The Skin Microbiome- A New Dimension In Skin health

Did you know that scientists can approximately predict your age with just your microbiome? Something to wonder about, right?
Long gone are the days when you just simply slap on an ‘anti-aging’ moisturizer and hope for the best. People are thankfully realizing the importance of wellness and know that overall wellness and skin health go hand-in-hand. Not only that, a few years ago, but skincare was also just marketed to a certain age group. Today, however, skincare is less about your age and more about your skin type, lifestyle, and individual needs and concerns. And one of the most exciting things in the skincare and wellness world is the skin microbiome.
Since every day more and more skincare companies are starting to invest in microbiome technology, I think it’s high time I discuss the all-too-important factor of skincare, the Holy Skin Microbiome. There even have been claims that your skin microbiome could be the secret key you were looking for the door to youthful and luminous skin.
What is Skin Microbiome?
For those of you who don’t know about skin microbiome yet, let’s start with what is skin microbiome. The skin microbiome sometimes called the skin flora, is the term for trillions of species that live on our skin. There are 1,000 different bacterial species and up to 80 different fungi species. Some of these are also residents of your gut microbiome and some are more likely to be found on your skin rather than your gut. Another important thing to know is microbiome is quite like a fingerprint. No two people have the same microbiome. The skin microbiome changes depend on the “eco-niche,” or location, age, and gender. For example, a hormonal, sweaty teenage boy sports a very different microbiome than a postmenopausal woman.
These microbiomes not only boost immunity and regulate pH levels but are also helpful in creating ‘tight junctions’ between skin cells, which helps keep water in and toxins out, meanwhile producing natural antibiotics called antimicrobial peptides that fight harmful bacteria.
How does it Affect our Health?
1. Communication with our Immune System:
Microbes don’t only lie on the surface of the skin, but according to research in 2013, scientists found microbes in the innermost layer of the skin which is the subcutaneous fat layer. The most interesting thing is that that is where the microbiome and our immune system engage in a very intimate conversation 24/7. So, we have to make sure that the microbiomes whisper only good things to our immune system.
2. Infection Prevention:
Just like a gut microbiome prevents bodily infections, skin microbiomes also work similarly. It helps control the growth of pathogenic organisms and helps prevent infection. Skin Microbiomes are actually our first line of defense.
3. Controls Inflammation
I’ve just told you about the conversation between our skin immune system and our microbiome, right? Well, inflammation is how you can tell how that conversation is going. If there are no signs of inflammation, that means that your microbiomes and immune system are getting along well, but if your immune system thinks that the microbiomes are crossing some kind of line, that causes the system to produce inflammatory compounds which if you’ve been taking care of your skin microbiomes, can help control it.
4. Environmental Shield
The skin microbiome acts as a shield against environmental aggressors. It limits the exposure of our skin to allergens, oxidative damage and even helps in healing our wounds. The skin microbiome is also responsible for keeping the skin plump and moist. The one thing that I’ve recently heard, and its amazing scientific research-based news, is that microbiomes help protect us from harmful UV rays.

1. Hydration and Healthy Foods:

2. Work the Gut

3. Avoid Harsh Soaps

4. Exercise!

Watch the full video. Did you know about the skin microbiome?

comment below.

Love and health

Uma