Dr. Brennan Dedecker, ND
Episode Summary
Can diet, supplements, gut health and skincare products actually affect acne and eczema—and how much of what we hear online about “clean” skincare, sunscreen and skin absorption is true?
In this episode of Girls Gone Wellness, Jeanette and Victoria are joined by Dr. Brennan Dedecker, ND, a naturopathic doctor with a clinical focus in skin health, to break down common myths about acne, eczema, nutrition, the gut microbiome, supplements, skincare and sunscreen. The conversation explores why inflammatory skin conditions are rarely explained by one single “root cause” and why individualized care matters when assessing acne, eczema and other skin concerns.
Dr. Dedecker explains the main factors involved in acne, including sebum production, hyperkeratinization, Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes), insulin resistance, blood sugar regulation and androgenic hormones. He discusses the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway and why high-glycemic foods, dairy, whey protein and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) may be relevant for some people with acne. Rather than recommending restrictive diets for everyone, the episode explores a more individualized approach emphasizing whole foods, fibre, plant diversity and adequate nutrient intake.
The conversation also covers nutritional factors in acne. Dr. Dedecker discusses research linking acne with lower vitamin D levels, the potential role of zinc, and why supplements such as whey protein, BCAAs, high-dose biotin and vitamin B12 may worsen breakouts in some people. He also explains why taking high-dose zinc indefinitely is not automatically appropriate, including the potential for excessive zinc intake to contribute to relative copper deficiency.
Jeanette, Victoria and Dr. Dedecker then explore the emerging research on the gut-skin axis and gut microbiome. Topics include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), microbial diversity, fibre, prebiotics and probiotics. Dr. Dedecker emphasizes that microbiome science is still evolving and that acne does not automatically mean someone needs a specific probiotic or expensive stool test.
The discussion then turns to eczema (atopic dermatitis), including genetic predisposition, filaggrin deficiency, skin barrier dysfunction, dietary fats, protein, vitamin D, gut health and food sensitivities. Dr. Dedecker explains why eczema should not automatically be treated as a food-intolerance problem and why highly restrictive elimination diets may not be appropriate for everyone.
A major focus is the skin barrier and acid mantle, including why normal skin is slightly acidic, approximately pH 4.5–5.5, and how alkaline soaps or harsh skincare may aggravate barrier dysfunction. The episode also examines whether testing such as GI-MAP stool testing and food sensitivity testing should be the first step for chronic skin conditions.
Finally, the conversation tackles some of the internet's most persistent skincare myths. Does your skin really absorb 60% of everything you put on it? Is “natural” or “clean” skincare automatically safer? Are preservatives bad? Does everyone need sunscreen? How much sunscreen should you apply? Are mineral sunscreens with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide better than chemical sunscreens? And does getting a “base tan” protect your skin?
Throughout the episode, Dr. Dedecker emphasizes evidence-informed, individualized skin care rather than fear-based ingredient lists, blanket food restrictions or one-size-fits-all supplement protocols.
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What causes acne?
Acne is a multifactorial inflammatory skin condition involving increased oil or sebum production, hyperkeratinization, and Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes), among other factors. Dr. Brennan Dedecker also discusses internal contributors such as insulin resistance, blood sugar regulation and androgenic hormones, which may influence acne differently from person to person.
How can you tell acne from folliculitis, rosacea or perioral dermatitis?
The clinical history and appearance of the skin can help differentiate acne from other conditions that resemble it. Dr. Dedecker notes that acne does not typically itch, whereas itching may point toward conditions such as folliculitis or another type of dermatitis, and the timing and persistence of lesions may also provide clues.
Can diet affect acne?
Yes, the episode discusses evidence suggesting that diet can influence acne in at least some people. In particular, Dr. Dedecker explains how high-glycemic foods, dairy and certain protein supplements may affect pathways involved in sebum production and hyperkeratinization, while emphasizing that this does not mean everyone with acne needs a restrictive diet.
What is the mTOR pathway and how is it related to acne?
The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is discussed in the episode as a biological pathway associated with processes involved in acne, including increased sebum production and hyperkeratinization. Factors such as insulin, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and certain amino acids may stimulate this pathway, which is one reason high-glycemic foods, whey protein and BCAAs come up in acne discussions.
Does dairy cause acne?
Dairy may contribute to acne in some people, but Dr. Dedecker does not recommend automatically eliminating dairy for every person with acne. The episode emphasizes looking at an individual's diet, symptoms and response rather than treating dairy as universally harmful.
Can whey protein or BCAAs worsen acne?
Dr. Dedecker explains that whey protein and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are two supplements he commonly considers temporarily removing or reducing in acne patients. Whey is a dairy derivative and both whey and BCAAs can provide large amounts of amino acids that may stimulate the mTOR pathway, potentially contributing to acne in susceptible individuals.
Can biotin or vitamin B12 cause acne?
High-dose biotin and vitamin B12 may worsen acne in some people, although Dr. Dedecker stresses that the evidence is not as definitive as it is for every acne treatment or trigger. He discusses seeing this clinically, particularly with high-dose B-complex supplements and hair, skin and nail products containing much higher amounts of biotin than would normally be consumed through food.
Is vitamin D deficiency associated with acne?
Dr. Dedecker discusses research showing that people with acne tend, on average, to have lower vitamin D levels and a higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency than healthy controls. Because vitamin D has anti-inflammatory, immune-modulating and skin-barrier functions, he considers vitamin D testing relevant in some acne patients.
Should everyone with acne take zinc?
No. Dr. Dedecker specifically pushes back against the idea that every person with acne should automatically supplement with zinc. Zinc may be useful in certain circumstances, but long-term high-dose zinc can interfere with copper status, so supplementation should take the individual's overall nutritional needs into account.
Is the gut microbiome connected to acne?
Emerging research suggests a relationship between acne and the gut microbiome. Dr. Dedecker discusses findings including a higher incidence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and differences in microbial diversity among people with acne, but he emphasizes that the research is not yet strong enough to prescribe one specific probiotic strain to everyone with acne.
Does eczema mean you have food sensitivities?
No. Dr. Dedecker explains that food may be relevant for certain people with eczema, but eczema is not simply a food-intolerance or food-allergy problem. Atopic dermatitis is multifactorial, and automatically eliminating multiple food groups can unnecessarily restrict someone's diet without addressing other contributors to skin-barrier dysfunction.
What causes the skin-barrier problems seen in eczema?
People with eczema may have a genetic predisposition to impaired skin-barrier function, including changes involving filaggrin. Dr. Dedecker discusses both inside-out factors, such as adequate protein, healthy fats and nutrient status, and outside-in factors, such as soaps, cleansers and skincare products that can disrupt the skin barrier.
Why does skincare pH matter for eczema?
Healthy skin has a slightly acidic outer environment known as the acid mantle, which Dr. Dedecker describes as approximately pH 4.5–5.5. Highly alkaline soaps and cleansers can disrupt this environment, potentially impairing moisture retention, altering the skin microbiome and making already-compromised eczematous skin more vulnerable to irritation or infection.
Do you need a GI-MAP, stool test or food sensitivity test to find the “root cause” of acne or eczema?
Not necessarily. Dr. Dedecker explains that functional testing is not his first step when foundational factors such as diet, nutrient status, skincare, skin-barrier support and conventional blood work have not yet been assessed. More specialized testing may have a role in complex cases, but the episode cautions against jumping immediately to expensive testing simply because it is marketed as “root-cause” medicine.
Does your skin absorb 60% of everything you put on it?
No. The episode strongly challenges the common claim that the skin absorbs 60% or another fixed percentage of everything applied to it. Absorption depends on factors including molecular size, water or lipid solubility, the formulation, the condition of the skin barrier and whether a substance can penetrate the epidermis and reach the dermis; the skin's primary functions include acting as a barrier.
Is natural or “clean” skincare safer than conventional skincare?
Not automatically. Dr. Dedecker explains that “natural” does not necessarily mean safer, more effective or more environmentally friendly. Essential oils, for example, may cause allergic contact dermatitis or photosensitivity, while preservatives can serve an important role in preventing bacterial or fungal contamination of skincare products.
Does everyone need to wear sunscreen?
Dr. Dedecker recommends sunscreen as an important part of routine skin protection because ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation contribute to sun damage and skin cancer risk. He emphasizes using enough product and notes that, for the face, ears, and front and back of the neck, a commonly used guide is approximately two finger lengths of sunscreen.
How often should sunscreen be reapplied?
The episode discusses reapplying sunscreen approximately every two hours when ongoing protection is needed. Dr. Dedecker suggests products such as sunscreen sticks or powdered sunscreens as practical options for reapplication, particularly for people wearing makeup.
Is mineral sunscreen better than chemical sunscreen?
Not necessarily. Dr. Dedecker's main recommendation is to choose a sunscreen that you will actually wear consistently, whether it uses mineral filters such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide or other sunscreen filters. He also explains that the common claim that mineral sunscreens only reflect UV while chemical sunscreens absorb UV is an oversimplification because mineral filters also absorb UV radiation.
Does a base tan protect you from sun damage?
No. Dr. Dedecker describes the idea of a protective base tan as a myth. A tan itself reflects the skin's response to ultraviolet exposure, and tanning beds expose the skin to UVA radiation that can contribute to DNA damage, premature skin aging and skin cancer risk without necessarily producing the immediate burn associated more strongly with UVB.
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This transcript has been edited for clarity and readability while preserving the substance of the conversation.
Jeanette
Hello, Dr. Dedecker. Thank you so much for being here today.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
Hello. Hi, guys. How are you?
Jeanette
Good. I've been looking forward to this episode for a while now. For the listeners who don't know, I also have a big interest in skin health, so you and I really bonded over the research and this space, but of course also the myths that are so pervasive.
Some of them can be a little ridiculous and funny, and you'll just move past them. But some of them can get pretty crazy and honestly pretty concerning. So I'm excited to debunk all of these today and set the record straight.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
Absolutely. Thanks for having me. I'm excited to chat.
Victoria
My knowledge of skincare is very limited, so I'm very excited to learn from both of you today.
I'm going to start by having you introduce yourself to our listeners and let us know how you got into naturopathic medicine and then, more specifically, into skin health.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
Sure, absolutely. Hi, everyone who's listening. My name is Dr. Brennan Dedecker. I'm a naturopathic doctor. I practice in Toronto, Ontario, and I have a clinical focus in all things skin health. Whether it's acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis—you name it, I'm into it. I love skin health.
Like a lot of practitioners, I think it came from my own personal experiences with acne and eczema and the process that I went through through the conventional system and the naturopathic system. I really saw the whole-person care that naturopathic medicine can offer.
I think what keeps me coming back to naturopathic medicine and makes me love working with patients from a naturopathic or integrated perspective on skin is the profound impact we can have on people's mental health, well-being and self-confidence.
Skin is such a forward-facing thing. It's how we interact with the world. It's how people see us.
I love that we can have that impact on people's lives, and we can really help them see changes. If you work on cardiovascular health, for example, you may never directly see that your cardiovascular health has improved. But if your skin improves, you know it. People really feel that when things are going well.
That's why I do what I do. It's rooted in my own personal experiences with skin health concerns.
Victoria
We see that a lot with our guests, ourselves and our own colleagues in the program. It's usually a personal experience that drives the passion.
I love what you said about skin being forward-facing. Cardiovascular risk factors are obviously very important, but we don't directly see them the way we see our skin change. That's very exciting for patients.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
For sure. I think it also makes us better care providers. When you have a "why" that's rooted in personal experience—you don't always need to have that—but I do think it can drive us in a way that really leads us to help our patients in a powerful way.
Jeanette
And when you can put yourself in your patient's shoes, it gives you that extra empathy. You can understand the struggle they're going through on a whole other level.
Okay, we have a lot of things to debunk today, so we're going to get right into it.
Today we're talking about myths and misconceptions around two of the most common skin conditions, and then we'll get into some general skincare myths.
First, we're going to start with everyone's favourite: acne. It's a condition that's so common, even into adulthood, and there's definitely no shortage of things to debunk here.
First, I'd like you to explain what acne is. How do we differentiate acne from other conditions that can look like acne, such as rosacea or folliculitis?
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
That's a great question.
Acne is an inflammatory skin condition. It's what most people think of when they picture red bumps, pustules or whiteheads on the skin.
It's rooted in a couple of different factors. One is increased sebum, or oil, production in the skin. Another is hyperkeratinization, or increased accumulation and turnover of skin cells, as well as a link to C. acnes bacteria on the skin. That's the surface-level stuff.
From an inside-out approach, it's also related to things such as insulin resistance or blood sugar control, androgenic hormones and hormonal health in general. There are a lot of factors at play when it comes to acne, and I'm sure we'll get into some of those nuances as we chat today.
Acne as a whole can be seen across the lifespan. Of course, we tend to think about it more in the adolescent years, but acne can certainly persist into adulthood, and it's a condition anybody can experience.
When we're differentiating it from other conditions that might look like acne, there are sometimes clinical features that make us think, "That might be this condition rather than acne," whether that's perioral dermatitis, folliculitis or something else.
One example is itch. Acne doesn't typically itch. So if you have something on the skin that looks like acne but it's itchy, that might clue us in more to folliculitis or possibly perioral dermatitis.
They can also have different presentations in terms of when they come on. If it's a breakout that's very closely linked to your menstrual cycle, that might point us more toward acne. If the lesions exist throughout the whole month, never really go away and don't change very much, that's another clue.
It really comes down to the clinical history we're taking. That helps us differentiate them, and then there are other things we can do from a diagnostic perspective to help rule certain conditions in or out.
Jeanette
Acne is always so interesting to me because you could have a handful of patients with acne, but the underlying factors could be completely different, and they could have very different treatment plans.
The first thing I want to touch on is diet and acne.
We hear so much about foods that can trigger acne, what to avoid, what not to avoid and all of that. Does diet impact acne? We hear about dairy, chocolate and so many other foods. I'd love for you to break that down.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
Let's dive in.
I think there is quite a pervasive myth that diet doesn't impact acne. I'm sure some of your listeners—and myself included—have at some point experienced a practitioner telling them diet has no impact on acne.
As the body of evidence grows, that's no longer what the research supports. There's more information showing that what we're putting into our bodies can have an impact on our skin health.
To centre the conversation and understand why it might have this impact, we first have to understand something called the mTOR pathway, or mechanistic target of rapamycin.
The mTOR pathway is associated with processes linked to increased sebum production and increased hyperkeratinization in the skin, two factors that are intimately linked to acne.
There are certain things that can ramp up that pathway or make the fire burn a little brighter. Those include insulin, insulin-like growth factor 1 and certain amino acids.
When we think about dietary factors that might contribute to those things, dairy comes up. High-glycemic foods come up. Certain supplements such as BCAAs, which contain high amounts of amino acids—particularly leucine—may really ramp up mTOR activity and contribute to acne.
What's interesting about the idea of diet and acne is that the mindset is changing. In recent acne guidelines from the American Academy of Dermatology, there is now at least some mention of diet, including high-glycemic foods and considering a low-glycemic dietary pattern with patients.
It's certainly not a primary recommendation, but we're seeing it enter the conversation, which I think is exciting for our patients.
When you hear people saying, "You shouldn't have dairy," or, "You should eat more low-glycemic foods," there is a physiological rationale that can add context to why that might be the case.
I don't think these necessarily need to be forever-eliminated foods from people's diets. I don't like that restrictive way of eating. But during a flare, when somebody is having a really acute experience, these might be useful tools or pieces of the puzzle.
Jeanette
I like how you mentioned that there's a method to the madness when it comes to these diets. When you're just throwing all these dietary restrictions at people, they don't necessarily understand why they're doing it.
If you explain the mechanism, people can understand, "Okay, this may be a trigger," or, "During a flare, this may calm things down." It makes more sense to them.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
And when we use blanket statements like, "Everyone with acne should eliminate dairy," I think it creates a lot of room to demonize certain foods that can actually be helpful and important parts of someone's diet.
They don't all have to be bad. They don't all have to be eliminated.
When we understand why a certain food might not be the best option at a particular moment for a particular population, we can speak much more powerfully to our patients about why we may or may not want to do something.
Jeanette
One hundred percent. That gives patients more empowerment around why they're doing something and more control over their treatment plan.
You mentioned a low-glycemic diet. Is that typically the dietary pattern you follow with your acne patients?
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
If we're talking about general dietary patterns, sure, we might consider dairy. But a lot of people already don't eat dairy before they ever come to see us.
I put a lot of emphasis on whole foods with patients. I also talk a lot about fibre consumption as a dietary consideration for acne.
Fibre is great for regulating blood sugar. It helps with bowel regularity, and it provides prebiotics for beneficial gut bacteria.
There are a lot of things to consider beyond blanketly telling everyone to go on a low-glycemic diet.
We might also emphasize "eating the rainbow." A lot of people have heard that term, but the idea is to introduce a variety of vitamins and minerals into the diet, including nutrients that might otherwise be deficient and potentially contribute to acne.
Those are more general dietary principles, and then we tailor them to each person depending on what they're actually eating.
That's why, as naturopathic doctors, we do a pretty thorough dietary intake. We need to understand what someone is actually eating and how we can adjust it in a way that makes sense for them.
Victoria
I love that you mentioned some people come in and don't even eat dairy to begin with.
Something I'm learning in clinic is that you have to ask those questions first, because it's kind of embarrassing when you're like, "Okay, maybe we should reduce some dairy," and they're like, "I'm vegan."
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
It's all part of individualized care and bio-individuality.
We have to get to know our patients. We can know general dietary principles and things that may help guide someone, but we need to tailor it to the person and make it make sense in their life.
The flip side is that even if somebody is eating dairy and you think reducing it would be a good idea, you need to know that person's readiness.
Can they fully eliminate that food? No? Okay, can they reduce it? Let's start there. Baby steps.
You have to work with the person who's in front of you.
Victoria
On that topic, do you think a reduction can still be beneficial?
I'm thinking about myself personally. When I have whey protein for a couple of days in a row, I get acne. I don't know if it's related or just coincidence.
Could simply reducing it help? Is there a serving-size kind of thing here?
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
That's a great question.
When it comes to supplements that I put in the "let's avoid for now" category when I'm working with patients, we actually usually avoid whey altogether for a period of time because it feeds into that mTOR pathway we were talking about earlier.
That's partly because of its amino acid content. It's also a dairy derivative, and there may be effects involving insulin and insulin-like growth factor.
We typically try to avoid it—not necessarily forever, but as one piece of the puzzle.
Sometimes I'll see patients who are very physically active and trying to meet their protein requirements. They're doing a ton of scoops of whey protein, they've got the BCAAs in there, and they say, "My acne has never been worse."
It's like, okay, that may be a contributing factor. Let's try reducing it and see if things improve, because maybe we're just adding too much fuel to the fire.
You intuitively knew. You know more about skin than you thought.
Victoria
I was like, "This is weird." I've had a lot of protein shakes because I'm trying to increase my protein, and I'm breaking out. This is not what I was going for.
I do want to touch on something you mentioned briefly: nutrient deficiencies in patients who are dealing with acne.
We hear a lot about zinc, vitamin D and iron. Is that a relevant conversation with patients?
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
This is an area where we actually have some good data starting to support some of these ideas.
Vitamin D and acne is a really good example.
There is research showing that, in general, if you compare healthy controls with people who have acne, people with acne tend to have lower vitamin D levels overall. We also see a higher rate of frank vitamin D deficiency in people who have acne versus healthy controls.
Depending on the study you're looking at, some of the literature reports substantially higher rates of vitamin D deficiency in acne.
There's definitely a potential relationship there.
Vitamin D has anti-inflammatory actions. It's an immunomodulator, and it has an impact on skin-barrier function, so there is an intimate relationship there.
I know we're talking about acne in this context, but nutrient deficiencies can be linked to other aspects of skin and hair health in general.
Hair loss, for example, has been linked with low vitamin D levels. People with lower vitamin D levels may experience more diffuse hair loss or telogen effluvium.
Iron is another example in hair loss. You don't necessarily have to have iron-deficiency anemia; lower iron status may still be relevant to telogen effluvium.
We don't have hard-and-fast data for every nutrient deficiency and every skin condition, but we're certainly creating a more robust set of data showing that there are relationships.
In private practice, if I have a patient with acne, given the data we have, I would test their vitamin D level. I think there's enough information for me to feel like that's an appropriate thing to do.
Victoria
What about zinc? Do you test for zinc deficiency, or do you use zinc in practice for acne patients?
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
I do use zinc in practice, but not as a standalone treatment.
I'll usually use it in a complex with other skin-supportive nutrients, such as vitamins A, C and E, selenium, antioxidants and other minerals involved in epidermal barrier function and cell turnover.
Minerals such as zinc, copper and iron all have different roles within the skin, so they're all important.
Clinically, I haven't found enough yet around serum zinc testing and how directly that lines up with outcomes—for example, whether supplementing someone with low serum zinc reliably improves their acne. That's an area where I need to dig into the research more.
But there is a link between some nutrient deficiencies and some of these skin conditions. I also think certain vitamins and minerals can be helpful during the healing stages of acne and in supporting barrier function.
Victoria
On that note, are there any supplements that people with acne-prone skin should typically avoid or that could potentially make acne worse?
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
There are really four that I commonly consider avoiding or minimizing in many patients, but again, it comes back to bio-individuality. We need to look at the person in front of us and decide what makes sense in that particular context.
The ones I typically avoid because of their potential impact on the mTOR pathway are whey protein and BCAAs, as I touched on before. They're delivering a lot of amino acids, and they may be a contributor.
Then there are two based more on case reports, mechanistic reasoning and clinical experience. We don't have the same hard-and-fast data for these, but I've seen it clinically enough that I've started implementing it more often with patients.
Those are high-dose biotin—which has become huge because everybody is on a hair, skin and nails gummy—and vitamin B12.
The thinking with biotin is that consuming it in excess may influence hyperkeratinization. A lot of hair, skin and nail gummies contain doses far beyond what we'd normally get through food.
There's also a thought that biotin may reduce the absorption of pantothenic acid, or vitamin B5, which has skin-barrier benefits.
If I have a patient struggling with acne who's taking a B-complex with really high levels of B12 and biotin, or a hair, skin and nails gummy, I may say, "Let's pause that and see if we notice a change."
I've had patients come in and say, "I started taking B12 because my energy was low and I thought it would make me feel better, and now my acne has never been worse."
It's like, okay, let's try taking that out. This is what we think the mechanism might be.
Again, it's not hard-and-fast data, but we can give it a try and see how you do. Some people improve greatly. For others, it's a more modest improvement.
Jeanette
I've actually noticed those two myself.
Before I was at CCNM, in undergrad, I was taking a hair, skin and nail supplement, probably like everyone was.
I remember thinking, "My skin looks awful. Why is this marketed to make my skin look great? I look awful right now." I was breaking out like crazy.
I stopped it, and it went away.
Then I was also taking a B-complex, but I was taking three capsules a day, so it was a very high amount of B12. Again, I was breaking out like crazy. I brought it down to one, and my skin cleared up.
It's interesting that some people experience that and some people don't, but it's all the bio-individuality like you mentioned.
Okay, let's shift a bit to the gut. This is a huge hot topic.
What do we know right now about the gut microbiome and how it impacts acne?
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
This is a very cool and emerging area of research.
It almost feels like day to day we're getting more information about the microbiome and what's happening inside our gut.
From what we know about acne so far, when researchers look at acne patients, they see a couple of things.
They see an increased incidence of irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS. In the research I've seen, they don't necessarily stratify that into IBS-D, IBS-C or mixed, but they do see more IBS overall in that patient population.
When they sample stool, they also see an overall reduction in microbial diversity in the gut.
In terms of certain groups of bacteria, some studies report lower Firmicutes and higher Bacteroides, and infer that a different balance may potentially confer benefits.
How does that actually translate into supporting patients?
I don't know that the research is there yet to say that we should specifically dose particular probiotics to re-establish that balance. There's certainly new information coming out, and it's very interesting, but I don't think we're at the point where we can say, "Everybody who has acne needs this strain of probiotic."
From a more holistic perspective, if we're seeing that acne patients tend to have lower microbial diversity overall, to me that says: let's make sure they're eating more plant material, let's make sure it's diverse plant material, and let's make sure they're consuming more fibre.
Then the body is getting enough prebiotics to support beneficial bacteria and microbial diversity.
I'm totally open to specific probiotics once the data becomes firmer. There's definitely research being done in that area, but I think it's still in its infancy.
Jeanette
I like the diet-first approach because I find that as soon as you talk about the microbiome, people go, "Oh, I need to be taking a probiotic."
But like you said, it's so complex. We're not yet at the point where we can pinpoint specific strains for everyone. The research is still in its infancy.
I think the diet-first approach is a good way to go, and there are so many other benefits when you focus on diet as well.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
And if you take a diet-first approach, that's the long game.
If you give a patient a probiotic and their symptoms improve, but then you remove that stimulus and everything gets worse again, you haven't necessarily set the foundations for a healthy gut microbiome.
You haven't worked on all the other things that are going to help maintain those benefits, and you may simply push back toward where you were to begin with.
Victoria
I want to move on to the next part of our conversation, which is eczema—or eczema. Guys, clarify.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
Tomato, tomato. Potato, potato.
It's funny, I've started picking up different pronunciations depending on who I'm around. Both are okay. Both are acceptable.
Victoria
Perfect.
Before we move on, I want to wrap up the acne conversation with a reminder to listeners that it's important to see a practitioner because, as you said at the beginning, we have to figure out why you have acne in the first place and what kind of acne it is.
If it's androgenic, inflammatory or something else, can you test for some of these things with blood work so the patient has a better idea of where they're going?
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
To echo what you said, acne is a multifactorial condition.
There are a lot of things that can contribute to each person's experience of acne. Working with a practitioner to dive in and see how those pieces may be affecting you is important.
Blood work may certainly be part of that process.
We may look for vitamin D deficiency. We may look at someone's hormones to see if there's frank androgen excess. We might test blood sugar control and look at insulin resistance.
There are a lot of factors we could investigate.
Working with a practitioner who can tailor recommendations to you and is willing to dig in and see what those different factors are is very important.
Victoria
We talked about a lot of good things.
In general—and correct me if I'm wrong—adopting a lower-glycemic dietary pattern, experimenting with reducing dairy, or eliminating whey for a little while could potentially be beneficial even before you've seen a practitioner. Is that true?
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
As humans, we naturally want to try things.
But I always think it's helpful to align yourself with a practitioner who can support you because any kind of habit change can be hard.
You may not know what you're looking for or what changes you should expect. You could also put yourself at risk for other nutrient deficiencies because you're cutting foods out, or end up not getting enough healthy fats or other nutrients because you're cutting, cutting, cutting.
Working with a practitioner helps ensure you're getting comprehensive, safe and effective care.
You also have somebody there who can be your cheerleader, your champion and the person you ask questions.
It's a better overall experience than piecemeal trying things on your own.
Victoria
And trying something for a week and then going, "Nope, this didn't work," and moving on.
That's what I do.
We're going to put all of your information in anyway, so people will be able to book with you for their acne or other skin concerns.
Let's move on to eczema. I know Jeanette says it differently. Agree to disagree.
This is obviously a very common condition that a lot of people struggle with. You hear about it a lot in children, but you see it quite a bit in adulthood as well.
Something I've heard a lot is this idea of food sensitivities and eczema.
I really want to touch on the food piece and what you have to say about that.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
My thought process is that people can have different experiences with food, but I don't think food is a trigger for every single person who experiences eczema.
Really restrictive diets that start eliminating a bunch of foods aren't necessarily the right approach for every eczema patient.
I don't think the data supports full restriction of certain food categories or creating blanket food rules for people with eczema.
Again, it's really important to individualize the approach.
Maybe there is a trigger for someone, and maybe that trigger happens to be a food, but that's something you have to parse apart from all of the other things because eczema, like acne, is such a multifactorial condition.
It doesn't exist in isolation as simply a food-allergy or food-intolerance problem.
Saying, "You're intolerant to foods and that's why you have eczema," is a grand oversimplification of a very complex condition.
May food contribute for some people? Maybe.
Is it the be-all and end-all of the condition? I don't think that's true.
Victoria
You hear about so many people who completely eliminate multiple food groups and say, "I think it helped me."
But what's your quality of life like? Was it necessary to eliminate all of those foods? Or were you maybe seeing a benefit from changing one particular thing?
Could you touch a little bit on the pathophysiology of eczema?
You mentioned that it's multifactorial. What do you look at when you have a patient with eczema?
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
It's one of those outside-in, inside-out conditions.
People with eczema can have a genetic predisposition involving something called filaggrin deficiency, which can make their skin barrier leakier and more prone to inflammation.
When we're thinking about inside factors, we want to make sure you're getting enough healthy fats and enough protein in your diet to support skin-barrier function.
From an outside perspective, you want to be mindful of the personal-care products you're using so that they support the skin barrier and help maintain the outer layer of your skin.
That outer layer helps protect you against microbes and other things that may become opportunistic, worsen inflammation or make people more prone to infection.
Like acne, eczema is very multifactorial.
There's also research around vitamin D deficiency. Honestly, vitamin D deficiency comes up across a lot of skin conditions because of vitamin D's anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating actions.
There can be nutrient deficiencies to consider as well.
It really depends on the person, but there are different contributing factors—inside-out and outside-in—that could be making it worse.
Jeanette
I think eczema is interesting because people with acne often have some awareness that their diet might be playing a role or that something could be happening internally.
When it comes to skin rashes or eczema, though, people often think, "It's an external thing."
But there is an internal component that can play a role as well.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
Totally.
We talked a little bit about gut health and acne, and there's a gut-health component with eczema too.
There is a relationship between an increased incidence of IBS-C, or constipation, and eczema.
Researchers have also noted lower amounts of butyrate-producing microbes in the guts of people with eczema.
Butyrate has an important anti-inflammatory role in our gut and systemically.
If there is dysbiosis happening or people aren't having healthy pathways of elimination, that could potentially contribute to what they're experiencing on their skin because the immune system at the level of the gut is intimately related to the immune system in the skin.
They have a bidirectional relationship.
Gut bacteria can influence cytokine production, inflammation and immune-system regulation.
Again, it's multifactorial. There are a lot of pieces that can contribute.
Jeanette
You touched on the gut microbiome. I'd love to explore that a little more.
If someone comes in with a skin condition—we're talking about eczema here, but also acne—do you always see that those patients have gut issues as well?
Is there a very high correlation? What do you find in your patients?
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
I see it more often than I would have suspected when I was a student.
But I also have to keep in mind that I'm seeing a very specific subset of the population. I have a very niche clinical practice.
I do find that when we work on gut health with patients, their symptoms tend to improve.
But again, I don't think it's the be-all and end-all. It's one piece of the puzzle.
I definitely see it come up more than I would have suspected as a student.
Jeanette
Very interesting.
You also touched on the skin microbiome and pH.
With eczema, there's a lot of talk about the skin microbiome being out of balance and the pH being dysregulated.
Can you explain the pH, the microbiome and how that changes with eczema? Do you need to worry about the pH of your skincare products or moisturizers when you have eczema?
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
This is a great topic because I think it matters more than people realize.
To understand why it matters, you first have to understand one of the functional pieces of your skin: the acid mantle.
The acid mantle is a thin layer on the outermost part of your skin that's created from sebum and sweat. It forms a slightly acidic film on the skin at a pH of roughly 4.5 to 5.5.
That slightly acidic film helps keep our microbiome in balance. It helps keep commensal organisms that could otherwise become opportunistic in check and keeps things in harmony.
It also helps keep the skin moisturized and prevent dehydration.
People with eczema already have a genetic predisposition toward a leakier skin barrier, including potential filaggrin deficiency.
If you then add products to the skin that are over-stripping or too alkaline—many traditional soaps are quite basic in terms of pH—you can disrupt the acid mantle and make the skin more alkaline.
When we make the skin more alkaline, we lose some of those natural moisturizing capabilities. We make the skin more exposed to the external environment, and we can create a more hospitable environment for microbes that may proliferate on the skin.
Sometimes I'll have a patient with eczema tell me they use a very alkaline soap and have had repeated Staphylococcus aureus infections.
Then we can say, "Let's try changing your body care to something that's closer to skin pH, around 4.5 to 5.5. Let's work on re-establishing that acid mantle and supporting the natural barrier your body already knows how to make."
Your body is so cool. It knows what it needs to do. Sometimes we introduce things that make it harder for our body to do its job.
So, does the pH of your skincare matter?
In my opinion, especially when it comes to eczema, 100% it does.
I think it's important that we educate patients on why that's something they might need to consider.
Victoria
Is there a particular skincare product you like to recommend that's a little more acidic? And how do you know what the pH is?
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
What's funny is that a lot of the companies that really understand formulation will tell you on the packaging or on their website what the pH of the skincare product is.
To me, that can sometimes be a hallmark of a good skincare company. They know their formulation. They've worked with cosmetic chemists who understand that this is important.
One brand that comes to mind is La Roche-Posay. I'm not sponsored by them by any means, but I know some of their products will actually tell you the pH on the packaging or product information.
That way, when you're choosing an option, you know it's designed to be more barrier supportive, non-stripping and supportive of the acid mantle.
Victoria
Wow. I had no idea about this.
This is really interesting and good for me to learn because I see patients with eczema too, and this is definitely a conversation I needed to have.
When it comes to skin—and naturopathic medicine in general—we hear a lot about getting to the "root cause" of things.
Unfortunately, I think that sometimes means patients believe, or are being told, that they need to spend thousands of dollars on functional testing to find the root cause and treat it.
Do these functional tests have clinical indications? I'm thinking about things like food sensitivity testing, GI-MAPs and stool testing.
Do you use those in practice?
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
Personally, those aren't the first things I reach for in private practice.
As we've touched on with the multifactorial nature of skin health, whether it's eczema or acne, those aren't my first tools if the other foundational things haven't been explored or established.
If a case is complex, you've tried all of these things and you're still running into roadblocks, maybe those are tools you can consider.
Stool testing may be something to think about in certain circumstances because there is an emerging body of data suggesting that gut dysbiosis and certain microbes may be associated with these conditions.
But it wouldn't be the first thing I reach for.
I think we have so much foundational work to do with patients and foundational things we need to understand about them—including what they're taking in nutritionally—before we step into that.
A patient isn't walking into my office and automatically leaving the first appointment with a functional test.
Based on the data we have, I don't think it's the first tool I'd reach for.
Victoria
It's interesting because I'm guilty of this too. Sometimes we want to jump to step 100 because these are the big, fancy things we read about online.
We convince ourselves it's going to answer all of our questions, but we skip right past the basics.
I find that so often in our field. People come in saying, "I want a GI-MAP. I want this test."
There may be a clinical indication for it at some point, but we're skipping right over the foundations—the cheapest, most affordable options that can work—and moving to step 100.
So I'm glad you clarified that.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
I think it's a little bit of human nature.
We want to get that piece of information. We think, "If I find out this thing is low and I give myself that thing, I'll be cured."
Meanwhile, we haven't even talked about the fact that you're using a fragranced laundry detergent and you have dermatitis over your entire body.
We've missed the point.
It needs to be stepwise.
There are lots of great tools available, but if we haven't done the basics, those tools may not be as useful as they could be if we'd already established a really good foundation.
Jeanette
Definitely agree.
I'm glad we covered so much ground on acne and eczema because so many people deal with these conditions. There are a lot of myths out there.
I want to switch gears and talk about skincare.
This is an area that tends to irritate me. Every time I go on Instagram, I have to take a second after I see some of these posts because I'm like, "Where do these people get this information from?"
The first thing I want to start with is this notion that your skin absorbs 60% or 80%—I don't even know what the percentage is now—of what you put on it.
Can you please touch on this?
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
Absolutely. This is a personal pet peeve of mine, so we're aligned on this.
It's a very pervasive myth that's repeated with such certainty: this idea that your skin is a sponge that's just absorbing everything you put on it.
It's kind of ridiculous when you think about it.
If you absorbed 60% of everything that went on your skin, you'd get into a bathtub or a pool and balloon right up because you'd absorb so much water.
Or imagine saying, "I don't want to swallow a pill today, so I'm going to take this liquid supplement that I love, dump it all over my body and absorb 60% of it."
Cosmetic chemists and pharmaceutical companies around the world would rejoice because they wouldn't have to worry about digestion or first-pass metabolism. Transdermal delivery would be everywhere if absorption were that easy.
What people miss is that it's hard to get things into the skin.
Unless you have a barrier-compromising condition like eczema, your skin is incredible at doing its job, which includes being part of your innate immune system and keeping things out.
The idea that everything we put on our skin is automatically being absorbed doesn't account for things like molecular size or solubility. Is something water soluble? Is it lipid soluble? Are you adding anything that's going to enhance penetration?
Think about something like a patch. A lot of work goes into creating conditions that help drive an ingredient through the skin.
Once something gets into the skin, it still has to pass through layers of the epidermis, reach the dermis, enter the bloodstream and then become diluted in your total blood volume.
I'm not saying that percutaneous absorption doesn't occur. Of course it does. We have medications and creams that work through the skin.
But the idea that 60% of everything you put on your skin travels directly from the surface into your bloodstream is, in my opinion, a little silly. It doesn't take the chemistry into account.
Jeanette
You answered that beautifully, so thank you.
When I first heard this, I was honestly confused because we learn in high-school biology that your skin is a barrier. Its number-one job is to keep things out.
If that's its number-one job, but you're supposedly absorbing 60% of everything, maybe you need to get checked out because I don't think that's how your skin is supposed to work.
And skincare companies spend millions of dollars trying to get products and ingredients to absorb more effectively into the skin.
Victoria
It's so funny that somebody can make up a statistic, throw it on the internet and watch it take hold of the entire planet.
Who came up with that?
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
That's a very good question.
It's repeated with a lot of assuredness.
I try to keep a balanced perspective, and I follow a lot of cosmetic chemists and formulators. Obviously, it's a big gripe for them as well because they're basically saying, "If it were that easy, I'd be out of a job."
It takes much more work to get things to absorb through the skin than people think.
Victoria
Another common thing we hear about is the whole notion of natural or "clean" skincare.
I always wonder: what constitutes clean? Is it actually safer? Is it a better option?
Can you break that down for us?
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
We're naturopathic doctors. We work with a lot of natural compounds, and there are some amazing, well-researched compounds that we have access to. I'm very grateful for that, and I think patients can really benefit from them.
But the notion that "natural is better" when it comes to skincare gets repeated with a lot of emotionality.
There's a relationship people make between "natural" and "good," "better," "safe" or "effective." It almost takes on a morality, and that's not necessarily the case.
Essential oils are one example.
Some can be really effective and helpful, but when they're applied neat to the skin without a carrier oil, or they're added to certain cosmetic products, they can increase the incidence of allergic contact dermatitis because they're very strong plant compounds.
There are also skincare products that use essential oils instead of traditional fragrance. I'm not a huge fan of fragrance either, but some products add lemon, citrus and other citrus essential oils for scent, and those can have photosensitizing effects.
So the idea that adding them is perfectly safe and carries no risks is misleading.
Another issue is formulation.
Sometimes "natural" or "clean" means there are no preservatives in a product.
But no preservatives means there may not be an adequate system preventing the growth of microbes such as bacteria and fungi.
That's not something you want, especially in somebody with barrier-compromised skin like eczema who may already be prone to co-infections.
I don't necessarily want my patient putting something on their skin that's going to increase their likelihood of a fungal or bacterial problem.
There are certain delivery systems and pump designs that can reduce the need for some preservatives, but to blanketly say a product is "clean" because it doesn't contain a protective preservative system is misleading.
There's also this idea that natural automatically means better for the environment, which isn't always true.
Sometimes producing a small amount of a plant extract requires a significant amount of plant material.
Even zinc oxide for mineral sunscreen requires zinc mining. There is an environmental impact there too.
As naturopathic doctors, part of our profession is to be stewards of the planet. A lot of our medicine comes from the planet.
So the idea that everything natural is automatically better for the environment isn't necessarily true either.
My issue is really with the blanket notion that natural equals good and natural equals safe.
I don't think that's factual 100% of the time, and I think it can sometimes be dangerous for patients.
Jeanette
Those are all really good points.
The whole "clean" notion confuses me too because "clean" isn't a standardized term.
You could have two brands that both call themselves clean, but they're excluding completely different ingredients or including different things. It's not always the same.
If one brand works for you and you switch to another "clean" brand, you could have completely different results.
I also think that when brands exclude certain "chemicals," a lot of the claims come from toxicology papers where an ingredient was tested at a very high concentration to determine at what dose it causes harm.
But that doesn't mean a skincare product is using that same concentration.
The whole point of the toxicology research is often to determine the dose at which harm occurs.
A lot of this gets taken at face value when there's actually a lot of nuance.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
I 100% agree.
It's much more of a grey conversation than a black-and-white conversation, and I don't know that those simplistic conclusions hold up.
Victoria
Jeanette, I love how passionate you are.
She'll send me four-minute voice notes about this and I'm like, "Okay, I got it. I won't buy this product."
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
We're kindred spirits in this regard.
Victoria
I love it.
I'd also love to have a conversation about sunscreen.
For some reason, sunscreen has become a bit controversial in skincare.
Does everybody need to wear sunscreen? Should it be part of everyone's skincare routine? How often do we need to reapply? Can you touch on some of those basic questions?
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
As somebody who focuses on skin, yes, I think sunscreen is important.
The impact that UVA and UVB rays have on our skin, and the risk they pose for skin cancer and sun-induced damage, is very real.
Sunscreen is a simple step we can add into our routine to reduce that potential burden and reduce risk.
For me, it's an easy intervention that I think a lot of people would benefit from.
In an ideal world, the first thing is making sure you're applying the right amount.
If we're talking specifically about the face, ears, and the front and back of the neck, a common method we tell patients is approximately two finger lengths of sunscreen.
That feels like a lot to some people. It's certainly more than you're going to get from makeup with SPF or from doing one tiny pump and dabbing it on your face.
In order to get the sun-protection factor listed on the product, you need to wear an appropriate amount. That's step number one.
In terms of reapplication, even I struggle with this and am trying to find better ways to do it.
Ideally, you should be reapplying about every two hours when you're continuing to need protection, as the product starts to dissipate.
Things like sunscreen sticks and powdered sunscreens can make reapplication more practical.
Victoria
That's interesting because my mom is a big fan of the podcast, so she's going to hear this.
She tells everyone about the sunscreen she uses: "You only need a small little dab. It goes a really long way."
Now I'm like, no, that's not enough.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
You need a particular amount to achieve the level of sun protection that's written on the label.
If you're not using enough, you're not getting the labelled SPF.
Victoria
I like the idea of powdered sunscreen.
Could you put that on top of makeup? I'm just thinking that, for somebody with makeup on, reapplying sunscreen every two hours can be difficult.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
Exactly.
That's why we often look toward sunscreen sticks and powdered sunscreens. People are living real lives, so how do they actually incorporate the habit?
Some powdered sunscreens can be helpful as a touch-up throughout the day.
Sunscreen sticks can also be useful because they glide on relatively easily and often have a clear application.
Some work well over makeup and some don't, so you have to play around with different options.
Jeanette
Another thing we commonly hear is that mineral sunscreen—zinc oxide or titanium dioxide—is "better" than chemical sunscreen.
Why do you think we hear that mineral sunscreen is better?
There's also a myth that mineral sunscreen reflects light while chemical sunscreen absorbs light. I'd love for you to touch on both.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
I think part of why we hear that mineral is better goes back to this idea that natural is better or natural is good.
My main takeaway for patients, and for myself, is that the best sunscreen for you is the one you're going to wear every day.
If you prefer a mineral filter because you like the way it feels on your skin and the way the product works for you, amazing.
If you prefer a product with other sunscreen filters because it glides on your skin a little better or doesn't leave a white cast—especially if you have a darker skin tone—amazing.
It's really about consistency because that's where you're going to get the benefit.
It depends on which one you actually like enough to use.
As for the second part, the idea that mineral sunscreen simply reflects UV while chemical sunscreen absorbs it was pervasive for a long time.
More recent data indicates that mineral sunscreens also absorb UV radiation. They don't purely reflect it.
Part of the difference may relate to how heat is transmitted from the skin.
Some people with sensitized skin may tolerate mineral sunscreens better, and they may reflect some heat away from the skin and reduce some sensitization.
But in terms of UV radiation itself, it's a misnomer to say one simply reflects and the other absorbs. Mineral filters also absorb UV.
Jeanette
Very interesting. I'm glad you touched on that.
Victoria
Okay, it's time for rapid fire—my favourite part of every episode.
The rules are that I'm going to read a statement, and you say myth, truth or it depends. You can expand if you feel it's necessary.
We're not very good at rapid fire, so it doesn't really matter. There aren't really any rules.
A base tan protects you from the sun.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
Myth. That's 100% a myth.
If your skin is tanned, it means you've had ultraviolet exposure and your skin has been damaged. Your body is naturally producing more melanin in that moment to try to protect you from the UV exposure you've had.
Some patients say, "I go to a tanning salon before vacation because I want to build up a base tan."
I heard a colleague explain it once by comparing tanning beds to a poisonous gas you can't smell.
Tanning beds can expose you heavily to UVA radiation. UVB is more strongly associated with the burn that serves as an immediate signal that you've done something you probably shouldn't have.
With UVA, you may not see that same immediate burn, but you're still damaging the skin and affecting DNA. You're prematurely aging the skin and increasing skin-cancer risk.
I'm definitely not a fan of the base tan. Don't do it.
Victoria
That one hurts.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
I know everyone feels like they look better with a tan, but go get a spray tan.
Victoria
I do that.
Okay, next one: sunscreen should be a part of everyone's skincare routine.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
I would say that's a fact.
Victoria
People with eczema always have food sensitivities and need to cut them out to have clear skin.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
I'd lean toward myth, with a bit of "it depends" because there is nuance.
We need to understand each person's unique experience with their skin, but I'm definitely teetering toward the myth side.
Victoria
All acne patients should consider supplementing with zinc.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
Again, it depends, teetering toward myth.
Blanket statements like that are hard because they don't apply to every single person.
When we say every acne patient should take a certain supplement, we're not taking bio-individuality into account, and that may create risks for some patients.
High doses of zinc taken long term, for example, can create a relative copper deficiency.
As we've touched on, copper, selenium, zinc and iron all work together in different ways to maintain the epidermal barrier.
If you're driving copper very low, you could potentially make another problem worse.
Victoria
Interesting.
Last one. I added this this morning because I've heard you talk about it before, but we didn't get to finish the conversation.
Spearmint tea helps with acne.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
I think that's in the "it depends" category because the research and evidence are still growing.
There's a small study showing some benefit, but is there robust enough research to say everybody with acne should take spearmint tea? No.
And if we think back to how multifactorial acne is, even if spearmint tea does help manage androgen levels, that's only one aspect of acne.
If we just use spearmint tea and nothing else, we could be completely missing the other factors driving that inflammatory process.
Jeanette
All great points.
I know we've been myth-busting this entire episode, but if you could pick one myth from skin, hair, nails or any area of your expertise, what is one myth you hear again and again that you want to debunk once and for all?
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
We've talked about so many already, and a lot of these are the ones I talk about with patients.
A big one is the idea that diet doesn't have any impact on skin health, whether we're talking about acne, eczema, or even just nutrients such as healthy fats and protein.
Another is this permeating idea that you're going to absorb 60% of everything you put on your body.
That's a myth I'm constantly debunking with patients because it's so pervasive on social media.
I know we've already touched on it, but I'll reiterate that one because it comes up so often.
Victoria
I love it. This was so good. I learned so much, so I know our listeners are going to feel the same way.
Where can our listeners find you? Where can they follow you and book with you?
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
If people are looking to find me on Instagram, my handle is @drdedeckernd.
You can also find me at Connected Health and Skin, which is the clinic where I work in Toronto.
If you're not local, we also see patients virtually throughout the province of Ontario, so people can connect with me that way as well.
Victoria
I love it.
Thank you so much for being on today. We're going to include all of that in the show notes so people know where they can find and book with you.
This was so much fun. We really appreciate you being on today.
Dr. Brennan Dedecker
Thank you so much. This has been a lovely conversation.
I hope we get a chance to debunk some more myths in the future, but this has been awesome.
Thanks for giving me the space to talk about what I love and talk about skin health.
Jeanette
One hundred percent. Thank you.
Victoria
Definitely. Thank you.
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Hi, I’m Dr. Brennan Dedecker, ND - a naturopathic doctor with a clinical focus in skin health and a deep belief that healthy skin starts from within. My work is dedicated to helping people feel more confident, comfortable, and connected in their skin, using an integrative approach rooted in science and compassion.
But before I was a practitioner, I was a patient. My interest in skin health is personal - I spent years navigating the physical and emotional ups and downs of acne and eczema. It shaped not just my understanding of the body, but my approach to care. I know how frustrating it is when symptoms don’t respond to conventional treatments, or when you’re told to “just manage stress” as a catch-all solution. I also know how transformative it can be to work with someone who really listens.
In practice, I combine evidence-based tools - like lab testing, targeted supplementation, and topical support - with lifestyle guidance to uncover and address the root causes behind skin concerns. I’ve worked with patients experiencing acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, and hair loss, and I tailor each plan to match the person in front of me - not just their diagnosis.
Whether your skin is being influenced by hormones, digestion, inflammation, or stress, I’m here to help you make sense of the puzzle - and support healing from the inside out.
In addition to clinical work, I work as part-time academic faculty at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, where I support future naturopathic doctors through teaching and mentorship. I’ve also completed a residency program in clinical education and stay up to date with the latest in integrative dermatology research.
Wherever you are in your health journey, you deserve care that’s thoughtful, collaborative, and personalized. I’d be honoured to work with you.