🦠 What is the skin microbiome?
It is the millions of organisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc.) that live on the human skin. There are 1,000 different bacterial species and up to 80 different fungi species. The microbiome represents all the genetic material of all these microbes.
Similar to your gut microbiome, the skin microbiome is in charge of keeping you healthy and safe. We typically think of skin only as it relates to beauty—but it's essential to our overall health, too.
🦠 What's the role of the skin microbiome?
The importance of the microbiome is incredible, and we keep discovering more about this new organ every day. The skin microbiome can also be referred to as skin flora or skin microbiota.
The skin microbiome has 2 main functions:
1- Protect: All the “good” bacteria in the skin will act as protection against external bacteria, which could attack or damage the skin.
2- Fight: The skin microbiome helps to fight infections. Indeed, skin problems such as eczema, acne or rosacea can supposedly be linked to a lack of diversity in the skin microbiome.
🦠How is the microbiome compromised, and what happens?
You're probably familiar with the idea that loads of antibiotics, other medications, and a poor diet can damage the gut microbiome.
It is the same for the skin microbiome. Excess use of astringent products (like hand sanitizers or soap) can contribute to skin dysbiosis and antibiotic resistance. An imbalanced microbiome, or skin dysbiosis, is associated with many health conditions, including psoriasis, allergies, eczema, contact dermatitis, acne...
If your skin feels unbalanced ,start looking at these 2 contributing factors:
1- Which products are you putting in your skin: our skin microbiome prefers a pH of about 5. At this relatively acidic pH, the healthy microbiome thrives. Harsh chemicals (like soap, sanitisers & harsh ingredients) can strip the skin of good bacteria and weaken the skin barrier.
2- Check what your putting in your body, your gut microbiome might also be compromised: New research shows that anything damaging your gut microbiome also influences what's happening to the skin. It's called the gut-skin axis, and scientists are just beginning to understand the connection.
🦠Fun facts about the microbiome
No two people have the same skin microbiome – diet, lifestyle and ethnicity all play a role in shaping the microbiome. A single person’s microbiota varies even on parts of their own body: underarms, face, hands or feet and whether the area is moist, dry, hairy, or oily. And the microbiome differs with age and gender. For instance, a hormonal, sweaty teenage boy sports a very different microbiome than a sedentary, postmenopausal woman.
🦠 What are the dos and don’ts of microbiome-minded skin care?
Do: Opt for gentle products with clean, simplified ingredient lists. Streamline your regimen, less is more! Incorporate pre & probiotics that support a healthy microbiome. (or use Dust&Glow)
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