Microbiome Breakdown

Diversity is a good thing, especially when it comes to your skin's microbiome.

The skin is colonized by a large number of diverse microorganisms of which most are beneficial or harmless. This ecosystem is the skin microbiome.

Dermatologist Dr. Mona Gohara compares the microbiome to the '80s cartoon The Smurfs in a recent article in InStyle Magazine.

"If you think of the Smurfs, they were this little community within themselves where someone was designated to do every little job to make the community work as a whole," she explains. "That’s what your skin’s microbiome is like — a little community of microorganisms that make your skin work better."

Similar to the gut, our skin's microbiome, when balanced and diverse, plays an essential role in the protection against invading pathogens. When it's out of balance, it can result in skin disorders like eczema, psoriasis and acne.

So what can make the skin's microbiome out of balance?

• Antibiotics
• Harsh cleansers

And how might we restore a healthy balance?

• Pro- and pre-biotics
• Fulvic acid found in I'm Outside

So when it comes to improving your microbiome, don't forget about your skin's. It just could be the key to a healthier, and happier, glow.