How Your Skin’s Microbiome Affects Your Skin

Skin is the largest organ of the body as it represents about 12-15 percent of body weight and 1.5 to 2 meters squared of surface area. 

As such, the skin plays an important role in maintaining balance in the body. It  protects against germs, regulates body temperature, and enables touch sensations to name a few. 

But what keeps your skin healthy? 

The answer is…your microbiome. 

The skin microbiome, also called the skin flora, is the term for the trillions of bugs that live on our skin. 

The health of your microbiome depends on a variety of factors including the location and whether the area is moist, dry, hair or oily. Additionally, the microbiome differs with age and gender.  

That’s why it’s especially important to maintain a balanced one as we grow older, as an imbalanced microbiome can also make the skin less resistant to wrinkles, fine lines, and other signs of aging. 

Each person’s microbiome is unique, but there are a number of general rules that everyone should know to keep your microbiome functioning best. 

How does the skin microbiome affect our health? 

1. It communicates with our immune system.
2. It protects us against infection, and inhibits the growth of pathogens.
3. It reinforces and repairs the natural skin barrier
4. It keeps the skin moisturized, hydrated and radiant. 

And while it’s very strong, it’s also delicate. There are a few things you need to look out for to make sure you’re not accidentally compromising its function; namely what you put on your skin, and what you put in your body.

To effectively support your skin microbiome,

1. Eat healthy and stay hydrated
2. Identify and remove trigger foods that cause flare ups or irritations
3. Be smart about hand sanitizers and harsh soaps
4. Try to keep your stress levels in check

And, if you’d like to strengthen your skin microbiome, there are new studies that show adding topical biotics to your skincare routine is a good place to start. Look for a product that contains pre, pro, and post biotics, such as Lumiara’s Glow Facial Serum.