Podcast Summary: ASCP Esty Talk

Episode: Ep 344 – The Rogue Pharmacist: Insulin and the Skin
Date: August 29, 2025
Host: Maggie Stasik (A)
Guest: Benjamin Knight Fuchs, Pharmacist & Skincare Formulator (B)

Overview

In this episode, Maggie Stasik of ASCP sits down with Ben Fuchs ("The Rogue Pharmacist") to demystify the relationship between insulin—a hormone most often associated with blood sugar regulation—and its wide-ranging effects on skin health. The conversation is particularly relevant to estheticians, who encounter clients with diverse skin concerns often rooted in metabolic health. Ben unpacks the critical but often overlooked links between insulin, diet, metabolism, skin pathologies, and practical strategies for prevention and management.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Insulin Basics and Testing

• What Most People Miss: While most doctors check blood sugar, testing for insulin is rare.
  • "Most people, when they get their sugar checked...the doctor will check blood sugar, but they won't check insulin. And because insulin regulates blood sugar, your blood sugar can be normal while your insulin's high." (B, 00:22)
• High insulin can be “hidden,” offering normal sugar readings while silently affecting skin and health.

2. Insulin’s Role Beyond Blood Sugar

• Growth Factor: Insulin isn’t just about glucose—it’s a potent growth substance.
  • "Insulin is a rev you up hormone. It makes things happen...Bodybuilders are famous for injecting insulin to get bigger muscles." (B, 00:38)
• Skin-Specific Impact: Insulin accelerates biochemistry and metabolism in the skin—beneficial for wound healing in the short term, but potentially problematic when chronically elevated.

3. What Causes Elevated Insulin & Insulin Resistance

• Dietary Triggers: Main driver is high sugar intake (including bread, starches, potatoes, etc.).
• Hormonal/Stress Triggers: Elevated cortisol (from stress) can also raise insulin.
• Insulin Resistance: Chronically high insulin leads to cells “turning down the dial,” becoming less responsive—a vicious cycle.
  • "There's a really interesting phenomena...When anything is high...cells will stop listening to that chemical...eventually the cells stop listening to insulin." (B, 01:22)
• Compensatory mechanisms produce more insulin, worsening the problem (“insulin resistance syndrome”).

4. Insulin’s Impact on Skin Disorders

• “Revving Up” the Skin:
  • Oily skin, rapid turnover of skin cells (hyperproliferation), skin tags, cysts, tumors, and even certain cancers can be linked to high insulin.
  • "Any kind of condition where skin cells are dividing rapidly—psoriasis, acne—these can all be caused by elevated insulin levels. Hyperpigmentation, classically caused by elevated insulin levels." (B, 04:00)
• Glycation & Aging: Elevated blood sugar (a result of poor insulin function) causes glycation—where sugar binds to skin proteins and fats, accelerating aging and damaging skin structure.
• Barrier Dysfunction: Leading to eczema, dry skin (especially extremities), and defects in collagen.
  • "Diabetic skin or insulin resistant skin is notoriously dry, particularly at the levels of the extremities." (B, 05:32)
• Other Notable Signs:
  • Accelerated aging, poor wound healing, hyperpigmentation from both insulin and stress (cortisol), and chronic inflammation.

5. Controllability and Solutions

• The Good News: These issues are highly responsive to lifestyle.
  • "You can cut the head off a snake...take one or two lifestyle moves and you can end the whole problem." (B, 06:00)
• Top Strategies:
  • Calorie Restriction: Especially from fast-burning carbs.
  • Fasting/Intermittent Fasting: Powerful for skin and longevity.
  • Ketogenic Diet: An effective dietary approach.

6. Nutritional Supplementation & Support

• Key Supplements for Blood Sugar Control:
  • Alpha Lipoic Acid: Potentizes insulin.
  • Chromium & Niacin: Together form the glucose tolerance factor.
  • Thiamine (Vitamin B1): Increased need with higher sugar intake; deficiency can lead to glycation issues and neuropathies.
  • Carnosine: Anti-glycating agent.
• Post-Meal Tips:
  • "Supplementing with niacin and chromium...after sugary meals...is a great way to lower blood sugar so your insulin becomes more effective." (B, 08:32)
  • Drinking water after high-carb meals can dilute blood sugar.
  • Physical activity helps shuttle sugar into muscles.

7. Challenges in Testing for Insulin

• Lack of Routine Testing: It’s expensive, seldom done, and insulin is involved in many fluctuating processes.
• Cross-talk: Insulin interacts with other hormones (estrogen, testosterone, cortisol), making its effects wide-reaching but hard to isolate.

8. Physical Signs to Watch For

• Body Fat Distribution: Fat around the abdomen is a strong sign of insulin issues.
• Chronic Skin Inflammation & Specific Conditions: e.g., acanthosis nigricans—a velvety hyperpigmentation, especially relevant for estheticians.

9. The Takeaway for Estheticians

• Food is the Main Control Point: Diet is the most influential factor in skin manifestations related to insulin.
  • "Pretty much any skin condition you can think of, from psoriasis to eczema to dry skin to hyperpigmentation to skin tags to accelerated aging...can be tied into insulin resistance or elevated insulin levels." (B, 10:23)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Insulin is a rev you up hormone. It makes things happen." (B, 00:38)
• "You can cut the head off a snake...take one or two lifestyle moves and you can end the whole problem." (B, 06:00)
• "The best way to keep insulin levels stable is to reduce your intake of sugar." (B, 10:05)
• "Fat around the middle is a sign that there's a problem with insulin." (B, 09:45)
• "Pretty much any skin condition you can think of...can be tied into insulin resistance or elevated insulin levels." (B, 10:23)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|------------------------------------------------| | 00:16 | Introduction to insulin’s broader role | | 01:22 | Insulin resistance explained | | 03:14 | Impact on skin: oily skin, hyperpigmentation | | 05:32 | Glycation, aging, and skin barrier | | 06:00 | Solutions: diet and supplementation | | 08:32 | Supplementation details & practical advice | | 09:45 | Signs of insulin resistance | | 10:23 | Insulin impact on common skin conditions |

Tone and Style

Ben Fuchs’ explanations are direct, practical, and occasionally metaphorical (e.g., the “cut the head off a snake” analogy). The episode is energetic, focused on applicability for estheticians, and offers hope and agency to listeners dealing with insulin-related skin issues.

Conclusion

This episode provides a comprehensive, accessible breakdown of the often-overlooked links between insulin, metabolic health, and the skin. Listeners leave with clear understanding and actionable steps for both themselves and their clients—making it a valuable resource for estheticians and anyone interested in the intersection of diet, hormones, and skin health.