Our high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) test measures the level of C-reactive protein (CRP) in your blood, which is a marker of inflammation. CRP levels increase when there is inflammation or infection in the body, which could be due to a serious injury, skin condition such as psoriasis or rosacea, systemic disease, or pregnancy.

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DISCOVER YOUR LEVEL OF INFLAMMATION FOR:

• Infections
• Chronic inflammation
• Auto-immune issues
• Cardiovascular disease related issues

The gut microbiome and gut barrier influence your gut, skin and brain health.

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When the gut microbiome contains too many harmful bacteria and not enough friendly bacteria, an imbalance can occur.  Gut bacteria can also be potentially harmful when the gut ecosystem undergoes abnormal changes. Such a gut microbiome imbalance (dysbiosis) can result in various health issues.  Exposure to pollution, antibiotics, microplastics and other environmental toxins can also lead to dysbiosis.

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Root causes of gut inflammation include poor diet, chronic stress, food intolerances, and infections and antibiotics. Health consequences can be severe, resulting in autoimmune disorders, skin conditions (eczema and acne), digestive issues, and increased susceptibility to infections.

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GUT MICROBIOME

Our intestines (or gut) are colonized by a diverse collection of about 100 trillion bacteria, fungi and viruses commonly referred to as “microorganisms”. Collectively, they're known as the gut microbiome.  The diversity of these microorganisms living in these colonies is highly dependent on your general health, diet, and lifestyle.

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GUT BARRIER BIOMARKERS

Gut inflammation occurs when the intestinal lining becomes irritated, often leading to a condition known as leaky gut, due to the compromised intestinal barrier. This condition allows toxins and undigested food particles to pass into the bloodstream, often provoking an immune response or leading to skin flare-ups.   There are three key biomarkers – zonulin, secretory Iga, and calprotectin - to assess “leaky gut” and gut inflammation.

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DISCOVER YOUR GUT MICROBIOME AND BIOMARKER PROFILE TO OPTIMIZE:

• Gut microbiome diversity & key ratios of bacterial types
• Commensal gut bacteria & fungi
• Pathogenic gut bacteria & virulence factors of H. Pylori
• Producers of vitamins & short chain fatty acids in gut
• Gut Barrier Biomarkers (“leakiness” and inflammation)

Hormones are signaling molecules that are transported through the body and regulate your body and your behavior. When our hormone levels are not in balance, we often feel the effects. Examples include disrupted sleep, weight changes, body temperature feeling off, mood dysregulation, and more. Hormones can also affect many skin processes, including oil production, collagen production, and moisture levels. When hormone levels fluctuate, they can lead to skin issues like acne, dry skin, and wrinkles.

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FOR EXAMPLE:

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ESTROGEN

Helps produce collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid, which keep skin firm and plump. Estrogen levels decrease with age, which can lead to thinner, drier, less elastic skin, and wrinkles. During menopause, estrogen levels can drop suddenly, which can cause dry or itchy skin, acne, and sagging.

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PROGESTERONE

Stimulates the production of sebum, the skin's natural oil. Progesterone can also cause skin to swell, which can make pores look smaller. However, too much progesterone can lead to oil buildup and acne.

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TESTOSTERONE

Stimulates the sebaceous glands to produce sebum, which can lead to oily skin and acne. Testosterone levels are typically higher during menstruation, and hormonal acne can appear in the T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin) during puberty.

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CORTISOL

Produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress, high cortisol levels can lead to inflammation, which can make skin conditions like acne and eczema worse.

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Hormone dysregulation can happen at any point throughout life. Owing to the importance of our hormone levels and their effects on our skin, we may need to check our levels and so that a medical professional can provide insight into any imbalances and how to restore balance.

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KEY MEASUREMENTS FOR THIS TEST INCLUDE:

• Estrogen, Progesterone and their ratio
• DHEA-S and Testosterone
• Cortisol

Organic acids are products of the body’s metabolic pathways and can affect your overall health and skin through the skin-gut-brain-biome axis. The Organic Acids Test (OAT) provides a comprehensive nutritional and metabolic snapshot about how well your metabolic pathways are functioning.

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SKIN-GUT-BRAIN HEALTH MARKERS

Organic acids provide insight into important areas related to gut health, mitochondrial dysfunction, neurotransmitter status, indicators of detoxification, macronutrient breakdown, and nutritional status.

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NUTRITIONAL STATUS ASSESSMENT

OAT is a valuable tool to assess the functional need for essential nutrients (including vitamins and minerals), diet modification, antioxidant protection, detoxification, and other therapies.  Revealed imbalances may provide guidance around the underlying contributors (genetic or lifestyle/diet) to both symptoms and disease states – with improvement of associated symptoms and overall health when clinically addressed.

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DISCOVER YOUR NUTRITIONAL AND METABOLIC PROFILE TO OPTIMIZE:

• Intestinal Microbial Overgrowth
• Glycolytic Cycle Metabolites & Mitochondrial Markers
• Neurotransmitter Metabolites
• Pyrimidine Metabolites & Ketone and Fatty Acid Oxidation
• Nutritional Markers & Mineral Metabolism
• Detoxification Indicators & Oxalate Metabolites
• Amino Acid Metabolites

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Neurotransmitters and other neurochemicals may play a role in the development and exacerbation of skin conditions:

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STRESS

Stress, anxiety, and depression can trigger or worsen many inflammatory skin conditions, including acne, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, alopecia areata, itch, and erythema. The COVID-19 pandemic provided evidence of this connection, with dermatologists reporting an increase in skin flares during that time.

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NEUROTRANSMITTERS

Some neurotransmitters implicated in mental illness, such as serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), may also play a role in skin conditions like psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. Other neurotransmitters that may be involved in psoriasis include dopamine and norepinephrine.

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NEUROPEPTIDES

Immune-mediating neuropeptides may help treat inflammatory skin diseases like psoriasis. Neuropeptides can activate mast cells, which are immune cells that respond to stress and are often located near sensory nerves and blood vessels in the skin.

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DISCOVER YOUR DIURNAL BIOCHEMISTRY AND POTENTIAL NEUROCHEMICAL IMBALANCE TO OPTIMIZE:

• mood/stress
• sleep
• gut and skin health
• adrenal function

and how they can affect your skin health through the skin-gut-brain axis

Heavy metals are chemical elements that are commonly found in the environment, and people are exposed to them daily. The amounts that people typically inhale, ingest, or touch are usually harmless, however, heavy metals can cause skin issues, including allergic reactions, chronic poisoning, and dermatitis:

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ALLERGIC REACTIONS

When the body encounters a metal it's allergic to, skin cells pick up metal molecules that travel to the lymph nodes. The body then treats the metal as a foreign invader and mounts an immune response, which can cause symptoms like redness, itching, swelling, or a rash. These reactions can range from mild to severe, and each time the skin is exposed to the metal, it will react in the same way. Metals like nickel, chromium, cobalt, copper, and gold are common triggers for eczema and contact dermatitis.

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CHRONIC POISONING

Chronic poisoning from heavy metals like lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium can cause skin and nail symptoms like hardened patches of skin, unusual darkening of the skin, and white bands on the fingernails. Other symptoms of chronic poisoning include weakness, muscle aches, chills, and fever.

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DERMATISIS

Heavy metals like chromium, cobalt, and nickel can be found in cases of dermatitis and eczema, which can cause symptoms like redness, itching, dryness, and starch.

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DISCOVER YOUR EXPOSURE TO HEAVY METALS AND LEVELS OF ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS

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BLOOD PROFILE

mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), selenium (Se) and magnesium (Mg)

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URINE PROFILE

iodine (I), bromine (Br), lithium (Li), arsenic (As), selenium (Se), Cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and creatinine (Crtn)

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WHY BLOOD AND URINE

We obtain more comprehensive information. For example, urinary cadmium is the best measure of accumulated exposure, while blood spot cadmium assesses only recent exposure.

This test looks for the presence of variants in 25 skin-related genes in order to help you better understand your skin and its chances of experiencing certain types of skin issues, as well as to provide helpful insight into what steps you might consider taking to better care for it.

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THE TESTING WILL PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO:

• Oxidative Stress
• Sensitivity & Irritation
• Oiliness & Pimples
• Sun Exposure & Pigmentation
• Elasticity, Fine Lines & Wrinkles

This test looks for the presence of variants in 23 vitamin-related genes in order to help you better understand how your genes relate to your ability to absorb, deliver, convert and metabolize vitamins:

• A
• B6, B12
• C
• D
• E

And what this means for your skin health.