Why Your Skin Is Begging You to Heal Your Gut First

Mark Hyman

May 26, 2025

Episode description

Skin issues like acne, eczema, and rosacea are deeply connected to internal imbalances, especially those originating in the gut. It is important to explore diet—particularly sugar, refined carbs, and dairy—because it can drive inflammation, insulin resistance, and hormonal disruption, all of which contribute to poor skin health. Topical treatments and antibiotics may provide short-term relief, but they often disrupt the skin and gut microbiome, worsening conditions over time. A Functional Medicine approach focuses on restoring gut balance, identifying food sensitivities, and supporting detoxification pathways with nutrient-dense foods, supplements, and lifestyle practices. Addressing the root causes not only improves skin but also promotes systemic healing and resilience.

In this episode, I speak with three of our doctors at The UltraWellness Center—Dr. Elizabeth Boham, Dr. Cindy Geyer, and Dr. Todd LePine—about why, when it comes to skin care, we need to look inside the body first.

Dr. Elizabeth Boham is Board Certified in Family Medicine from Albany Medical School, and she is an Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner and the Medical Director of The UltraWellness Center. Dr. Boham lectures on a variety of topics, including Women’s Health and Breast Cancer Prevention, insulin resistance, heart health, weight control and allergies. She is on the faculty for the Institute for Functional Medicine.

Dr. Cindy Geyer received her bachelor of science and her doctor of medicine degrees, with honors, from the Ohio State University. She completed residency in internal medicine at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, N.Y. and is triple board certified in internal medicine, integrative medicine and lifestyle medicine.

Dr. Todd LePine graduated from Dartmouth Medical School and is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, specializing in Integrative Functional Medicine. He is an Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner. Prior to joining The UltraWellness Center, he worked as a physician at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, MA, for 10 years. Dr. LePine’s focus at The UltraWellness Center is to help his patients achieve optimal health and vitality by restoring the natural balance to both the mind and the body. His areas of interest include optimal aging, bio-detoxification, functional gastrointestinal health, systemic inflammation, autoimmune disorders, and the neurobiology of mood and cognitive disorders. Dr. LePine enjoys skiing, kayaking, hiking, camping, and golfing in the beautiful Berkshires, and is a fitness enthusiast.

This episode is brought to you by BIOptimizers.

Head to bioptimizers.com/hyman and use code HYMAN10 to save 10%.

Full-length episodes can be found here:

Treating Acne From The Inside Out

Episode description

This episode is brought to you by BIOptimizers.

Head to bioptimizers.com/hyman and use code HYMAN10 to save 10%.

Full-length episodes can be found here:

Treating Acne From The Inside Out

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Reduce insulin spikes to prevent follicular hyperkeratosis and acne

High-sugar and high-starch foods cause insulin spikes that lead to follicular hyperkeratosis, where skin cells get stuck and inflamed, producing acne.

#insulin

#skin

Limit dairy intake to reduce acne risk from hormones

Milk naturally contains around 60 different hormones that act as growth factors, which can stimulate acne in sensitive individuals.

#dairy

#hormones

Minimize exposure to endocrine disruptors to protect hormones

Unlike traditional toxicology, endocrine-disrupting chemicals like phthalates and parabens can cause significant hormonal damage even in tiny amounts over time.

#hormones

#toxin

Utilize borage oil to reduce rosacea inflammation

Borage oil, a source of the powerful anti-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acid GLA, can be very helpful for dampening the inflammatory response in patients with rosacea.

#omega-6

#supplement

Harness sun exposure to boost endorphin production

The body produces its own endorphins in response to sun exposure, which is a built-in reward mechanism that can even lead to 'sunshine addiction.'.

#addiction

#sunlight

Utilize gastrin blood test to predict heartburn medication withdrawal

A gastrin blood test can measure how high your stomach acid has rebounded, predicting how difficult it will be to get off acid-blocking medications like PPIs.

#blood-test

#heartburn

Recognize rosacea as a potential indicator of Alzheimer's risk

A research paper suggests that having rosacea is correlated with a higher incidence of Alzheimer's disease, indicating it's a systemic issue, not just cosmetic.

#Alzheimer's

#skin

Address internal issues to resolve skin conditions

The majority of skin conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis originate from internal issues, not external factors that can be treated with topical creams.

#skin

Avoid topical antibiotics to protect skin microbiome

While helpful in the short term, topical antibiotics for acne can damage the skin's microbiome, creating an imbalance that makes you more prone to future breakouts.