Chronic skin conditions can feel overwhelming, with flare-ups that seem to come out of nowhere and treatments that don’t always deliver the promised results. The truth is, there’s no magic cure—but there is a path to healing that considers both the skin’s surface as well as your system as a whole being - physically, energetically, and emotionally.
Why Healing Chronic Skin Conditions Requires More than Skin-Deep Solutions
When dealing with chronic skin conditions like acne, eczema, or psoriasis, it’s easy to get caught up in the latest skincare trend promising instant relief—whether it’s tallow, the next “miracle” serum, or a particular exfoliating toner. But for many, these solutions only scratch the surface and sometimes even make it worse.
True, lasting healing requires a shift in perspective: recognizing that the skin isn’t just a barrier but a reflection of the internal body’s balance—or imbalance. Chronic skin issues often signal that something deeper is at play, whether it’s inflammation, a stressed gut, hormonal shifts, or skin deficiencies like low linoleic acid. This means that while topical treatments are important for soothing symptoms and supporting the skin barrier, they’re just one part of the healing puzzle.
In this series, we’ll take a holistic approach, looking at the patterns beneath chronic skin conditions and how internal and external factors intertwine to create long-term results. From the foods we eat and the herbs we incorporate to the products we apply, healing the skin involves supporting the body as a whole.
But it also requires seeing each individual as a unique, whole person and not just a collection of parts. It requires us to view a chronic skin condition like acne or rosacea and its symptoms as a brilliant language in which the body is trying to communicate, not just something to be fixed.
Let’s begin by understanding why chronic skin conditions require more than just a new product—and what steps you can take to address the root causes of imbalance.
Systemic Factors: When the Skin Reflects the Body's Inner Balance
Our skin is an organ of elimination, working alongside the digestive system, liver, lungs, and kidneys to help the body filter and remove metabolic waste, toxins, and other byproducts. Ideally, these systems work in harmony, each playing its role efficiently. But when one or more of these systems becomes overwhelmed or imbalanced, the body often turns to the skin as a backup channel for elimination. This can manifest as inflammation, breakouts, or chronic skin conditions.
Take gut health, for example. The gut is home to trillions of microorganisms that help digest food, regulate the immune system, and influence inflammation. When this delicate balance is disrupted—whether through blood sugar dysregulation, food intolerance, stress, or antibiotic overuse—it can lead to “leaky gut” or systemic inflammation, both of which are often linked to skin issues like acne, eczema, and rosacea. Similarly, if the liver isn’t efficiently processing and filtering toxins, excess waste can make its way into the bloodstream, burdening the skin.
This is why many chronic skin conditions aren’t just skin deep. The skin acts as a mirror, reflecting the internal landscape of the body’s microbiome and overall health. When systemic imbalances are addressed—whether through improving digestion, reducing inflammation, or managing stress—skin symptoms often improve as well.
However, it’s important to note that the skin isn’t solely dependent on internal factors. It is its own organ with its own unique needs, including a well-functioning lipid barrier to protect against external damage and maintain hydration. In cases of linoleic acid deficiency, for instance, the issue is primarily topical.
Linoleic acid, a key component of the lipid barrier, is often deficient in the sebum of acne-prone individuals. This deficiency leads to thicker, stickier sebum that clogs pores and triggers inflammation—resulting in what we recognize as true acne.
This is why healing chronic skin conditions requires an individualized approach that addresses both internal and external factors. One-size-fits-all treatments or trendy remedies often fall short because they ignore the complexity of the body’s interconnected systems. By looking at the body and skin holistically, we can uncover the unique combination of imbalance driving chronic skin issues and create a more effective, sustainable healing plan.
Why Individualized Approaches Outperform One-Size-Fits-All Treatments
In a world where the next skincare trend is all over your Instagram feed, it’s tempting to believe that a single product or remedy could work for everyone. But skin is deeply individual—what nourishes one person’s skin may irritate another’s. This is because chronic skin conditions aren’t caused by a single factor; they result from a unique combination of internal imbalances, external triggers, and environmental stressors.
For example, two people with acne may present similar symptoms but have entirely different root causes. One person’s acne might be driven by gut inflammation and systemic inflammation, requiring dietary changes and gut-healing herbs like Burdock or Calendula. Another person’s acne may be due to a topical linoleic acid deficiency, meaning the most effective approach could involve applying oils high in linoleic acid, like grapeseed or hemp seed oil. Treating both of these individuals with the same “acne-fighting” product would ignore the unique imbalances driving their symptoms, leading to temporary or incomplete relief.
Trendy solutions and generalized advice don’t account for:
- Underlying internal imbalances: A product targeting surface symptoms may ignore root causes like gut dysbiosis, stress, or nutrient deficiencies.
- Skin’s changing needs: The skin is dynamic and responds to life changes, seasonal shifts, and environmental stressors. What works today may not work tomorrow without adjustments.
- Bio-individuality: Factors like constitution, genetics, diet, lifestyle, and exposure to environmental toxins make every skin journey unique.
This is why holistic, personalized approaches tend to have a bigger impact. They allow you to identify and treat the underlying contributors and patterns to chronic skin issues, rather than relying on a “one-size-fits-all” formula that may only provide surface-level improvements. Healing becomes a long-term process of listening to your body’s feedback and tailoring solutions based on its evolving needs.
Even in cases where the issue does seem primarily topical—such as a linoleic acid deficiency in acne-prone skin—the most effective treatment plan may include both targeted topical care and internal support. Topicals rich in linoleic acid can help restore the skin’s lipid barrier, but supporting the body’s ability to absorb and utilize healthy fats through diet may enhance results even further.
True healing requires collaboration between internal balance and external support, making individualized care essential for sustainable skin health.
A Sustainable Path to Healing
When it comes to chronic skin conditions, long-term healing isn’t about finding the one perfect product—it’s about creating a personalized approach that considers both internal and external needs. For some, this might mean focusing more on gut health or liver function. For others, it might involve repairing the lipid barrier with nutrient dense oils and pH-balancing hydration. Often, it’s a combination of both.
In the next post, we’ll explore how nourishing the body from the inside out—through diet, herbs, and lifestyle practices—can create a foundation for sustainable skin health. You’ll learn about key foods that support skin healing, the role of herbal allies, and how addressing systemic inflammation can complement your skincare rituals. We'll even look at a few of the common patterns within the gut, liver, lymphatic, endocrine, and even nervous system that we see with chronic skin conditions.
Together, these steps will help you uncover the root causes of your skin condition and craft a plan that nurtures your skin’s long-term health and radiance.