Skincare Benefits of Probiotics – What are the reasons for Probiotics to be beneficial for the skin?
The increasing popularity of probiotic skincare has led to a slew of new products and appears to have no end in sight. You may already be aware of the benefits of utilizing good bacteria to combat bloating, stomach pain, and other problems that many of us have, primarily due to the yoghurt-based drinks that popularized the health industry in the late 90s.
It was only a matter of how long it would take before a remarkable amount of skincare products, including cleansers, moisturizers, serums and face masks, became available with probiotics! Allow us a few moments to delve into the world of probiotics and understand what it is, how it can help you and your skin appear healthy.
What are probiotics?
As was mentioned earlier, probiotics are comprised of bacteria and yeast that promotes beneficial gut health. Usually located in yoghurts and supplements, they regulate the number of bacteria and prevent disease in the gut by combating the previously mentioned symptoms of bloating. It is this functionality that is transferred to the skin. Using topical products alleviates the skin’s concerns of inflammation, with a boost of beneficial bacteria to the face that causes the skin to appear healthy, this causes the skin to glow.
Our skin’s natural microbial community is called a microbiome, this community is highly important to the skin and provides a protective role to it from any harmful bacteria, pollution or infection. Today’s modern world and our constant busyness typically causes this ecosystem to become impaired, this results in the skin becoming dry, stressed and more sensitive than it was before. By adding probiotics to your daily skin care, you can chance to re-establish a proportionality between the microbiome and the skin’s barrier.
If we were to become very specialized and a bit more scientific, the proper definition of probiotics would be that they are microorganisms that benefit the host. This infers how we can derive probiotics from the typical form of yogurt or supplements, and have them benefit the skin directly.
In skincare, two primary strains of probiotics are incorporated into formulas, these are Lactobacillus Plantarum and Bifidobacterium longum. I wouldn’t criticize you for using those words, but they are both powerful and beneficial to the skin’s ecosystem.
How do beneficial bacteria function?
Probiotics in skincare have the effect of increasing the number of bacteria in the skin, making them more stable and compatible with other products, for example, when a substance called lactobacillus fermented skin products is created, it’s done by encouraging the growth of lactobacillus bulgaricus cells, these cells secrete substances that have a stress response, these are then added to the skin. This aids in the anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties of the skin. If you’re still with me, I’ll tell you the three ways that Probiotics benefit your skin.
Probiotics create a protective barrier on the skin that prevents any harmful micro-organisms (e.g.
They create natural antibiotics called peptides that help to battle the harmful bacteria in the skin and the environment.
Probiotics enhance the functionality of the skin, which means that it can resist the effects of external damage to the skin, such as free radicals, the harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun, and daily predators, such as pollution.
Other beneficial effects of probiotics include helping the skin’s barrier, the microbiome (the natural bacteria layer on the skin) that regulates the pH of the skin, fights infections, increases immunity, and maintains the skin’s plumpness, among other things. In the following section, we discuss the reasons why probiotics are beneficial to your skin.
What are the benefits of probiotics for your skin?
Over time, we’ve become used to using skincare products that lead to the feeling of “cleans”, this has traditionally resulted in products containing antibacterial agents, which in most cases are too harsh for the skin and remove the majority of the bad bacteria from our bodies.
Now, I’ll share with you something that is quite extreme, and that’s why we need to have “good” bacteria on our skin. For the skin to have the healthiest state, it must have a composition of 85% beneficial bacteria and 15% detrimental bacteria. To maintain the natural ecological system, both “good” and ” Bad” bacteria need to be present on the skin at all times.
The skin’s microbiome is comprised of over 1 trillion different species of bacteria, these bacteria have a complex association with the bacteria in our intestines, which is in clear violation of the popular drinks and supplements, such as miso and kefir, that are responsible for maintaining a healthy gut. This leads to a complexion that is both beautiful and clear. Other than alleviating the painful skin conditions, probiotics also restore the skin’s natural protective barrier, they also defend the skin from the first signs of aging.
What medical issues regarding the skin can probiotics address?
Similar to addressing and soothing the gut, these benefits also apply to the stomach and any other concerns you may have regarding the skin.
With the increasing development of research into topical probiotics, there have been numerous strains and extracts of probiotics that have been incorporated into skincare, this has led to a large variety of moisturizers, cleansers, masks and other products specifically intended to address the skin. This guarantees that all skin types can find a product that will be effective for them and their skin type.
Here are a few instances of problematic skin that have demonstrated the greatest degree of improvement with the utilization of probiotics.
Rosacea
Rosacea sufferers will typically have a red complexion that’s primarily visible on their cheeks, nose, chin and forehead. There are typically bumps and pimples associated with this condition, these are very uncomfortable.
By utilizing probiotics, the redness is reduced and the flare-ups are calm, the barrier to the skin is augmented and the burning sensation is subscribed to, the skin will feel less dry and have a more comfortable sensation.
Eczema
Similar to the soothing effects of rosacea, eczema is alleviated with the help of probiotics. It’s discovered that using probiotics can reduce inflammation and malestar. Topical products are beneficial for addressing existing flare-ups, whereas taking supplements will prevent any future patches of eczema from appearing.
This is also illustrated with recent research that shows that pregnant women who have a history of eczema and similar traits in their family can prevent their children from experiencing it. By taking healthy supplements that are safe during all of their pregnancies, and six months following the birth, especially during breastfeeding, the probability of their children having eczema is reduced. With links that demonstrate a link to eczema and a healthy gut in infants, the utilization of the supplement by the pregnant women promotes a balanced and healthy gut, this is in association with the child having eczema.
Anti-Ageing
With daily aggressors assailing the skin with all of the force, it’s obvious how the skin loses the youthful, healthy appearance too quickly. Particularly because of our reliance on harsh chemicals in order to feel “clean.”
Probiotic formulas can battle these environmental predators that often cause harm, dullness and aging prematurely.
It has not been completely demonstrated, but probiotics have demonstrated that they increase the production of collagen in the skin, which results in a lifted, flabby and glowing appearance. When the face has a dry skin, it’s exposed to the sun excessively and is polluted, this combination leads to inflammation and redness that appear to be older than the face is. By adding a probiotic to your daily skin care regimen, you will undoubtedly reverse the effects of these conditions.
What is the distinction between Prebiotics, Probiotics and Postbiotics?
It can be a little overwhelming, but all three of these are essential for the skin’s microorganisms.
Prebiotics- They act as the food/ fertilizer that promotes the growth of the micro-organisms.
Probiotics are the microorganisms themselves.
Postbiotics- These are the remnants of dead bacterial cells that are still on the skin.
Prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics comprise this intricate microbiome and it’s important that the existing layer is maintained and not simply replaced. The most simple way to take care of this is to avoid antibacterial products instead of choosing leather-free creams and oil-based cleansers, moisturize heavily and attempt to avoid long hot baths ( despite the wonderful sensation they provide during the winter).
It’s time to alter the concept that clean skin is desired, instead, you should consider the damage to the skin over time.
Which skin types are benefitted by using skin-causing bacteria in skincare?
Typically, all skin types will gain benefits from adding probiotics to their daily skin care regimens. With the properties that calm, restorative nature of the skin, it will have a complexion that will stay clear, maintain the pH levels, and appear dewy. These are just a few of the properties.
Thus, in a way, we must begin teaching ourselves the value of the microbiome in our skin and the importance of stepping away from the conventional products we have become familiar with and their deleterious, skin-destructive formulas. It’s time to embrace the dirtied way ofthinking, your skin will appreciate your efforts!
