Beyond good and evil—it sounds more like the topic for a philosophy class, but that’s what organizer and moderator Dr. Nava Dayan urged the audience to consider during a scientific session on the skin microbiome, which took place during the Society of Cosmetic Chemists’ portion of the American Oil Chemists Society’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition. The SCC’s two-day event concluded with a session on the microbiome, which was moderated by Dayan, president, Dr. Nava Dayan LLC Consulting.
 
“Microbes can initiate disease, but they also prevent disease and even cure it,” she told the audience.
 
Rebecca Gadberry of UCLA provided an overview of the microbiome, noting that some experts have suggested that microbiome to human cell ratio may be as high as 10:1—no wonder then, that some describe the microbiome as our second skin. Researchers estimate that there are more than 10,000 bacterial species on the body (with 1,400 in the belly button alone). And while the human genome has 23,000 genes, there are 3-8 million bacterial genes on the body, collectively[N1] . Still, it’s not easy to gather information about them.
 
“Ninety-five percent of the microbiome is not culturable,” explained Gadberry. “We are in the dark.”
 
To get a better understanding of the role that this system plays in human health, researchers are utilizing high-throughput gene sequencing. They’ve discovered that an individual’s microbiome is as unique as a fingerprint or DNA.
 
The microbiome can be segmented into three regions: dry, moist and oily. Resident biota include Proproni bacterium, Staphyloccci, Melassezia and Transient. But however they are categorized, “the vast majority of microbes are good,” asserted Gadberry.

All of these microbes can be further categorized as:
• Commensals: they receive benefits from the host, but do no harm;
• Symbionic: provide benefits and can cause harm, too;  and
• Pathogenic: receive benefits, but harm the host.
 
Even a microbe as notorious as S. Aureus is a symbiont, as long as it is kept in check, according to the speaker.
Gadberry suggested the microbiome can be best utilized, if one would: “keep calm and maintain homeostasis.”
 
That means the proper use of pre- and probiotics as well as synbiotics. But are consumers ready to improve the health of their microbiomes by applying and ingesting microbes?
 
“We are getting there,” Gadberry concluded.

 
The Scalp Microbiome


™Dayan reviewed the characteristics of the scalp microbiome, noting that human sebum composition in hair follicles can be broken down as:
™• 57% triglycerides
™• 25% wax monoesters
• ™13% squalene
• ™3% cholesterol esters
• ™2% cholesterol


The small amounts of cholesterol and its esters are thought to be residual from the basal sebocyte plasma membrane. But excess sebum secretion is linked to acne, dandruff and atopic dermatitis, to name just a few maladies.
 
She pointed out that scalp disorders are very common in Western Society; unfortunately, there haven’t been any major breakthrough remedies during the past few decades. In fact, there are even uncertainties in etiology and cause, due to the complexity of diverse and non-curable biota. However, new learning may occur with the implementation of a biomarker approach to the scalp microbiome that may lead to product innovation
 
Sarah Cummins, University of Indiana, noted that the skin microbiome, overall, has a low degree of relative metabolic activity; which could be due to an involuntary microbial response to harsh environment. Or, activity could be a voluntary dormancy strategy to evade the immune system. The result, is that skin problems can persist. Unfortunately, according to Cummins, current anti-infective therapies target active cells. Future treatment strategies should focus on inactive cells.
 
The final session presentation was delivered by Sara Farahmand of Living Proof, who noted the composition of normal flora of health care workers change with skin damage. Specifically, limited studies have found increased colonization of Staph. Aureus and Staph. Hominis. These alterations are undesirable, particularly when the prevalence of organisms that pose a potential nosocomial risk to patients is increased.
 
“Frequent handwashing and sanitizing reduces the risk of nosocomial infections, but it is associated with a higher prevalence of irritant contact dermatitis and other skin problems among health care workers,” she told the audience.
 
She suggested that formulators could develop better products by creating milder hand sanitizers that contain topical probiotics.