Probiotics For Skin - Welcome To The World Of Friendly Bacteria!

The human body is made up of around 90% bacteria - some harmful, but mostly beneficial! Microbiotica are microbial flora - a hefty 100,000 billion micro-organisms, bacteria, yeasts, fungi, and viruses that colonise your skin. Your microbiotica begin to form the day you're born, starting on the surface of our skin, in your hair follicles and sebaceous glands.

Your bodies all have different microbiotica - a bit like a second, identifiable genetic code. These aren't unwelcome parasites but rather living organisms that do you a world of good! They keep you in good health and help your skin to remain in great shape.

September 13, 2023

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1. How do microbial flora help our skin?

These microbes are essential for healthy skin. Your cutaneous microbiotica form a barrier that protects you from the elements, infections, inflammation, and, like our intestinal flora, certain illnesses. Some of these bacteria have antioxidant properties. In the short term they keep your skin in good health and over time they combat ageing skin. So having a good balance of these friendly bacteria helps our skin to regenerate, remain healthy, and keep younger for longer.

2. Why do we need probiotics?

Your age, sex, the climate, and genetic factors affect your microbiotica. However, direct environmental factors also count - harsh soaps or scrubs and preservatives can cause your bacterial flora to go into overdrive, meaning they kill not only harmful bacterial invaders but also the good guys! Even though your bacterial flora can regenerate, being continually battered by external factors overloads your system and throws it out of sync.

3. How to protect your skin’s friendly bacteria?

To protect your skin-friendly bacteria, simply follow these 5 rules:
a. Avoid astringent cleansers, such as those containing salicylic acid.
b. In the morning, cleanse with a lotion rather than foaming gel and simply rinse your face. This will protect bacteria that have multiplied overnight. In the evening, cleanse with a milk rather than a gel or micellar water, both of which tend to be harsher.
c. Go for products that are preservative-free (or as near as), such as oil-based treatments or those in small containers. The smaller the container, the fewer the preservatives!
d. Avoid piping hot water, which can kill off cutaneous flora. Try to keep your water temperature between the 32-34°C mark.
e. Use antibacterial hand gels sparingly. They preventy our flora from multiplying. Your best option is a gentle soap.

4. What about cosmetic probiotics?

Certain cosmetic ingredients balance out your cutaneous flora, so that your skin cells and bacteria live in harmony. Your skin's microbiome is the most fragile in the body, but the easiest to treat. Hyaluronic acid, stimulates the production of peptides that in turn destroy harmful bacteria. So look for skincare products that contain hyaluronic acid, like the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Hyaluronic Acid Filler Serum. The high concentration of Hyaluronic Acid in the Filler Serum helps achieve plumper and bouncier skin with fuller looking contours. Wrinkles also look reduced as skin is re-plumped with moisture.

Then there are prebiotics, which feed the probiotics naturally present in our skin. But, most importantly of all, analysing skin's microbiotica can help you find ways to calm and treat various skin conditions including atopic skin.

Not all bacteria are harmful, and probiotics are one such example of bacteria that not helps keep your gut healthy but also improves your skin. Skincare with probiotics are a quick and easy way to maximise and benefit from the skin-enhancing properties of this friendly bacteria.