[The skin microbiota: a colossus steps into the spotlight]

Abstract

The skin contains many commensal bacteria. For years, these microbes have been considered to be exploiters of the human host for nutrients. However, recent findings indicates that the skin microbiota is also used by the human host to protect himself against invading pathogens as the commensal bacteria have direct antimicrobial capacity and provide factors required to mount a protective immune responses in the skin. While the healthy skin microbiome functions as guardians of host defense, increased or decreased bacterial composition of the skin microbiome (called dysbiosis) leads to skin inflammation and disease. Here we will review the emerging data on the role of distinct types of dysbiosis in the pathogenesis skin diseases and illustrate how the new understanding of the role of the skin microbiome has implications in the clinical management of skin diseases.