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The more we learn about the , the more we learn about its impact on other parts of our body. The connection between has gotten a lot of attention — but have you heard of the gut-skin connection?
Experts say our also plays a role in our skin health, from influencing certain conditions to aiding in wound healing.
"We have learned over the past few years that the gut-skin connection is actually stronger than we ever believed in the past," Renata Block, a physician assistant at Advanced Dermatology & Aesthetic Medicine in Chicago, told TheNews.
While the gut microbiome refers to the trillions of bacteria, viruses and fungi living in our intestines, our skin has its own microbiome that helps protect us.
"Skin is the largest organ of the human body, and ... is a first-line barrier from the outer environment," Block explains. "We have to have a balance between the two for them to regulate and connect."
"The microbiome within the skin and the gut keeps us healthy. It keeps our immune system in check, and if the immune system is out of check then it's kind of like a wreak-havoc kind of moment, if you will, and this inflammatory response ... it's just a response of the body just being out of balance."
The microbiome plays an important role in a "wide variety of skin disorders," from acne to dandruff and even , according to a .
"Not only is the skin microbiome altered, but also surprisingly many skin diseases are accompanied by an altered gut microbiome," the study authors note. "The microbiome is a key regulator for the immune system, as it aims to maintain homeostasis by communicating with tissues and organs."
So when a healthy balance is disrupted in the skin or gut microbiome, an imbalance called dysbiosis occurs which can alter the immune response and prompt the development of skin diseases like , the most common of which is called atopic dermatitis.
"We're learning that eczema can be exacerbated if we do have a gut dysbiosis or ," Block says. "But we're also learning because of the inflammation that this dysbiosis causes there are other inflammatory diseases."
These include:
"(HS) is a condition where you get these huge boils that are very, very painful... and they can be chronic and uncomfortable, but we're learning the microbiome may play a role in that as well," Block says.
She stresses the importance of the microbiome within the skin and the gut in keeping us healthy.
"It keeps our immune system in check, and if the immune system is out of check then it wreaks havoc... (with) this inflammatory response, and it's just a response of the body being out of balance."
Luckily there are things you can do to support your gut and skin health individually, which can lead to a positive gut-skin connection.
In addition to eating a healthy, balanced diet — which in supporting our gut microbiome — there are also ways to protect your skin's microbiome.
"The skin is the barrier to the outside world, and keeping that barrier healthy is the most important thing," Block says, explaining when our skin barrier is broken down there's an increased risk of infections or pathogens entering the body through the skin.
How can you keep a healthy barrier? Block suggests:
