4 Top Misconceptions About Skin Probiotics

Beauty trends come and go, and many companies are attempting to hop on the biome bandwagon with consumer demand rising. But, when it comes to the skin biome (the skin ecosystem, including the skin microbiome), there is a lot of noise out there that can be confusing or even misleading. Legitimate skin-relevant probiotic strains of bacteria are worth the hype, despite the many persistent misconceptions and skin care myths.

Probiotics are essentially “good” bacteria. They’re live microorganisms that provide health benefits to the body, such as the skin. However, between the propagation of outdated science, familiarity with the status quo, and frequent reinforcement of reductive information — such as with social media influencers — there is a plethora of public misconceptions about what exactly a skin-relevant probiotic is and what it can do. Plus, there are no current regulations or standards for measuring whether products with claims of probiotic technologies are legitimate or even safe. Thus, companies are defining what’s safe themselves, creating ambiguity and inconsistency within the messaging surrounding the skin biome. This furthers consumer confusion as the skin care industry — predicted to generate up to $189.3 billion by 2025 — churns out a wide array of products.

Using skin-relevant probiotics has risen in popularity as probiotics for gut health have been commoditized and widely accepted over the years. This has created a beauty industry plagued with endless, often false “probiotic” or “microbiome” labels. Just because something is labeled to have probiotics or microbiome benefits doesn’t mean it does. It’s important to rely on research, not what is trending. You don’t want gimmicks that are more sizzle than steak.

Luckily, there are few researchers and peer-reviewed reports helping to make probiotic skin biome care identifiable, understandable, and obtainable. For example, scientists look at the characteristics a microbe should have to be considered a true probiotic, such as the ability to survive in various environments in the body, display high resistance to any stressors, provide health benefits and lack antibiotic resistance genes.

Probiotics are non-pathogenic and non-toxic, and they provide protection against disease-inducing bacteria. In a nutshell, for a microbe to be probiotic, it must be able to survive for a short time and thrive in the area to be treated. Scientists call this engraftment, and it is one of the most important aspects of what makes a probiotic beneficial. Here are four common misconceptions when it comes to probiotic skin care.

1. You Can Never be Too Clean

The culture of obsessive grooming habits and aggressive exfoliation can actually mess with your skin’s microenvironment. When you excessively exfoliate, use pore strips regularly, or use cleansers with too much surfactant (i.e., foaming), it can irritate the skin by reducing the natural microbes and oils that keep the skin barrier intact. This is why being “too clean” is a bad thing. Instead, use gentle cleansers, and only as needed. Simply using water is also adequate when appropriate, such as after you wake up (especially if you wash your face before bed).

Related: Probiotic Pros: Skin Care Cure-all?

2. Labels with the Term “X-biotic” Means the Product Has Probiotics

There are mass amounts of skin care products on shelves with label claims of “microbiome,” “probiotic,” “prebiotic” or “postbiotic.” However, such labeling is often inaccurate. While the company that produces it might not intend to be deceptive, misusing terminology is often misleading for consumers. Be cautious, as it has been reported that many of the products using such buzzwords in their marketing are not necessarily backed by scientific research. Rather, they use easily obtained ingredients that can be described with similar language and “spun” to be appealing to the consumer market.

Because there are no formal regulations for probiotics, companies are left to create their own. This results in a mismatched spectrum of labels and “probiotic” products. However, some companies are investing in research and development to bring legitimate skin probiotics to the market.

3. You Can’t Formulate with Legitimate Skin Probiotics

Formulating live bacteria is possible. While in years past, there have been issues with trying to get living organisms into a viable vehicle to deliver them to your skin, technology has evolved. We are now able to do this. In my own lab, we have achieved shelf-stable formulations of living skin-relevant skin probiotics that retain viability. This means that there can be products out there that can help you with the health of your skin biome; you just have to do your research or talk with your esthetician to ensure the products truly have living cultures of skin-healthy microbes in them. There aren’t many yet, but they are out there.

4. Bacteria are Bad

Despite the dogma of the past, bacteria aren’t all harmful pathogens. If you are this far in the article, you likely already know they’re good for you. Yes, there are some microbes that can harm you under the right conditions. But most of the time, your skin ecosystem keeps any potential “bad” microbes from causing you harm. Your immune system coordinates with your healthy skin microbiome to keep everything in balance when you let them (e.g., you don’t over wash or use too many topicals with unnecessary ingredients and preservatives).

Some of the substances that the beneficial bacteria on the skin produce are absolutely critical for skin biome health. For instance, C. acnes produce something called RoxP, and it’s not a waste product — it is a powerful antioxidant not found anywhere else in nature. They actively produce it to protect themselves (because they don’t like air), and, at the same time, it serendipitously protects us! Bacteria actively produce molecules, and the right ferment (the “soup” probiotics are grown in) can be super beneficial because it helps curate the right environment for the right body area.

Legitimate probiotics for skin will affect more than just the surface — they can affect your whole skin biome. So, be sure to do your research on the products you buy that make such claims. Look into reviews to see if other customers are happy with the product. It is important to remind yourself that there are common misconceptions about this topic. You shouldn’t feel alone — even physicians and scientists are still finding their way around this evolving area of skin health. If you are having difficulty choosing the best products, talk to your dermatologist to get back on track and clear up any questions you have.

We all have billions of microbes on our skin all the time. Let’s all aim to embrace this by changing our mindset and habits to curate the right microbes and provide them with the right environment to make your skin biome balanced and healthy. Doing this will be better than any skin care ingredient on the market.

Thomas Hitchcock, Ph.D., is the chief science officer for Crown Laboratories. He oversees clinical development, medical affairs, biological sciences, product development, and research and development for the privately held, fully integrated global company dedicated to developing and providing a diverse portfolio of safe and effective scientific solutions for life-long healthy skin. Dr. Hitchcock is a formally trained scientist with expertise in molecular genetics, microbiology, and dermatology. He has more than 20 years of research experience, including basic science, preclinical, and clinical research across several therapeutic areas. He has also been issued patents on his inventions in aesthetic medicine, dermatology, and microbiology.