What the BugSpeaks Skin Microbiome Test does for you
Welcome to the world of the skin microbiome, brought to you by BugSpeaks Skin!
The BugSpeaks Skin Microbiome test aims to give users a picture of their skin health, in terms of the parameters of skin such as hydration, barrier potential, elasticity, ageing, and sebum production, through the lens of the microbiome. Using this information, we aim to provide users with tailored recommendations that target issues, and promote healthy skin through dietary, skincare and lifestyle suggestions.
What gaps in skincare does BugSpeaks Skin address?
The skin microbiome is largely composed of non-pathogenic bacteria which interact with each other, secrete molecules, and play important roles in the maintenance of vital skin properties like barrier potential and maintenance of hydration. The local skin environment largely dictates what microbes can grow and thrive there, certain types of microbes grow in oilier regions, and others thrive in drier conditions. This works similarly to macro ecology- you would expect to see a penguin in the snow, but you probably wouldn't find one at the beach. Thus, it follows any changes caused in this skin landscape, such as through climate, pollution, sunlight levels, and even cosmetics and skincare are expected to have an impact on the resident microbial population.
While some products are capable of reducing bacteria like C. acnes and S. aureus, which are often involved in acne and other skin issues, certain ingredients they contain may also impact the levels of the normal flora of the skin, resulting in imbalance of the skin microbiome. The skin microbiome also varies widely between individuals, based on their skin type, age, sex, living and working environment, and ethnicity. Due to these reasons, traditional skincare approaches often fail to address the hidden microbial imbalances associated with tangible skin issues. Simply put, what works for some, may not work for others.
It is no secret that there exists large amounts of information about skincare, active ingredients, skin types, and what “good skin” looks like. We've all come across the several ads for the newest magical product made with exotic extracts! However, it comes down to an individual to know what information to look for, analyze their own skin, and try various solutions to handle any skin concerns. This can be an irritating (mentally, and also for your skin) and confusing process to go through with no clear solution. Though some may have found success with this approach, it is difficult to know the real nature of one’s own skin, and construct a routine around it. Through the microbiome approach, we bypass the guesswork to get a snapshot of a user’s unique skin microbiome, and use this information to paint an overall picture of the hallmarks of skin health. Based on these, a test-taker receives tailored recommendations for food, probiotics, and skincare, and guidelines on how to build their routines around and for their skin.
The science behind BugSpeaks Skin Microbiome Test
Image credits : https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2020.570261/full
We gathered published research on the skin microbiome and its association with skin parameters of interest, and the mechanisms by which microbes interact with the skin, such as the secretion of enzymes or through the modulation of immune system pathways. Fascinatingly, the levels of a vast number of microbes impact visible skin metrics, through a variety of routes. Moreover, it was fascinating to uncover microbial patterns that co-occur with trends in skin parameters. So where does the personalisation of recommendations happen?
It comes in the form of the skin swab sample a user returns to us to be analyzed, where the microbial genetic information (nerd speak: the metagenome!) from the sample is extracted, sequenced and analyzed to obtain the user’s unique microbiome composition. Our algorithms then interpret this data in the context of everything we know about the skin microbiome- finally generating reports to inform each user of what their microbiome can tell us about their skin health in terms of various skin parameters. We back this up with actionable insights on how to keep your skin and its microbiome in balance.
Research on the skin microbiome is rapidly picking up speed worldwide, with fascinating connections and mechanisms being characterised every other day. Hop on board with BugSpeaks Skin, and ride this wave with us!
-Antara Arvind
References
Moskovicz, V., Gross, A., & Mizrahi, B. (2020). Extrinsic Factors Shaping the Skin Microbiome. Microorganisms, 8(7), 1023. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8071023
Santiago-Rodriguez, T. M., Le François, B., Macklaim, J. M., Doukhanine, E., & Hollister, E. B. (2023). The Skin Microbiome: Current Techniques, Challenges, and Future Directions. Microorganisms, 11(5), 1222. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11051222
Wang, Y., Yu, Q., Zhou, R., Feng, T., Hilal, M. G., & Li, H. (2021). Nationality and body location alter human skin microbiome. Applied microbiology and biotechnology, 105(12), 5241–5256. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-021-11387-8.
