Madilyn Sonter - The Founder of The Functional Skin Studio
I’ve spent years helping people understand their skin. I’m a skincare and clinic owner, and my own lifelong experience with eczema helped shape the work I do today. But knowing a lot about skin didn’t make me immune to a severe flare.
About six years ago, I opened my business at 27. I was building an extremely busy clinic with very little money behind me, then COVID hit. The pressure of trying to keep a new business going became relentless. I was exhausted, anxious and gaining weight, and my eczema returned with a vengeance. This time, it covered my body and reached my face and neck.
I’d had eczema for as long as I could remember. Growing up, I followed the conventional treatments recommended by my GP and Derm. At 18, I explored naturopathic care and felt I had finally got my skin under control. That experience became part of the reason I built a career around understanding skin and supporting people with eczema.
So when it came back so severely, I felt lost. The things I had relied on before weren’t enough for this flare. I had to accept that my skin was showing me something was going on in my life and health, and look at the bigger picture.
Looking beyond my skin
I’d spent years talking to clients about the relationship between stress and skin, but I wasn’t giving myself the same attention. I was running on empty, and my anxiety was crippling.
Stress didn’t necessarily cause my eczema, but it may have helped keep the flare going. Research suggests psychological stress can affect the skin barrier, while eczema’s itch, discomfort and impact on sleep can add to stress. It can become a difficult cycle to break.
One of the first things we look at with chronic skin conditions is gut health. At the time, a stool test reported Dientamoeba fragilis and flagged a few other markers indicating over growths and deficiencies in my gut microbiome. Research is exploring how the gut microbiome and immune system may influence eczema, but the relationship is still being studied.
What I changed
There wasn’t one magic fix. I made a series of changes that felt right for me and, over time, my skin began to settle.
Filtering our water made a huge difference
We had recently moved to Ipswich, so I had our home water tested. The chlorine levels were much higher than I expected! With my skin already flaring, I felt the water was adding to the irritation. I filtered our shower and drinking water, and it made a huge difference for me. It was one of the most noticeable changes I made to my environment while my eczema was at its worst. If you can’t install a permanent filtration system at home, we now stock portable filters as an easier option.
I investigated my gut health
I didn’t want to keep guessing or take a general probiotic and hope for the best. I had a stool test and used the results to guide more targeted support. That process helped me understand what was going on and what supplements were relevant for me. Addressing my gut health was an important part of the wider changes that helped my skin improve.
I changed how I was nourishing myself
I increased my protein and nutrient dense fats, reduced my carbohydrate intake and added a high quality omega supplement, Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega. Essential fatty acids are part of normal cell structure and are involved in inflammatory signaling. For me, improving my nutrition and adding omega support were helpful parts of my overall approach.
I supported my nervous system
I’d spent years talking to clients about the connection between the nervous system and skin, but I wasn’t doing enough to support my own. I was anxious, overwhelmed and burnt out. I used Whole Health’s Anti Anxiety Herbs as part of my support plan, and I also had to take my stress and recovery seriously.
I was selective with my skincare.
During this period was when I formulated my Charlotte Calming Cream which has now gone on to be approved by The Eczema Association Australasia. Using products that truly supported the barrier, skin microbiome and was steroid free, fragrance free and Essential oil free provided so much relief.
What my flare taught me
My eczema didn’t return because I had forgotten how to care for my skin. It returned during a period when I was under enormous pressure, and I needed to look beyond skincare alone.
Just because my job is to know about skin, doesn’t make me immune to illness, stress or burnout. Sometimes our own experience reminds us that skin is connected to a much bigger picture. For me, looking at my environment, gut health, nutrition and anxiety helped me understand what I needed to address as my skin gradually settled.