Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there.

The gut is not the only human body part that hosts an important microbiome. We have long known about the health benefits of maintaining balance in the gut microbiome; however, when it comes to skin care, bacteria have been perceived as something we need to remove. This view has changed now in scientific circles. Today, the skin microbiome is believed to be the key to enhancing skin appearance, addressing the causes of skin conditions rather than just the symptoms.

Skin Nutrients

The surface of your skin is home to a whole ecosystem that contributes to the normal functioning of the skin, interacts with the immune system, and determines overall health. Our outer skin is composed mainly of proteins (your skin cells) and lipids (your lipidic barrier). For the establishment of microbiota, the skin provides essential nutrients (food), such as amino acids from the degradation of proteins, fatty acids from skin lipids or sebum, and lactic acid from sweat. It also provides water, as hydration is key to sustaining any life. Simplifying, our skin feeds the good bacteria, and in return, they support healthy skin functions.

Busy Bugs

It’s fascinating how much they contribute to healthy skin functioning! For example, they are able to break down sebaceous fat into free fatty acids and glycerin (moisturising molecule), thereby contributing to maintenance of acidic skin pH and the right skin hydration. Lower skin pH makes it impossible for some pathogenic microorganisms to thrive, so eventually protect from disease. They also play an important role in reducing skin inflammation, wound healing, and protect from oxidative damage. That’s a lot of tasks for a bunch of invisible little bugs!

Human skin varies across different locations over the body but the skin microbiome consists of three main families: CUTIBACTERIUM, STAPHYLOCOCCUS, and CORNEBACTERIUM. In moist, occluded sites (underarm), Staphylococci dominate (around 70%), and in sebaceous sites (face & sculp), Cutibacterium are dominant (over 50%).

Diversity & Balance

But it is not about the residence of separate strains but diversity and the right balance between them. A “diverse” microbiome means a variety of bacterial types and not too many of one type. It also means that the various types of bacteria in your natural community are in proportion to each other.

Skin microbiome diversity affecting factors are:

  • Genetics & age
  • Immunity & hormones
  • Sleep & stress
  • Physical activity
  • Extreme environmental conditions (heat & cold, wind, very high/low humidity)
  • Air & pollution
  • Diet & metabolism

Disturbances

A diverse microbial ecosystem is seeded at birth but evolves constantly. Clinical studies show that an unbalanced skin microbiome leads to dysbiosis (disturbed balance) and ultimately undesired skin conditions. Just like many live organisms on the Earth, microorganisms are opportunistic and use their chance to overproduce if there is nothing else to stop them. For example, the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is associated with very dry, atopic skin, and Cutibacterium Acnes with oily and acne-prone skin.

Beauty Routine

  • Too many steps and products used at the same time might be overwhelming to your skin.
  • Exposure to chemicals, powerful preservatives, and other ingredients in your skincare may compromise the skin microbiome and barrier integrity.
  • Over-cleansing and over-exfoliating strips down the protective skin barrier and removes all the good bacteria food source.
  • Using high or very low pH products might disrupt the skin’s natural acidic pH and perturb the natural environment where good bacteria thrive.

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