What Your Skin Says About Overall Health.
The largest organ in the body, your skin works hard to protect the rest of you from environmental toxins and unwanted pathogens. In fact, your body sheds approximately one-third of its impurities through the skin.
When the liver is on overload, toxins find their way through your skin and radically affect its clarity and elasticity. Wrinkles, blotchy patches, and blemishes appear. Your complexion may start to look sallow, grayish, or discolored—fairly quickly.
New cells are created at the lowest, or basal, layer of skin and gradually force their way up to the next layer, known as the granular layer. Within four weeks of their creation, new cells appear on the outer layer of skin, called keratin.
In this process, keratin is shed, taking some toxins and other waste materials with it. But when excess toxins clog your natural detoxification pathways, it begins to show—and far more than the outer layer of skin is impacted.
Dr. Ann Louise’s Take:
Fat Flushers are continually commenting on how much better their skin looks after detox. That’s one reason I’ve devoted much of my career to finding safe, effective ways to cleanse the body from the inside out.
I’m a firm believer that the barrage of beauty problems plaguing many of us—like acne or blotchy skin—are actually secondary symptoms of vitamin, mineral, and other nutritional imbalances.
Of course, you still need sunscreen with both UVA and UVB protection. And regular cleansing, toning, and moisturizing with natural skin care products are key. But with so many topical products on the market and an ever-expanding array of facial treatments, it’s all too easy to accept the notion that beauty is only skin deep.
As a nutritionist, I’ve learned numerous warning signs that the face can reveal. Here are some you need to recognize—along with the nutritional support your skin (and the rest of your body)—may be screaming for.
Supplements for Specific Skin Conditions.
- Acne: Vitamins A (up to 10,000 IUs if pregnant; up to 25,000 IUs otherwise) and B6 (50 mg/day as part of complete B-complex), essential fatty acids (EFAs) like GLA-90, Probiotics 12 Plus (particularly if you’ve been taking antibiotics), zinc (50 mg/day).
- Blackheads: Vitamins A (up to 10,000 IUs if pregnant; up to 25,000 IUs otherwise) and B6 (50 mg/day as part of complete B-complex).
- Broken capillaries: Try a copper-free diet (Female Multiple is a unique copper-free multivitamin-mineral formula); antioxidant vitamin C (3,000 mg/day) and super-antioxidants (Pycnogenol and grapeseed extract).
- Brown spots (liver spots): Antioxidant vitamins A (up to 10,000 IUs if pregnant; up to 25,000 IUs otherwise) and E (start with 400 IUs/day), selenium (100 to 200 mcg) and super-antioxidants; glutathione; detox.
- Cracks around the mouth: B-Complex Forte, especially B2.
- Crow’s feet: Antioxidants, particularly lutein.
- Dark circles under the eyes: Detox and an allergy-free diet; check for parasites.
- Dry skin: Antioxidant vitamins A (up to 10,000 IUs if pregnant; up to 25,000 IUs otherwise) and E (start with 400 IUs/day), EFAs like flaxseed and GLA-90.
- Dull skin tone: Detox.
- Eczema: Try a dairy or wheat-free diet; vitamins A (up to 10,000 IUs if pregnant; up to 25,000 IUs otherwise), B-Complex Forte, C (3,000 mg/day); EFAs (flaxseed and chia); Probiotics 12 Plus.
- Facial hair: Progesterone.
- Hives: Often caused by antibiotics plus food and other allergies (especially to synthetic ingredients in skin care products); EFAs (flaxseed and GLA-90).
- Itchy skin: May need more acid for the skin’s natural acid mantle; EFAs (flaxseed and GLA-90).
- Large pores: Vitamins A (up to 10,000 IUs if pregnant; up to 25,000 IUs otherwise) and B-Complex Forte.
- Loss of skin elasticity: Pantothenic acid (500 mg); grape seed extract; amino acid proline.
- Loss of skin pigmentation: B vitamins, particularly PABA, folic acid (400 to 800 mcg/day), and B12 (50 mcg/day).
- Melasma (mask of pregnancy): Progesterone; zinc (50 mg/day); copper-free diet.
- Oily skin: B-Complex Forte, especially B6.
- Pale skin: Common in anemia; take iron (at least 15 mg/day) or folic acid (400 to 800 mcg/day) and B12 (50 mcg/day).
- Pimples: Chromium (400 mcg); sugar-free diet.
- Seborrheic dermatitis (flaky skin with yellowish-white scales in skin folds and on ears and scalp, called cradle cap in babies): B-Complex Forte, particularly B6 and biotin; EFAs; zinc (50 mg/day).
- Scars: Vitamin E (start with 400 IUs/day) and sulfur (500 mg/day).
- Wrinkles: Protein and vitamin A (up to 10,000 IUs if pregnant; up to 25,000 IUs otherwise).
Special Note:
Certain skin conditions—including chronic itchiness, eczema, facial hair (prior to perimenopause), hives, pigment disorders, and seborrheic dermatitis—may require medical attention. In addition, contact a dermatologist if you have moles or other marks that change shape, grow larger, or darken. And anyone who’s pregnant needs to discuss the best nutritional support with an integrative physician.
Sources:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19840300
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18761778
Visionary, health guru, diet/detox expert, author, spokesperson, role model, and natural foods icon, Ann Louise Gittleman has always been a trendsetter. 
what about puffy under eyes? ugh, and please help.
i’ve heard that puffy eyes have to do with the kidneys.
Puffy eyes can also be allergies and/or poor sinus drainage, I think.
I see you recommend a copper-free diet for some skin conditions, but also recommend zinc, which I know is essential for healthy skin. Info from alternative medicine doctors I have read say one must supplement every 15 mg. of zinc taken with 1 mg. of copper.
What is accurate here for good health?
Puffy eyes can also occur from too much sodium and or alcohol in your diet.
what causes droopy eyelids? (the skin getting loose and thin)? They got worse after menopause. I started losing fat also. Thank you.
I’d like to know what natural skin care product does Ann use? There’s so much out there – not sure what’s good or not. I’m sure many others would like to know as well. Thank you!
Puffy under eyes “eyebags”, I understand is linked to eating to much salt, since the salt will tie fluid to that area. Also try to drink green tea instead of a lot of coffee, put thin slices of cold cucumber on the eye area as an eye mask, and last but not least exercise the muscles around the eyes.
I did the fat flush plan a number of years ago, lost 20lbs and 2 dress sizes. I had friends telling me how great my skin looked, I felt good and my allergies did not bother me so much.
Lose the salt, sugar, wheat, dairy processed foods and the puffiness goes away.
can you reblance the liver?Without doing a detox. Dorothy
Dorothy-Doing one of Ann louise’s Detox programs is one component of getting your liver back on track. Another component is making sure your liver is getting all the nutrients it needs to function in top shape. Uni Key Health Systems sells the Weight Loss Formula, which is full of liver supporting herbs, and the Liver Lovin’ Formula just for this purpose. If you are unable to do a detox, it would still be helpful to take one or both of these supplements.
What is the difference between acne, pimples and/or blackhead?
My response to Fatima’s ques. about droopy eyelids. I just went to the Opthamologist and he said as we age our vitrious fluid (in the eyeball) shrinks and our eyeballs actually shrink. He said that is why I was noticing droopy eyelids. It is a natural aging process.
Thank you Sandy I appreciate your response. You know I was also reading also that sometimes thyroid or gland imbalances might cause this too. My eyes are also puffy i actually crave for salty foods. Thanks again.
I was also thinking of doing the tissue mineral test but since I live overseas in Jordan I have to wait till I visit the States. Thank you Sandy.
annalouise
how would you heal a 10yr old,that has leakie gut,an food allergys,what do thank of a broth diet.Dorothy
Hi Dorothy, Dr. Ann Louise recommends L-Glutamine for leaky gut- for a 10 y.o., you would want to give half the adult dosage-about 1500 mg. between meals three times daily.