Beyond blood tests: build better results with simple clinical foundations

Following last week’s note on rosacea & the lymphatic system, I want to address the trend I’m seeing everywhere right now: blood work as the first step for every skin case 🤦‍♀️

Here’s the truth from 15 years in clinical practice: labs aren’t the starting point. Most flare-ups, breakouts and barrier issues respond to foundation work first. In my experience ~80% of results come from stabilising blood sugar, reducing inflammation, supporting the gut, and calming the nervous system. Yep, everything I teach inside SBS.

This is where your influence as a skin health practitioner can save clients years of wasted money, energy and stress, and finally get them the skin of their dreams 🥰

Here are the foundation steps you want to make sure are in place before considering referring on for bloodwork. And if you are ready to feel confident coaching your clients on these foundations, the doors are open for SBS.

1) Nutrition: where repair begins

No test (or product) can replace steady, nourishing nutrition.

• Focus meals around protein + healthy fats + fibre to fuel barrier repair, hormone balance and inflammation control.

• First checkpoints for poor barrier recovery: zinc, vitamin D, and essential fatty acids (think seafood, mushrooms and nuts).

• Keep blood sugar boringly stable: anchor breakfast with protein, add fibre at every meal, and pair carbs with fats.

2) Nervous system regulation

A dysregulated nervous system is one of the most overlooked root drivers of persistent skin issues. Elevated cortisol drives inflammation, disrupts barrier repair, accelerates aging and worsens outcomes.

• Practical tools that work: breathwork, daily walks, micro-rituals before bed, and screen hygiene after 9pm.

• No test result means you get to skip this part on a skin journey!

Top Tip for Clinic tomorrow: add a 2-minute breathing ritual at the start and end of appointments. It anchors behaviour and sets the tone for the treatment and remainder of your clients day.

3) Gut + barrier support (the gut–skin axis is your first lab)

Digestive symptoms, poor food diversity and compromised barrier function often tell you more than any blood panel - if you know what to look for.

• Start with digestion basics: chew-chew-chew, eat in a calm relaxed environment, meal pacing, and colour diversity through the week.

• Prioritise prebiotic fibres and polyphenols to feed microbial diversity.

• Evidence links gut dysbiosis & increased intestinal permeability with acne, eczema and rosacea - the gut-brain-skin axis is real and can no longer be overlooked!!

Clinic tool: inside SBS I share my favourite client handouts including a client checklist of evidence-backed diet and lifestyle tips to support your clients gut and heal their gut-brains-skin axis.

4) Shift the perspective

I’m seeing too many skin therapists freak out that they need to get a degree in nutritional therapy, or worse start offering blood testing without adequate training, when the reality is the foundations is where it’s at!

Regardless of what any blood test result says, stabilising blood sugar levels, calming inflammation and regulating the nervous system will be the bulk of a clients work, so why not focus on feeling confident there?

C x