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For skin health, bacteria are needed
Last reviewed: 05.10.2018
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A pronounced health effect for the skin is exerted by soil microbes. They are able to dissolve the ammonia coming out of the sweat, and also give the skin the necessary biologically active substances.
Daily skin care provides for maximum disposal of bacteria on its surface. Most people use alcoholic cosmetics as well as antibacterial agents. Of course, microbes can damage the health of our skin - an example of this can serve as an acne, or other inflammatory processes. Therefore, cleanliness is considered to be a guarantee of skin health, and it is necessary to regularly eliminate pollution and discharge from it.
But we should not forget: there are useful microbes. American experts representing AOBiome stated that nitrifying microorganisms are very useful for the skin. Such bacteria live in soil and water, take an active part in the biogeochemical cycle of nitrogen. Nitrites and nitric oxide are considered to be the products of the bacteria metabolism. The role of these compounds is very important: they are involved in regulating the inflammatory process, during wound healing processes, in changing the lumen of blood vessels, in preventing autoimmune reactions, etc. In addition, nitrifying bacteria are capable of neutralizing ammonia released from sweat glands and violating acid-base balance cutaneous surface. Researchers have pondered over what will happen if these bacteria are "introduced" to human skin.
For the experiment, volunteers were invited: a lot of mass was applied to their skin, in which soil nitrifying bacteria were present. Some participants received a mass-placebo. Within two weeks, none of the participants should not have used any detergents, only in the third week were allowed to use the usual for each shampoo and other cleaning procedures.
During the experiment, the microbes firmly established on the skin. In those people whose skin was treated with a microbial mass, the DNA of the microorganisms was detected at 83-100%. Since the use of cleansers, this level has dropped to 60%. But, as noted by experts, the skin condition of participants after the application of microbial mass has significantly improved. There was no harm for participants' health.
How did bacteria affect the skin? First, they isolated bioactive substances and lowered the pH. And secondly, they directly influenced the balance of skin microflora. The researchers note that, despite the small scale of the experiment, we can consider the result to be completely positive. Of course, most scientific critics require more extensive experiments, involving more participants from different age categories. Scientists believe that additional research is necessary, first of all, for additional evidence of the positive effect of microorganisms.
Information is available on the website of the American Society of Microbiologists.
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