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In this episode, Dr. Jaclyn Smeaton sits down with Dr. Bryant Esquejo, ND to unpack acne through a functional medicine lens, moving far beyond the surface to explore what’s really happening inside the body.

 Dr. Esquejo and Dr. Smeaton also discuss:  

• Acne as not just a skin condition, but a reflection of imbalances involving hormones, blood sugar, inflammation, and the gut microbiome 
• The science behind acne development, from bacterial activity and oil production to deeper drivers like insulin resistance, androgen metabolism, and chronic inflammation 
• The influence of diet, stress, sleep, and gut health 
• How advanced testing, like hormone metabolite analysis, can reveal hidden imbalances in the body 
• Treating acne as an opportunity to better understand and optimize whole-body health 

Learn more about Dr. Esquejo and follow him on Instagram @dr.bryant! 

Check out Dr. Esquejo’s blog post on blood sugar, insulin, and acne, and read our whitepaper on 5a-Androstanediol as a marker of androgen status in women. 

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