Topical cream with live lactobacilli modulates the skin microbiome and reduce acne symptoms
Open accessAbstract
Summary: The skin is home to an important part of our commensal microbiota, despite it being a cool, acidic and desiccated environment. Tailored microbiome modulation approaches with, for example probiotics, are highly challenging for this body site. Here we show by next-generating sequencing that Lactobacillus taxa -especially those known to be dominant in the human vagina- are underestimated members of the skin microbiota. Specific Lactobacillus strains were selected in the lab and formulated in a viable form in an oil in water-based topical cream. Facial application by patients with mild-to-moderate acne symptoms was able to reduce inflammatory lesions and comedone formation. This was associated with a temporary modulation of the skin microbiome, including a reduction in relative abundance of staphylococci and an increase in lactobacilli. Skin microbiome modulation by addition of carefully formulated lactobacilli seems to be new therapeutic option to reduce antibiotic use for common acne symptoms.
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Cites
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Fernandes, A., Rodrigues, P. M., Pintado, M., & Tavaria, F. K. (2023) · Phytomedicine · doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2023.154824 · Cited by 264 · see citing works
Impact of a lactobacilli-containing gel on vulvovaginal candidosis and the vaginal microbiome
Oerlemans, E. F. M., Bellen, G., Claes, I., Henkens, T., Allonsius, C. N., Wittouck, S., van den Broek, M. F. L., Wuyts, S., Kiekens, F., Donders, G. G. G., et al. (2020) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-020-64705-x · Cited by 66 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Lebeer, S., Oerlemans, E., Claes, I., Wuyts, S., Henkens, T., Spacova, I., van den Broek, M., Tuyaerts, I., Wittouck, S., De Boeck, I., Allonsius, C. N., Kiekens, F., & Lambert, J.
- Affiliations
- University of Antwerp (BE)
- ORCID
- Venue
- bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
- Publisher
- openRxiv
- Published
- 2018-11-19
- OpenAlex
- W2900652224
- Cited by
- 29
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 2
- Type
- posted content
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by-nc-nd
- Locations
- bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Funders
- Agentschap Innoveren en Ondernemen (IWT-SB 141198, IWT/50052)
- Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (1520114N, 1S17916N, FWO 1S17916N)
- Vlaamse regering
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Dermatology › Acne and Rosacea Treatments and Effects
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Probiotics and Fermented Foods
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Dermatology › Dermatology and Skin Diseases
- Keywords
- acne, skin microbiome, Lactobacillus, topical cream, probiotics, microbiota modulation, comedones, Staphylococcus, vaginal lactobacilli, antibiotic alternatives
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