Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/691743
www.ascpskincare.com 31 An example of this is Bifidobacterium longum lysate, which has been shown to calm reactive skin.³ Another option is to use bacterial metabolites such as lactic acid and hyaluronic acid. In this instance, you will see nonspecific descriptions such as probiotic enzyme, ferment lysate, and probiotic proteins listed on the ingredient deck.⁴ These ingredients have also been referred to as bioactives, which are cell wall fragments, cell metabolites, and dead bacteria. IS IT SAFE? The FDA has strict limits for total microorganisms in cosmetics—500 colony-forming units (CFU) per gram in eye area products and 1,000 CFU for other products. Keep in mind these limits relate to "live" microorganisms, not inactivated bacteria extracts. This level of CFU is so low that there is some debate about the effectiveness of topical application. For comparison, many internal probiotic supplements are recommended to be at least 10 billion CFU for adults.⁵ Live probiotics on the skin are likely to become a pharmaceutical product when the technology is developed to stabilize microbes. So far, there aren't any documented incidences of harm from bacterial extracts. THE BOTTOM LINE The science of stabilizing live microbes in skin care products is not complete yet, but there is some evidence that bacterial extracts can improve the skin barrier function and overall health. You can recommend probiotic topicals or a kefir mask applied a couple of times a week at home for sensitive or stressed skin. In the future, topical probiotic application stands to be one of the most effective tools an esthetician can have—when the science catches up with the theory. Right now, bioactive extracts from probiotics are the targets of some interesting studies backing up the claims of reduced sensitivity and barrier repair. They're worth a try. Common Bioactives Ascetic Acid From bacterial fermentation. Antibacterial; used as a treatment for burns and infection. Hyaluronic acid From group c Streptococcus and other bacteria. Improves skin hydration, assists in wound healing, reduces inflammation. Lactic acid From Lactobacillus. Improves natural moisturizing factor, antimicrobial, enhances desquamation (shedding of cells), enhances ceramide production, modulates vascular endothelial growth factor. Lipoteichoic acid From Lactobacillus plantarum. Stimulates the skin's defense against harmful microbes. Sphingomyelinase From Streptococcus thermophilus. Enzyme that generates ceramides, helps skin barrier function. Notes 1. G. T. Rijkers et al., "Guidance for Substantiating the Evidence for Beneficial Effects of Probiotics: Current Status and Recommendation for Research," Journal of Nutrition 140 (March 2010): 671S–676S. 2. NIH Human Microbiome Project, accessed June 2016, www.hmpdacc.org/overview/about.php. 3. A. Guéniche et al., "Bifidobacterium Longum Lysate, a New Ingredient for Reactive Skin," Experimental Dermatology 19 (August 2010): e1–8. 4. Mei-Chiung Jo Huange and Jane Tang, "Probiotics in Personal Care Products," Microbiology Discovery 3 (January 2015) 5. 5. Benjamin Kligler and Andreas Cohrssen, "Probiotics," American Family Physician 78, no. 9 (November 2008): 1,073–78. L. C. Lew and M. T. Liong, "Bioactives from Probiotics for Dermal Health: Functions and Benefits," Applied Microbiology 114, no. 5 (May 2015): 1,241–53.