Doctor and “Clean Beauty” Expert, Dr. Liia explains, Gluten—A Likely Suspect at the Root of Your Skin Allergies

Even though our skin and its components—hair, nails, sweat glands, and oil glands—are the largest organ of the body, people rarely understand how complicated the issues related to their skin can be. Likewise, many people don’t connect what they eat and the symptoms they see and feel on their skin.

Once you discover the source of your skin problems, you can better control them. And if the culprit is gluten, the answer is as easy as changing your diet and skincare products.

Watching what you eat and following a “clean” diet is one way of controlling pesky skin problems. Using quality “clean” skincare products is another. “However, one truth that has become apparent is that many people don’t understand precisely what is and is not truly “clean”,” explains Dr. Liia Ramachandra.

Dr. Liia is a doctor and founder of a beauty company called Epilynx. Their mission is to offer skincare and makeup products to those who suffer from a variety of underlying health issues or skin allergies. She says the true definition of “clean beauty” is also medical. Eliminating allergens like gluten from skincare is all some people need to truly feel their best and here’s why. 

For foods, the true definition of “clean” means free of the most common allergens such as nuts, gluten, shellfish, dairy, parabens, and phthalates. These universal problem foods create a detrimental chemical reaction in some people that causes severe medical issues affecting the skin such as rashes, peeling, cracking, tightness, itching, and more. For these reasons, adopting a truly clean diet can help heal your body from the inside out.

According to Dr. Liia, many who are diagnosed with certain autoimmune diseases that affect the skin such as Celiacs, Hashimoto’s disease, Eczema, Rosacea, and Psoriasis frequently find a connection between a food allergy and their symptoms. And often the problem stems from gluten sensitivity.

Using “clean” skincare products is equally as important as eating a diet free of notorious allergens. “Many people don’t understand that gluten can invade the body through the skin in makeup and other skincare products such as soaps and lotions,” explains Dr. Liia. For people with gluten sensitivity, just cutting gluten out of your diet is not enough. You must be sure to cut gluten from all products that come into contact with your skin. 

What’s frustrating about the skincare market is confusing language such as “allergen-friendly” and “made for sensitive skin.” For most people with gluten sensitivity, these claims are misleading. And the struggle intensifies when you try a new product for your sensitive skin and it either doesn’t help or makes your problem worse. 

Therefore, for those looking for the best advice possible concerning a diet and skincare products that keep nasty skin flares at bay, there’s no perfect solution that works for everyone. Dr. Liia explains that you must also do your research, pick up on clues your body gives you, and eliminate obvious culprits to experience true healing. And, unfortunately, this is not a short-term diet or skincare regime—it’s a lifestyle. By eliminating and then adding different foods and skincare products, you can eventually discover the truth behind your skin issues.

Discovering you have a complicated skincare issue is a devastating and physically painful experience. Dr. Liia herself suffered from Psoriasis and other skin conditions. This is why she decided to dive deeper and “clean up” what she was putting on her skin as well. “Too often, people fail to understand how their diets and skincare product choices affect their overall health,” says Dr. Liia. However, many people can take control of their skin issues by adopting a gluten-free way of life. “For many people, this lifestyle choice can make all the difference.”

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