Holistic treatment for skin conditions

Functional medicine is an innovative approach to healthcare that addresses chronic skin health issues. Research has shown that conditions like eczema, acne, psoriasis, and other skin disorders can be influenced by factors such as diet, lifestyle, stress, and environmental exposures. Functional medicine recognises that each individual is biochemically unique, so solving a skin health issue starts with identifying the root cause. This means addressing underlying factors, rather than just treating the surface symptoms.

Our functional medicine practitioners aim to fully understand your skin health, considering your personal history, lifestyle, and any triggers. By assessing these elements, we can start to develop a clearer picture of what’s impacting your skin. This may include functional pathology testing to uncover deeper causes. Once the root causes are identified, your skin health practitioner will create a personalised treatment plan that addresses both internal and external factors, helping to restore balance and promote healthier skin.

Around 80% of people struggle to achieve their health goals due to ingrained habits, particularly around food and lifestyle, which are often deeply connected to emotional triggers.

This is where health coaching can make a significant difference. Our health coaches specialise in behavioural change, helping you navigate the emotional and physical hurdles of managing a skin condition with clarity and ease. They understand how challenging it can be to make lasting changes, especially when emotional connections to food, stress, or habits can hold you back. Having experienced similar obstacles themselves, they act as your guide, supporter, and accountability partner, helping you stay on track.

Many of our patients find the support from their health coach invaluable, often realising its true impact only after experiencing it firsthand. Health coaching is a key part of our program because it helps address not just the physical but the emotional aspects of skin health, ensuring you can make lasting changes and achieve meaningful results.

By combining functional medicine and coaching, we offer a holistic approach that’s been proven effective in treating skin conditions and fostering long-term health improvements. This approach has been so successful that we recently won the 2024 ATMS Clinic of the Year award. We’re confident that working with a coach, alongside your tailored treatment plan, will set you up for success and help you regain control of your skin and overall health.

If you’re struggling with a skin condition like acne, eczema, or hives and are ready to make lasting changes, working with Melbourne Functional Medicine could be the perfect fit. We understand how frustrating it can be to deal with chronic skin conditions and the emotional impact they can have. That’s why we take a personalised, root-cause approach to help uncover the underlying factors contributing to your skin health challenges, so you can feel confident in your skin again.

Our skin health specialist and functional medicine practitioner, Rebecca Hughes, along with one of our dedicated health coaches, will collaborate with you to develop a comprehensive plan that addresses the root causes, not just the symptoms. We take the time to fully understand your individual health profile, considering your diet, lifestyle, and any other factors that could be influencing your skin.

If you’re motivated to invest time and energy into healing, learn new habits, and take an active role in improving your skin health, we’re here to guide you. Together, we can create a transformative plan that supports long-term skin health and overall well-being.

During your session, which will be conducted via video online, practitioner Rebecca will take a thorough investigative approach to uncover all the factors impacting your skin health. She’ll gather details about your health history, diet, lifestyle, and any existing test results, creating a mindmap that links these elements together, helping to identify the root causes of your skin condition – whether it’s acne, eczema, hives, psoriasis or undiagnosed skin irritations.

You’ll have the opportunity to ask as many questions as you like throughout the session. If there are any unresolved concerns or questions you’ve been carrying, bring them along – Rebecca will explain everything in straightforward, easy-to-understand terms, without technical jargon.

By the end of the session, you and Rebecca will collaboratively develop an investigative healthcare plan that directly addresses the underlying causes of your skin condition. A health coach will join the session to ensure you fully understand the plan and the mindmap, providing further resources and reviewing the treatment plan created with Rebecca.

If you choose to continue with our program, your health coach will assist with arranging supplements, coordinating necessary testing, and scheduling your first coaching appointment. Together, you’ll map out practical steps to implement your treatment plan effectively.

By the end of the session, you’ll have gained valuable insights into what’s driving your skin condition, leaving you feeling empowered, hopeful, and motivated to regain control of your skin health.

A health mindmap is a powerful visual tool that brings together all the insights from your deep dive session, offering you a clearer, more holistic view of your skin health. It organises the information you share with your practitioner, mapping out your symptoms from a biological perspective and linking them to potential influences like lifestyle, diet, and environmental factors. Many patients find that the mindmap helps them gain a new level of clarity, seeing their skin health in a way that truly makes sense for the first time.

As you progress through the program, your practitioner will continue to update and refine the mindmap as new insights emerge, ensuring nothing is overlooked. This dynamic map becomes a key tool in guiding your treatment plan, helping to address every factor influencing your skin condition.

Here’s an example of what a mindmap looks like:

Yes, we work with patients worldwide via telehealth. However, managing international logistics, labs, and supplements often requires additional time and can lead to delays. To ensure we maintain the same high standard of care as for our local patients, international patients can access our 5 or 7 month program. This approach allows us to deliver a seamless and effective experience.

A payment of $870 is due at the time of booking your deep dive consultation. The program fee is payable upon signing up for one of our programs, with the option to split the payment into monthly instalments through our trusted payment partners.

To find out more about payment solutions download our resource here.

Any supplements or lab testing will be charged separately.

At Melbourne Functional Medicine, our functional medicine skin specialist, Rebecca Hughes, takes a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to skin health that goes beyond treating surface symptoms.

Instead of relying solely on topical treatments, Rebecca will examine your overall health – including diet, gut function, stress, and hormone balance – to uncover the root causes of skin concerns. By using advanced diagnostic testing and detailed clinical assessments, Rebecca will work with you to identify factors such as systemic inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, and immune dysregulation. With these insights, a tailored treatment strategy is developed to support skin regeneration and promote lasting wellness, addressing both the visible symptoms and the underlying imbalances.

To identify the root cause of skin conditions, our functional medicine skin health expert may recommend several advanced tests. A comprehensive blood panel can assess nutrient deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, and inflammation markers, which may contribute to skin issues. Gut health tests, such as stool analysis, can reveal whether an imbalance in gut bacteria is causing skin problems like acne or eczema. Food sensitivity testing can pinpoint allergens or intolerances that may trigger inflammation in the skin. In some cases, a comprehensive hormonal test or detoxification profile can provide additional insights into factors contributing to a skin condition, helping create a personalised treatment plan.

By working with our functional medicine skin health practitioner, you’ll receive expert guidance in selecting the right tests tailored to your specific needs, ensuring the most effective path to healing.

At Melbourne Functional Medicine, our experienced skin naturopath and functional medicine practitioner, Rebecca Hughes, takes a comprehensive approach to managing chronic skin conditions. By addressing underlying imbalances, she works to restore your skin’s natural vitality. Rebecca uses natural remedies such as herbal treatments, targeted dietary changes, and lifestyle modifications to support the body’s healing processes. Her approach focuses on key areas like improving gut health, reducing inflammation, and enhancing immune function, which are critical for conditions like eczema, acne, and psoriasis. This holistic strategy not only alleviates symptoms but also helps prevent future flare-ups, promoting lasting skin health.

The connection between gut health and skin conditions represents a key principle of functional medicine, which acknowledges the body’s interconnected systems and how imbalances in one area can affect others.

Imbalances in the gut microbiome, including an overgrowth of harmful bacteria or yeast, can trigger inflammation that manifests on the skin. Conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis can be linked to leaky gut syndrome, where the gut lining becomes compromised and allows toxins to enter the bloodstream, leading to skin flare-ups. A healthy gut, on the other hand, supports a healthy immune system, reduces inflammation, and helps regulate hormone balance, all of which contribute to clearer, healthier skin.

To get started with a functional medicine approach to skin health, the first step is to schedule a deep dive consultation with our experienced functional medicine skin specialist. During your session, your practitioner will review your health history, lifestyle, and current skin concerns. They may recommend advanced testing to uncover any imbalances that could be contributing to your skin condition. Based on these results, your practitioner will create a personalised treatment plan that may include dietary adjustments, supplementation, and lifestyle changes to address the root causes of your skin issues. 

If you’re ready to take the first step towards healthier skin, book a discovery call today to book your deep dive session, and see how our holistic approach can help you achieve long-term results.

A functional medicine skin specialist differs from a dermatologist by addressing the root causes of skin conditions rather than just focusing on symptom management. While dermatologists typically treat skin issues with medications, topical treatments, and procedures, a functional medicine specialist takes a more holistic approach.

They examine factors such as gut health, nutrition, hormones, stress, and other underlying health issues that may contribute to skin problems. Functional medicine practitioners, such as our skin specialist Rebecca Hughes, work with you to create a personalised plan, aiming for long-term skin health through lifestyle changes, natural therapies, and targeted treatments, rather than relying on temporary solutions.