So skipping a daily pass can ultimately mess with your hormones, which can manifest in full-body and skin disruptions. “Poor metabolic waste elimination plus a hormone imbalance can wreak havoc on your skin,” says Brighten. As you may already know, imbalanced hormones are strongly linked to breakouts around the chin and jawline, frequently referred to as “hormonal acne.”
But it’s not just breakouts that get impacted. Constipation is associated with a significant risk of atopic dermatitis (or eczema)2, too. Perhaps that’s why Pedre has “seen eczema improve just by getting someone to poop more regularly.” Pretty impressive, right?
Even if you aren’t dealing with more serious skin conditions, like acne or eczema, you can certainly face duller, drier skin from constipation. “When you’re not pooping, [the toxins] have to come out in some way,” says celebrity makeup artist Nam Vo, who coined the term “dewy dumpling skin.” That’s why she prioritizes a stellar No. 2 routine (probiotics, juices, and the like): “Topical skin care can only go so far. It starts from the inside out,” she adds.
In short: Your entire body, skin included, is directly impacted by how often you poop. As Pedre notes: “Pooping is essential to detoxing the body, and the longer you retain your poop, the more likely that toxins that have been packaged ready to be moved out of your body are going to have more time to recirculate and get reabsorbed back into your body.”
