The Link Between Your Immune System and Skin Health

by Deborah Duffey, Chief Product Development Officer and President    June 2, 2023

While we might think of our skin as something to maintain — using serums for fine lines, peels for discoloration, and moisturizers for hydration — the truth is our skin is a functional organ all on its own. One of its biggest tasks? As a part of our immune system, keeping harmful bacteria and viruses from attacking us and making us ill or causing infection.

Our skin’s role in immune health is vast, but we can also use it as a window into our body’s overall health. Take, for example, wound healing. When the body’s immune system is compromised, cuts on the skin may take longer to heal, or become prone to infection. On the opposite end, someone with an autoimmune disease or an overactive immune system may find their skin develops hives or rashes.

Caring for your immune system and your skin go hand-in-hand. Our skin is one of the first lines of defense against elements that can harm us, and a healthy skin barrier is vital to keeping out those aforementioned illness-causing bugs. This barrier can be compromised by overusing harsh products, and you’ll know that your barrier needs extra, supportive care if your skin is red, dry, or extra sensitive.

Aging can also decrease our skin’s ability to protect us. Not only do the immune cells in your skin change over time, but skin thins and weakens as collagen and elastin levels fall. The connection is easy to see: our protective “wall” is literally breaking down and becoming weaker, making it more prone to attack.

This is where immune-boosting practices become especially important, and how skin care can contribute to a strong immune system. Your skin will protect you all on its own, but taking care of it by not overdoing harsh products, staying hydrated, and keeping it protected from the elements can give it extra armor to stay strong.

There are also ways to stay healthy and preserve skin health that have nothing to do with creams or serums. Practices like eating nutritious foods and staying active are vital for a healthy immune system (and therefore healthy skin). Adding supplemental products can give you a boost when you begin to feel ill.

A special note for those looking for that extra boost:

Hyssop Health, a Kara Vita sister-brand, specializes in products using origanum vulgare, a wild mountain-grown oregano with a remarkable ability to eliminate harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. The Oregano Liquid Supplement incorporates the same NLP technology we use in our skincare products to provide a perfectly effective and tolerable dose, while the spray delivery method allows the supplement to bypass the gut and instead absorb into the lymphatic system sublingually. You don’t have to save it for when you’re sick, either, and it’s gentle enough to be used daily. It’s safe for the entire family — kids included.

By keeping the immune system strong, you’re not only supporting your body’s health but your skin, too.