Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Oct 21;193(Suppl 2):ii6-ii14.
doi: 10.1093/bjd/ljaf177.

Body site-specific associations between human skin microbiome composition and psychological wellbeing

John Tyson-Carr  1 , Joy Leng  2 , Margaret Scott  3 , Suzi Adams  3 , Michael Hoptroff  3 , Barry Murphy  3 , Nick Fallon  1 , Steve Paterson  2 , Anna Thomas  3 , Timo Giesbrecht  3 , Carl Roberts  1
Affiliations

Body site-specific associations between human skin microbiome composition and psychological wellbeing

John Tyson-Carr et al. Br J Dermatol. .

Abstract

Background: There is increasing interest in understanding the interplay between psychological wellbeing and the human microbiome, with a particular focus on the impact of the gut microbiome on psychological health. However, the role of the skin microbiome remains underexplored. Our study addresses this gap by investigating the relationship between the human skin microbiome at various body sites (face, scalp, forearm, axilla) and psychological wellbeing.

Objectives: To provide an understanding of the role of the skin microbiome in psychological health.

Methods: Fifty-three participants underwent microbiome sampling via skin swabbing of four body regions (forearm, face, scalp, axilla) and completed psychological measures of global/general wellbeing (Affect Grid, sleep quality, Stress Numerical Rating Scale-11, Perceived Stress Scale) and body site-related wellbeing (Hair & Scalp CARE, SkinCARE, UnderarmCARE). All bacterial DNA extracts were analysed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and sequencing of the V1-V2 region of 16S. Microbial diversity was computed as Shannon diversity and Faith's phylogenetic diversity. Correlations were determined between psychological measures, microbial diversity and genera for each body site.

Results: Specific bacterial genera were associated with aspects of wellbeing. Cutibacterium spp. showed consistent associations with psychological wellbeing across multiple body locations. Increased abundance of Cutibacterium spp. on the face and axilla was associated with reduced stress, and an increased abundance of Cutibacterium spp. in the axilla was associated with increased mood pleasantness.

Conclusions: Our findings highlight, for the first time, the nuanced relationship between the skin microbiome and psychological wellbeing. Increased abundance of Cutibacterium spp. across multiple body sites was consistently associated with positive wellbeing outcomes. This underscores the need for further investigation into specific bacterial taxa that may be involved in a skin-brain axis, as well as the importance of specific microbial communities on the body and their potential influence on this connection.

Plain language summary

The human body is home to trillions of tiny organisms, including bacteria, that make up the ‘microbiome’. This microbiome varies across different parts of the body, such as the gut and the skin, and can influence our health in many ways. While research has shown that bacteria in the gut can affect our psychological wellbeing, we know little about whether bacteria on the skin play a similar role. In this study, we aimed to understand if the bacteria on our skin are linked to our psychological wellbeing. We examined bacteria from four skin areas – the face, scalp, forearm and underarm – donated by 53 adults. Each participant answered questions about their psychological wellbeing, including stress levels, mood and sleep quality. We found that higher levels of common bacteria called ‘Cutibacterium’, were linked to better psychological wellbeing. More Cutibacterium on the face and underarm was associated with lower stress and improved mood. Our findings support previous scientific research for a connection between the skin and the brain. They also indicate a potential connection between our skin and psychological wellbeing. Our results suggest that some bacteria on the skin may have a positive effect on our psychological wellbeing. This highlights the potential of the skin microbiome being an important part of this skin–brain connection.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: M.S., S.A., M.H., B.M., A.T. and T.G. work for Unilever. C.R., S.P. and N.F. have received grant funding from Unilever that includes a Unilever and Innovate UK-funded Knowledge Transfer Partnership in which this work was conducted. J.T.-C. and J.L. were the Knowledge Transfer Associates on the Unilever and Innovate UK-funded project. Unilever produces beauty and personal care products. However, no Unilever products were used in this study and no data were collected from participants as to their use, or not, of Unilever products.