Intermittent Fasting and Skin Health: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Implications

Intermittent fasting (IF) shows promise as a nonpharmaceutical approach to enhance skin health and manage conditions like acne, psoriasis, and eczema. The review highlights that IF may improve skin regeneration, delay aging, and benefit inflammatory skin disorders by downregulating IGF-1 and mTOR signaling, boosting antioxidant defenses, promoting autophagy, and modulating immune responses. While preliminary clinical findings suggest benefits in photoaging, wound healing, and tissue repair, most evidence is preclinical with limited human trials. Future research should focus on standardized protocols, molecular profiling, and long-term safety across diverse populations.