What is the microbiome and why is it so important?
Basically, the microbiome is the collection of those bacteria that populate the human body. Depending on the body area, the bacterial flora varies, and while until a few years ago we were taught to eliminate them, today science has explained to us that some are not only good but also necessary. So what is the microbiome, why is it so important and how can we take care of it through aesthetic medicine?
How many bacteria do we have in our body?
The microbiome includes bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Many of these are harmless, while others provide many benefits.
Did you know that the human body contains an average of 10 times more microorganisms than human cells? However many scholars today have lowered the number to the same amount. Individuals have an estimated 30 to 50 trillion bacteria and up to 100 trillion microbes. And while estimates vary, we know for certain that there are more than 1000 species of microorganisms.
Why microbiome is to protect?
It is clear that the amount varies depending on the individual. For example, a person who suffers from acne will certainly have a higher amount of C.acnes-type bacteria than one who does not, and a person with rosacea will have a higher amount of Demodex fungus than one who does not. The bacteria in the microbiome help digest our food, regulate our immune system, protect against other bacteria that cause disease, and produce vitamins including B vitamins B12, and Vitamin K, which is needed for blood coagulation.
A shield in the stratum corneum
It is therefore a barrier that develops throughout the stratum corneum and protects us from dangerous pathogens, bacteria, and other microbes. The main role is therefore one of defense. The main aim is to implement a competition between bacteria – good vs. bad – to make sure that the good ones are the winners, we must make sure that they are perfectly healthy. The best way is to keep the skin’s microbiome perfectly balanced. This also addresses the problem of trans-epidermal water loss. The skin remains well moisturized, its PH is balanced and so is its sebum production.
Microbiome-friendly skincare routine
A cleanser and exfoliator are the perfect starting for microbiome-friendly skincare. The cleanser can be oil-based and could be mixed with a scrub to take away all the dead cells. Next, use products to create a protection for your skin which are peptide delivers, have ascorbic acid to kill all the free radicals and generate a bio-memetic shield.
What is the Human Microbiome Project (HMP)?
Worldwide researchers are mapping the human microbiome, giving insight into uncharted species and genes. The purpose of the HMP is to study the human as a supraorganism composed of non-human and human cells, with the goal of describing the human microbiome and analyzing its role in human health and disease. A major goal of the HMP is to characterize the metagenome (the combined genomes of all the microbes) of the microbiomes of 300 healthy people, over time. Five body areas are sampled: Skin, mouth, nose, colon, and vagina.