Review: 'The Beauty of Dirty Skin'

Probiotics help skin stay supple, strong

While some dermatologists and beauty industry marketers claim skin conditions can be treated at the surface, it turns out healing actually starts from within, according to The Beauty of Dirty Skin: The Surprising Science of Looking and Feeling Radiant from the Inside Out by Dr. Whitney Bowe.

The dermatologist and entrepreneur uses scientific research and evidence to show that getting healthy, radiant skin is an inside job, since many conditions are rooted in the gut.

Bowe shares her expertise on the gut-brain-skin relationship in her book. She encourages readers to essentially take care of the good bugs (microbial organisms, mostly bacteria) on and in their bodies so they can do their job to take care of us.

The root of skin conditions—including acne, rosacea, psoriasis, eczema, premature aging, and discoloration, to name a few—is more than skin deep. There are more than 1 trillion bacteria in human skin alone, coming from about 1,000 different species, Bowe explains. All of them are “part of the skin’s health and behavior and, in some cases, provide vital functions for the skin that the human body cannot perform all on its own. If the skin’s ecosystem is off balance, you can experience any number of skin conditions.”

After diving into the scientific research on the microbiome that forms at birth, Bowe explains how this gut-brain-skin axis works. For example, she says that prolonged stress stagnates digestion in the intestine, which then leads to an overgrowth of bacteria that compromises the intestinal barrier. A typical Western diet that is heavy in processed foods and low in fiber only worsens the situation, and the inflammation is reflected on the skin. Any systemic inflammation can manifest itself in skin conditions, she explains. If you think about it, the skin can be a red flag that tells you something is off inside.

Bowe doesn’t only offer scientific information in this book. She also provides a practical, three-week program that readers can use to improve their own skin health and, in turn, their health overall.

Because the program implements better nutrition, consistent physical exercise, better sleep, stress relief practices, and supplement use, the benefit of healing the skin (and gut) goes well beyond just a glowing complexion, or the “Bowe Glow,” as Bowe refers to it. Some of the benefits for making the noted lifestyle changes include increased energy, weight loss, better sleep, reduced stress, heightened mental clarity, stronger immune system, reduced autoimmunity, and decreased metabolic challenges.

Bowe also explains which skincare products are most helpful and a few that can be thrown in the trash. She shares the effects that long-term use of oral and topical antibiotics has on the gut-brain-skin axis and why our culture’s obsession with cleanliness (think antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers) strips our skin of good bacteria. Bowe explains why probiotics are the new, better antibiotics and recommends eating foods high in probiotics and prebiotics and taking supplements as needed.

All in all, the book shares some fascinating information from the world of dermatology and how our skin reflects our overall health. While the book is not written from a biblical perspective, it still demonstrates how intentional and caring our Creator is with the human body.

We are called to be good stewards, and that includes being good stewards of the good bugs that live in and on us.