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Mapping your skin from the inside out
The Functional Labs that Power The Reset
Your skin is a messenger—but most conventional care only listens to the surface. At The Functional Skin Reset, we go deeper. Our 6-month program is guided by four powerful functional lab tests that illuminate what your body is really trying to tell you.
These tests reveal hidden imbalances in your gut, hormones, minerals, and blood chemistry, helping us design a truly personalized healing roadmap for your skin and overall health.
1. GI-MAP (Gastrointestinal Microbial Assay Plus)
The GI-MAP test is a comprehensive stool analysis that utilizes DNA-based quantitative PCR (qPCR) technology to assess the microbial composition of the gastrointestinal tract and identify imbalances in the gut microbiome.
Why It Matters for Skin:
Your gut and skin are directly connected through the gut-skin axis. When your gut is inflamed or out of balance, it often shows up on your skin as acne, rosacea, eczema, or unexplained inflammation.
Intestinal Permeability (aka ‘leaky gut’) is a driver for systemic and local skin inflammation. Barrier disruption in one area of the body leads to barrier disruption in another, reinforcing the concept that ‘leaky gut’ leads to ‘leaky skin’ and skin inflammation. By pinpointing imbalances in the gut microbiome, we can identify the root cause of many inflammatory skin conditions.
The GI Map Reveals
Overgrowth of bacteria, yeast, parasites, and viruses
Inflammatory markers (like calprotectin)
Digestive efficiency (enzyme activity, leaky gut indicators)
Immune dysregulation (secretory IgA)
Let's look at some examples
H. Pylori
An overgrowth of this bacterium can disrupt stomach acid levels, impair protein digestion, and reduce nutrient absorption—all of which are critical for skin repair and resilience. H. pylori is also linked to acne and rosacea.
Let's look at some examples
H. Pylori
An overgrowth of this bacterium can disrupt stomach acid levels, impair protein digestion, and reduce nutrient absorption—all of which are critical for skin repair and resilience. H. pylori is also linked to acne and rosacea.
Candida (Yeast)
Overgrowth contributes to systemic inflammation, skin rashes, and fungal acne. We may use antifungal botanicals or dietary strategies to restore balance.
Keystone bacteria
Low levels impair gut barrier function and short-chain fatty acid production, which are crucial for calming inflammatory skin conditions.
Streptococcus spp.
This bacterial genus colonizes the skin and mucous membranes throughout the body. In clients with acne, an overgrowth of Streptococcus is extremely common. These bacteria can contribute to persistent pustular breakouts and inflamed acne lesions, particularly on the jawline and cheeks. Targeting this overgrowth can significantly reduce skin congestion and inflammation.
How It Informs Your Protocol
Your GI-MAP results offer a clear picture of your gut health and how it may be influencing your skin.
This allows us to create a personalized protocol that supports microbiome balance, reduces inflammation, and strengthens your gut barrier—through strategic changes in nutrition, lifestyle, and targeted support.
Healing the gut can be a game-changer for chronic skin issues.
This test helps us understand how your microbiome may be triggering skin flare-ups and immune reactivity—and gives us a roadmap to calm the chaos from the inside out.
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This allows us to create a personalized protocol that supports microbiome balance, reduces inflammation, and strengthens your gut barrier—through strategic changes in nutrition, lifestyle, and targeted support.
Healing the gut can be a game-changer for chronic skin issues.
This test helps us understand how your microbiome may be triggering skin flare-ups and immune reactivity—and gives us a roadmap to calm the chaos from the inside out.
How It Informs Your Protocol
Your GI-MAP results offer a clear picture of your gut health and how it may be influencing your skin.
2. DUTCH Complete (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones)
The DUTCH Complete test measures sex and adrenal hormones, as well as their metabolites, through dried urine samples collected over a 24-hour period. It offers the most advanced and comprehensive insight into hormonal health available today.
Why It Matters for Skin:
Hormonal imbalances are one of the most overlooked drivers of adult acne, melasma, dryness, and poor skin healing. If your skin issues fluctuate with your cycle, feel worse under stress, or haven’t responded to topical products, it’s likely your hormones are involved.
Traditional vs. DUTCH Testing: While traditional blood tests offer only a single-point snapshot of hormone levels and saliva tests often lack accuracy for metabolites, DUTCH goes further. By collecting multiple samples over a full day, DUTCH captures hormone production patterns, detox pathways, and fluctuations in real time—giving a much more complete and actionable picture.
This is why DUTCH has become the gold standard in hormone testing, used by thousands of healthcare professionals worldwide.
The DUTCH Reveals
Estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and their metabolites
DHT (a potent androgen linked to cystic acne)
Organic acid markers for vitamin B6, B12, glutathione, neurotransmitter balance, & inflammation
Cortisol levels and rhythm (stress response)
Melatonin and oxidative stress markers
Let's look at some examples
High DHT (5a-DHT)
This potent form of testosterone drives increased sebum production and clogged pores. If your DUTCH shows high DHT, we’ll focus on androgen-balancing strategies through diet, supplements, and lifestyle changes.
Let's look at some examples
High DHT (5a-DHT)
This potent form of testosterone drives increased sebum production and clogged pores. If your DUTCH shows high DHT, we’ll focus on androgen-balancing strategies through diet, supplements, and lifestyle changes.
Estrogen Dominance
If your test reveals low progesterone with high estrogen or poor estrogen detox (via 4-OH or 16-OH pathways), you may be experiencing hormonal breakouts, melasma, and PMS.
Flat or Spiked Cortisol Curve
Disrupted cortisol patterns can impair skin barrier repair and increase inflammation. Depending on what shows up in your results, we tailor your protocol to support stress resilience, balance your circadian rhythm, and stabilize blood sugar—key foundations for calming skin reactivity and rebuilding from within.
How It Informs Your Protocol
We use DUTCH data to personalize your hormone-balancing plan
Whether that’s detoxifying excess hormones, improving adrenal resilience, or supporting ovulation naturally.
The result? Less hormonal chaos and more skin clarity.
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Whether that’s detoxifying excess hormones, improving adrenal resilience, or supporting ovulation naturally.
The result? Less hormonal chaos and more skin clarity.
How It Informs Your Protocol
We use DUTCH data to personalize your hormone-balancing plan
3. HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis)
A Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) is a non-invasive test that measures the levels of minerals and heavy metals present in a person's body to help identify nutrient deficiencies and toxic metal excesses.
Why It Matters for Skin:
Minerals are the spark plugs of your metabolism—and skin health depends on optimal mineral balance. Many clients have imbalances that suppress thyroid function, worsen adrenal fatigue, or impair detox—all of which affect skin tone, barrier repair, and inflammation.
While blood tests show the recent and current body status (like a snapshot in time), the hair acts like a storage space for minerals, revealing how minerals are being utilized in the body over the past 3–4 months.
HTMA Reveals
Imbalances in essential minerals like sodium, potassium, copper, magnesium, and zinc
Levels of toxic heavy metals like lead, mercury, aluminum, and arsenic
Patterns related to metabolism, stress response, digestive health, thyroid and adrenal function, inflammation, and immune regulation
Let's look at some examples
Low Zinc / High Copper
This imbalance is common in clients with acne, eczema, and poor wound healing. Zinc is critical for inflammation control and skin repair, while excess copper can promote oxidative stress.
Let's look at some examples
Low Zinc / High Copper
This imbalance is common in clients with acne, eczema, and poor wound healing. Zinc is critical for inflammation control and skin repair, while excess copper can promote oxidative stress.
Low Sodium & Potassium
These adrenal markers can point to burnout and electrolyte depletion, often showing up as dull, reactive, or dehydrated skin.
High Calcium / Low Magnesium
It often shows up in the skin as dryness, congestion, and a lack of circulation—what we call skin stagnation.
High Calcium / High Magnesium
While it may seem like there’s abundance, this pattern can indicate bio-unavailable minerals—what we sometimes call a “shell pattern.” It reflects mineral loss and poor utilization, often tied to chronic stress, exhaustion, or long-standing inflammation. In skin, this may show up as dullness, flaking, or stubborn breakouts that don’t respond to surface-level treatments.
How It Informs Your Protocol
Based on HTMA, we craft a mineral replenishment strategy to support your stress response, detox capacity, and skin healing.
Minerals often get overlooked in skincare, but restoring them can transform how your skin looks and feels.
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Minerals often get overlooked in skincare, but restoring them can transform how your skin looks and feels.
How It Informs Your Protocol
Based on HTMA, we craft a mineral replenishment strategy to support your stress response, detox capacity, and skin healing.
4. Functional Blood Chemistry
This panel includes 53 markers and is analyzed through a functional lens to reveal patterns of inflammation, blood sugar dysregulation, nutrient depletion, and immune burden.
Why It Matters for Skin:
Bloodwork helps to bridge the gap between gut, hormone, and metabolic function. It identifies hidden systemic imbalances that directly affect skin health. Blood chemistry gives us real-time data about how your body is functioning and where stress, inflammation, or deficiency may be impacting your skin’s ability to repair and glow.
Functional blood chemistry uncovers subtle imbalances that link your digestive health, hormone levels, and metabolism. These connections often influence inflammation and nutrient absorption, which directly affect the condition and appearance of your skin.
Because blood markers change within just weeks to months, they’re particularly useful for monitoring progress. Blood markers respond quickly to changes in diet, stress, and treatment, making blood tests a valuable tool to measure improvements. Regular testing helps adjust your health plan for better results and ensures you’re on the right path.
Functional Blood Chemistry Reveals
Inflammatory markers (e.g., hs-CRP, ESR)
Blood sugar control (fasting insulin, glucose, HbA1c)
Liver and kidney function (ALT, AST, BUN, creatinine)
Thyroid health (TSH, Free T3, Free T4, antibodies)
Iron and ferritin levels
Let's look at some examples
Low Ferritin
If your ferritin (stored iron) is low, your skin may look pale, dry, or fatigued. Iron is essential for oxygen delivery and collagen formation.
Let's look at some examples
Low Ferritin
If your ferritin (stored iron) is low, your skin may look pale, dry, or fatigued. Iron is essential for oxygen delivery and collagen formation.
Elevated Insulin
Insulin resistance contributes to hormonal acne, sebum overproduction, and glycation (which damages collagen).
How It Informs Your Protocol
This test helps us see the whole picture of your metabolic and inflammatory status
It confirms what’s driving internal stress and helps us customize your food, supplements, and lifestyle for real skin results.
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It confirms what’s driving internal stress and helps us customize your food, supplements, and lifestyle for real skin results.
How It Informs Your Protocol
This test helps us see the whole picture of your metabolic and inflammatory status