To wash or not to wash?Fighting acne by regaining skin biodiversity.

Teyjomayee’s approach to skin is one I’ve never personally considered before, but honestly I love it. It’s so easy to forget the natural environment that our skin curates to stay healthy and even easier to strip it of all the good bacteria, thinking it will solve the skin concerns we have. I would definitely recommend considering your skin’s ‘mircobiome’ when choosing new skin products and the ones you already use to make sure you’re getting the best out of your skincare routine. - Colette

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The skin is a remarkable organ, the largest in the human body. It serves as the body’s first line of defence against any external threats. Other than acting as a simple protective barrier, it also serves to be a complex ecosystem, something which we can forget when thinking about our skincare. The skin is teeming with healthy and necessary life with a diverse array of fungi, bacteria and viruses, that make up our personal microbiome. Maintaining a healthy and diverse microbiome is so important for your overall well-being, and luckily it can be achieved by implementing a simple ‘less is more’ philosophy to skincare.

Understanding the skin microbiome

Your skin microbiome is simply all the micro-organisms that inhabit the surface of the skin. These organisms compete with harmful pathogens for space and nutrients, preventing harmful organisms from colonising the skin.  The more diverse the microbiome is, the better equipped the skin is at reducing risk of infections, such as certain types of acne. This microbiome is also involved in maintaining the integrity of the skin barrier, it helps to regulate inflammation and contributes to repairing the skin. Some skin bacteria also produce essential vitamins and fatty acids, which benefit the skin’s appearance and health. A compromised barrier can lead to many skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

 The importance of diversity

The more diverse the microbiome is, the better. The skin is like any ecosystem you may find on earth. An ecosystem with rich biodiversity is less vulnerable than one without. A diverse microbiome is more resilient, and is better able to recover from disturbances to the skin, such as sudden infection or hormonal changes. It also prevents overgrowth of specific species, which reduces the risk of skin disorders such as acne, rosacea and fungal infections. Having this diverse microbiome ensures a wide range of skin functions are carried out properly.

What to implement into your regimen.

The trick here is to remove the dirt, but not bacteria. You should still wash your face, but not with certain harsh, anti-bacterial cleansers that strip your skin barrier. A Micellar water will do. Micelles remove dirt and excess oils, but have no influence on the microbiome at all as they only focus on the dirt on the surface. Rinse off the Micellar water afterwards, and it will take the dirt with it. If suffering from a skin infection like a specific kind of acne, targeted antibiotics can be used, but avoid overuse, as this could also reduce the diversity of the microbiome. Remember to moisturise! Moisturising helps to protect the skin barrier and promotes an environment for micro-organisms to thrive. Obviously, wear SPF as sun exposure can massively influence the microbiome for the worse, so this is an important step.

All in all, maintaining a diverse microbiome isn’t something that requires too much effort. Less cleansing is the most crucial step. If you’re struggling with recurring acne issues, but aren’t genetically predisposed or it isn’t respond to typical treatment, approaching your skin in this manner could be the healthy, and simple solution.

By Tejomayee Ganesh