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Review
. 2020 Apr;42(2):116-126.
doi: 10.1111/ics.12594. Epub 2019 Dec 25.

Revealing the secret life of skin - with the microbiome you never walk alone

R Sfriso  1 , M Egert  2 , M Gempeler  1 , R Voegeli  1 , R Campiche  1
Affiliations
Review

Revealing the secret life of skin - with the microbiome you never walk alone

R Sfriso et al. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2020 Apr.

Abstract
in English, French

The human skin microbiome has recently become a focus for both the dermatological and cosmetic fields. Understanding the skin microbiota, that is the collection of vital microorganisms living on our skin, and how to maintain its delicate balance is an essential step to gain insight into the mechanisms responsible for healthy skin and its appearance. Imbalances in the skin microbiota composition (dysbiosis) are associated with several skin conditions, either pathological such as eczema, acne, allergies or dandruff or non-pathological such as sensitive skin, irritated skin or dry skin. Therefore, the development of approaches which preserve or restore the natural, individual balance of the microbiota represents a novel target not only for dermatologists but also for skincare applications. This review gives an overview on the current knowledge on the skin microbiome, the currently available sampling and analysis techniques as well as a description of current approaches undertaken in the skincare segment to help restoring and balancing the structure and functionality of the skin microbiota.

Le microbiome de la peau humaine est récemment devenu un centre d'intérêt pour les domaines dermatologique et cosmétique. Comprendre le microbiote cutané, à savoir la collection de microorganismes vitaux vivant sur notre peau, et comment maintenir son équilibre délicat est une étape essentielle pour mieux comprendre les mécanismes responsables d'une peau saine et son apparence. Les déséquilibres dans la composition microbiotique de la peau (dysbiose) sont associés à plusieurs affections cutanées, soit pathologiques comme l'eczéma, l'acné, les allergies ou les pellicules, soit non pathologiques comme la peau sensible, irritée ou sèche. Par conséquent, le développement d'approches qui préservent ou restaurent l'équilibre naturel et individuel du microbiote représente une nouvelle cible non seulement pour les dermatologues mais aussi pour les experts en cosmétiques. Cette revue donne un aperçu des connaissances actuelles sur le microbiome cutané, les techniques d'échantillonnage et d'analyse actuellement disponibles ainsi qu'une description des approches actuelles entreprises dans le segment des soins de la peau pour aider à restaurer et équilibrer la structure et la fonctionnalité du microbiote de la peau.

Keywords: cosmetic; microorganisms; skin; skin care; skin microbiome.

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Conflict of interest statement

RS, MG, RV and RC are employees of DSM Nutritional Products Ltd. ME is a consultant to DSM Nutritional Products Ltd.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Damaged skin barrier with dysbiosis. The state of dysbiosis (imbalance) is typical of some chronic inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, rosacea or acne. The skin barrier is weakened, skin pH raises and water loss dramatically increases. Skin flaking and keratinocytes apoptosis also occur. All these changes are accompanied by a sustained inflammation with involvement of immune cells such as Langerhans cells, dendritic epidermal T cells (DETC), neutrophils, macrophages and mast cells. Interestingly, it becomes more and more evident that the microbiota composition is affected by these biochemical and biophysical changes resulting in a decreased microbial diversity and increased colonization by pathogenic bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus which is known to form biofilms in skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis. However, we are still far away from determining whether microbial dysbiosis is the cause or the consequence of such skin biophysical modifications 7, 104.
Figure 2
Figure 2
‘Probiotic ingredients’ in cosmetics (INCI names are given in brackets).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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