Immunology Meets Skincare: How Science is Changing What We Put on Our Skin

With insights from immunologist and skincare entrepreneur Dr. Ebru Karpuzoglu

Have you ever wondered why your skin breaks out when you're stressed? Or why some products leave your face red and irritated—while others seem to work like magic? The answer, it turns out, might not be on the surface at all. It could lie deep in your immune system.

In a recent episode of the Treatment Room Secrets podcast, host Dani Marks sat down with Dr. Ebru Karpuzoglu—an immunologist, molecular medicine expert, and founder of the science-led skincare brand Aveseena—to talk all things skin, stress, and the invisible battles happening under our epidermis.

The conversation was wide-ranging and deeply personal, full of both scientific insights and real-life experience. Dr. Ebru, as she’s affectionately called in the episode, has spent her career researching how estrogen, stress hormones, and chemicals called xenoestrogens impact the immune system—especially in women. And as it turns out, our skin often acts like a billboard for what’s going wrong inside.

The Immune System: Your Body’s Private Army

“Think of your immune system like your own private army,” Dr. Ebru explains. “It protects you from everything—viruses, bacteria, environmental toxins. Without it, we wouldn’t survive.”

Most of us started thinking more seriously about our immune systems during the COVID pandemic. Before that, Dr. Ebru jokes, many people didn’t even know they had one. But in reality, your immune system is working around the clock, identifying threats and dispatching different types of immune cells to neutralize them.

She likens it to the Scottish army in the movie Braveheart—with different divisions performing different functions. You’ve got T-cells, B-cells, macrophages, and more. Some attack invaders, some clean up debris, and others produce cytokines—specialized proteins that act as messengers.

And this is where the plot thickens.

Inflammation: Not the Villain You Think It Is

If there’s one word that’s been villainized in the world of health and wellness, it’s “inflammation.” But Dr. Ebru is quick to clarify: not all inflammation is bad. In fact, some of it is necessary for healing.

“Let’s say you cut your finger,” she says. “Your immune system jumps into action. Inflammatory cytokines are released. Immune cells rush to the area. It gets red, swollen, warm—that’s the battle. But once the invader is gone, your immune system sends out signals to stop the attack and begin healing. That’s acute inflammation. That’s good.”

The trouble begins when inflammation doesn’t turn off. Chronic inflammation—what some researchers now call “inflammaging”—keeps the body in a constant state of low-level alert. That not only wears out your immune system, but it can also lead to autoimmunity, premature aging, and a cascade of health issues.

And guess what? It shows up on your skin.

When Science Gets Personal

For Dr. Ebru, this isn’t just theory—it’s personal. During her PhD, the stress of long hours and experimental setbacks started to take a toll. She developed painful cystic acne that left her convinced something was seriously wrong.

“I actually thought I had cancer,” she recalls. “My chin was so swollen, my lymph nodes were enlarged. It was terrifying.”

Her mother, a pathologist and oncologist, was the first to reassure her that it wasn’t cancer—it was stress-induced acne. But finding a skincare solution proved frustrating. After investing in a popular (and expensive) brand, her skin became gray and even more irritated.

“I returned the whole set,” she says. “And I was angry. So I did what I always do when I’m angry—I started researching.”

That research eventually led her to found Aveseena, a skincare company built on the science of immunology and inflammation. Her goal? To create multifunctional, effective products that work with the immune system, not against it.

Your Skin: An Immune Organ in Disguise

We often think of skin as just a covering—something to moisturize, protect from the sun, or adorn with makeup. But in truth, your skin is an active immune organ.

“It’s not just a barrier,” Dr. Ebru says. “It communicates constantly with the immune system, through nerve endings, cytokines, and the skin microbiome.”

That communication goes both ways. When your immune system is under stress—whether from environmental toxins, emotional turmoil, poor diet, or lack of sleep—your skin feels it. And it shows.

Dryness, redness, irritation, breakouts—these are all ways your skin says: Something’s not right inside.

That’s why slathering on product after product often makes things worse. The skin doesn’t want to be poked, prodded, and over-treated. As Dr. Ebru puts it, “The more you touch your skin, the more it fights back.”

Stress, Cortisol, and the Skin-Immune Connection

One of the biggest immune disruptors? Stress. Chronic stress triggers the release of cortisol, a hormone that puts the body in fight-or-flight mode. While that’s useful for short-term survival, it’s disastrous when sustained over time.

“When cortisol goes up, your immune system gets confused,” Dr. Ebru explains. “It can’t tell if you’re fighting a bear or stuck in traffic. But it goes into overdrive either way.”

That overdrive can lead to the kind of chronic inflammation that fuels not only autoimmune disorders but also premature aging, weakened skin barriers, and increased sensitivity. In other words, your stress is written all over your face.

The worst part? It’s often a vicious cycle. Stress leads to inflammation, which leads to skin problems, which cause more stress.

So what’s the solution?

Building Better Skin Through Science (and Simplicity)

For Dr. Ebru, part of the answer lies in simplifying skincare. Most of us have been conditioned to believe we need 10-step routines to achieve “glass skin.” But overloading the skin with multiple products can do more harm than good.

“The skin doesn’t like to be touched too much,” she says. “When you poke someone over and over, eventually they’ll tell you to stop. Your skin is the same.”

Instead, she advocates for multitasking, science-backed products that combine ingredients intelligently. Not just one “hero” ingredient, but carefully formulated combinations that work synergistically.

Formulating those products wasn’t easy. As a scientist who could sequence RNA and isolate proteins, Dr. Ebru expected to work with formulators who shared her excitement for innovation. What she encountered instead were limitations, high costs, and resistance to change.

“I kept getting told, ‘You can’t do that.’ So I did it myself,” she laughs.

Are We Suppressing Symptoms or Supporting Healing?

One of the more philosophical moments in the podcast comes when Dani asks a poignant question: When we use skincare to treat irritation or inflammation, are we helping the body heal—or just suppressing symptoms?

It’s a fair concern in an age where steroids are routinely prescribed for minor flare-ups, often without understanding the long-term consequences. Dr. Ebru is clear on this: her products are not drugs. They don’t suppress the immune response the way corticosteroids do.

Instead, they work to support the skin’s natural healing processes, reduce visible signs of inflammation, and respect the immune system’s role in maintaining balance.

“Steroids are like calling in an airstrike on your own city,” she says. “Sometimes necessary, but not ideal. What we want is to support the cleanup crew, not silence it.”

Navigating the Beauty Industry: Facts Over Fear

As a scientist and entrepreneur, Dr. Ebru is deeply frustrated by the amount of fear-mongering and pseudoscience in the skincare world. From influencers who demonize preservatives without evidence, to brands that use “greenwashing” to appeal to eco-conscious consumers, the misinformation is rampant.

Take preservatives, for example. Some online personalities will cite studies about certain preservatives causing harm—without mentioning that lab animals were force-fed massive quantities far beyond what any human would ever use.

“Preservatives are essential, especially in water-based products,” Dr. Ebru says. “Otherwise, you get mold, bacteria—really dangerous stuff. It’s like leaving a steak on the counter for two weeks.”

This is why her formulations comply with strict European Union regulations, which she considers the gold standard in cosmetic safety.

Lessons from a Life in Science (and Skin)

Toward the end of the episode, Dani asks every guest the same question: What’s something you’ve changed your mind about over the years?

For Dr. Ebru, the answer is simple: “Don’t listen to people who say you can’t do something.”

It’s advice born from experience. As a young researcher, she was told she’d never finish her PhD. She did—publishing papers and securing grants along the way. As a scientist-turned-entrepreneur, she was told she couldn’t formulate her own skincare line. She did that too.

“If someone tells you ‘no,’ do it anyway,” she says. “Use your brain. You have everything you need.”

The Takeaway: Listen to Your Skin

So what should you do the next time your skin flares up? First, pause. Your skin isn’t betraying you—it’s trying to talk to you. Maybe you’re stressed. Maybe your diet’s off. Maybe you’re using the wrong products.

Don’t rush to cover it up or silence it. Instead, listen. Then respond with care.

Thanks to voices like Dr. Ebru’s, the future of skincare is looking a lot more thoughtful, a lot more scientific—and a lot more human.

Want to learn more about Dr. Ebru and her science-based skincare line?
Visit www.aveseena.com or check out her Instagram for behind-the-scenes science, beauty tips, and a few well-earned rants about pseudoscience.