Healthy Skin – barrier or gateway?

I was contacted by ITV last week to provide an opinion on vitamin skin patches which are becoming increasingly popular. In theory they are a great idea. The idea that patches can be worn to allow concentrated vitamins and minerals to be absorbed through the skin is very appealing. They would allow direct absorption directly into the bloodstream and offer an alternative to pills and capsules. However, in reality the evidence base for efficacy is very low, although nutrients with a small molecular weight like Vit D have better transdermal absorption compared to larger molecules like B12 or vitamin K.

The skin is the largest organ in your body and as the interface between the body and the external environment, its integrity is vital for protection and health. It is a protection against cold, heat, injuries, infections and chemicals. Even though vitamin patches are not as effective as we might hope, transdermal application of other fatty acids and trace elements can be absorbed through the skin to bypass the digestive system and enter the bloodstream to reach soft tissue and organs.

 

Iodine

Iodine is a trace element with antiseptic properties that promotes thyroid health and healthy skin.  Iodine can come from iodine-rich soils, seafood, and properly-fed livestock and also through the skin!

People can take up to 13–50mg of iodine every day, as they do with a Japanese diet. In adequate doses, iodine can stop you developing a goitre, as well as support breast health, cognitive function, immune response, or optimal thyroid performance. Daily intake of iodine has also been linked to increased energy, better temperature regulation (warmer hands and feet), hair and skin improvements, better sleep and mental clarity, as well as increased mood stability.

Iodine can be absorbed through the skin and it is easy to do a quick iodine skin test. Lugol’s iodine on the inside of your wrist in the morning. If the stain disappears within a few hours, your body is likely hungry for iodine. If it’s still visible after 14–16 hours, your levels are probably adequate. This is not a scientific test, but it is free and gives you an instant indication of what your body needs.

Be careful to take selenium when taking larger doses of iodine. Selenium  protects the thyroid from oxidative stress during iodine utilisation and is required for converting T4 to active T3. Without adequate selenium, iodine supplementation can actually cause thyroid damage. Brazil nuts (2–3 daily provides roughly 200mcg or selenium), and seafood and organ meats also provide selenium. Magnesium and Vitamin C are also important to take with iodine.

 

Castor Oil

Castor oil is a unique fatty acid with a molecular structure that allows it to penetrate to deeper dermal and subcutaneous layers of the skin. The active compound in castor oil is ricinoleic acid – nearly 90% of the oil is ricinoleic acid. It has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, as well as a potential immunomodulatory effect in the body. Castor oil acts as a penetration enhancer in pharmaceutical formulations, helping other active compounds cross the stratum corneum more efficiently.[1] One clinical trial found topical castor oil comparable to diclofenac for knee osteoarthritis![2]

Castor oil can also have beneficial effect on skin health and the transdermal pharmacokinetics of ricinoleic acid suggests that applying castor oil to your skin could have beneficial effects on your liver. Applying a castor oil pack to the abdomen can aid relaxation through parasympathetic nervous system activation. By  supporting circulation and encouraging detox pathways, it uses the skin as a route for bioactive compounds.

How to apply a castor oil pack? Make sure to use cold-pressed, hexane-free castor oil (the highest quality you can find!). Soak a piece of organic cotton flannel in the oil and place it over your liver area. You can cover it with an old towel to prevent staining and you can also apply a hot water bottle on top. Relax for 45 minutes. Repeat for 3 consecutive nights, then take a 4-day break. The process of covering the pack with a wrap or heat source is known as occlusion and this is well-known to significantly increase transdermal penetration by hydrating and swelling the stratum corneum.

 

DMSO

DMSO can be applied topically and is a powerful solvent that has a unique combination of deep penetration and anti-inflammatory properties. It quick passes through the skin into the bloodstream so the skin must be absolutely free of all chemicals or contaminants. The therapeutic properties of DMSO include improved circulation, reduced inflammation and protection of cells with beneficial results for the peripheral nervous system, chronic pain conditions and neurological conditions.

DMSO has been successfully used to treat chronic pain and musculoskeletal injuries including arthritis, headaches, neck and back strains and restless leg syndrome. DMSO relaxes skeletal muscle and reduces inflammation. In particular, DMSO has been used to treat complex regional pain syndrome, especially Interstitial Cystitis or bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) where the mechanism of DMSO is the scavenging of free radicals that cause tissue damage.

I wrote about DMSO, which is a  naturally occurring sulfur compound called dimethyl sulfoxide, in my blog on the healing properties of trees https://emmamaitland-carew.co.uk/trees/

Other less beneficial substances are often applied to the skin and can affect the deeper layers or soft tissue and even contribute to the toxic load on inner organs. In fact, some of the things we put on our skin can carry many hidden harms, most notably tattoos and skin care products.

 

Tattoos

Tattoos are becoming more and more popular. But the ink that gets into the skin and thus into the body through the tattoos can have serious effects and even an increased risk of cancer when it comes into contact with lymphatic fluid or builds up in the lymph nodes.

Pigments used in tattoos include copper phthalocyanines which are the most prevalent blue and green colorants.[3] Copper is a synthetic industrial dye developed from petroleum. It is not a naturally occurring substance but was originally designed for paints and plastics. Before widespread use in the tattooing world there were no human studies on the effect of its degradation over time or long‑term exposure.

A study published in 2024 found that tattooed people had a 21% higher risk of overall malignant lymphoma  and that the association was strongest for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma.[4]

 

Skin care products

We all know how diet and lifestyle affect the skin health. Dehydration can be seen in dry, flaky skin and dysfunction of the gut-brain-skin axis can be seen in acne vulgaris and acne rosacea. Allergies and autoimmune conditions can be seen skin conditions such as psoriasis and the skin can give vital information about health and deficiencies. The skin can be one of the indicators of a persistent toxic burden or chronic inflammation, which ultimately leads to immune dysfunction and increased risk of disease.

 

One of the ways to reduce toxic burden is to be careful with what you put on your skin. Many of the chemicals in skincare products can affect skin health and have a massive impact on overall health. Many chemicals and compounds have been found to be carcinogenic and hormone disruptors have been known to change oestrogen and testosterone levels in the body, reduce fertility and contribute to thyroid issues. Toxins from skincare products and other products such as perfumes and deodorants can build up in fatty tissue to become toxic and creates allergic reactions.

You can read more about this in my detoxification blog on skincare here: https://emmamaitland-carew.co.uk/how-to-detox-skin-and-clothes/ It is important to support your body when detoxing so you can increase your intake of chlorella or chlorophyll or use activated charcoal, along with support for kidneys and liver with dandelion root, nettles seed or burdock seed or milk thistle.

 

The Good News

The good news is that skin cells are continuously being replaced and positive changes in our diet and lifestyle can positivity affect skin health.

I find that sweating is helpful for excreting toxins! Aim to increase the times you sweat through exercise or sauna sessions to increase the removal of toxins from the body.

I have also found that taking collagen powder really helps. I am menopausal and make sure to take bioactive or pre-digested collagen. Bone broth is another good source of collagen and if you like to make your own, you might like to add chicken feet as it will increase the collagen immensely!

You can buy bone broth and collagen powder from The Natural Dispensary and I have a special code for my readers which will give you a discount for the items mentioned in my blog.

 

With every blessing,

Emma

 

Emma Maitland-Carew – Registered Nutritional Therapist

Dip.ION, mBANT, CHNC Registered Practitioner, ILM Accredited Wellbeing Coach

Certified Live and Dried Blood Analysis, Metabolic Balance® Coach, HeartMath Coach, Accredited Wellbeing Coach

 

 

[1] Natalia SchaferRadosław Balwierz*Paweł BiernatWioletta Ochędzan-SiodłakJacek Lipok, ‘Natural Ingredients of Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems as Permeation Enhancers of Active Substances through the Stratum Corneum’ Molecular Pharmaceutics. Vol 20/Issue 7. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00126 

[2] Nisbett KE, Vendruscolo LF, Koob GF. Indulging Curiosity: Preliminary Evidence of an Anxiolytic-like Effect of Castor Oil and Ricinoleic Acid. Nutrients. 2024; 16(10):1527. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/10/1527

[3] Moseman K, Noble S, Sanders S, Guo H, Swierk JR. Analysis of blue and green REACH compliant tattoo inks. Analyst. 2024 Oct 21;149(21):5329-5335. Moseman K, Noble S, Sanders S, Guo H, Swierk JR. Analysis of blue and green REACH compliant tattoo inks. Analyst. 2024 Oct 21;149(21):5329-5335. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11493502

[4] Nielsen C, Jerkeman M, Jöud A Tattoos as a risk factor for malignant lymphoma: a population-based case–control study, eClinicalMedicine, 2024;  72, https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(24)00228-1/fulltext

[5]  Quisel A, Gill JM, Witherell P. Complex regional pain syndrome: which treatments show promise? J Fam Pract. 2005 Jul;54(7):599-603. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16009087/