Development of a colonised skin model

Much of what we know about the skin’s microbiome has only been discovered in the past decade. It has long been known however, that human skin is home to a vast array of microorganisms, and they live there in huge numbers (a widely accepted estimate is a billion bacteria per square centimetre of skin). Perhaps because they largely live in harmony with us and cause no harm, the importance, complexity and impact of this ecosystem took a while longer to come to our attention. In 2007 the United States Institutes of Health established a research initiative called the Human Microbiome Project1 focusing on better understanding the role of microbial flora not just on the skin, but also in the gut, oral cavity, urogenital tract and nasal passages. The published findings from this ambitious project have undoubtedly fuelled a surge in interest around the skin microbiome which has filtered through to consumers. Understanding that the skin microbiome is unique to each individual has provided a new opportunity for manufacturers to engage consumers in the trend for the personalisation of skin care routines with products claiming to balance, protect, correct or enhance the skin microbiome. Opportunities may also arise for more customised treatments of common skin disorders such as acne, eczema and rosacea. 

Microbiome vs. microbiota

Before we continue, it is important to highlight the terminology used in this field. Many of the articles written, conferences held and products on the market refer to the ‘microbiome’, but there is another word, often used interchangeably; termed the ‘microbiota’. Technically ‘microbiome’ refers to the microorganisms and their genes, whereas ‘microbiota’ refers only to the types of microbes themselves. In this article we refer to the microbiome as meaning the entire population of bacteria, fungi, viruses and archaea resident on human skin.