Skin Conditions & Somatics
Reading the Body’s Hidden Language
When you look at a flower, what do you see?
Most people admire the petals colourful, visible, and on display. But the health of that flower isn’t determined by the petals alone.
It’s the roots that tell the real story.
Your skin is the same.
The visible symptoms breakouts, rashes, redness, dryness are like the petals. They’re what the world sees. But the true influence, the roots, often lie beneath the surface: in the nervous system, the subconscious, and the emotional stories the body carries.
This is where somatics becomes powerful.
When we understand the mind–body–skin connection, symptoms stop feeling like random flaws and begin to reveal themselves as messages intelligent signals from a body trying to communicate.
A Note on Science & Somatic Perspectives
Before we go deeper, I want to be clear:
I am not suggesting emotional or somatic patterns are the sole cause of skin conditions. Skin health is influenced by many factors genetics, hormones, environment, immune function, lifestyle, and medical considerations.
What I am offering is an additional lens, one I’ve witnessed in practice and one supported by emerging scientific fields:
Psychoneuroimmunology shows how stress hormones and emotional states influence immunity, inflammatory pathways, and the skin barrier.
Studies consistently highlight higher levels of stress, anxiety, and trauma among individuals with chronic skin conditions such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis pointing to nervous system involvement.
Emotional triggers activate the autonomic nervous system, shifting hormone release, blood flow, immune activity, and repair mechanisms. For some people, this can intensify flare-ups or prolong recovery.
For many women, this perspective is the missing piece, helping them understand why their skin “speaks” so loudly during times of emotional strain.
My work honours both the evidence-based science of skin physiology and corneotherapy, and the somatic–emotional truths held in the body.
The Petals: Skin as Messenger
Your skin is the body’s largest organ covering nearly 2m² and accounting for up to 15% of your body’s weight.
It’s more than a barrier.
It’s a communicator.
Through the skin, the body expresses what the nervous system and subconscious cannot always verbalise.
Here are three skin conditions and the deeper patterns that may accompany them:
Acne
At the surface: inflammation, oil imbalance, congestion, impaired barrier function
Beneath the surface:
Acne can be influenced by stress hormones and inflammation, and somatically, it may also mirror:
fear of being seen
self-judgment or self-protection
anger that doesn’t have a safe channel
Research shows stress can disrupt sebum production and heighten inflammatory responses, worsening acne-prone skin.
Eczema
At the surface: dryness, redness, sensitivity, weakened barrier
Beneath the surface:
Somatically, eczema often reflects:
fragile emotional boundaries
difficulty saying “no”
feeling overwhelmed or unprotected
Eczema often appears in childhood a period when emotional boundaries and identity are still forming. Stress is a well-known trigger for eczema flare-ups.
Perioral Dermatitis
At the surface: irritation, bumps, redness around the mouth
Beneath the surface:
In emotional anatomy, the area around the mouth relates to communication, truth, and self-expression.
This condition may appear during times when someone feels:
silenced
unheard
unable to voice their needs
These aren’t flaws.
They’re petals visible expressions of deeper roots asking for attention.
The Roots: Somatic & Emotional Causes
Under the petals lies the root system the nervous system, emotional history, and subconscious patterns shaping the body’s responses.
1. Nervous System Dysregulation
When the body is chronically in fight-or-flight:
cortisol rises
digestion and detoxification slow
inflammation increases
the skin becomes reactive, oily, or inflamed
This is why transitions, overwhelm, and emotional strain often show up on the skin.
2. Emotional Suppression
What the mind suppresses, the body expresses.
Examples include:
unspoken grief → tight chest, inflammation, flare-ups
unexpressed anger → eruptions or heat in the skin
fear or shame → jaw tension, shallow breathing, reduced oxygenation
Skin often becomes the safest outlet for emotions that feel unsafe to voice.
3. Subconscious Beliefs
Silent internal scripts impact how the body regulates and heals:
“I’m not enough.”
“It’s not safe to be seen.”
“I need to hold everything together.”
These beliefs influence the way the nervous system allocates energy, prioritises safety, and supports repair.
The petals tell you something is wrong.
The roots reveal why.
Science Meets Somatics
Modern research is gradually affirming what intuitive practitioners have long observed:
Chronic stress weakens the skin barrier and delays wound healing.
Polyvagal theory shows how feelings of safety and connection shape immunity, inflammation, and repair.
Clinical studies show people with chronic skin conditions report higher emotional strain reinforcing the mind–skin link.
Skin is never “just skin.”
It’s biology and biography combined.
The Flower in Full Bloom: Healing Through Integration
When I work with clients, I don’t just treat the petals.
I tend the whole flower roots, stem, petals, and the soil it grows in.
Through corneotherapy:
I support the skin barrier, calm inflammation, and restore physiological balance.
Through somatic practice:
I guide the nervous system out of survival responses and into regulation so the body feels safe enough to heal.
Through subconscious work:
We explore and gently shift the internal stories and emotional imprints that may be influencing patterns in the body.
This is the heart of The SomaCode Method™.
It isn’t just about improving the skin it’s about cultivating clarity, confidence, and emotional grounding from the inside out.
Practical Reflection for You
The next time your skin “speaks,” try this:
Notice the petals — the symptom you can see.
Ask about the roots — stress? overwhelm? unmet needs? an unspoken truth?
Offer dual care — topical support for the skin, emotional support for the self.
Healing isn’t only about tending to the surface.
It’s about caring for the soil where the flower grows.
Listening Differently
Acne, eczema, and perioral dermatitis none of these are flaws
They are invitations.
Your body is not working against you.
It is speaking to you.
When we stop judging the petals and start nurturing the roots, we transform not just our skin but our relationship with ourselves.
And that is when the flower the whole self can finally bloom.
Much Love,
Jayde Celieste
SomaCode Scope of Practice Disclaimer
Please note: My work does not replace medical dermatology, psychological services, or clinical diagnosis. Skin conditions are multifactorial and may involve genetics, hormones, environmental factors, nutrition, immune function, and medical concerns. The somatic, emotional, and subconscious insights I share are intended to complement professional skin therapy, psychological care, and dermatological treatment not act as a substitute for them.
I encourage all clients to maintain regular check-ins with their dermatologist, GP, psychologist, or healthcare provider for assessment, treatment, and medical guidance. My role is to support the emotional, somatic, behavioural, and relational layers that influence the body’s healing environment, always working alongside evidence-based allied health and medical care never in place of it.
References
Arck, P.C., Slominski, A., Theoharides, T.C., Peters, E.M., & Paus, R. (2006). Neuroimmunology of stress: skin takes center stage. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 126(8), 1697–1704.
Picardi, A., et al. (2003). Stress, social support, emotional regulation, and exacerbation of psoriasis. Psychosomatic Medicine, 65(3), 564–571.
Peters, E.M.J., et al. (2014). Neuroendocrine regulation of skin inflammation. Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings, 15(1), 60–63.
Chiu, A., Chon, S.Y., & Kimball, A.B. (2003). The response of skin disease to stress during examination periods. Archives of Dermatology, 139(7), 897–900.
Buske-Kirschbaum, A., et al. (2002). Stress reactivity in skin disease. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 53(3), 925–932.
Dhabhar, F.S. (2014). Effects of stress on immune function. Immunologic Research, 58(2–3), 193–210.
Porges, S.W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation.
Jafferany, M. (2007). Psychodermatology: a guide to understanding psychocutaneous disorders. Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 9(3), 203–213.