ASCP Esty Talk Ep 369 – The Rogue Pharmacist: The Science of Skin Repair

Date: January 16, 2026
Host: Maggie Stasik, ASCP Program Director
Guest: Ben Fuchs, Skincare Formulator & Pharmacist

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the science of skin repair, particularly following aesthetic treatments like chemical peels and microneedling. Ben Fuchs (“The Rogue Pharmacist”) explains how stress and healing interact at a biological level, the concept of antifragility, the importance of both internal and topical nutrients, and how estheticians should approach their role as “personal trainers” for the skin.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Stress, Healing, and the Skin

• Stress is essential for growth; healing is the process that brings benefits, not the initial injury.

• Skin treatments create controlled “wounds” to leverage the body's natural repair mechanisms.

  “Stress is part of life. It's how we grow, it's how we thrive… Living systems are antifragile. In biology they call this hormesis… a little bit of stress causes growth.”
  — Ben Fuchs [02:00]

• Antifragility: Unlike fragile systems (e.g., porcelain), living tissue grows stronger with manageable stress.

2. Hormesis and Skin Treatments

• Procedures like peels, microdermabrasion, and microneedling are designed to trigger the skin’s repair response.

• However, the body must have essential nutrients available to maximize healing and growth:

  “In order to get the maximum benefits... you have to have the right raw materials present. And you want those materials present immediately after the ablation.”
  — Ben Fuchs [04:06]

• Healing starts as soon as wounding (even during surgery) occurs, so nutrient availability is time-sensitive.

3. Nutrition: The Foundation For Healing & Beauty

• Most people are undernourished, following only RDAs (Recommended Dietary Allowances), which Ben dubs:

  “The Ridiculous Deficiency Allowance. The RDAs are great to keep you out of the hospital, but they're not great to keep your skin beautiful and to keep your body vibrant and healthy.”
  — Ben Fuchs [06:52]

• For skin health, especially during repair, “mega doses” of nutrients (above RDA) are often needed.

• Key nutrients: Fat-soluble vitamins (A and D especially; also E, K, and fat-soluble C) and ionic minerals.

4. Topical vs. Internal Nutrients

• Most drugs and herbs do not support true healing; nutrients, however, can drive regeneration.

• Topical application is essential, particularly after the skin barrier is compromised (e.g., after ablation):

  “The most important ingredients for the skin are the essential nutrients. More important than herbs, more important than peptides, more important than growth factors... is the essential nutrients, the vitamins, the minerals, the fatty acids and the amino acids applied to topically.”
  — Ben Fuchs [08:52]

• Post-treatment, the skin “will absorb nutrients like a dry sponge sucks up water” [09:56].

5. Daily Skin Turnover & Consistent Dosing

• The skin is in a constant state of repair and turnover, so nutrients are needed daily—not just post-procedure.

• “Once a week” topical application isn’t enough.

  “Your skin is burning through nutrients. In fact, next to the digestive system, no other tissue in the body ... is burning through nutrients faster than the skin.”
  — Ben Fuchs [10:58]

6. “Wounding” Without Advanced Treatments

• Mild topical products (AHA, retinol) can produce controlled micro-injury and stimulate repair.

  “Can you wound the skin with a topical product, opposed to a treatment?... Like an alpha hydroxy acid product? Heck, yes, absolutely you should.”
  — Ben Fuchs [12:12]

• However, professional treatments (“personal trainer”) provide a greater stimulus and greater results compared to home care (“going to the gym alone”).

  “That’s the relationship of salon treatments to home treatments: personal trainer to going to the gym by yourself … You want to be really, really strong, find a personal trainer.”
  — Ben Fuchs [12:29]

7. Role of the Esthetician

• Estheticians should see themselves as “personal trainers” for their clients’ skin:

  “You want, as an esthetician, to be a personal trainer for the client’s skin—to get the skin in shape.”
  — Ben Fuchs [12:57]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Stress and Life:
  “When do you have the least amount of stress? ... When you're dead.”
  — Ben Fuchs [01:54]

• On the RDA:
  “No, it stands for the Ridiculous Deficiency Allowance.”
  — Ben Fuchs [06:52]

• On Topical Nutrients Post-Ablation:
  “You have a golden opportunity to dose the skin with nutrients. The skin will absorb nutrients like a dry sponge sucks up water.”
  — Ben Fuchs [09:55]

• On Estheticians’ Role:
  “Regard yourself as a personal trainer for your client’s skin.”
  — Ben Fuchs [12:47]

Timestamps of Key Segments

• [01:12] – The healing phase and skin's repair after treatments
• [01:54] – Stress as a component of life; antifragility and hormesis explained
• [04:06] – Importance of nutrients in the healing and repair process post-treatment
• [06:52] – Critique of RDA; “Ridiculous Deficiency Allowance”
• [08:52-09:55] – Epiphany on topical nutrients; topical application post-ablation
• [10:42] – Importance of daily, not weekly, nutrient dosing
• [11:38 - 12:29] – “Wounding” with topical products vs. professional treatments
• [12:47] – Estheticians as “personal trainers” for skin

Conclusion

This lively, science-driven episode illuminates how estheticians and clients can best support skin health by understanding the interplay of stress, healing, and nutrition. The message is clear: Real beauty starts with supporting the body’s natural healing — and that requires consistent, robust nutrition both inside and out, and a smart approach to “wounding” the skin for optimal repair and rejuvenation. Estheticians are encouraged to view themselves as personal trainers, guiding and optimizing their clients’ skin fitness routines.