18 replies to this topic

[FerPer]

The chemical compositions of skin varies, dictating what type of bacteria will be present, and because some strains of bacteria can have negative influences, it's important that the balance of microorganisms be mantained to favor the beneficial bactaria over the potentially harmful ones.
It may dificult to underestand the applications of probiotics for topical treatment on the skin because no comparision exist to appreciate its real value. Since we tend to stay away from changes, acceptance is growing at a slow pace.

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[FerPer]

Many scientists and consumers agree that probiotics - essentially good bacteria that every person's body needs both internally and externally - are great for use in everything from baby food to pizza crust and toothpaste. As a matter of fact, many hospitals have gone from relying on antiseptic soap-scrubbing to washing with probiotics products, and some studies have suggested using probiotics on patients wounds prior to surgery.

Although probiotics have been used internally for many years as a means of reestablishing the state of equilibrium among naturally occurring bacteria in our bodies, there are now topical probiotic formulations that are becoming available for skin health and anti-aging benefits

Why probiotics on the skin?

There are many advantages and benefits using probiotics. Some of the main positives aspects are that they:
Are a natural product
Don't contain harsh chemicals
Are environmentally friendly
Are water-based
Can be used long term
Don't cause pathogens (any agent tat produce disease) to develop resistance
Clean at microscopic level
Reduce the number of bacterial pathogens

Why use Probiotics for Acne?

Acne is a skin condition which produces plugged pores (blackheads and whiteheads), inflamed pimples (pustules), and deeper lumps (nodules). And although most teenagers get some acne, adults in their 20's, 30's, 40's,or even older, can develop acne.

The bacterium responsible for inflamed breakouts is called Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes). P. acnes is a normal resident of the skin, and is generally harmless, but when pores become engorged with excess oil and dead skin cells, an environment in which P. acnes can thrive develops. This bacterium triggers inflammation within pore, creating a papule, pimple, or cyst. Additionally, when several types of bacteria are trapped underneath the skin , they can react with sebum and break down into free fatty acids resulting in damage and inflammation in the deeper parts of the skin.

Acne occurs when the skin is out of balance with more bad bacteria than good bacteria, so reducing P. acnes population is an important step in controlling acne.

*Moderator edit - No advertising. Read the board rules*

[AKL]

Yes, probiotics can definitely help! Here's a list of relevant studies and abstracts (there's many more, and these are not about applying probiotics topically, but it gives you an idea):

Probiotics and antibiotics: a brief overview
Risk factors for sebaceous gland diseases and their relationship to gastrointestinal dysfunction in Han adolescents
Impact of the impaired intestinal microflora on the course of acne vulgaris
Dietary effect of lactoferrin-enriched fermented milk on skin surface lipid and clinical improvement of acne vulgaris
Effect of konjac glucomannan hydrolysates and probiotics on the growth of the skin bacterium Propionibacterium acnes in vitro
Antimicrobial activity of enterocins from Enterococcus faecalis SL-5 against Propionibacterium acnes, the causative agent in acne vulgaris, and its therapeutic effect
Systemic inflammatory markers in older persons: the effect of oral nutritional supplementation with prebiotics
Lactobacillus fermentum ME-3 - an antimicrobial and antioxidative probiotic
Oral Probiotic Control Skin Inflammation by Acting on Both Effector and Regulatory T Cells

And one that also mentions topical probiotics (more references in the article): Acne vulgaris, probiotics and the gut-brain-skin axis - back to the future?

[FerPer]

Apr;32(2):139-42. Epub 2009 Oct 10.
Effect of konjac glucomannan hydrolysates and probiotics on the growth of the skin bacterium Propionibacterium acnes in vitro.
Source
Glycologic Limited, c/o Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, U.K. f.h.alghazzewi@glycologic.co.uk
Abstract
The synbiotic ability of probiotic bacteria and konjac glucomannan hydrolysates (GMH) to inhibit acne-inducing bacterium, Propionibacterium acnes growth was studied in vitro. All probiotic bacteria strains tested were able to inhibit the growth of this species of skin bacterium where the inhibition was significantly (P < 0.01) enhanced by the presence of the GMH prebiotic. As the current treatment of acne is based on topical or systemic drugs, it is worth examining further the biotherapeutic activities of the GMH and selected probiotics with a view to future use as prophylactic or therapeutic synbiotics for treating acne infections.
PMID:
19818083
[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[pugrocker]

I tried probiotics and it made me break out bad and than I went back on antibiotics and cleared up.

[gingergirl22]

If you count using a yogurt with live active cultures on my skin, then yes, I have done that. Just started using it last week as a lactic acid AHA. So far what I have noticed is that the non-fat version absorbs oil on the skin and it smooths out the skin. However, it bleaches the skin a bit, but I'm not clear how permanent that will be. Not sure about it's effect on acne yet, but nothing negative so far.

[Binga]

It seems like there are a few topical products in the market already that uses probiotics

http://us.eminenceor...nser_p_448.html

[CherrySoda08]

Somebody used probiotic for acne?
Please share your experience!

http://media-cache-e...96_pKxxbfrM.jpg


While I am not putting probiotics on my skin, I've been drinking this brand of water kefir for about 5 weeks now. I don't know if it's solely because I've been taking the recommended dose of water kefir a day, or because I have changed my diet from a low-glycemic (think South Beach diet) to a Paleo diet a few months back, but I no longer have the crazy, wet-looking oil puddles all over my face (even without makeup, I began to develop these in my early '20's...makeup just made them worse). I don't have issues with digestion anymore (I was very irregular...sorry if that's TMI, but that's how poorly my system functioned), and as I got older, I began to develop worse and worse menstrual cramps and pre-menstrual symptoms with each passing year.

My hormones were an absolute mess due to diet, lifestyle choices (too much drinking socially/smoking socially, not enough sleep. I don't drink at all anymore, except for the occasional sip of red wine or champagne, and you couldn't pay me to put a cigarette to my lips again), stress and I already had a genetic predisposition toward acne (my dad...he is 53, and still sometimes gets little pustules).

Cutting out gluten, dairy, and I believe taking a probiotic have been near-miracles for me. I still get acne-bumps around that time of the month, but they are nowhere near to the monsters I took topicals for, and antibiotics to get rid of. And the prescribed meds definitely didn't take care of the excess oil on my face, irregular digestion, uneven moods, and horrible menstrual symptoms (I'm talking waking up out of my sleep at 2:30 A.M. due to the feeling of my ovaries being ripped apart with pain, and not being able to go back to sleep after 4 Advil liquigels and 2 hours later. NOT good!)

In my opinion, trying a probiotic is very worth your while. I think taking it has contributed to solving issues in my body that I didn't even know how to fix. My advice is to think seriously about making changes to your diet as well (as in, cutting out cow's milk as much as you possibly can). Sorry about all of the parenthetical info. I was just writing hastily, and didn't feel like going back and editing.

Hope this helps!

Cherry

Edited by CherrySoda08, 10 August 2012 - 09:49 PM.

[CherrySoda08]

What would be the main difference between ingesting a probiotic and using it topically to treat acne issues? Is there a difference?

Edited by CherrySoda08, 10 August 2012 - 09:52 PM.

[Binga]

What would be the main difference between ingesting a probiotic and using it topically to treat acne issues? Is there a difference?

The strains of the probiotic will crowd out the p.acnes bacteria in the face to prevent inflammation.

[CherrySoda08]

What would be the main difference between ingesting a probiotic and using it topically to treat acne issues? Is there a difference?

The strains of the probiotic will crowd out the p.acnes bacteria in the face to prevent inflammation.

So, drinking a probiotic wouldn't really do that?

[Binga]

What would be the main difference between ingesting a probiotic and using it topically to treat acne issues? Is there a difference?

The strains of the probiotic will crowd out the p.acnes bacteria in the face to prevent inflammation.

So, drinking a probiotic wouldn't really do that?

It will indirectly by aiding digestion and reducing toxins inside the body.

[CherrySoda08]

What would be the main difference between ingesting a probiotic and using it topically to treat acne issues? Is there a difference?

The strains of the probiotic will crowd out the p.acnes bacteria in the face to prevent inflammation.

So, drinking a probiotic wouldn't really do that?

It will indirectly by aiding digestion and reducing toxins inside the body.

Whew. That's a relief to hear.

[gingergirl22]

Yes, probiotics can definitely help! Here's a list of relevant studies and abstracts (there's many more, and these are not about applying probiotics topically, but it gives you an idea):

Probiotics and antibiotics: a brief overview
Risk factors for sebaceous gland diseases and their relationship to gastrointestinal dysfunction in Han adolescents
Impact of the impaired intestinal microflora on the course of acne vulgaris
Dietary effect of lactoferrin-enriched fermented milk on skin surface lipid and clinical improvement of acne vulgaris
Effect of konjac glucomannan hydrolysates and probiotics on the growth of the skin bacterium Propionibacterium acnes in vitro
Antimicrobial activity of enterocins from Enterococcus faecalis SL-5 against Propionibacterium acnes, the causative agent in acne vulgaris, and its therapeutic effect
Systemic inflammatory markers in older persons: the effect of oral nutritional supplementation with prebiotics
Lactobacillus fermentum ME-3 - an antimicrobial and antioxidative probiotic
Oral Probiotic Control Skin Inflammation by Acting on Both Effector and Regulatory T Cells

And one that also mentions topical probiotics (more references in the article): Acne vulgaris, probiotics and the gut-brain-skin axis - back to the future?

I just ran across the article which you linked to last, and posted it in the Research section of this forum before I noticed this post. It really is an interesting article, examining the link between intestinal health, depression, and acne.

[AKL]

I just ran across the article which you linked to last, and posted it in the Research section of this forum before I noticed this post. It really is an interesting article, examining the link between intestinal health, depression, and acne.

Yes, it's definitely interesting to see how things you would have never linked together, seem to be related. Thanks for posting it there!

[thatguy93]

For those of you confused about the whole probiotics in yogurt and in water and the ones you eat/drink and what not, here's the deal: probiotics is bacteria, and just like human cells, bacteria have the ability to produce energy in an aerobic and anaerobic manner. What does that mean? There are certain bacteria that thrive in places where oxygen is available, hence the term aerobic, whereas there are bacteria that thrive through fermentation rather than cellular respiration. I know there are a lot of biological terms here, but the point is that there are some probiotics that do not need oxygen to live, which are the ones found in the yogurt. Those probiotics will not do anything to your skin if applied as yogurt because they cannot survive in the presence of oxygen; they are anaerobes. However, there are certain bacteria, probiotics of course, that do need oxygen to survive, and those are the ones you want to put on your skin. The other forms will live inside your body where oxygen is not available (fyi oxygen travels through the bloodstream to the multiple cells of our bodies that encompass all of our bodily structures, such as our organs, tissues, etc, and is not found inside the stomach, intestine, or any part of the alimentary canal). So to recap, if you want to treat acne with probiotics, do it with ones that live with oxygen and not with ones that you eat and live inside of you. Hope this helps!!

[gingergirl22]

Thank you for that explanation. So what are examples of probiotics that could be used topically?

[crashoran]

I really need to know if it's safe to put homemade kefir on my skin. I'm going to start fermenting today.

[CherrySoda08]

I really need to know if it's safe to put homemade kefir on my skin. I'm going to start fermenting today.

Sorry to sound ignorant, but why do you want to apply homemade kefir topically?