Tune In: How An Integrative Dermatologist Wants You To Care For Your Skin

The skin is a complex and complicated organ. So helping people get to know their skin—what it reacts to, how daily choices affect its appearance, and how other parts of the body influence it—is no small feat. 

But that's what board-certified integrative dermatologist Apple Bodemer, M.D., tries to do with her practice.

"Sometimes people want the most aggressive drug that can clear up [their skin condition] in three days. But other times people really want advice about the lifestyle choices that can impact their chronic condition," she says. "Looking at the skin as separate from every other organ is one of the biggest mistakes from a medical standpoint. The skin is a reflection of what's going on inside. Compartmentalizing doesn't help patients." 

By now the concept of the gut-skin axis1 has hit the mainstream and is no longer a niche wellness concept. Dermatologists, physicians, beauty editors, and consumers alike have a general knowledge that the health of the gut is deeply entwined with the appearance of the skin.    

The research surrounding the diet and skin connection is still evolving and growing. But the core pillars of nutrition are usually those that are time-tested. 

"Eat as many plants as you can fit into your diet," she says. "Try to reduce foods that cause inflammation. And focusing on fiber. I think fiber is one of the unsung heroes of nutrition." 

Folks should also focus on growing their microflora diversity, although much more research is needed to understand how best to do that. "Unfortunately, at this point we don't have great ways of identifying the ways in which someone's gut microflora is altered and how to fix it because so much of our gut microflora is established at birth," she says. "But diet is one of the biggest influences, including diets high in fermented foods."

She pointed to a recent study showing that consuming fermented foods had a hugely beneficial impact on gut microbiome diversity. "Other cultures have been doing this for ages, but we don't really eat a lot of fermented foods," she says. "And when we do it's usually not fermented in a natural way that would have the probiotics that we really need."

When we got on the subject of clean products, her take was refreshingly flexible. "We don't have to be quite so rigid with everything that kind of goes on or in," she says.

While it's important to think critically about how you care for yourself, it doesn't need to be perfect. Ultimately, that's just unrealistic. 

"For the most part, people understand that what we put into our body has an impact on how we feel. But what we put on our skin matters too, as some of it can get absorbed," she says. "I'm not crazy, and I don't think everyone has to use only five ingredients. But you do want to minimize the toxic load you're putting on your body."

And as long as we're healthy in other ways, our bodies are usually well-equipped to handle much of what our skin is exposed to.

"We all make choices: When we're taking care of our health and well-being in other ways, we can tolerate some toxicity. So if someone is eating a lot of fruits and vegetables and supporting their body's natural detoxification systems, then we can pick and choose with a little more flexibility," she says.

And for Bodemer, living a cleaner lifestyle isn't all or nothing. "For example, for me it's waterproof mascara. I've tried so many mascaras, but they all leave that shadow under my eyes. The one I'm using isn't the cleanest, but it stays put. Although, the makeup remover that I use is a plant-based oil," she says. 

But the one product Bodemer is adamant about? Sunscreen.

"If you're going to invest in any skin care product, invest in a really good sunscreen that feels good on your skin and that you're going to use," she says. "People will throw all kinds of anti-aging products on their skin, but if they're not wearing sunscreen, or wearing a hat and sunglasses when outdoors, then you're fighting an uphill battle." 

Mental health has a profound impact on our skin. Stress and the stress hormone cortisol wreak havoc on the skin in many ways. They damage collagen, break down the skin barrier, and can lead to breakouts. 

But it can be challenging to discuss mental health with folks—so typically where Bodemer starts is sleep.