Why I Ask Every Rosacea Client About Their Gut Health (And Yes… Their Poo)

Could Your Gut Be Making Your Rosacea Worse?

One of my recent rosacea clients looked at me slightly puzzled when, about twenty minutes into his consultation, I asked him a question he definitely wasn't expecting.

"How often do you poop?"

He laughed.

"What does that have to do with my face?"

Honestly, it's a question I get asked a lot.

When people come to see me, they expect me to ask about skincare, maybe medication or what SPF they're using. They're not expecting me to ask how often they go to the toilet!

But in my experience, some of the biggest clues about what's happening on your skin come from what's happening in your gut.

That's one of the biggest differences between the way I work and the experience many of my clients have had before. We don't just focus on the redness or the spots on your face. We take a step back and look at the bigger picture because rosacea is rarely just about the skin itself.

We'll talk about your diet, stress levels, sleep, lifestyle, hormones, exercise and yes... your poo.

It might feel like an unusual place to start, but those conversations often tell me far more than your skincare routine ever could.

What Does Your Gut Health Have to Do With Rosacea?

Rosacea is a complex inflammatory skin condition, and while everyone's triggers are different, research is continuing to explore the relationship between the gut and inflammatory skin conditions.

Your gut does far more than simply digest food. It's home to trillions of bacteria that make up your gut microbiome, and these bacteria play an important role in supporting your immune system, regulating inflammation and helping you absorb nutrients.

When that balance is disrupted, it can affect the body in lots of different ways. For some people, one of those ways is through their skin.

Now, that doesn't mean poor gut health is the cause of everyone's rosacea. Rosacea is influenced by many factors, including genetics, blood vessel function, environmental triggers and the immune system. But in clinic, I often find that digestion is one piece of the puzzle that's been completely overlooked.

It's one of the reasons I don't believe in simply treating what we can see on the surface. If we want long term improvements, we need to understand what might be contributing to the inflammation in the first place.

Why I Ask So Many Questions About Your Digestion

When you come to see me for an initial Consultation, we spend around an hour talking.

Not just about your skin, but about you.

We'll discuss what you eat, when you eat, whether you suffer from bloating, your stress levels, your sleep, medications you've taken, your exercise routine, your daily habits and anything else that might be relevant.

Sometimes clients apologise because they feel like they're talking too much but I always tell them that's exactly what I want!

Every little detail helps me build a picture of what's going on. Two people can have rosacea that looks very similar on the surface, but the factors driving it can be completely different.

The more I understand about you, the more personalised your Skin Plan can be.

Yes… We Need to Talk About Poo 💩

I know it's not the most glamorous conversation, in fact, it usually gets a bit of a laugh. But honestly your bowel habits tell me far more than you might think.

• Are you opening your bowels every day?

• Do you often feel bloated?

• Do you experience constipation or loose stools?

• Do certain foods leave you feeling uncomfortable?

These aren't random questions.

They're all helping me understand how well your digestive system is functioning.

Healthy digestion supports healthy skin. Your gut is responsible for absorbing the nutrients your skin needs, supporting your immune system and helping to regulate inflammation throughout the body.

If your digestion isn't functioning as well as it could be, that doesn't automatically mean it's causing your rosacea. But it's certainly something I want to investigate, because improving gut health may help support healthier, calmer skin alongside the other recommendations we make.

So yes... if you come to see me, there's a very good chance we'll end up talking about your poo before we talk about your cleanser.

What Happened When We Looked Beyond Marc's Skin?

Marc came to see me after trying what felt like everything.

He'd been prescribed various medications by his GP, experimented with different skincare products and spent plenty of time researching solutions himself, but nothing had given him the improvement he was hoping for.

By the time he booked his initial Consultation, he was feeling frustrated and unsure where to turn next.

During our appointment, we looked at far more than just the rosacea on his face.

We talked about his diet, stress levels, work, exercise routine, sleep, skincare, digestion and bowel habits. We explored what he'd tried before, what had helped, what hadn't and what I felt might be contributing to his inflammation.

A few things immediately stood out to me and gave us plenty to work with.

After the consultation, I created a personalised Skin Plan for Marc, including dietary and lifestyle recommendations, a tailored skincare routine and a course of Dermalux LED Phototherapy.

Just four weeks later, the improvement in his skin was incredible!

Was there one magic product responsible? No.

His results came from addressing multiple factors together and giving his skin the support it needed from both the inside and the outside.

It's a perfect example of why I always look beyond the surface.

Why Treating Rosacea Is About More Than Skincare

Skincare absolutely has its place.

Using products that support your skin barrier, calm inflammation and protect your skin from further irritation is incredibly important, but in my experience, it's rarely the whole answer.

If we ignore everything else that's happening in your body, we're often only managing the symptoms rather than asking why they're there in the first place.

For one client, the biggest trigger might be stress. For someone else, it might be certain foods. For another, it could be an impaired skin barrier or an inflammatory response that's being influenced by what's happening in the gut.

Every person is different, which means every treatment plan should be too.

As I always tell my clients, healing your skin is a marathon, not a sprint. Small, consistent changes often lead to the biggest improvements over time.

Looking for Support With Your Rosacea?

If you've been struggling with persistent redness, flushing or rosacea that doesn't seem to improve, it may be time to stop looking at your skin in isolation.

During your Consultation we'll take a deep dive into your skin, your health and your lifestyle to understand what could be contributing to your symptoms. From there, I'll create a personalised Skin Plan designed specifically for you, because no two skins are ever the same.

Whether you're able to visit me in clinic or would prefer a virtual consultation, I'd love to help you better understand your skin and support you on your journey to healthier, calmer skin.

BOOK YOUR ONLINE CONSULTATION