Skin

Skin from Within: A Unique Approach to Anti-Aging Skin Care

If there is one thing we all can agree on it’s this: we want younger looking skin!

And judging by the myriad face creams, facials, lasers, and injectables on the market, most of us are willing to spend time and a lot of money to get it.

But if you’ve tried a few of these products (or procedures) you’ve likely been underwhelmed. Even the very expensive treatments don’t have the kind of results most people want and expect.

And as a long-time functional medicine practitioner and acupuncturist, I can explain exactly why…

These treatments only go skin deep. 

If you want the kind of radical results that get everyone asking “What are you doing differently?!” you absolutely must address your skin’s aging from the inside out. 

We need to go beyond topical treatments and take a look at what is happening on a cellular level to actually change the way your skin looks as it regenerates itself. To do this, we need to talk about your mitochondria. 

Stick with me - today I will explain what your mitochondria are (in a simple way) and how you can help them function better for younger looking skin from the outside in, no 27-step skincare regimen required!

 

How the Mitochondria Give You Youthful Skin

Mitochondria are one part of the many cells that make up your entire body. You might remember from high school biology that the mitochondria are like the batteries that charge up your cells. Mitochondria churn out ATP (Adenosine triphosphate), the fuel your cells use for energy. 

Research has shown that mitochondria become less efficient as we age. When researchers looked at mitochondria in skin cells from young, middle-aged, and older patients, they found mitochondria function was lower in middle-aged adults and even lower in the older group. 

The lower mitochondrial function left the aging skin cells more vulnerable to the effects of damaging compounds known as reactive oxygen species (ROS)—otherwise known as free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin cells, leading to a dry, wrinkly outer layer and premature aging over time.  

On the other hand, robust mitochondrial action helps protect skin from damage and recover quickly - think of the way a kid’s skin heals after a cut. That's why, as we age and mitochondrial function naturally decreases, we start to see fine lines, wrinkles, sagginess, and discoloration set in. 

 

Protecting Your Skin From The Sun

One HUGE source of skin damage throughout life is UV radiation from the sun. The problem is twofold. First, too much sun exposure weakens the mitochondria and the energy production in skin cells sputters out. This changes the skin—and not in a good way. The sun damage leads to premature skin aging. 

But in addition to this, the mitochondria—when they’re working well—serve as nature’s sunscreen helping to protect your skin from sun damage even when it is exposed. That’s why it can feel like all the sun damage from you teens and twenties finally appeared when you turned 30!

 

How To Have Beautiful Skin 

The healthiest thing you can do for your skin is to rejuvenate your mitochondrial health.  One of the best ways to do this is with a powerhouse nutrient called NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide). Your mitochondria use NAD+ in order to make ATP. Without enough NAD+, your cells can’t create the ATP that provides the energy to defend against free radicals, which leads to skin damage. 

Plenty of NAD+ equals plenty of ATP, which in turn results in gorgeous skin. Since NAD+ levels drop with age, an NAD supplement is an important part of aging skin care. 

NAD+ also boosts levels of sirtuins, a family of proteins that can protect your skin against inflammation. Redness and puffiness are signs your sirtuin levels may have taken a nosedive. Scientists call this inflammaging, meaning the inflammation that happens as you age.  

Keeping the mitochondria happy and healthy by using NAD+ also can lengthen your telomeres. These are caps at the end of your chromosomes, just like the caps at the end of your shoelaces that keep them from unraveling.

As you age, your telomeres grow shorter. UV radiation from the sun also shortens telomeres in the skin. The more you can do to protect your telomeres, the healthier your skin will look. 

The best bet? Use NAD+ both orally and topically on your skin itself. An oral NAD supplement will include nicotinamide riboside or nicotinamide mononucleotide. In addition, there’s a liposomal NAD+ product, and NAD+ is also included in Thorne Collagen Plus, along with other skin healthy ingredients.

 

Other Mitochondrial Support Supplements

You’ve probably noticed that many topical skin health product contain antioxidants like vitamins C and E and coenzyme Q10. Antioxidants like these help to protect the mitochondria from free radical damage. 

But just using these antioxidants topically misses the mark - it’s when used internally that they can have the greatest anti-aging effect. 

However, you don’t want to just start popping tons of mitochondrial support supplements - it’s better to work with a functional medicine practitioner who can isolate the nutrients you’re low in and focus on those.

Having said that, here are some mitochondrial rejuvenators worth talking about with your provider. Each of these supplements either protect the skin against stress, act as antioxidants and defend against too many damaging ROS, and soothe inflammation. 

  • Adaptogens 
  • Alpha lipoic acid 
  • Coenzyme Q10 
  • Curcumin
  • Probiotics 
  • Carnitine 
  • Glutathione 
  • Magnesium 
  • Omega-3 fatty acids
  • Vitamin B12 
  • Vitamin C 
  • Zinc 

 

Avoid Things That Damage the Mitochondria

You might have noticed that when you don’t get a good night’s sleep, your skin suffers. Or when you’re going through a lot of stress your skin lacks that healthy glow. Think about how much older presidents look when they leave office compared to when they first took over one of the most stressful jobs around. 

Lack of sleep and stress can spell trouble for the mitochondria. In fact, their impact on the mitochondria may be the reason why each of these things can get in the way of healthy looking skin. 

The sex hormone estrogen also protects the mitochondria at the same time as it keeps the skin looking young, so as levels start to decline with premenopause, the mitochondria can suffer. This is why it’s a good idea to work with a functional medicine provider to balance hormone levels.

Toxins are another source of mitochondrial damage. Toxins are all over the place: in your food, your water, the air you breathe. We’ll talk more about the role of toxins in mitochondrial health in an upcoming blog post. 

 

The Secret to Gorgeous Skin

Want skin that looks and feels younger and healthier? As a functional medicine provider, I can help you maintain your youthful appearance by ordering the right tests and then choosing the right supplements. That’s why I invite you to reach out to me for a free 15-minute troubleshooting call to find out the best course of action for you. We’ll start there, and if you come on board as a client, I’ll order a full lab work-up. Our strategy is to give you healthy skin from within so your good-health glow will turn heads wherever you go.

by Kyle Leahy

Eczema

How to Heal Skin Rashes and Eczema in Kids

One of the absolute worst things a parent can experience is a sick child, especially a baby or toddler. Watching them suffer brings on a visceral feeling only another parent can understand. 

I've been there and know that feeling.  

Whether it is a skin issue like toddler or baby eczema, tummy troubles, or the latest cold, flu, or other easily transmitted infection, there is no worse feeling as a parent.

Watching your little one scratch and squirm because their skin itches or cry out and curl into a ball because their tummy hurts or their body aches is just horrible.  

Then comes the dreaded second-guessing.  

What could I have done to prevent this? A better diet? Less sugar or treats? More sleep? Vitamins or supplements? More time in the sun? 

The list is endless and it's not worth your energy to beat yourself up, because the truth is that eczema in kids, rashes, and childhood illnesses are unfortunately becoming more frequent and harder to treat in many cases. 

But why? 

After almost two decades in functional medicine I've watched many things evolve and change. 

Ten to fifteen years ago when a child came into my practice, I could resolve skin or gut issues in one to three months fairly easily. Gut issues themselves were not as complex and multi-layered.

Now they are. 

And, we have to dig much deeper.

In this article, I’ll take a look at why childhood eczema and skin rashes are becoming more severe. I’ll also dive into what you can do to get rid of kids’ skin conditions.   

 

The Gut-Skin Connection

What’s happening in your child’s gut is a reflection of what’s happening in his or her skin. Scientists call this the gut-skin axis. When there’s an imbalance between the good and bad bacteria in the gut—what’s known as dysbiosis—the skin may suffer. 

Getting rid of a seemingly simple dysbiosis of the gut and skin is not as easy anymore as changing the diet, balancing and rebuilding the gut, and supporting the immune system. 

Sometimes it's still a relatively simple case if we are lucky, but more commonly now I'm seeing resistant bacteria and yeast like Candida, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Clostridium, and other hard-to-treat organisms like mold living in the gut because our environment is changing rapidly—and not for the better. 

 

Why Is Eczema in Kids So Hard to Resolve?

In the last seven to eight years, these are some of the primary factors contributing to the increased severity of eczema, childhood skin rashes, and gut issues I'm seeing in children. 

Environmental Toxins

Toxins of all kinds are ubiquitous in the environment now—they’re in our water, air, and soil from industrial processes, agriculture, wildfires and other natural disasters, as well as plastics and other materials we use that degrade into fine particulates or nanoparticles. Our bodies have to work overtime daily to transform and eliminate them. Unfortunately, we can't get rid of them all and they get stored in our body tissues. Babies are exposed to these toxins as many can cross the placenta and can also be transmitted via breastmilk.

The most common ones I see in practice that affect the integrity of mom and baby’s gut and immune systems are:

  • Bisphenol-A (BPA), BPS, and other plasticizers
  • Glyphosate, Pesticides and Herbicides
  • Heavy Metals and 
  • Mold
  • Environmental Pollutants (chemicals in the air, water and soil)

Glyphosate, a common herbicide used on many vegetables, may kill off the good bacteria in the gut. Exposure to BPA while in the womb is linked to asthma and respiratory infections in kids. Asthma is part of what is known as the “allergic triad” of asthma, allergies and eczema. People that have one are vulnerable to all 3  at any point in their lives, but childhood is most common. 

Environmental pollutants are increasingly abundant contributors to eczema. Some common outdoor contributors include toluene, benzene, formaldehyde, and diesel exhaust. Indoor air quality and environment is often worse and the culprits are furniture, tobacco smoke, air conditioners, stoves, wall paints, construction materials, cloths, carpets, personal care products, cleaners, and food additives and preservatives. These can contribute to leaky gut, alter the microbiome, and affect gene expression in susceptible individuals promoting eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis). 

 

Poor Nutrition

I've seen many patients who have a seemingly perfect diet on paper, but when tested they still suffer from malnutrition. This is happening for many reasons. Most notably:

  • Toxins can modify the microbiome, cause leaky gut, and alter the immune function. Mast cell activation can be a byproduct of this as well. 
  • Inadequate digestive enzymes and digestive secretions such as stomach acid and bile acids result in poor breakdown and absorption of nutrients. 
  • The soil and water that our food is grown in is often nutrient-depleted.
  • Multiple pregnancies and breastfeeding can cause mamas to become depleted even if they are supplementing with vitamins and nutrients.
  • Certain gene variants  or polymorphisms called SNPs (pronounced snips) can make it more difficult to absorb nutrients. In practice, I frequently see issues with vitamins A, B2 (riboflavin), B6 (pyridoxine), B9 (folate), B12 (cobalamin), C, D, and E; minerals zinc and magnesium; and nutrients such as choline and omega-3 fatty acids.  Most of these nutrients are integral to skin, gut, and immune health.  

All of these factors can affect mama and her children.  

 

Mama's Stress

Stress and trauma may be the most critical factors of all since they contribute to causing and also perpetuating GI issues such as leaky gut and dysbiosis, inflammation, nutrient depletions, and hormone and neurotransmitter imbalances. Having one child is hard enough, let alone multiple. The stress of taking care of a household, having a job, possibly caring for another adult, and trying to fit in time for self-care and relationships can compound the situation. Sadly, this is a reality for many women today which contributes to eczema, skin, and GI issues in their kids through epigenetic changes, meaning that Mom's stress can turn on genes that promote inflammatory conditions even in their children. 

Since I'm also a nerdy microbiologist, I periodically look at statistics in my practice. I have observed these trends over the years in the mamas of my pediatric patients with skin and gut issues: 

  • Over 85% have multiple children
  • Only one out of five children I see is a first born child
  • Roughly 97% report feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed (almost all have GI symptoms as well)
  • About 75% report some kind of trauma

 

How To Get Rid of Eczema in Kids

The great news is that we can fix eczema in babies, toddlers, and kids!!!

Many mamas come to me saying they have tried many dietary changes and supplements to fix their child's eczema or kids’ skin condition with little to no success. This is because, as described above, the issue is more complicated, but getting rid of skin problems in kids can be successful if you take the proper steps. 

So how do we fix it? 

  1. Complete a detailed history of the child and mama. This way we can identify all of the possible contributing factors and test accordingly. 
  2. Conduct initial testing assessing gut, inflammation, and immune function. This is generally accomplished through stool and urine testing. 
  3. Order special testing as indicated by the patient’s history, which might include looking at mold/mycotoxins, environmental toxins, nutrient levels, genetics, or food sensitivities or allergies. Most of these tests can be completed with a urine or fingerstick blood spot sample. 

Once we have all of the results in place, we put together a very specific plan to heal the gut and immune systems, balance inflammation, support detoxification if necessary, replete nutrients, and adjust the diet to support healing and fend off common childhood illnesses including eczema. 

 

I Can Help Heal Skin Rashes and Eczema in Kids

It’s frustrating to see your little one suffer, but I can help soothe the suffering. I’ll work with you and your child to get at the root cause of your child’s skin condition and help them have healthy, comfortable skin again.  

The beauty of working with children is that their bodies still have so much resilience and capacity to heal. All you need to do is remove some of the interference and point them in the right direction. If you want to get rid of your child’s eczema and help him enjoy life without itchy discomfort, set up a 15-minute complimentary call with me. We will figure out what is holding back your little one from healing so you, your child, and your family can spend more time on what really matters- giggling, tickling, and having fun!  

by Dr. Stephanie Davis

Skin

How to Naturally Slow the Aging Process and Get Glowing Skin

One of the most common questions I get is “What do you do for your skin?” And while I have a lot more to share than just “beauty secrets,” this question never annoys me, because truth be told… I am incredibly proud of my skin!

My skin didn’t always look like it does now. This is me at 22 - when I went from clear skin to horrible acne. At the age when most people’s teenage breakouts were ending, mine were just beginning. 

skinbreakouts

Let’s skip to the good part - here I am today: 

photo of brie photo of brie

So how did I get here? It wasn’t one special product, a miracle facial, or just “growing out of it.” I learned quickly that glowing, clear, youthful skin starts internally. 

Yes, products can be fun (I love my nighttime routine) - but if you want gorgeous skin, you have to start on the inside. 

What finally worked for me was a combination of:

  • Addressing hormone imbalances (I have PCOS)
  • Switching up my diet (I was eating way too many carbs and not enough protein as a vegetarian)
  • Healing my adrenals and gut
  • Using Chinese medicine to speed healing and prevent long-term damage

(Learn more about acne and PCOS here.)

These principles not only helped me clear my skin back then - but now more-years-than-you’d-probably-guess later, they're the same principles I use to keep my skin youthful and glowing. 

Yep - the real “beauty secret” has nothing to do with fancy products, lasers, or needles. It’s all about what’s happening inside! Let’s dig into what really matters for beautiful skin - and how you can achieve it. 

 

6 Factors that Actually Matter for Naturally Youthful Skin

How our skin ages is about both our genetics and the environment in which those genes exist. That means having good genes isn’t a get-out-of-jail-free card for caring for your skin - and it also means even if you’re genetically predisposed to less-than-perfect skin, you’re not a lost cause! 

If you want to change the look or feel of your skin, there are 6 factors to focus on:

  • Gut health
  • Oxidative stress & inflammation
  • Hydration
  • Omega 3 & 6 balance
  • Liver health
  • Hormone balance

Let’s go through each of these and explain it a bit and I’ll offer some easy, right-now things you can do to optimize each one.

 

Factor 1: The Gut

Younger skin literally starts in the gut. As you probably know, the gut isn’t just where food is digested - it’s home to the gut microbiome, a stronghold of beneficial bacteria that play a massive role in the proper function of almost every aspect of the body. 

Research has shown that various species of probiotic bacteria found in the gut impact everything from UV damage and repair to acne. Skin barrier function, hair growth, oil production, and the acidity of skin are all impacted by the bacteria of the gut microbiome. 

A healthy gut - meaning a diverse, healthy microbiome, healthy gut cells, and intact, tight junctions (no leaky gut) - has been proven beneficial in the prevention or treatment of:

  • Inflammatory skin diseases
  • Acne 
  • Atopic dermatitis
  • Psoriasis
  • Rosacea
  • Aging skin changes
  • Hair loss
  • Some pigmentary disorders

If you have any history of gut symptoms or digestive issues, or a history of skin issues like eczema, psoriasis, or acne, I recommend starting with a comprehensive stool test like GI Map and a Parawellness parasite and pathogen test. With my clients, these tests are often the first step in a customized gut-healing protocol.

If you don’t have digestive symptoms, or have already resolved your digestive issues, the Biome Fx test by Microbiome Labs is a great way to better understand the bacteria living in your microbiome so that you can strategically supplement to tweak and optimize your microbiome for overall well-being, longevity, and glowing skin.

 

Factor 2: Oxidative Stress & Inflammation

Oxidative stress is what literally kills us all. Oxidative stress occurs when unstable molecules called free radicals outnumber stabilizing antioxidants, creating a state of inflammation and “cellular aging.” Free radicals are created both by your body (as a result of normal metabolism) and are found environmentally in things like pollution and UV light from the sun. 

Research has shown oxidative stress plays a major role in the skin’s aging process both internally and externally. Sun spots, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation are all a direct result of oxidative stress. 

To assess oxidative stress levels in my clients I rely on the ION Panel and Organix Organic Acids testing to assess antioxidant and nutrient levels. 

The best defense against oxidative stress is to minimize free radicals and increase antioxidants. Some easy ways to do that are to:

NAD+ is especially important - it's a coenzyme essential for cellular energy and mitochondrial health, two key factors of anti-aging. If you’ve heard a lot of buzz lately about niacinamide as a skincare ingredient, here’s why: it converts to NAD+ down the line! NAD+ levels naturally decline with age, so supplementing can be especially helpful. I like a liposomal NAD+, which is the best absorbed. 

Vitamin C can be used internally and topically - this one absorbs well through the skin and results show in a matter of weeks.

Because many people have genetic SNPs that impede the transformation of beta carotene (found in plants like carrots) to bioavailable forms of vitamin A, I use a product like Acnutrol or Hi-Po Emulsi D3. (If you’re wondering if this or other genetic SNPs are impacting your health, I can help - book a call to learn how we use data from over-the-counter DNA tests like 23andMe to unlock the next level of health.)

Finally, be sure you’re eating plenty of foods high in antioxidants like:

  • Fatty Fish
  • Avocados 
  • Organic nuts and seeds - especially walnuts and sunflower seeds (for healthy fats, vitamin E, and zinc) 
  • Tomatoes, which contain lycopene
  • Blueberry (and other berries like pomegranate and raspberry)
  • Spinach and other leafy greens
  • Dark Chocolate
  • Green Tea
  • Bone Broth
  • Lemon
  • Turmeric

And don’t forget to make sure you’re getting adequate protein! Proteins are needed to regenerate the skin, protect skin integrity and prevent sagging.

 

Factor 3: Hydration, Hydration, Hydration!

Almost everyone I work with is chronically dehydrated. Dehydration isn’t just about a lack of water - it’s also about a lack of electrolytes and minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium, chloride, and phosphate. Electrolytes help draw water into the skin, deeply hydrating the aquaporins, the intricate system of channels in the skin that control hydration. Without adequate hydration and electrolyte levels, skin becomes dehydrated and looks dull and lifeless.

What can you do about this? Simple: go refill your water bottle! It’s essential that you’re drinking clean, filtered water - I highly recommend a home filtration system like Berkey, which is what I use personally. 

Also consider adding a pinch of natural mineral sea salt or an electrolyte product like BodyBio Electrolytes to your water. 

You might also see skincare products infused with electrolytes, but it’s actually much more efficient to balance electrolytes internally by consuming them. Remember, your skin is an outward expression of your internal health!

 

Factor 4: Omega 3 & 6 Balance

Omega 3 and 6 are two types of essential fatty acids that can have major impacts on your skin.

Omega 3 regulates the skin’s oil production, balances hydration, and minimizes breakouts and signs of aging, and soothes skin irritation. Research has shown that taking fish oil, a potent source of Omega 3, can help protect against skin cancer and UV damage.

Omega 6 improves skin moisture, firmness and elasticity. It can reduce transepidermal water loss and improve the skin barrier, making it especially beneficial for eczema and dry skin. Research has also shown its anti-inflammatory qualities can help clear acne. 

While Omega 3 and 6 both have benefits, for maximum benefit they need to be in balance. Most people have far more Omega 6 than 3, and need extra support getting balanced. The ION Panel can show you where you are, and 500 mg of Omega 3 or 2 servings of fatty fish per week can help bring balance. If you’re supplementing, I recommend a purified, tested fish oil like Microbiome Labs.

 

Factor 5: Liver Health and Detox

When you think of skin health, you probably don’t think of the liver - but you should! The liver and the skin are both part of the body’s larger detox system. When the liver becomes overburdened, it often presents through the skin as rashes or eczema, acne, premature or accelerated wrinkling, brownish “liver spots”, and lack of youthful tone and elasticity. 

The liver’s main job is to filter blood coming from the digestive tract to obtain nutrients and remove toxins and waste products from the blood, detoxify chemicals, and metabolize drugs that are secreted into bile for elimination. Today, our livers have to work much harder than they ever have before to detox the slew of chemicals, pesticides, solvents, and plastic-related compounds present in the air we breathe, the water we drink and bathe in, foods we eat and personal products we use every day. Skincare and beauty products in particular often contain estrogen-mimicking chemicals that must be metabolized and eliminated by the liver.

In addition, I see many people struggle with toxins generated from internal pathogens like candida overgrowth, bacterial overgrowth, mycotoxins from mold, and viral pathogens. 

Using the ION Panel, I can actually see exactly how my clients’ detox pathways are functioning. Two markers I look at are antioxidant status and organic acids. Having looked at thousands of these results with my clients, I see a direct correlation with antioxidant status and external signs of aging. Those who seem to “not age” usually have the highest antioxidant levels, and those with early signs of aging have the lowest. 

Eating lots of antioxidant-rich foods (see the list above) can help protect your liver cells from damage and allow for completion of phase 2 detoxification by a series of enzymatic pathways in the liver. The antioxidants also help to protect your skin cells from free radicals, and therefore premature aging. 

(Want to learn more about detox? Make sure you’re subscribed to my email list to receive my upcoming deep dive article on detox! Sign up for emails here.)

 

Factor 6: Hormone Health

This topic is one close to my heart. Your skin health is often a direct expression of your hormone health. One of the most common things I see is a correlation between PCOS and acne, like I experienced personally. You can learn more about PCOS and acne here. 

But acne is not the only way hormones can affect your skin! Both estrogen and progesterone impact skin integrity as we age. Low levels of these hormones can result in dryness and the appearance of premature signs of aging like wrinkles, fine lines, and loss of tone. Estrogen and progesterone can also impact hyper and hypopigmentation. Low DHEA is another hormone issue I keep an eye out for, as it can slow skin repair.

For suspected hormone issues, I always start with a comprehensive hormone test. My favorite is the DUTCH panel, which gives a far more in-depth and comprehensive look at hormone levels than a typical blood test can. Once we know exactly what the imbalance is, I create a customized protocol to return your hormones to harmony. 

 

Do This Now For Better Skin

Keeping in mind all the factors discussed, there are some simple steps you can start taking today for better skin:

#1 Optimize Nutrients

Vitamins A, C, D, E, alpha lipoic acid (ALA), calcium, magnesium, biotin, selenium and zinc are some of the most important nutrients for skin health. Vitamin C, zinc, copper, manganese and silica are cofactors for the production of collagen and keratin, which help keep hair and skin supple and strong. Eating a diet with lots of antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies can help provide many of these essential nutrients. 

Two other supplements I recommend are fish oil for Omega 3s and a collagen supplement, paired with vitamin C and hyaluronic acid for the best results.

#2 Add Probiotics

Multiple studies have found that specific probiotics can help protect the skin from sun damage. In one study, the probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus johnsonii NCC 533 (La1), provided protection from UV rays. In another, probiotics actually reversed existing sun damage.

This is my favorite targeted probiotic for skin health— I take this daily 

#3 Try Chinese Herbs

Chinese herbal formulas have been used to slow aging and stimulate repair for thousands of years. General beauty and anti-aging herbs include goji berries, tremella fungus, green tea, Dong Quai (Chinese Angelica), He Shou Wu, Ginseng (Asian Ginseng), Schisandra, and Pearl Powder. 

For best results, Chinese medicine formulas need to be personalized for your skin conditions and your constitution. A trained Chinese herbalist will assess your skin - is it dry, and easy to wrinkle? That’s a sign you need to nourish Yin. Do you have sagging? That tells us spleen Qi will need support as well. Rashes and redness? Clear heat. This is how custom formulations can be made. (Need help with this? Book a free consultation with my team here.) 

 

What About Products?

I love skin care products as much as the next girl - but the truth is that products simply aren’t as important as what is going on internally. Products and external practices like microneedling should always be a compliment to what's going on inside.

That being said, here’s some of what I use and recommend:

  • DRMTLGY Needle-Less Serum - this is wonderful for fine lines and collagen! Studies have shown it produces a 15% reduction in the appearance of wrinkles and volume in only 2 weeks and 190% increase in elastin production after 11 days. 
  • DRMTLGY Vitamin C E + F to reduce fine lines, decrease hyperpigmentation and provide strong antioxidant protection. 
  • Skin Saint Tretinol .5% Renewal Serum and The Dream Eye Cream include safe and effective levels of retinol plus vitamin C to reduce dark circles, promote collagen production, and improve fine lines 
  • Anything by Biologique Research - but these products should be prescribed by a licensed esthetician trained in the use of the products. 
  • A high-quality sunscreen (I like Supergoop).
  • I also love microneedling, facial gua sha and cupping. A microneedling tool like this one makes it easy to get started and this is the cupping and gua sha kit I use.

Need more guidance on cupping and gua sha? Watch my three how-to videos below to get started:

Health Looks Good On You

Good health glows - it shows in your hair, nails, mood, and of course, your skin. If you want to look better, you need to start with feeling better!

So if you’re looking in the mirror and not loving what you see… don’t go spend a fortune on new products. It’s not the answer! Instead, consider booking a no-obligation consult with my team. Let’s uncover what isn’t working in your health, right the wrongs, and get you that glowing-from-the-inside look you really want!

>>> Let’s talk! Book a free consult here

Modern medicine does a great job of healing acute diseases, but a poor job of looking at the bigger picture and helping you optimize your health so that your most vibrant version of you can shine. That’s where I can help. Book your free session now to learn more!

by Brie Wieselman