Cutibacterium (formerly P. Acnes bacterium) is commonly seen in sebum-rich areas and it’s over proliferation of cuticle at the sebaceous gland sit— creating a defense mechanism whereas the sebaceous sac outside the hair follicle becomes encapsulated thus forcing a rise or pustule on the epidermis. However, recent information provided by advanced mitogenic sequencing research has shown that cutaneous microbiota in acne patients and acne-free patients differ as to virulent specific levels! Or, why one person infected shows few signs of acne breakout while another skin blazes with vulgaris!
Initially it is a question of microbiota. At its genesis all acne is hormonally induced. But what happens on the epidermis once the sebum flow is exacerbated from the commands of over active testosterone determines whether the skin is in dysbiosis (in trouble) or symbiosis (able to ward of C.Acnes bacterium). Furthermore it has been proven that a low fibre, high fat western diet contributes to by raising the insulin-like growth factor-1(IGF-1) and insulin (3-6). Diet also shapes the gut microbiota. More and more practitioners are addressing this factor with suggested food plans and supplementation. Many are working hand in hand with a professional nutritionist for more dramatic changes in acne clients. But at the epidermal level, homeostasis is everything. We have found that a good group of living spores, including S. Epidermis, carefully formulated to stay alive to be able to bring colonies of the “good guys” out onto the epidermis while back off Aureus (the bad guys, amongst others) brings the microbial field into balance, or homeostasis. This in turn allows for further skin revision treatments take effect, along with compliant home products, also featuring microbiome correction. The client should be totally in control of virulent breakouts and infections allowing the skin practitioner or doctor to begin scar revision in the case of cuneiform acne scars. The term “microbiome” is often misunderstood, and a flurry of products are hitting the market labeled “microbiome friendly” or “prebiotically” formulated. In fact, the term microbiome covers a huge range of micro-organisms, including viruses, bacteria, fungi and their genes and metabolites! The word “microbiota” is more focused, describing the group of commensal bacteria, symbiotic, and nonpathogenic micro-organisms found in a fixed environment. The number of microbial cells colonising the human body is overwhelming—ten times the number of human cells! We are but at the tip of a huge iceberg in microbiology pertaining to skin! I am fortunate to be in a group of global scientists who are looking at skin and its anomalies in a different way—more as an eco-system than a “top layer covering the body.” We are discovering more and more how many of the tried and true treatments of the skin actually work—thus becoming tried and true. For all that I have experimented with and experienced over the last 50 odd years, I feel like a lucky blind man feeling my way in the dark and managing to bring a little light to some of mankind’s skin problems. There are many more “layers” to the skin than taught in text books (actually the skin under a microscope has no definite layers, but configurations of living, dying and dead cells, always moving and always in either proliferation mode or desquamation mode). The microbiome is in itself another layer and even above that is the quanta-dermis (more on that in another article). Does this new approach mean that we all have to change our treatments and products to something else? No, the PHYSICAL approach of removing damage, assisting new cells in having a longer life span with less free radical damage, rebuilding areas where new cell proliferation is slack, protecting all of the remodelling of cells by maintaining homeostasis will remain along the lines of what we already do successfully. However formulation and compounding is changing— away from the classic cosmetic chemistry model. Organic compounds, botanicals and other raw materials, carefully monitored during farming will be super critically extracted for the most potency, bioavailability and vibrations (yes plants have vibrations if processed correctly). A lot of this is being done around the world already, and is expensive (I have never cared about expense, only result) but more and more companies will see the value in reengineering their productions and processes of formulations. People are living longer and want quality of life. All of this is possible, and a lot is already being done! At 78, I am my own best guinea pig. But the microbiota will become more and more of a diagnostic tool and a primary treatment of all bacterial, viral and fungal problems. Warning: for any product along this line to work, it must contain living spores. Not easy to do and certainly not inexpensive!