The Skin Microbiome and Aging of Skin
To what degree does the skin microbiome contribute to the aging of skin? This is an interesting question, but there is very little research on this topic. A growing body of work on the role of the gut microbiome in degenerative aging is leading to a greater interest in examining the microbial populations elsewhere in and on the body, however. Here, researchers note correlations between microbial populations on the skin and specific aspects of skin aging. The direct of causation is still to be determined, but it is reasonable to think that an aged skin changes in ways that might make it more or less hospitable for specific microbes.
Recent findings have identified an exciting potential new link to signs of skin aging - the skin microbiome, the collection of microorganisms that inhabits our skin. To the best of the team's knowledge, the study is the first to isolate microbes associated specifically with signs of skin aging and skin health, rather than chronological age. The study comprehensively examined data collected during 13 past studies, consisting of 16S rRNA amplicon sequence data and corresponding skin clinical data for over 650 female participants, aged 18 - 70. While each of the studies included in the analysis had focused on one particular area of interest - for example, crow's feet wrinkles or moisture loss - this multi-study analysis collated the data to search for trends related to specific microbes while accounting for other variables, such as age.
Two notable trends emerged from the analysis. First, the team found a positive association between skin microbiome diversity and lateral cantonal lines (crow's feet wrinkles), which are generally viewed as one of the key signs of skin aging. Second, they observed a negative correlation between microbiome diversity and transepidermal water loss, which is the amount of moisture that evaporates through the skin. In further exploring the trends, the researchers identified several potential biomarkers that warrant investigation as microorganisms of interest. It would be premature to infer causation or actionable insights, but the study's results have provided researchers with directions on the next steps to hone in on better understanding microbial associations with skin aging.
Link: https://today.ucsd.edu/story/researchers-discover-potential-microbiome-links-to-skin-aging