Guest blog: How to work probiotics into your clinic or salon offer

Probiotics can help with a host of issues from digestion to skin conditions like acne and eczema. Nutritional therapist Laura Ryan explains how you can work the supplements into your salon, spa or clinic offering

Confidence is beautiful, when you feel your best you look it, the glow of energy radiates and people comment on how well you look. That’s because at that moment you’re not feeling bloated, sluggish or tired, you’re feeling great. Confidence is nourished from within, and for some balancing probiotics could hold the answer.

Beneficial gut bacteria have the ability to enhance nutrient absorption by producing digestive enzymes. They can increase energy levels by producing B vitamins and also encourage detoxification by maintaining bowel frequency. Having too many bad bacteria is undesirable in many ways. For example, it affects the skin complexion, increases general inflammation in the body and leaves you feeling bloated. Spots, acne, and many other skin conditions are related to, or caused by, the inner workings of the body, and often the gut. 

There is a huge buzz around the supplementation of probiotics in the media and health industry as we see research increasing awareness of the health benefits. You can adopt this new understanding in your salon or clinic to really optimise your ability to influence client wellness. 

Whether your clients are experiencing UV damaged skin, ageing caused by exposure to toxins such as cigarettes and alcohol, or sensitive skin conditions like eczema, you should always consider their level of inflammation. Probiotics can have a direct modulatory effect on systemic inflammation and could assist your work in reducing the signs, including when a treatment itself may have temporarily inflamed the skin.

The skin is the largest of all organs, it cannot hide what is going on beneath the surface. Skin treatments can really help to detoxify at the surface level, but to optimise this cleansing process it’s important to ensure proper elimination of toxins, and for this bowel regularity aided by a healthy gut microbiome is key. 

They say “you are what we eat”, but really “you are what you absorb”. Having the right balance of gut bacteria is key to feeding the skin, as they really work to optimise absorption.

Probiotic supplements are an easy way for clients to top up their levels of friendly bacteria, so make an ideal recommendation for many, including those who mention they are struggling with digestive complaints and for those who generally wish to give their skin health a holistic boost, from the inside out. 

Laura Ryan is a nutritional therapist working with Wren Labs and OptiBac, a probiotics supplement company. She will be a speaker on the Nutrition seminar programme at Professional Beauty North, where she will talk about on Beauty & the gut: a probiotic approach to beauty at 2pm on Sunday, September 18.