Autoimmune Disorders and Skin Rashes: How Skincare Impacts Autoimmune Disorders. Learn about the importance of your skin and skin care for autoimmune disorders, The role of skin rashes and autoimmune disorders and how to deal with them.
Dr. Ebru Karpuzoglu is a globally recognized immunologist, molecular medicine scientist, and thought leader in hormonal immunity, inflammation, and longevity. With over 25 years of research, she has made pioneering contributions to understanding how estrogen shapes immune resilience, chronic inflammation, and aging, particularly in women’s health.
Her groundbreaking discovery on estrogen’s role in inflammatory pathways has been widely cited in peer-reviewed scientific journals, influencing the fields of autoimmunity, immune aging, and dermatological science. Passionate about translating cutting-edge research into real-world applications, Dr. Ebru founded AveSeena in 2020—the first skincare brand focused on skin immunity and inflammaging, harnessing the power of advanced molecular science for beauty and wellness.
Dr. Ebru’s work has been featured in leading industry platforms, including Cosmetic Design and the Skin Anarchy Podcast, where she shares her expertise on the science of inflammation, skin longevity, and immune health.
http://aveseena.com Use code HEALING for a 15% discount. I recommend starting with the sample pack for $25
Transcript
AnnaLaura Brown: Okay everybody. So today I am really excited to welcome Dr. Ibrew and that’s Ibrew is actually her first name. a much longer,…
Ebru K.: First of all,…
AnnaLaura Brown: harder to pronounce last name that I’m sure she’ll pronounce for us, but it’ll also be in the podcast description. And she is going to be talking with us about something that I have not really covered, but I feel like it’s pretty important. We’re going to be talking about your skin health and how that impacts your autoimmunity and your inflammation and just how the health of your skin in general just has a big impact on your health. So, welcome Dr. Abru. Why don’t you start off by telling us a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what brings you on to autoimmune rehab?
Ebru K.: thank you for having me here. It’s an absolute pleasure to talk to you. So, okay, where do I begin? So, let’s start with the name. I’m Dr. Ibukar Pollo and I usually joke about I was born with a microscope in one hand and moisturizer in the other, but I’m a born scientist, I guess, and a nerd.
Ebru K.: to be honest, I’m an iminologist trained in molecular medicine and over 25 years of research in how our immune system works, our hormones, estrogen, how does it affect the inflammation and how estrogen impacts the autoimmune diseases and why females have more autoimmune diseases in general. and also something we often underestimate where does the skin stand in all of this. So my career began in mostly academic labs researching autoimmunity inflammation how hormones influence the immune responses. but one might say okay you were in iminology how did you go towards the skin and the reason is more personal because I was battling with really bad acne.
Ebru K.: it became cystic especially when I was doing my PhD thanks to the stress and also watching my father suffer severe skin reactions during his battle with cancer and then I realized we’re missing something both it’s huge in medicine and beauty and in research because at that time during the ‘9s and if we go back 80s As far as I can remember, skin care industry wasn’t respecting the immune system. It wasn’t acknowledging that the skin immunity is also a part of this. So it was trying to just fix the surface So that was my moment of realization and then it planted the seed for a vino.
Ebru K.: We have today our brand that fuses the science, the sensory elegance and the immune respect in every drop. So that’s how it kind of started. So my aim is to calm the chaos if I can.
AnnaLaura Brown: That’s awesome.
AnnaLaura Brown: That’s a lot of good words of wisdom right there. could probably do a whole podcast just on some of the different things you brought up there, but you’re right. I mean, skin care, generally speaking, they don’t take into account inflammation, your immune system, all that kind of stuff. they just don’t, and not to mention all the toxins that are in a lot of skinincare,…
Ebru K.: There’s a
AnnaLaura Brown: I mean, that’s a whole another can of worms in and of itself, do they not respect and create skin care that’s actually good for you, they put things in it that actually can make your autoimmune conditions worse or in some cases even give you an autoimmune condition. So, it’s complicated. So, what would you tell us? I know there’s, different theories, different people have different ideas about there. Why do you think that more women have autoimmune conditions?
Ebru K.: different there’s certain okay let me rephrase that it’s not only one reason there are several reasons right so sex hormones is one of them also the genetic component is another lifestyle stress women are more stressed than men I’m sorry…
AnnaLaura Brown: Yep. Mhm.
Ebru K.: if there is men listening that’s the truth I’m sorry but we handle a lot of stuff and the hormones Estrogen, progesterone is harder on females. men have testosterone predominantly. They have estrogen as well, but the females have to go through these changes every month starting from 12 years old every day. It’s a different profile. And then when you go into menopause, that’s another thing. And then there’s the genetic component to it. So we have two X chromosomes.
Ebru K.: And if we were looking at the genetic aspect of it, let’s say there is a gene that makes you more susceptible to a certain type of autoimmune disease and…
00:05:00
Ebru K.: if it’s on one chromosome, you’re fine. But if it’s on both chromosome, you’re kind of screwed. So there is the double effect. So that’s why females are a little bit more susceptible, 1 to eight susceptible compared to men, unfortunately.
AnnaLaura Brown: Yeah, that’s true.
AnnaLaura Brown: Yeah, I mean I can totally see that. Yeah, absolutely. Makes a lot of sense. So, let’s talk a little bit about skin care and autoimmunity then. So why,…
AnnaLaura Brown: do we need to really take a look at skin care, what we’re putting on our skin, and how that impacts your immune system and your autoimmunity.
Ebru K.: Definitely.
Ebru K.: So, first let’s talk about our life since the life is getting harder and harder. at least that’s what I’m feeling. it’s getting more stressful. It’s getting harder. I mean we have all these internet and everything was supposed to make our lives easier but It made it crazy faster. That means stress right? So if this is taking an impact on a normal healthy person what is the impact on a person who has autoimmunity? Double whammy. It’s not easy.
Ebru K.: I mean life is not easy but then on top of it the autoimmunity right and let’s talk about the skin care is supposed to make us happy and comforted. That’s your five minutes in the bathroom away from everything. So unfortunately many people think of skincare as a surface level thing or a luxury or a vanity project which is not. But for the people with autoimmune challenges and I don’t want to say problems, it’s challenge. skincare is much more like a daily therapy. Let’s put it that way. If you have the right skinincare that is so your skin is your largest organ and I would like to say it’s also the largest immune organ because It sees everything. It defends you against everything.
Ebru K.: It contains these resident immune cells like lanyard hon cells, dendrit cells, mass cells and they act like your overprotective bouncers at a very exclusive club. I mean a bug comes in or a cut happens. These cells said nope you can’t go forward. We’re protecting this body. They’re constantly reacting. However, in autoimmunity, your personal bouncers tend to get a little trigger happy. Let’s put it that way. And why does it get trigger happy? Because it starts attacking their own cells as well. So with people with autoimmunity, skin often becomes this early messenger of internal imbalance. So these ma liner hand dedic cells all trained to detect all these threats.
Ebru K.: But these same cells can misinterpret these harmless signals as danger and then your skin will react faster. You will have more irritation. So when you have the right skin care and everybody’s skincare routine is going to be different for each for themselves. We need to think as skin care is your daily opportunity to respect to regulate and visibly calm what’s your happening to your skin. So we know what you put on your skin doesn’t actually sit there. I wish it was but it doesn’t. So an autoimmunone skin that is usually sensitive and reactive and inflamed will react faster compared to a normal skin.
Ebru K.: So when we come to the traditional mass market skincare, those are usually overloaded with harsh exfoliants or allergens or ingredients that your skin not going to like as an autoimmune prone skin and it’s like waving a flag in front of an overzealous immune system. Okay. So, this is where it’s important choosing a gentle scientifically formulated products, real products that will help the unnecessary load on the skin. So, I think this is where we always overlook this situation. We think skincare and we walk away. However, that’s not the case.
Ebru K.: There is also a tremendous emotional aspect to it. So let’s say you have a skincare routine and…
AnnaLaura Brown: Yeah. Yep.
Ebru K.: it’s not working. It’s making you irritated. So we know there’s an immune component to it, but then there’s also an emotional component to it, It’s making you because it’s not working. You’re getting irritated. You’re worried. How am I going to fix this? So again, when you worry it, your immune system doesn’t know if you’re in a fight or a flight response is stressed. So it’s supposed to help you. That’s why especially in an autoimmun person, skin care routine becomes really important. One, because of the ingredients. Two, does it induce irritation, inflammation? Three, does it make that person happy?
00:10:00
Ebru K.: There’s the emotional component.
AnnaLaura Brown: Yeah, that’s a good point…
AnnaLaura Brown: because I know I’ve noticed that, one of the signs I can tell if I’m overstressed or having a flare up, if you will, is with rashes, and it’ll show up in the skin and exactly.
Ebru K.: I mean, I’m not autoimmune, but it happens to me, too. I start itching, some kind of a rash when you’re overstressed. It happens to all of us. And even in an autoimmune situation, it’s may get worse.
AnnaLaura Brown: Yeah, for Absolutely. So, if somebody’s listening to this and they’re thinking, ” wow. I hadn’t really even considered that, I should pay more attention to my skin care with wellness and…
AnnaLaura Brown: with my autoimmune. What is one that you would say what should be the first thing that they think about?
Ebru K.: First and…
Ebru K.: foremost, skin is not separate from your overall wellness. It’s a part of your immune system. It’s a part of your nervous system. Because when we look at our skin, we see a barrier because it’s our outer layer, but it’s an open system. It’s not a closed system. So, it’s not separate from your wellness. And with the autoimmune conditions, when the redness and the itchiness and the breakouts and the hyper sensitivity are coming up on your skin, it’s your skin talking to you.
Ebru K.: Never ignore that talk because when these are happening your skin is saying I am overwhelmed can you please help me I can’t handle this anymore I need your help so that’s one part and second of all your skin barriers are your personal shield so when it’s weak due to stress inflammation or even aggressive skin care it lets the irritants and moisture out to the flare ups it’s going to flare up it’s not going to be fun. and the stress and poor sleep and food sensitivities even how you feel about your skin at that moment is going to impact. So, I would say the wellness thinking it as a whole, not my god, my skin is going bad. I need to fix it. No, it’s a wellness thing. It’s a whole thing. It’s the whole system.
Ebru K.: The skin is just mirroring it out and trying to talk to you.
AnnaLaura Brown: That’s good.
AnnaLaura Brown: I think that’s important to realize is like you said, I mean, your skin is your biggest organ, and yeah, it’s like skin is talking to you just all your other organs are talking to you and telling you, “Hey, hello,… I need help.” So, what would you say would be one small but powerful change that somebody’s who’s listening today can to help support their skin’s immune health?
AnnaLaura Brown:
Ebru K.: God.
Ebru K.: First of all, give yourself a break. You’re doing the best you can and especially in a nomune situation, you have lots to handle. So, second of all, try to choose the right skin care. don’t go for the mass market.
Ebru K.: your skin and you are too precious to be spending my dad had a saying I am not rich enough to buy cheap stuff because then if you buy cheap stuff you have to pay it in a different way so if you buy a cheap shoe you have to end up repairing it or cheap car you end up with more so skincare is no different if you get a cheap skinincare the downstream is not going to be very satisfactory. Let’s put it that way. So that would be another change. Also, I mean, treat your skin care and your time as your personal sacred pause like a daily meaning vacation just for two minutes. Lock the door,…
Ebru K.: put the earplugs on, and just treat yourself because you deserve it. On top of it, let’s put the skincare on the other side.
Ebru K.: what you eat, how you treat yourself, your inner conversation, don’t be hard on yourself. Everybody messes up. And take a breather and try to Give yourself a break. This is the most important thing I think.
00:15:00
AnnaLaura Brown: Yeah, for Absolutely. So you would say that probably so what would be some of the everyday mistakes that people make with their skin care that can worsen their inflammation especially if you have autoimmune issues? You’ve already mentioned some of those,…
AnnaLaura Brown: not using the wrong kind of skin care, using toxins, getting too stressed out. Anything else that you feel like would be a common mistake that people make?
Ebru K.: Yeah,…
Ebru K.: definitely. So what would make the inflammation and irritation even worse, especially for those with domine issues? That is the question. So first of all, let’s talk about the exfoliation. So unfortunately on the Tik Tok and the social media everybody focuses on I need this I need overexfoliation is the enemy of the skin everything in moderation right so the social media gave us this idea somehow if you overexfoliate you’re going to glow yeah you’re going to glow for a day next day you’re going to have an irritation that’s not glowy at all
Ebru K.: try to stay away from these daily scrubs, acid peels, and even those innocent looking, acidic pads. Those are very aggressively polishing away your skin barriers. And if you have an autoimmune disease prevalence, your skin is more sensitive compared to the rest of the population. So these pads are not designed for you. These acidic toners are not for you. So you need to find another way. So that Another thing is mixing very powerful active ingredients with each other. That’s another Tik Tok trend by the way. So for example, using acidic toners like AHA and then retinoids at the same time, that’s a recipe for disaster.
Ebru K.: So, another common mistake, overcleansing. And on top of it, let’s say you’re not exfoliating, but your skin looks dull. You want to overcleanse. You want to get rid of the oiliness. That’s not good either. Anything that’s over is bad. So, it might feel great. That squeaky clean feeling might feel great, but what’s going to happen is when you overcleanse your skin is going to try to replace what is missing. So that’s another thing. So these are the key things.
Ebru K.: Of course, there is also the ingredients. You need to know which ingredients make you make your skin unhappy,
AnnaLaura Brown: Mhm. It’s good.
Ebru K.: So for example, I’m just going to put it out there. Some people conut Hate they break out like crazy. Some people with latex allergies cannot use shea butter.
Ebru K.: So you need to also know your personal biases that are good for your skin and bad for your skin.
AnnaLaura Brown: That’s a good point. Yeah, I think so. Yeah, this has really been good. So, I know you obviously, you have a big background, was a doctor, research, immunology,…
AnnaLaura Brown: all that stuff. But you also started your own skincare line. So, tell us a little bit about that and How did you go from being a doctor and a science and researcher to say, ” I need to make my own skincare.
Ebru K.: Obviously not just to create a skincare brand to be honest.
Ebru K.: I created it because I was exhausted with brands with skincare brands.
Ebru K.: I just hit the peak frustration and just not like an iminologist but as a woman as a consumer who had enough of the skincare marketing that treated me like I never opened up a book. I can’t research for myself and I find that very disrespectful on the behalf of the general industry. All women are very smart and they know what they want. So, here’s the thing. Every jar went to 80s, 90s, and my age is coming out at this point, but it’s okay. Every jar had one hero ingredient and promised the world. I mean, you will glow, it just bored me, it would look nice and it would be loaded with perfumes. By the way, smells amazing, but it do anything.
Ebru K.: And it was followed by this inevitable letdown and I was a student and I was spending my money on this to make my skin better, And it’s under all this glamour it felt hollow and I was tired of that. And I thought, what if there were a skin care made by someone who actually knows how the skin works at the deepest level, someone who doesn’t underestimate the intelligence of the skin because skin is intelligent. It knows what it wants, And then I think they don’t need another fantasy. They don’t need another fantasy or skincare,
00:20:00
Ebru K.: I wish we would look all like those supermodels when we put on the cream. It doesn’t work that way. So, Aina wasn’t born out of a skin marketing, brainstorm. Aina was born from this moment of clarity. We do not need more skin care, but we need better thinking. We need something that We need something that has the real science in it, So that obviously was created for the women who was tired of being sold things instead of being seen and being understood which kind of was me because I was tired of listening all that.
Ebru K.: So yeah. Yeah.
AnnaLaura Brown: That’s good.
AnnaLaura Brown: I like that because you’re right. A lot of the skincare is created just based on marketing and hype or because it smells good or because, somebody has some idea of something they think will work good, but there’s you said, real science behind it. There’s no real evidence that it actually works and actually in most cases will harm people with autoimmunity. So yeah, that’s good. I like that for Absolutely. So what would you say makes I mean obviously the whole fact that you formulated as a doctor, an immunologist is definitely something that makes it unique, but what else would you say makes Avisena different from traditional or even your clean skin care that people might be researching or that they’ve tried? there’s a lot of brands out there that don’t have all the toxins and things in there.
AnnaLaura Brown: What still makes Atheena different from that? Yeah.
Ebru K.: more and more brands including the maste brands are going towards clean beauty. So what does clean beauty mean? Let’s talk about that. So clean beauty means not using the ingredients that could be or are bad for the skin. toxin would be a harsh way of saying it but toxin ingredients. So as Aina the during the formulation step we completely stay away from those that’s around like500 to 1,600 different chemicals so we stay away from those but on top of that and I want to mention here one thing doesn’t always mean clean because there are some natural ingredients that are going to be horrible for the autoimmune and the sensitive skin but there are some chemical
Ebru K.: or naturalbased chemical ingredients that are going to work great for your skin. So not everything natural is good, not everything synthetic is bad. the right thing is to find the right combination and the right ingredients that are going to work for the skin not against it. So with Avisena what we do what’s our difference is every ingredient is vetted by the scientific publications on Pubmed is where everybody publishes all the scientific publications. Everything is reviewed and everybody can see it. It’s a free resource. So, Another thing we do is this. You don’t need five different creams to solve five different problems. You can have one cream to solve five different problems. That’s easy.
AnnaLaura Brown: Yeah.
Ebru K.: Because as you can remember everybody was using these masks and their faces were getting irritated because the mask was constantly touching their face. So imagine you’re doing a 10step Korean skin care routine and you’re touching your face 10 times even more. What’s going to happen? It’s going to break out. I know because I broke out the next day. It took me a month to fix my face. So with Ovicina what we’re trying to do is multi-targeted and multifunctional products. multi-targeted meaning solving several challenges related with signs of inness, premature aging, dryness, that kind of thing. target multifunctional means that you can use several ingredients to solve those problems we talked about in one formula.
Ebru K.: you can do that. That doesn’t mean that you have one hero ingredient. You’re going to have a lot of ingredients that work together. So, Aina does that. So, there’s one cream. the price range is a little high, but here’s the kicker. When you calculate it per drop, it’s actually cheaper than buying a nea…
00:25:00
AnnaLaura Brown: That’s awesome.
Ebru K.: because it also works. So, that is the difference. and also it’s cruelty-free and safe skin sealed certified. So that is given by the skin care anarchy and that shows that the product is clean, the product is working and efficient.
AnnaLaura Brown: For So, we will talk more about it in the description below. We will get some PubMed articles and even link them. So, those of you that are science nerds can check them out. We also have a coupon code with a discount that we will include with the website below in the description. And any else that you want to talk about that we didn’t cover
Ebru K.: anything being mean patient or a disease living with that is not easy I completely understand I don’t have one but I have friends who have one like lupus rheumatoid arrest please don’t be hard on yourselves you are amazing as you are and you’re doing the best you can and believe in yourself. I believe in you.
Ebru K.: You’re just amazing and you’re superheroes in my eyes. Seriously. So, yeah, that’s about it.
AnnaLaura Brown: That’s awesome.
AnnaLaura Brown: That’s So, thanks for coming on and yeah, like I said, check the description below because that’s where we’ll have a link to Aena website. We’ll have the coupon code for a discount for you. We’ll have the PubMed articles and anything else that we decide we want to link. I know you’re pretty active on Instagram, so we’ll include your Instagrams as well,…
AnnaLaura Brown: so people can follow you along and learn all more about your skin and your autoimmunity and what you put on you and how you treat your skin impacts your autoimmunity. So, this has been great. Thanks so much for coming on.
Ebru K.: Thank you so much for having me.
Ebru K.: It was an absolute pleasure.
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