Thank you for attending this year’s ASCP Skin Care Summit: Holistic Esthetics Edition! Benjamin Knight Fuchs, R. Ph, and founder of Truth Treatments, kicked off the summit with a session, You Are What You Eat. He discussed food and nutrition bio-hacks guaranteed to make your skin care treatments more effective and engage your clients in the process.

If you missed out on Ben Fuchs’ session, he has answered some of your thought provoking questions below. ASCP Members can now access all of the sessions and certificates from the 2021 ASCP Skin Care Summit: Holistic Esthetics Edition on demand.

Not yet an ASCP Member? Join Associated Skin Care Professionals today and receive instant access.

Acne

Q. What are your thoughts on vitex/chasteberry for acneic skin types?

A. The determination the effectiveness of herbals for health conditions requires information such as concentrations of active components, quality of herbs and soil plants are grown in, and the part of the plant that are used—all of which are typically unavailable.  There are much, much better solutions for dealing with acne.
 

Q. Does bone broth really do anything significant for acne or antiaging?

A. Absolutely, it’s one of the most powerful antiaging foods you can consume.
 

Q. What are the top acne-causing foods or ingredients?

A. Eggs, dairy, grains, legumes (nuts, peanuts, and beans, especially soy) are the biggest problems, but reactions can occur from a wide variety of foods.
 

Q. Does whey cause acne and is it anti-inflammatory? 

A. No, whey does not “cause” acne, but allergic reactions to whey components can trigger inflammation and result in acne-like lesions.
 

Q. What type of and how much zinc is good for acne?

A. I like zinc picolinate and 50mg daily is a good dose.
 

Q. Do you recommend a specific brand of multivitamin that can be recommended to clients with problematic skin?

A. Well, that depends on the skin problem, but my favorite all-around multivitamin is allOne powder.
 

Collagen

Q. Is bone broth good for the skin collagen wise?

A. Yes, it contains collagen as well as collagen building blocks.
 

Q. Would you recommend one collagen source over the over?

A. As far as skin health benefits go, all types are pretty much the same.
 

Q. Do you recommend taking lecithin with adaptogens?

A. Yes, lecithin is a valuable absorption aid for fat-soluble molecules, including adaptogens.
 

Q. Are there other effective oral collagen supplements you'd recommend?

A. All brands are pretty similar.
 

Overall Skin Health

Q. Can niacinamide be taken orally for UV protection? 

A. Yes, niacinamide is photoprotective.
 

Q. Are sugar alternatives OK for skin health? I know I drink diet soda, but I worry it is causing skin dehydration.

A. Dehydration from diet soda is more a function of caffeine than of sugar alternatives.
 

Q. Do you recommend any detox drinks to reset?

A. Plain, distilled water is the best detox drink.
 

Q. Distilled water over alkaline water?

A. Yes, distilled water is clean water, and it’s slightly alkaline too!
 

Q. How do I suggest a nutritional change to a client while staying in my scope?

A. Nutritional suggestions are well within scope.
 

Q. What's your take on CBD and hemp skin care?

A. CBD may have some anti-inflammatory benefits, but they’re not necessarily noticeable or clinically significant. When fresh, hempseed oil can have some benefits when taken as a nutritional supplement.
 

Whole Body Health

Q. How much vitamin A is a suggested amount to take internally? 

A. I suggest 10,000–20,000 IU daily, which is much higher than the recommended daily allowance, which is around 3,000 IU.
 

Q. Is there any harm in using vitamin A both internally and topically?

A. Vitamins are essential nutrients and harmless when taken in reasonable and normal doses.
 

Q. What would you suggest for clients that are vegan struggling with a low iron intake?

A. Enjoy lots of green leafy veggies taken with vitamin C.
 

Q. Do we need to alter our intake of protein, carbs, etc. with age? 

A. All ages need to maximize nutrition; however, calories should be reduced as we age.
 

Q. What is your all-around favorite supplement?

A. Youngevity Beyond Tangy Tangerine Multi-Vitamin + Mineral Complex.
 

Q. About how long do you think it takes to see change after using supplements?

A. That depends on how severe deficiencies and symptoms are.
 

Q. What supplements would you recommend if you are on a keto diet?

A. All essential nutrients are required with keto, and I would add alpha lipoic acid and carnitine.