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The Army of Microbes on Your Skin: How Do They Affect Your Health?
The human skin is a natural line of defense that not only protects our internal organs from external threats, but also serves as a habitat for a variety of microorganisms. The skin microbiome, and in particular the microbiome, has a profound impact on our health. Whether you know it or not, your skin is home to thousands of microorganisms—mostly bacteria and fungi. The relationships between these microorganisms can be symbiotic, mutualistic, or even sometimes harmful.
According to the latest research, the microbiome on your skin affects not only the health of your skin, but also your overall metabolism and immune system.
Microbial diversity
Early research methods on the diversity of skin bacteria relied on microbial culture techniques, which led to an underestimation of the bacterial species present on the skin. Research methods based on 16S RNA genes show that there are nearly a thousand types of microorganisms on the skin, including several major categories:
- Actinomycetota (about 52%)
- Bacillota (about 24%)
- Pseudomonadota (about 17%)
- Bacteroidota (about 6%)
These microorganisms are distributed differently in different ecological areas of the skin, such as oily areas, moist areas and dry areas. For example, the oil gland area was mainly composed of Propionibacteria and Staphylococci, while the moist area was dominated by Corynebacteria and Staphylococci.
The role of fungi
Not only bacteria, there are also many kinds of fungi on the skin. For example, different parts of the skin may harbor a mix of fungi such as Candida albicans and other fungi. Studies have shown that the heels have the richest microbiota, with approximately 80 species of fungal communities, demonstrating the complexity and diversity of this ecological environment.
Relationship between microorganisms and hosts
Skin microbiota can be commensal, mutualistic, or pathogenic, and the roles of these microorganisms may change depending on the host's immune system status. For example, Pseudomonas aeruginosa may be a mutualist under normal conditions, but once it enters the blood system, it may become a pathogenic microorganism and cause disease.
Whether our skin microbiome is good or bad ultimately depends on the health of our skin and our immune system.
Skin defense mechanisms
The skin's defenses include not only the action of the microbiome, but also protection from a variety of naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides and an acidic environment. The skin produces antimicrobial peptides such as cathelicidins to control the growth of microorganisms. Most skin microorganisms are relatively stable in an acidic environment.
The impact of skin diseases
An imbalance in the skin's microbiome may contribute to a variety of skin conditions, including eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis. The emergence of these diseases is often directly related to the diversity and composition of the skin microbiome.
Maintaining microbial balance
Because of the impact of the skin microbiome on health, it is particularly important to maintain microbial balance. Excessive cleaning and use of antibacterial products may disrupt this balance, allowing some microorganisms to overgrow and cause disease.
As our understanding of the skin microbiome continues to improve, could we one day harness it in personalized medicine to improve health?
Therefore, skin microbiota plays an important role in our health. They are not only a part of our skin, but also an important component of our health. Looking into the future, how will the scientific community further explore the potential of these microorganisms and use this knowledge to benefit humanity?
