The Gut-Skin Connection: Why Your Microbiome Might Be the Key to Healthier Skin

In recent years, science has shed new light on something holistic practitioners have long suspected: our skin health is deeply connected to what’s happening in our gut. This link, called the gut-skin axis, explains why persistent skin issues like acne, eczema, or rosacea may be more than skin deep. Even though dermatologists still focus largely on treating skin issues on the surface, more and more evidence confirms the importance of a healthy gut microbiome to treat the root cause of skin issues. The functional health approach which considers the body as a whole, has shown how improving the gut health has a direct impact on the skin health. Let’s explore this gut-skin-axis more deeply.  

What Is the Gut-Skin Axis?

The gut-skin axis refers to the complex communication pathway between your gut microbiome—the trillions of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes in your digestive tract—and your skin. These tiny organisms don’t just help digest food; they also influence your immune system, hormone production, and inflammatory responses—all of which are key players in skin health.

When your gut microbiome is imbalanced (a condition called dysbiosis), it can trigger systemic inflammation, weaken the gut barrier (often referred to as “leaky gut”), and lead to the release of endotoxins that circulate in the bloodstream. These inflammatory molecules can then reach the skin and contribute to various skin conditions. A 2018 review in Frontiers in Microbiology explained how gut dysbiosis is linked to inflammatory skin disorders like acne, atopic dermatitis, and psoriasis by altering immune and neuroendocrine functions. 

This highlights the importance of a healthy gut, with the right balance of “good” and “bad” bacteria: this state of balance is required for the skin microbiome to be in balance as well - and for the skin to perform its functions such as protection, temperature regulation, water retention and more. 

Skin Conditions Linked to Gut Imbalances

Let’s look at a few examples of how gut health may drive common skin problems:

• Acne

Gut bacteria help regulate systemic inflammation and sebum production. Studies have shown that people with acne had significantly less microbial diversity in their guts than healthy controls

• Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis)

Eczema is associated with both gut and skin barrier dysfunction. Children with eczema were found to have lower levels of beneficial gut bacteria like Bifidobacteria and higher levels of potentially harmful strains.

• Rosacea

Research suggests that small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is more common in people with rosacea—and that treating SIBO can significantly improve symptoms.

• Psoriasis

Psoriasis patients often show gut dysbiosis and increased intestinal permeability. Some studies have also found reduced populations of Lactobacillus and Akkermansia muciniphila, which are known to support gut lining integrity and reduce inflammation.

How Does the Gut Communicate With the Skin?

This communication happens via several interconnected systems:

• Immune signaling: 70% of the immune system is housed in the gut. When gut microbes are imbalanced, the immune system may become overreactive and drive skin inflammation.
  
  
• Metabolites and neurotransmitters: Gut bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and other metabolites that have anti-inflammatory and skin-protective effects. This is why supporting gut bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids can help to improve skin health.
  
  
• Stress and hormones: Chronic stress alters gut flora and gut permeability, which in turn increases cortisol levels and skin flare-ups.
  
  

Studies have shown that the microbiome can contribute to inflammatory diseases, including those affecting the skin, through mechanisms involving immune modulation and the nervous system. 

Supporting Your Gut for Clearer Skin

While everyone’s microbiome is unique, there are some general principles to promote gut health—and by extension, skin health:

• Consider functional testing to identify gut imbalances like dysbiosis, SIBO, or leaky gut. A comprehensive stool test can give clear indications to which bacteria your gut might be missing.
  
  
• Eat more fiber-rich, plant-based foods (vegetables, legumes, fruits, whole grains)
  
  
• Include fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, or yogurt. Attention: Fermented foods can be hard to digest for some people - this is why functional testing can make sense, too. 
  
  
• Avoid ultra-processed foods, refined sugar, and alcohol
  
  
• Reduce chronic stress through mindfulness, sleep hygiene, and nervous system support
• Focus on gentle skin care with natural, clean ingredients that won’t irritate the skin and create an immune reaction. 

Are you ready to heal your skin profoundly?

Remember: symptoms like acne, eczema or psoriasis are signals from your body, that something is off on the inside. Once you start looking at those dysfunctions and imbalances, your skin will clear up, almost magically. 

If you are interested, book your free introductory consultation with Marie and learn all about the functional health approach and her CLEAR Method to heal your skin profoundly. 

You can book the free call directly on her website (https://www.marievollmar.com/.