BEYOND SKIN DEEP

Experts weigh in on why gut health points to skin health.

- BY KRITI SHUKLA

A weekend of indulgence shows itself—not only in how you feel, but in what appears on your skin. After a night of greasy takeout followed by a glossy slice of cake, I would wake to a faint line of blemishes along my chin. At first, I blamed hormones. But the timing was too precise. Meals heavy with oil, sugar, or spice were always followed by the same reaction. My gut was sending a message through my skin.

Dr Deepali Bhardwaj, dermatologist and founder, Elska Skin & Aesthetics, sees this often. “Spicy, oily, salty food—and sometimes milk—can lead to more acne,” she says. “Psoriasis can also have dietary triggers, and people allergic to gluten may develop dermatitis.”

This is the gut-skin axis in action—the link between the body’s most visible organ and one of its most complex systems.

MAKING OF AN ECOSYSTEM

We often treat skin as just a surface to repair, something you put products on, forgetting it’s a complex organ that regulates temperature, supports the immune system, and acts as our frontline barrier against the outside world. But the skin doesn’t work alone—it’s deeply connected to our gut. “About 70 percent of our immune system resides in the gut. It directly impacts your skin and hair,” says Dimple Jangda, author of Heal Your Gut, Mind Your Emotions.