The Skin Microbiome
The term “skin microbiome” seems alien to many people like it’s some scientific term that they couldn’t be bothered with. But if you understood how crucial your skin microbiome is, you’d pay attention to it like never before.
What is your skin microbiome and how can you take care of it? They’re a combination of bacteria that coexist with your skin in a symbiotic relationship. While they benefit from the nutrients on your skin, they protect you in return by keeping harmful microorganisms from invading your skin and causing disease. They’re very many – in billions even, and their strength is in their numbers.
In this age and time where there are more pathogens around, you want to do everything possible to protect your largest organ. Your skin is not only your largest organ, it’s the most visible. It’s the first thing that’s noticed about you.
People take healthy skin as an indication of vibrant health. And the first step to gaining healthy skin is not buying a fancy soap or cream, it’s learning how to protect your skin microbiome.
Why Your Skin Microbiome is Important
Your skin microbiome survives by utilizing the salt, oil (sebum), and water that your skin produces at different times of the day. Depending on how moist, cool, and oily a part of your body is, different flora prefers different body parts. The pH and temperature of the body part is also huge determinant.
It may be scary to hear that there are billions of them on your skin but they’re generally beneficial, or at least harmless. They join forces with your immune system to prevent harmful bacteria from evading your largest organ.
In a nutshell, your skin microbiome are the billions of good microorganisms that have chosen to live on your skin. Their presence on your skin gives you immense benefits because their number is great, so great that it’s difficult for any unwanted bacteria to take their place.
Your skin microbiome makes your skin their home and makes it very difficult for any other microorganism to gain a home in the same place. Taking excellent care of your skin microbiome is therefore very important to your health.
How Your Skin Microbiome Can Get Damaged
It is possible that your lifestyle will inhibit the stability of your skin microbiome. These include:
- Overuse of Antibiotics
Antibiotics contain substances that destroy bacteria. The last thing you want to do is to destroy your good bacteria along with the bad ones. It is important to use antibiotics only according to prescription and to complete the dose as directed. Using antibiotics for a prolonged time is dangerous so except there’s a need, don’t use them.
- Use of Harsh Soaps
Harsh soaps will destroy your normal skin flora by rendering your skin uninhabitable for them. Recommended soap for your skin is the mild one that can gently dissolve dirt and grease on your skin.
- Use of Harsh Skincare Products
Body cream, powder, lotion, makeup products, and other cosmetics that are harsh in nature don’t support the growth of your skin flora. Always examine the ingredients on your product to be sure whether it poses a threat to your skin microbiome or not.
- Excessive Scrubbing or Skin Exfoliation
Scrubbing the skin so hard during a bath will destroy the normal flora. The same applies when you exfoliate too often. Instead of overdoing your exfoliation, maintain your skin by taking regular baths and exfoliating not too regularly.
Proven Ways to Maintain a Healthy Relationship with Your Skin Microbiome
Understanding the importance of your skin microbiome is important and here are proven ways to maintain a healthy relationship with those beneficial creatures.
- Adequate Hydration
Drinking a lot of water is very important in maintaining your skin microbiota. As you know, there’s literally nothing that good hydration cannot help improve.
With a good supply of water to your body, you’ll enjoy a high metabolic rate and easy digestion, therefore your skin will be better supplied with nutrients that your normal flora will benefit from.
- Don’t Overdo Your Hygiene
There’s such a thing as overdoing one’s hygiene. Taking too many baths can reduce the amount of the skin’s microbiome because they’ll be stripped away by the soap that’s too often applied on them. When drying your body, dab the towel gently over your skin instead of rubbing it. Avoid harsh cleansers and excessive exfoliation.
- Consume Probiotics
Foods like yogurt and kefir contain probiotics that can help to improve the diversity and growth of your skin bacteria. Prebiotics like garlic and legumes are also important.
- Eat Tomatoes, Fruits and Vegetables
Tomatoes are filled with lycopene, a substance that benefits your skin immensely. Fruits and vegetables also help to keep your skin supple and hydrated, making the conditions more suitable for your normal flora to thrive.
Scorpion Rick Bottomline
If you cherish your skin health, care of your skin microbiome should be an important matter to you. Every day, make sure you’re maintaining a healthy balance with the billions of bacteria that keep your skin safe. If they keep you safe, you should keep them safe too.
