

Featured on This Week’s Chapter:

Learning Opportunities: 

• Skin health doesn’t exist in isolation. The gut communicates with the skin, influencing inflammation, barrier integrity, and immune response.
  

• Everyday factors like diet, stress, and sleep interact with our gut microbiome, shaping the skin’s resilience and appearance.
  

• We’ll explore the science behind probiotics and prebiotics, and when they might support skin wellness.
  

By connecting these dots, clinicians can guide patients toward strategies that complement traditional dermatologic care, reinforcing that healthy skin often starts from the inside out, where a balanced, nutrient-rich diet plays a central role.

The Gut-Skin Axis

The gut-skin axis refers to the bidirectional communication between the gastrointestinal tract and the skin. Key mechanisms include:

• Microbiome balance: Healthy gut bacteria help regulate inflammation and immune responses. Dysbiosis (microbial imbalance) may trigger or worsen skin conditions like eczema.
  

• Barrier function: Increased gut permeability (“leaky gut”) can allow inflammatory molecules to circulate, potentially worsening skin inflammation.
  

• Immune modulation: The gut influences systemic immunity, including T-cell activity, cytokine production, and hypersensitivity reactions.

Many patients with eczema, acne, rosacea, or psoriasis report subtle gastrointestinal disturbances. 

While not every flare is gut-related, considering diet, stress, and microbiome health can complement dermatologic care.

What About Additional Care Options?

While topical and systemic therapies remain the standard of care, many patients continue to ask about non-prescription or other therapeutic options.

As clinicians, it’s important to:

• Stay informed about emerging options (moisturizers, barrier creams…)

• Ensure any product used supports the skin barrier and avoids allergens or irritants

• Reinforce that natural does not mean risk-free

These conversations are also an opportunity to guide patients who are hesitant about traditional therapies, especially those who haven’t seen results or are seeking more integrative approaches. 

By understanding what’s out there, we can help them choose safe, evidence-informed options that complement their treatment plan.

We’ve Put Together a Free Guide Just for You!

Want to Go Deeper?

Take one of our modules

Whether you’re a clinician, student, or educator, our eczema module breaks down atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, dyshidrotic eczema, nummular eczema, and more.

Book Recommendation of the Week

“Skin Microbiome Handbook: From Basic Research to Product Development” by Nava Dayan

The book provides a comprehensive detailed summary of current status on skin microbiome research in health and disease as well as key regulatory and legal aspects.

Inspiration of the Week

👋🏻 See you next Thursday, DERM community!

Thanks for joining us on Beneath the Surface.

The gut-skin connection reminds us that dermatology doesn’t start and stop at the surface. By paying attention to what happens inside: from microbes to metabolism, we can better support patients outside, where skin tells its story.

Whether it’s guiding someone through prebiotics vs. probiotics, dispelling myths about diet, or simply listening when they share gut concerns alongside a flare, this perspective deepens our care.

If today’s insights gave you a new way to think about skin health, share them with your peers, students, or patients.

Next week, we’ll be putting it all together with practical lifestyle strategies and a case report that shows how these principles translate into real-world care.

Thank you for being here with us!

— The Derm for Primary Care Team