Bacteria colonize healthy skin.

Our bodies are home to millions of microorganisms. They are everywhere, in our gut and, of course, on our skin. 

Most of these microorganisms (about 85%) are beneficial. Their goal is to protect us from harmful intruders, as beneficial bacteria on the skin work as a physical barrier to prevent the invasion of pathogens.

This skin barrier helps to keep skin supple and hydrated. So when the skin protective barrier is compromised, the skin becomes vulnerable to various issues.

Bacterial colonization may vary depending on location (underarms, feet, scalp, hands, inner elbow, behind the ear, etc.), individual host, and environmental factors.

And the combination of all bacteria on our skin is called the skin microbiome. 

Where do bacteria come from?

But how do we get bacteria? Are we born with a skin microbiome? 

Ge get our first bacteria when we are born – during vaginal delivery through the birth canal. 

Thus, some experts suggest that births by Cesarean section may impact a baby’s immune system and could be a factor in the development of food allergies, asthma, and other health conditions.

Many skin microorganisms are reformed during puberty when hormones stimulate sebaceous glands, and additional sebum is produced. And it’s no coincidence that this is when strong body odor occurs. Odor-causing bacteria consume nutrients in sebum and sweat, their number grows and then produce more body odor and may cause skin problems in teenagers.

Adults have mostly stable skin microbial communities, maintained by the growth of microorganisms that already live on the skin rather than by new ones acquired from the environment. 

Thus, most people have similar microorganisms; they vary depending on age and environment.

In this post we talk about the difference in body odor of different age groups: “Why does your body ododr change with age?“.

Good and bad skin bacteria

There are many microorganisms on human skin: bacteria, fungi, viruses, archaea, and even mites. The majority of them do not harm us. 

Let’s divide them into groups of “friends” and “foes”:

Commensals — these organisms reside on our skin, benefiting from us. We do not benefit from them directly, but they help us fight diseases. 

Symbionts — these microorganisms and humans are in mutually beneficial relationships. They are considered good skin bacteria.

Pathogens — these are ultimate “foes.” They are rare but could cause problems if given a chance to overgrow. Then they benefit from humans and harm us, causing diseases.

Most microorganisms on the skin are commensals, and they rarely cause damage to human health. 

Commensals are crucially important for supporting a healthy skin microbiome as they prevent the colonization of harmful pathogens; for example, they prevent the colonization of S. aureus (which causes pneumonia). 

Should you get rid of bacteria on your skin?

Scientists used to think of all microorganisms on the skin as enemies or neutral to human health. Later they found that bacteria can actually do good and even are essential. 

Of course, certain types of bacteria trigger infections. But it’s not that simple to get rid of bad bacteria, and leave good ones at the same time. Bacterial diversity and balance is the key to a healthy skin microbiome. 

Now we know that when even one strain in our skin microbiome overgrows and starts to dominate over the others, it leads to “dysbiosis,” or an imbalance.  

This imbalance in the skin microbiome can cause cellular inflammation, which has been linked to many chronic diseases, activate the immune system, and even impact inflammatory diseases such as type 2 diabetes. 

Experts also link an imbalanced microbiome with skin conditions, such as Acne, Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema), Rosacea, and Psoriasis. 

Moreover, an imbalanced microbiome leads to vulnerability of skin protective barrier (the acid mantle), causing dryness, sensitivity, inflammation, aging, and body odor.

Why is being too clean a problem?

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“Our products kill 99% of bacteria,” we hear in ads, which is considered a good thing. 

It became even more trending after 2019, people started using antibacterial soaps. Admit it, you have it in your house, too, don’t you? But apart from hand washing in pandemic times, we need to remember that balance between too much and enough is vital. We’ve got to remember that not all microorganisms living on our skin are bad. 

Overcleaning disrupts a healthy skin microbiome, which is supposed to keep us safe by fighting harmful bacteria. And when we use antibacterial, alcohol-based products, we wipe all the bacteria off our skin, both harmful and beneficial. The thing about “bad” skin bacteria is that they grow faster. They consume what our body provides (sebum, sweat) and overgrown the good skin bacteria.

Often and long showers, especially with shower gel or soap, do the same. This is why some people shower twice a day and still smell.

Experts recommend just rinsing the most sweaty and oily body parts: groin, armpits, feet, or scalp. 

What happens if you stop showering?

Well, this is another extreme. But let’s just imagine we stopped washing at all, like Louis XIV of France, who only took two showers in his adulthood and just because his doctor told him to. Would bacteria on the skin restore their balance? 

Not really. 

First of all, you would have dead skin cells build up. Because we usually remove dead skin cells with loofah or scrab, or just wash them away with water. Then, your skin would get itchy, and you would have a rash, especially on the scalp and other hairy body parts. You would get fungus on nails and in the groin, underarms, and other areas. 

On the bright side, you would become immune to body odor caused by sweating. How? Find proof below.

How long can you go without showering – live example

An adventurous journalist, and author of Clean: The New Science of Skin, James Hamblin, decided to experiment and stopped showering to share his experience in the book. 

He gradually stopped using soaps, deodorants, and other hygiene products. “At first, I was an oily, smelly beast,” – he says. When he started the experiment, he felt uncomfortable, quickly got greasy, and smelled bad. But over time, he stopped having a strong body odor and started to smell “like a human being,” he says. According to James Hamblin, the body gets into equilibrium over time when you stop having regular showers and using body care products.

Now he only washes his hands and rinses parts of his body with water when they are becoming visibly dirty – simply to prevent spreading diseases. 

With this experiment, he proved that skin and hair products only disbalance the microbiome and lead to the quick growth of “bad” bacteria. So if you stop using harsh washing products, the skin microbiome will rebalance. 

Should we shower every day?

There is no single solution for everyone. For many people, two or three times a week is enough, and for some, a daily shower is advisable. It mostly depends on your lifestyle and occupation. 

Is it okay to take a shower two times a day?

Some people complain that they shower twice a day and still smell. This is because they disrupt their skin microbiome and odor-producing bacteria grow faster than beneficial ones. If you must shower twice a day don’t use soap every time. Rinsing off sweat after a workout is perfectly okay, but you do not need to scrub with soaps twice a day. Your microbiome will thank you!

It will also thank you if you use a microbiome-friendly product instead of a soap. For example, this WASH has prebiotics that feed beneficial bacteria and suppress opportunistic ones.

How long should you shower?

Bad news for those who love taking long baths, but the more time you spend in the water, the worse it is for your skin microbiome. 

Showering is better for your skin, than taking a bath. Perfect timing is 3 to 5 minutes – just enough to rinse off the most sweaty and greasy parts.

Water temperature shouldn’t be boiling hot – it will only make the skin dry. Try keeping it warm. By the way, ever noticed how your skin is dry after shower and you want to use lotion right away? Yes, hot water dries the skin. But your soaps make it even worse. Read this post about dry skin after shower to learn more.

However, the hygiene products you use are much more important than water temperature. So look for products that say “gentle”, “for sensitive skin”, “fragrance-free,” or “microbiome-friendly,” like this WASH. 

Dangers of antibacterial soap 

Antibacterial soaps kill both good and bad bacteria

Antibacterial (or antimicrobial or antiseptic) soaps contain chemicals that are aimed at reducing or preventing bacterial infection.

Many liquid antibacterial soaps contain triclosan, which causes concern for many environmental, academic, and regulatory groups. Studies have shown that triclosan alters the way some hormones work in the body. 

Antibacterial soap and shower gel will help you get rid of bacteria. Unfortunately, antibacterial soaps kill good bacteria, too; they leave our skin without natural oils and the skin protective barrier (the acid mantle). Thus, frequent use of antibacterial soaps will cause microbial imbalance, making your skin more vulnerable to germs, acne, psoriasis, and other skin conditions; it removes natural oils, making it drier.

Moreover, according to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), there is no evidence that antibacterial products work better than a usual plain soap.

Are there bacteria in skin care products?

To help our skin support its healthy bacterial communities, brands started making cosmetic products with prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics. What is the difference?

Prebiotics are “food” for beneficial microbes on our skin, which helps them thrive.

Probiotics are living organisms that support the skin’s subsistent supply of bacteria.

Postbiotics are beneficial bacterial by-products, the result of bacteria metabolism.

There is a great diversity of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics, each of which has its purpose.

Some are often included in beauty and hygiene products to support a healthy skin microbiome. 

How to support a healthy skin microbiome?

In the modern world, our skin is compromised all the time. According to Alison Cutlan, an expert in green chemistry, our lifestyle, what we eat, excessive hygiene, and ecology – all limits the diversity of our skin microbiome; we are more exposed to dryness, sebum overproduction, irritation, etc.

To increase the number of healthy skin bacteria, we should: 

• Choose hygiene products with the cleanest, simplest ingredients, 
• Watch our regimen, 
• Avoid hygiene products with chemicals, harsh synthetic ingredients,
• Introduce your skin to hygiene products with pre- pro- and post-biotics,
• Get a little dirty, do gardening or any outdoor activity, 
• Look for a skin-care brand that’s certified microbiome-friendly, such as WASH.

If you want to know how to choose a soap, you may find this post useful.

Evolution of hygiene

The word hygiene comes from Hygeia, the Greek goddess of health, who was the daughter of Aesculapius, the god of medicine. See how even ancient people connected the dots between health and hygiene?

So what do we know about ancient hygiene?

The first analogs of soap were made from 2800 BC to 200 BC, depending on the civilization. Ancient Israelites mixed ashes and oil, ancient Egyptians used animal and vegetable oils with alkaline salts, and ancient Greeks bathed without soap. However, they used clay, sand, pumice, and ashes, and after that, greased themselves with oil. Around 600 BC Ancient Greeks also started using public baths. 

Unfortunately, in Western culture, scientific knowledge was lost after the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century A.D. and the beginning of barbarian invasions. 

In the Medieval Ages, Christians proved their holiness by not washing. 

The idea of cleanliness in the 17th-18th centuries was focused on clothing, especially things worn next to the skin, so people simply changed the linen. And they were not wrong, as body odor-causing bacteria can get stuck in the fibers of the clothes.

Besides, bathing was an expensive practice. So in the middle of the 19th century, people still had to share a bath with the whole family. 

However, by the end of the 19th century, with the so-called “Sanitary Revolution,” people started paying more attention to hygiene, as it was discovered that certain bacteria could cause diseases. Frequent bathing became advisable. 

The standards became even more extreme in the 20th-21st century. 

Today we live in a highly sanitized and deodorized world.

The use of fragrances in ancient times

This all being said… imagine the aroma of that time! 

How did our ancestors manage the smell? They used perfumes to cover it up.

It is considered that ancient Egyptians were the first who started using perfumes, but mostly in religious ceremonies. Over time perfumes were introduced into hygiene.

Ancient Greeks used scents in religious rituals too. They connected it to beauty and body care.

For similar rituals, perfumes were used by Arabs, Chinese, and Japanese.

During the bubonic plague, which killed each third European, people used to burn incense or inhale perfumes such as rose and musk, as they believed the disease was transmitted through the air.

In the 17th century, people started wearing special devices with perfumed goods inside, covering up the body odor and the stink around them.

In the 18th century, using fragrances became extremely popular in France – the modern capital of perfume. 

Summary:

1. 85% of microorganisms on your skin are beneficial.
2. The skin microbiome is the combination of all bacteria on our skin.
3. We get our initial microbiome when we are born. It changes significantly during puberty. Adults mostly have a stable microbiome.
4. Microbial imbalance can cause skin and chronic diseases and even impact inflammatory diseases.
5. The benefits of bacteria on the skin were discovered only in the 19th century.
6. Antibacterial products don’t differentiate between bad and good bacteria. 
7. Bacterial diversity and balance are the keys to a healthy skin microbiome.