Redness, irritation, pimples, spots ... damaged skin is often skin whose main natural barrier against external aggressions is in poor condition.

This barrier is "the skin microbiota", a microbial flora which covers our epidermis and participates in its renewal.

More and more skincare brands are working to preserve it.

DECRYPTION

We often talk about the microbiota that lives in our intestines, but more rarely of the 10,000 billion microorganisms that colonize our skin, that is to say the "skin microbiota". There are molds, yeasts, mites and bacteria. In short, an agglomeration of charming critters that alone weigh between 2 and 3 kilos, so more than our brain! But behind this unpleasant appearance, the microbiota plays an essential role in the preservation of our skin, to such an extent that it is of increasing interest to cosmetics and skin care manufacturers, who see it as a cornerstone of the fight against aging.

This microbiota represents the skin's first line of defense.

"The microbiota lives in perfect intelligence, in perfect synergy with the skin. The good bacteria will feed on our sebum secretions or cell waste. And in exchange, they will defend us against bad bacteria, but also help us to to heal, to have a truly integrated and stronger skin barrier, "explains to Europe 1 Sophie Stobel, scientific manager for the Paula's Choice brand, specializing in skin care.

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How does the skin microbiota deteriorate?

This skin microbiota is present from birth, but it will not stop changing during life.

It is particularly subject to many factors of imbalance, such as pollution or UV.

Smoking, stress, antibiotics, household products, or the hydroalcoholic solutions that we use daily with the Covid-19 crisis, can also impact its composition.

All these external aggressions will create faults in the skin flora and therefore make it less effective.

And this is where the bad bacteria will take over, which will result in the appearance of pimples, spots and many other blemishes.

Can you easily rebalance your skin microbiota?

For several years now, cosmetic laboratories have been working on this problem, but unlike the intestinal microbiota, where it is enough to eat fermented foods, such as yogurts, to recolonize our intestines with good bacteria, it is not possible to integrate bacteria. alive in the composition of skin care and beauty products. 

Recently, however, we have found creams with prebiotics, which are the food of the bacteria that we will seek to preserve. "Basically, it's as if the good bacteria were a bit sweet-toothed and when we give it probiotics, which are often complex sugars, we preferentially feed it, which allows it to develop to the detriment of the bad bacteria" , summarizes Sophie Strobel. We find these prebiotics in serums, day or night creams, lotions, in short cosmetic treatments that are intended to stay on the skin for a long time.

The other advantage of these prebiotics is that they avoid adding preservatives in the compositions.

"They have the self-preservation capacities of the formulas, which allows us to avoid synthetic preservatives which we now know have a negative effect on the skin. They are particularly involved in the development of allergies and of cutaneous sensitivity ", point, also with Europe 1, Pascale De Lomas, the-co-founder of the Biosme brand.

How does maintenance of the microbiota prevent more severe skin problems?

Result: fewer pimples, fewer spots, and above all healthier skin, which can, as a consequence, lead to the fight against certain skin diseases such as eczema.

"Many inflammatory dermatoses, that is to say inflammatory diseases of the skin, can be partly linked to a disturbance of the skin flora. Certain microorganisms or certain bacteria, by becoming predominant, maintain or aggravate the disease. skin inflammation ", explains dermatologist Marie Jachiet.

"By restoring the balance of the skin microbiota, we will be able to reduce inflammation and therefore improve inflammatory skin diseases, such as eczema and psoriasis." 

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What are the daily reflexes to adopt to preserve the skin microbiota?

To preserve the skin microbiota, you must first not wash excessively, and especially use washing products with a neutral pH.

"They will have the least possible impact on your skin microbiota. Conversely, natural soaps should be used sparingly because they often have a very high pH," recommends Pascale de Lomas.

"Another thing to avoid are products that have too much alcohol in them. Alcohol is a powerful antibacterial, it will destroy the good bacteria you have on your skin."

It is also necessary to ban very hot water which disrupts the skin flora, not to abuse scrubs and to renounce excessively detergent make-up removers.