Bacteria and Your Skincare
Did you know?
Most people think bacteria’s only live and grow in your gut! Your skin is also covered in both good and bad bacteria as well! Just like you care for the bacteria in your gut, you should care for the bacteria on your skin. We call these bacteria and environment the “microbiome.” (This is a word you will be hearing a lot about in the next few years in the skin care world!) Just as good gut health reflects on the body and skin, good skin health reflects on the skin only!
When your gut microbiome is out of balance from taking antibiotics, poor eating choices, medications, and stress, it can show up in your body as slowing cognitive ability, random rashes, mental fatigue and many other ways. Your skin microbiome can be forced out of balance as well, showing up as: allergies, rashes, rosacea, psoriasis, inflammation, acne and heightened aging.
For your gut health you eat yogurt, take pre/probiotics, and kombucha etc. to feed and care for it. Your skin needs similar nourishment as well.
On the surface of your skin is an invisible layer consisting of millions and millions of microbes all generally working together on top of your epidermis to protect and strengthen your skin. Like most things you have good and bad microbes. Depending on what you have an abundance of, what species are most present, your skin will reflect this in its behavior. Like everything in life it’s about balance.
The study of all these microbes on your skin is new research. Starting in the early 2000’s, we started to see pre, pro and post biotics in your skin and body care products from Europe. It was the birth of a trend.
But what does it all mean?
Why can’t you just apply yogurt or open a capsule of your gut probiotic and apply that?
Well, your gut microbiome is vastly different to the skin microbiome, and both should be treated and cared for differently. There are 3 classifications “Pre”, “Pro” and “Post” Biotics.
You will need to look for these in your products and understanding them is confusing. Basically here are definitions and what they do.
Pre-Biotics: This is considered the food for the good microbiome to feed on and grow. This creates an environment for the good bacteria to multiply. The more “good” bacteria, means the less “bad” bacteria
Pro-Biotics: These are the “extra friendly” bacteria delivered in a living form to your skin to assist and enhance your own bacteria that will calm inflammation and repair damage. They also help to guard against the bad bacteria from multiplying and other nasties from weakening the skins’ structure. Pro-biotics assist your own microbiome to protect against environmental stressors. Environmental stressors are not just the obvious environment you live in, but the products you apply and the treatments you receive.
Post-Biotics: They do not contain any live bacteria, but they are the compound that is produced when the pre and pro-biotics are consumed by the healthy bacteria. All 3 play a very important roll in keeping your skin healthy, strong and vibrant.
Many skincare brands unknowingly affect the skins microbiome by simply not helping to maintain and balance the good and bad bacteria. This lack of balance aids the bad bacteria to multiply and take over. Harsh stripping cleansers, an overabundance of AHA, BHA or PHA’s, and synthetic ingredients in your product only aid to the imbalance (AHA – Alpha Hydroxy Acids, BHA- Beta Hydroxy acids and PHA’s-Poly hydroxy acids).
At Skin n’ Tonic, we are constantly working to improve your skin’s microbiome, leading to a healthier (and better) you. Healthy skin, like a healthy gut, makes you both look and feel better. Come in and chat about adding a Live Probiotic Serum to your skincare routine. Schedule an appointment today!
Coming soon: A skin test is being developed to analyze your microbiome, we will let you know when we have it! Kerian tested the Skin Test and has delved even deeper into the microbiome of the skin and its array of bacteria.