WHAT IS SKIN?
Skin is the outermost layer of our body and acts as a barrier that prevents our body from dehydration, mechanical stresses, entry of pathogens and toxic substances, etc. The average PH of the skin is below 5.0 as acidity is a crucial factor for the balance of microbiota on the skin. A diverse type of microbiota is present on the skin like bacteria, fungi, viruses, and mites. Several factors can interfere with the composition of microbiota on the skin like clothing type, hygiene, age, lifestyle, environment, skincare routine, etc.
SKIN MICROBIOME
Skin microbiome refers to different types of microorganisms present on the skin like bacteria, viruses fungi, etc. These natural Flora of the skin are called probiotics of skin. The three most dominant genera of microorganisms present on human skin are Cutibacterium, Corynebacterium, and Staphylococcus.
Probiotics on the skin help in maintaining the following functions:
PROBIOTICS MAINTAIN SKIN INTEGRITY
Through the modulation of the immune system; probiotic strains increase the production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 that induces peripheral regulatory T (Treg) lymphocytes and the secretion of health-stimulating hypothalamic hormones that lead to improved skin integrity.
PROBIOTICS PREVENT SKIN DRYNESS
Skin dryness takes place due to several factors like seasonal alterations, skin barrier damage, etc. Probiotics decrease TEWL and prevent water loss from the skin by altering skin barrier function this way helps maintain the moisture of the skin. Lactobacillus rhamnosus is considered a moisturizing skin care product as it has the function of improving the skin barrier.
PROBIOTICS PREVENT AGING
As we age so does our skin age. Probiotics prolong the cell cycle and inhibit the synthesis of proteins related to aging like P21 and P16.
SKIN DISORDERS
When there is an imbalance in composition in the microbiota of the skin this leads to certain disorders like atopic dermatitis, alopecia, acne, etc
PROBIOTICS AND ACNE
Facial skin microbiota is studied for their role in age and acne. Acne is a common skin problem that can be seen on the skin in the form of pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, etc. When oil-producing glands on the skin produce over oil it blocks the pores on the skin and the overgrowth of the Flora of Cutibacterium acnes in the blocked pores causes inflammation all these factors lead to acne.
It has been investigated that E.faecalis produces bacteriocin which reduces inflammation so could be used as a therapeutic procedure for acne removal. S.epidermididis can ferment glycerol to form short-chain fatty acids which inhibit the growth of Cutibacterium acnes. A potential topical application of acne phage therapy shortly could be applied. phages that eat Cutibacterium acnes should be non-lysogenic, lytic, and free of antibiotic resistance genes. A spray formulation containing konjac glucomannan hydrolysate (5%, w/v) and probiotic strains (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus gasseri, and Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis) inhibited C. acnes has been shown to improved skin's health after twenty- and forty-days treatment.
PROBIOTICS INFUSED BEAUTY PRODUCTS
Beauty products infused with probiotics are gaining popularity nowadays as they provide more clear skin. Look for beauty products infused with live culture or fermented ingredients like yogurt, kefir, etc.
In cosmetics chemicals, surfactants are used as emulsifiers usually but they have lots of side effects like allergy and itching and they are not suitable for skin Flora as they are chemically evolved so there is research going on developing bacterial biosurfactants as they have lots of benefits like they are less or nontoxic, biodegradable, safe for human skin, etc. One biosurfactant called mannosyl erythritol lipids (MEL) has been used in skin whitening formulations and showed promising results against hyperpigmentation as it inhibits melanocytes which produce melanin (the cause of hyperpigmentation)
SOME DRAWBACKS
As there are lots of benefits to using these products there are some drawbacks too. These products are a little more expensive than usual chemical-based products as they involve additional technology and ingredients. These products lose their effectiveness if not stored properly as it involves live cultures. As research is still ongoing on these products about their effectiveness their true effects may not fully understand.
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