With an area of around 1.8 square metres, the skin is the largest organ in the human body and clearly shows when the gut microbiome is out of balance with impurities, skin irritations and inflammation. A balanced microbiome improves the skin's barrier function and helps it to lock in moisture and exclude toxins. Live probiotics and probiotic extracts can help microbes to colonise and multiply on the skin.
A balanced skin microbiome not only keeps pathogens away from skin diseases, it also controls the skin's pH value (naturally around 5) and its moisture content, protects against skin ageing and strengthens the immune system. If the microbacterial diversity decreases, the result is a weakened skin barrier: the skin becomes tight, dull or dry and reacts with increased sensitivity and irritations such as redness, pimples, itching or inflammation. If the sensitive balance is disturbed, for example by preservatives, surfactants or cleansing products with a pH value that is too high, the natural skin barrier becomes unbalanced. Chemically produced synthetic substances also attack the "good" bacteria and destroy them.
Which probiotics are good for the skin?
Sensitive skin that is prone to irritation can be stabilised preventively with regular use of a cosmetic that protects the microbes and prevents the protective film from breaking down. In probiotic creams & co., for example, lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillales) are used live, encapsulated or freeze-dried, which do their job in contact with moisture.
How can I improve my microbiome?
Probiotic skincare products have a positive influence on the skin's ageing process, as minimal inflammation, which is one of the factors responsible for skin ageing, can be halted and balanced by their regenerative properties. A strong microbiome copes better with environmental pollution and the effects of UV radiation, blue light (computer, mobile phone, etc.) or air pollution, especially in large cities.
If you have any further questions about the microbiome or would like a personalised skin consultation, our colleagues at Saint Charles Pharmacy in Vienna, Berlin and Dornbirn will be happy to help. For a personalised skin consultation, we recommend our Saint Charles Cosmothecary in Vienna. We also recommend reading our blog post on the subject of the microbiome.
