{"id":12186,"date":"2022-05-04T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-03T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=12186"},"modified":"2022-05-11T11:08:34","modified_gmt":"2022-05-11T09:08:34","slug":"microbiome-friendly-skincare-does-it-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/2022\/05\/04\/microbiome-friendly-skincare-does-it-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Microbiome-friendly skincare: Does it work?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

MICROBIOME-FRIENDLY SKINCARE:<\/span><\/h3>\n\n

DOES IT WORK?<\/h3>\n\n

More and more hygiene products are claiming to be \u2018microbiome friendly\u2019 but how important is our skin microbiome, and do we need to look after it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria are part of the normal skin microbiome in humans <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

A<\/span>t the moment we\u2019re born, each of us is seeded with trillions of bacteria cells that live and thrive on our skin. These cells form what\u2019s known as our skin microbiome. The exact makeup of each person\u2019s microbiome is as unique as a fingerprint. As we go through life meeting new people, interacting with environments, adopting different lifestyles, and changing with age, so too does the diversity and health of this microbiome.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cThe skin microbiome is a natural ecosystem of bacteria that live on the skin,\u201d explains cosmetic doctor and skin specialist Dr Martin Kinsella. \u201cIt works to guard the skin against harmful pathogens to the point where a well-functioning skin microbiome is the foundation of a healthy immune system.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

As the microbes colonise our skin, they flourish by feeding on the salt, water and oil (sebum) we produce naturally. When a pathogen comes into contact with a flourishing microbiome, it\u2019s prevented from colonising the skin by being crowded out. Our microbiome produces antimicrobial compounds and nutrients that act as a form of protection.<\/p>\n\n

Indicative of this protective nature, studies have found links between babies born via caesarean section, meaning they don\u2019t come into contact with vaginal microbes during birth, and increased instances of allergies and asthma later in life. Unicef has made skin-to-skin contact a key component of its birthing standards, citing the practice\u2019s power to \u201cenable colonisation of the baby\u2019s skin with the mother\u2019s friendly bacteria, thus providing protection against infection.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

\u201cChemicals in skincare products can disrupt the skin\u2019s delicate balance of oil and bacteria\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n

When this protection is weakened by damage, or by the presence of harmful bacteria, the microbiome\u2019s delicate balance can be thrown off. This imbalance has been linked to dry skin, eczema, acne and psoriasis and, according to the Skin Microbiome in Healthy Ageing (SMiHA) network, some 50 per cent of the UK population suffer a microbiome-associated skin complaint each year.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cThe chemicals in skincare products can disrupt the natural microbiome of the skin\u2019s delicate balance of oil and bacteria,\u201d says Kinsella. \u201cAntibacterial agents are a big factor in this, and other products with harsh chemicals that alter the skin\u2019s natural pH balance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Once unbalanced, the microbiome can\u2019t as effectively protect against further bad bacteria, and a vicious cycle occurs. With eczema, bad bacteria causes the skin to become inflamed, patients scratch their skin therefore damaging it further, which lets more bad bacteria in.<\/p>\n\n

Kate Porter, founder of skincare brand Harborist, explains further: \u201cMore severe eczema and dry skin has been associated with an abundance of a bacteria known as Staphylococcus <\/em>aureus. <\/em>There is evidence that reducing S. <\/em>aureus, <\/em>to restore a more diverse microbiome population, reduces symptoms of eczema.<\/p>\n\n

But it\u2019s a chicken and egg situation. Does the imbalanced microbiome cause these issues or vice versa?\u201d<\/p>\n\n

As we age, our microbiome then goes through further shifts. This shift is not only associated with visible changes \u2013 wrinkles, dark spots, dry skin \u2013 but with internal changes, too. There is one school of thought that as our microbiome changes with age, our skin\u2019s ability to protect us from UV radiation decreases, thus increasing our susceptibility to skin cancer.<\/p>\n\n

Recent studies have shown the skin microbiome to be a more accurate predictor of chronological age compared to the gut. With this theory, a person\u2019s microbiome could, hypothetically at least, be used to assess life expectancy. \u201cAgeing has a profound effect on the skin microflora in terms of both species and numbers,\u201d explains the team leading the SMiHA. \u201cHuman skin presents an excellent system to establish how changes in the microbiome influence biological age.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

That\u2019s not to say microbiomes are the sole cause of such conditions and diseases \u2013 genetics and lifestyle play significant roles, for instance \u2013 but disruption to our skin\u2019s ecosystem is a contributing factor.<\/p>\n\n

\"\"
It\u2019s currently unclear if pro- and prebiotic skincare products have any benefit for your skin\u2019s microbiome<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Yet just as everyday products have been linked with disrupting the microbiome, an increasing number of brands are now releasing products infused with prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics to balance this disruption. While probiotics refer to \u2018friendly\u2019 bacteria, and prebiotics are nutrients that feed these probiotics, postbiotics are what\u2019s left behind in the process. The jury is still out on the benefits of topical probiotic and prebiotic skincare, largely due to the infancy of the research and the fact the use of live bacteria in cosmetics is a regulator sticking point, but postbiotics in skin products are already commonplace.<\/p>\n\n

Lactic acid, for instance, found in off-the-shelf skincare, is a by-product of the fermentation of a probiotic called Lactobacillus. <\/em>When applied topically, it has been shown to hydrate, reduce the signs of ageing and calm redness.<\/p>\n\n

Researchers are also looking into the possibility of microbiota transplants to solve skin problems. In one study published in 2018 in the journal JCI <\/em>Insight, <\/em>an abundance of S. <\/em>aureus <\/em>in the microbiomes of people with atopic dermatitis was replaced with a bacteria known as Roseomonas <\/em>mucosa <\/em>\u201cwith significant decreases in measures of disease severity, and topical steroid requirement\u201d.<\/p>\n\n

The issue with these findings, however, is that the underlying mechanisms of the skin microbiome remain largely unknown, and its impact is disputed. For all the studies linking C-section births with lower immunity, other studies fail to find the same correlations, or find associations that are statistically irrelevant.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cWhen the skin is healthy, we believe the skin microbiome is healthy too, however we don\u2019t know this for sure,\u201d says the SMiHA team. \u201cOur understanding of how to manipulate the skin microbiome using everyday products is still very poor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Recently, initiatives such as the Skin Trust Club have started collecting samples from the public to delve deeper into our skin health and its inner workings.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cThere is a huge commercial pull to explore how to improve skin through a microbiome-targeted approach,\u201d concludes the SMiHA team. \u201cHowever, separating the effects of topical products on the microbial population and the skin cells \u2013 in a way that allows us to be able to categorically say microbial targeting drives healthier skin \u2013 is a tough challenge for the scientific community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

by VICTORIA WOOLLASTON<\/strong>
(@vickywoollaston<\/a>) Victoria is a technology and lifestyle journalist and editor.<\/p>\n\n

IMAGES: ALAMY, GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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