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

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

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

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.

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.

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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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. Overall, gut microbiome testing can be considered a first step in understanding more about your gut and skin health. Note that any chronic skin or gut symptoms should be addressed by a doctor with a series of tests and a physical exam, not just a single home test!

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KEY MEASUREMENTS FOR THIS TEST INCLUDE:

• Pathogens & Commensals
• Diversity & Key Ratios
• Inflammation
• Vitamin & Short Chain Fatty Acid Producers

Food allergies occur when the immune system mistakenly identifies a food protein as a threat and produces an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE) or G (IgG) in response. When the food is consumed, it binds with the IgE/G antibody, triggering the release of chemicals that cause allergic reaction symptoms.

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Food allergy leads to systemic inflammation, which can lead to flare-ups if you have a skin condition. In atopic dermatitis (eczema), for example, repeated allergic responses can aggravate the “atopic march” towards an overactive immune system and a positive feedback cycle with worse flareups.

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Peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, cow's milk, wheat, sesame, fish, shellfish and soy cause most food allergic reactions, with peanut allergy being one of the most common allergies in children.

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Today, there is a significant amount of published research papers which provide information about the benefit of a food-specific IgG-guided elimination diet including for those with a skin condition or linked gut condition such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).

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Our blood spot test measures your IgG reactivity to 200 foods and drinks to allow you to manage and minimize flare-ups with simple dietary recommendations.