Remember that phrase, “You are what you eat”? Turns out it might be true when it comes to your skin health. The health of your skin isn’t only a superficial problem – many skin conditions, such as eczema, vitiligo, psoriasis, and acne start with your GI health. At Timeless Wellness Clinic in Pleasanton, CA, we know that fighting challenging or chronic skin conditions are most successful when you start your treatment from the inside out.
What Can Help Fight Eczema?
Eczema is a skin condition that can make patches of your skin red and itchy. Also called atopic dermatitis, you can think of this type of skin condition as being similar to an allergic reaction. However, unlike an allergy, the cause of atopic dermatitis can be related to contact with an allergen on your skin or it can flare up for seemingly no reason.
So, how do you fight a skin condition with mysterious origins? Many skin experts believe this skin condition is caused by your immune system overreacting to allergens or irritants from the environment. Some people who experience stress or environmental triggers may have an atopic dermatitis flare-up at any time. Common treatments for atopic dermatitis include:
Cortisone creams
Anti-histamines
Prescription steroid creams
Ceramide moisturizers
Mild cleansers
Another Treatment Option: GI Mapping
Of course, many of the treatments for atopic dermatitis focus only on treating the symptoms of the skin condition, not the root cause of the condition itself. While creams and moisturizers may be able to soothe your skin and make you more comfortable, ideally your treatment should be geared toward preventing future atopic dermatitis flare-ups.
GI Mapping is a treatment that may be able to prevent, manage, and control atopic dermatitis, along with other challenging skin conditions like acne, psoriasis, and vitiligo. With GI Mapping, the treatment focuses on rebalancing your GI health to support a healthier immune system. Since the immune system is thought to be a root cause of eczema flare-ups, prioritizing your gut health may be a way to prevent dermatitis in the future.
Your Gut Health and Your Immune System
When we talk about gut health, we are generally referring to the balance of bacteria in your gut. A healthy gut should have billions of good bacteria or microbiota that support immune system homeostasis. The role of good gut bacteria is to help the immune system fight off bad bacteria. Research suggests that about 80% of the human immune system is located in the gut.
When your gut is healthy with good bacteria, you will benefit from better physical health, mental health, and a stronger, more robust immune system. A healthy gut with a good collection of microbiota can help protect the body from infection, regulate metabolism, and prevent flare-ups of certain immune-related diseases, including eczema.
How Does GI Mapping Work?
At Timeless Wellness Clinic, we use a Skin Clarification program that utilizes the power of GI Mapping, detoxification, and two additional aesthetic treatments to rebalance the health of your skin from the inside out. Our program is backed by scientific research to help restore the balance of the microbiome for your skin and gut health.
This 12-week program will include three visits. The first visit will be a detailed history and physical examination to assess your overall health, particularly your digestion. We will submit a GI Effects test to identify any pathogens and dysbiosis in your gut. This first visit will also include skin analysis and skin typing to help identify the at-home regiment that is ideal for your skin needs.
What Else Is Involved?
The second stage of your treatment will be a Plexr Shower facial treatment, which is used to clean up any aesthetic concerns you have. This can treat wrinkles, fine lines, acne, brown spots, skin laxity, and even some specific skin conditions. Sometimes, an LED red light treatment is also used to kickstart the rejuvenating process for your skin. During your second visit, we review the results of your GI Effects test, discuss a diet program, and begin treatment for your GI health.
During your third visit, you will have already made progress in the health of your gut and the appearance of your skin. This final visit will involve reviewing your ongoing needs so you can continue to balance your gut and skin health. With the rest results from your GI Mapping and diet coaching, as well as your skincare regimen, you should see significant improvements in your skin condition by your third appointment.
How Soon Will You See Results?
Our Skin Clarification program is a 12-week course that will help you reset the balance of your gut and skin health. That said, how quickly you will see results depends on how well you respond to your skincare regimen and how closely you follow your dietary recommendations. It also takes some time for the changes of this program to be visible. Some people may need four to eight weeks to see any significant results from the skincare regimen, for example.
For a facial treatment with Plexr, you should be able to see results after about three weeks of your first treatment. With continued treatments, your results will continue to improve. Some patients like to schedule treatments about six weeks apart to achieve optimal results for moderate to severe aesthetic concerns.
How Long Will Results Last?
This treatment is intended to help you balance your gut health for the long term so you can control or prevent skin condition flare-ups. Naturally, the results of your Skin Clarification program will last for as long as you keep up with your diet and skin care regimen.
For the results of your facial with Plexr, your results will also last for a long time – sometimes as long as three years or more with good skincare maintenance. By sticking with your recommended skin care regimen, you will be able to enjoy long-lasting results from every portion of your 12-week program.
Who Are Good Candidates for Treatment?
Eczema is common in children, but many people experience this skin condition throughout life. For GI mapping treatment, patients should be adults who have a history of atopic dermatitis and who have not had success with other treatment options, including topical ointments and oral medications. In fact, this treatment is a good option for any patient who would like to be proactive about their skin health and prevent future flare-ups.
Prioritize Your Gut Health for Healthier Skin
Your immune system is the first line of defense for your ongoing health, but there are times when the internal balance in your body makes your immune system more sensitive. Some conditions, such as eczema, are thought to be caused by an overactive immune system that reacts too strongly to mild allergens and irritants. One way to prevent flare-ups is with proactive action about your gut health.
The key to a healthy gut is to manage the bacteria that makes up over half of your immune system. By utilizing the highly precise analysis of GI Mapping, skin typing, and specific aesthetic treatments, you can help your immune system find a balance that will allow your skin to be healthy and flare-up free for the long term. Contact us at Timeless Wellness Clinic in Pleasanton, CA to schedule your first appointment and learn more about our Skin Clarification program today.
