{"id":1976,"date":"2022-02-02T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-02T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/?p=1976"},"modified":"2023-03-20T15:37:34","modified_gmt":"2023-03-20T15:37:34","slug":"ask-a-dermatologist-microbiome-skincare-for-healthy-skin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/ask-a-dermatologist-microbiome-skincare-for-healthy-skin\/","title":{"rendered":"Ask A Dermatologist: Microbiome Skincare for Healthy Skin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Copy-of-202202-02-Ask-a-Derm-Microbiome-Skincare-for-Healthy-Skin-v2-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2231\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Like and share the article here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links is-layout-flex wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-facebook  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/skinandmehq\/\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 2C6.5 2 2 6.5 2 12c0 5 3.7 9.1 8.4 9.9v-7H7.9V12h2.5V9.8c0-2.5 1.5-3.9 3.8-3.9 1.1 0 2.2.2 2.2.2v2.5h-1.3c-1.2 0-1.6.8-1.6 1.6V12h2.8l-.4 2.9h-2.3v7C18.3 21.1 22 17 22 12c0-5.5-4.5-10-10-10z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-instagram  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/skinandmehq\/\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12,4.622c2.403,0,2.688,0.009,3.637,0.052c0.877,0.04,1.354,0.187,1.671,0.31c0.42,0.163,0.72,0.358,1.035,0.673 c0.315,0.315,0.51,0.615,0.673,1.035c0.123,0.317,0.27,0.794,0.31,1.671c0.043,0.949,0.052,1.234,0.052,3.637 s-0.009,2.688-0.052,3.637c-0.04,0.877-0.187,1.354-0.31,1.671c-0.163,0.42-0.358,0.72-0.673,1.035 c-0.315,0.315-0.615,0.51-1.035,0.673c-0.317,0.123-0.794,0.27-1.671,0.31c-0.949,0.043-1.233,0.052-3.637,0.052 s-2.688-0.009-3.637-0.052c-0.877-0.04-1.354-0.187-1.671-0.31c-0.42-0.163-0.72-0.358-1.035-0.673 c-0.315-0.315-0.51-0.615-0.673-1.035c-0.123-0.317-0.27-0.794-0.31-1.671C4.631,14.688,4.622,14.403,4.622,12 s0.009-2.688,0.052-3.637c0.04-0.877,0.187-1.354,0.31-1.671c0.163-0.42,0.358-0.72,0.673-1.035 c0.315-0.315,0.615-0.51,1.035-0.673c0.317-0.123,0.794-0.27,1.671-0.31C9.312,4.631,9.597,4.622,12,4.622 M12,3 C9.556,3,9.249,3.01,8.289,3.054C7.331,3.098,6.677,3.25,6.105,3.472C5.513,3.702,5.011,4.01,4.511,4.511 c-0.5,0.5-0.808,1.002-1.038,1.594C3.25,6.677,3.098,7.331,3.054,8.289C3.01,9.249,3,9.556,3,12c0,2.444,0.01,2.751,0.054,3.711 c0.044,0.958,0.196,1.612,0.418,2.185c0.23,0.592,0.538,1.094,1.038,1.594c0.5,0.5,1.002,0.808,1.594,1.038 c0.572,0.222,1.227,0.375,2.185,0.418C9.249,20.99,9.556,21,12,21s2.751-0.01,3.711-0.054c0.958-0.044,1.612-0.196,2.185-0.418 c0.592-0.23,1.094-0.538,1.594-1.038c0.5-0.5,0.808-1.002,1.038-1.594c0.222-0.572,0.375-1.227,0.418-2.185 C20.99,14.751,21,14.444,21,12s-0.01-2.751-0.054-3.711c-0.044-0.958-0.196-1.612-0.418-2.185c-0.23-0.592-0.538-1.094-1.038-1.594 c-0.5-0.5-1.002-0.808-1.594-1.038c-0.572-0.222-1.227-0.375-2.185-0.418C14.751,3.01,14.444,3,12,3L12,3z M12,7.378 c-2.552,0-4.622,2.069-4.622,4.622S9.448,16.622,12,16.622s4.622-2.069,4.622-4.622S14.552,7.378,12,7.378z M12,15 c-1.657,0-3-1.343-3-3s1.343-3,3-3s3,1.343,3,3S13.657,15,12,15z M16.804,6.116c-0.596,0-1.08,0.484-1.08,1.08 s0.484,1.08,1.08,1.08c0.596,0,1.08-0.484,1.08-1.08S17.401,6.116,16.804,6.116z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Instagram<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-twitter  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/skinandmehq?lang=en\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M22.23,5.924c-0.736,0.326-1.527,0.547-2.357,0.646c0.847-0.508,1.498-1.312,1.804-2.27 c-0.793,0.47-1.671,0.812-2.606,0.996C18.324,4.498,17.257,4,16.077,4c-2.266,0-4.103,1.837-4.103,4.103 c0,0.322,0.036,0.635,0.106,0.935C8.67,8.867,5.647,7.234,3.623,4.751C3.27,5.357,3.067,6.062,3.067,6.814 c0,1.424,0.724,2.679,1.825,3.415c-0.673-0.021-1.305-0.206-1.859-0.513c0,0.017,0,0.034,0,0.052c0,1.988,1.414,3.647,3.292,4.023 c-0.344,0.094-0.707,0.144-1.081,0.144c-0.264,0-0.521-0.026-0.772-0.074c0.522,1.63,2.038,2.816,3.833,2.85 c-1.404,1.1-3.174,1.756-5.096,1.756c-0.331,0-0.658-0.019-0.979-0.057c1.816,1.164,3.973,1.843,6.29,1.843 c7.547,0,11.675-6.252,11.675-11.675c0-0.178-0.004-0.355-0.012-0.531C20.985,7.47,21.68,6.747,22.23,5.924z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-pinterest  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.co.uk\/skinandmehq\/\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12.289,2C6.617,2,3.606,5.648,3.606,9.622c0,1.846,1.025,4.146,2.666,4.878c0.25,0.111,0.381,0.063,0.439-0.169 c0.044-0.175,0.267-1.029,0.365-1.428c0.032-0.128,0.017-0.237-0.091-0.362C6.445,11.911,6.01,10.75,6.01,9.668 c0-2.777,2.194-5.464,5.933-5.464c3.23,0,5.49,2.108,5.49,5.122c0,3.407-1.794,5.768-4.13,5.768c-1.291,0-2.257-1.021-1.948-2.277 c0.372-1.495,1.089-3.112,1.089-4.191c0-0.967-0.542-1.775-1.663-1.775c-1.319,0-2.379,1.309-2.379,3.059 c0,1.115,0.394,1.869,0.394,1.869s-1.302,5.279-1.54,6.261c-0.405,1.666,0.053,4.368,0.094,4.604 c0.021,0.126,0.167,0.169,0.25,0.063c0.129-0.165,1.699-2.419,2.142-4.051c0.158-0.59,0.817-2.995,0.817-2.995 c0.43,0.784,1.681,1.446,3.013,1.446c3.963,0,6.822-3.494,6.822-7.833C20.394,5.112,16.849,2,12.289,2\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Pinterest<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-linkedin  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/skinandmehq\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M19.7,3H4.3C3.582,3,3,3.582,3,4.3v15.4C3,20.418,3.582,21,4.3,21h15.4c0.718,0,1.3-0.582,1.3-1.3V4.3 C21,3.582,20.418,3,19.7,3z M8.339,18.338H5.667v-8.59h2.672V18.338z M7.004,8.574c-0.857,0-1.549-0.694-1.549-1.548 c0-0.855,0.691-1.548,1.549-1.548c0.854,0,1.547,0.694,1.547,1.548C8.551,7.881,7.858,8.574,7.004,8.574z M18.339,18.338h-2.669 v-4.177c0-0.996-0.017-2.278-1.387-2.278c-1.389,0-1.601,1.086-1.601,2.206v4.249h-2.667v-8.59h2.559v1.174h0.037 c0.356-0.675,1.227-1.387,2.526-1.387c2.703,0,3.203,1.779,3.203,4.092V18.338z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">LinkedIn<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-heading\" id=\"ask-a-dermatologist-microbiome-skincare-for-healthy-skin\"><strong>Ask a Dermatologist: Microbiome Skincare for Healthy Skin<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>Your skin\u2019s microbiome is the microscopic ecosystem of bacteria that live on your skin, protecting your skin barrier, influencing your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/myth-buster-what-does-healthy-skin-look-like\/\">skin\u2019s general health<\/a> and biology.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Think of it as the new, cultured frontier in developing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/these-are-the-only-steps-you-really-need-in-your-skincare-routine-according-to-a-dermatologist\/\">routines<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/our-ingredients\">treatments<\/a> to boost optimal skin health.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Want in? We spoke to Consultant Dermatologist, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/meet-the-team\">Dr Malvina Cunningham<\/a> for more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Skin + Me: <\/strong><em>How does a Dermatologist define the skin microbiome? Is it just the &#8216;top layer of our skin&#8217; that we need to protect or is there more going on than that?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Dr Malvina Cunningham: <\/strong>The skin microbiome is the term used to describe the millions of different organisms that live on our skin. These include bacteria, viruses and fungi. The skin and the gut have the largest number of microbes of all organs in our body. We\u2019ve known that these organisms live on our skin for a long time but it&#8217;s only recently that research on this topic \u2013 with the help of new techniques and advances \u2013 has exploded. It shows us that the microbiome is an organ in itself, consisting of thousands of genes that are able to influence the biology of our skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These microorganisms represent millions of genes that are influenced by the environment. It\u2019s this concept that we \u2013 the host \u2013 form an ecological unit with our microbiome and environment which is a huge opportunity to understand our health and develop new treatments to support the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/myth-buster-what-does-healthy-skin-look-like\/\">health<\/a> of our skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Skin + Me: <\/strong><em>It\u2019s mind-blowing to think that we\u2019re each hosting whole ecosystems of flora on our skin. How do we work to keep this balance in check? Can you explain how protecting our microbiome is about more than just using the right moisturiser?&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>&#8220;<strong>When it comes to skin health and our skin microbiome, a holistic approach to maintenance is key.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Dr Malvina Cunningham:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We know the gut has a microbiome too. Our gut microbiome is actually capable of influencing our skin biology and affecting skin disease, a relationship known as the gut-skin axis. The gut-skin axis refers to all connections between our skin and our digestive system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We know that our skin microbiome differs in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/myth-buster-what-does-healthy-skin-look-like\/\">healthy skin<\/a> compared to skin with disease and the gut microbiome reflects this too. Studies are not yet entirely conclusive but early indications suggest that in certain conditions such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/rosacea\">rosacea<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/the-link-between-mental-health-and-our-skin\/\">eczema<\/a>, influencing the gut microbiome can alleviate symptoms, improve skin diseases and can act as a preventative retrospectively.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-heading\" id=\"our-microbiome-what-we-know\"><strong>Our microbiome: What we know<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When our skin microbiome is balanced, it supports our skin&#8217;s protective barrier to keep irritants at bay and protect against conditions such as rosacea, eczema, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/acne-treatment\">acne<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/best-dermatologist-recommended-products-for-winter\/\">dryness<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over-<a href=\"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/best-dermatologist-recommended-cleansers\/\">cleansing<\/a> can strip our skin of the natural oils and change the chemical environment of our skin. This changes the microbacterial communities and how good commensal bacteria thrive, which can directly affect our skin barrier causing damage and worsening of skin conditions such as eczema.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The skin barrier can also be affected by a cleanser\u2019s pH. Cleansers with an acidic to neutral pH of 6-7 are more barrier friendly. Try to avoid harsh cleansers such as gel and foaming cleansers in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/best-dermatologist-recommended-products-for-winter\/\">winter<\/a> and reduce the frequency (or quit using) strong exfoliators such as AHA and BHAs if your skin feels irritated and dry. Moisturisers containing barrier friendly ingredients such as glycerin, shea butter, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/our-ingredients\">niacinamide<\/a> and ceramides or urea are great at repairing our barrier and protecting it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Microbiome skincare is also linked with the rising trend in fermented ingredients applied to the skin topically. Fermentation in skincare is when ingredients are broken down with bacteria or yeast so they become smaller, more potent and able to penetrate the skin better.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fermented food and drink (think kimchi, kombucha black tea, kefir or yogurt) are linked to better gut health, so load up on the good stuff to introduce good bacteria into your body. Fermented foods (and probiotic supplements) as part of a balanced diet can also support our body\u2019s fight against inflammatory skin conditions via the gut-skin axis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-takeaway\"><strong>The takeaway<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Your body\u2019s microbiome has a symbiotic relationship with the health of your skin. Protect and nurture it to prevent inflammation, sensitivity from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/ask-a-dermatologist-cold-weather-skincare-tips\/\">environmental stressors<\/a> and infection. It\u2019s all about finding balance \u2013 a truism in skincare and also in life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Medical facts checked by Consultant Dermatologist, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/meet-the-team\"><strong>Dr Malvina Cunningham<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f0f6fb\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\" style=\"background-color:#edf5f8\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f0f6fb\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>New to Skin + Me? <\/strong>Get your first month of personalised skincare for \u00a34.99 with promo code DOSE \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/consultation\/sign-up\/create-account\">complete our quick consultation here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Looking for a routine refresh? <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/login?back=%2Faccount-summary%2Fmanage-upcoming-orders\">Add the Dream Routine to your Skin + Me subscription<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In need of a restock? <\/strong>Head to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/shop\">The Skincare Shop<\/a> for one-off purchases of your Routine Essentials.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Heard of microbiome skincare? There\u2019s a whole new ecosystem of bacteria to discover and we\u2019re only just getting started. Get our Dermatologist&#8217;s view now.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":179265348,"featured_media":2229,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1374,1661,1411,1665,1576,1667,1663,1664,1631,1650,1526,1389,1666,1662,1362],"class_list":["post-1976","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-articles","tag-acne","tag-bateria","tag-dermatologist","tag-digestion","tag-eczema","tag-fermented-skincare","tag-fungi","tag-gut","tag-healthy-skin","tag-microbiome","tag-rosacea","tag-skin-and-me","tag-skin-disease","tag-skin-flora","tag-skincare"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1976","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/179265348"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1976"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1976\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4225,"href":"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1976\/revisions\/4225"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2229"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1976"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1976"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.skinandme.com\/the-dose\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1976"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}