Probiotics For Acne – How Do They Help
Acne is a common problem encountered by every one of us. From small whiteheads to painful cysts, acne stages vary depending on several factors. When the skin pores are blocked or clogged by dead cells, bacteria, and oils, the resulting condition is known as acne. It manifests in various forms. The reason for clogging varies from person to person which include, hormonal imbalance, external factors, genes etc. Most of the teenagers and young adults face the acne problem. Probiotics for acne is an emerging remedy which is proving to fight acne very effectively.
“Wait, what! You said clogging of pores by bacteria causes acne and now you say probiotics are good for curing acne. You mad??”
No, am not. We all know that probiotics are friendly bacteria that are present in our body, predominantly in the gut. These good bacteria are helpful in many ways and they fend off the harmful bacteria. They exert many beneficial results on the human body. They also help in fighting diabetes, stress, mood disorders, leaky gut and much more. Certain probiotics which are designed for women are useful in preventing urinarty tract infection (UTI) and maintaining vaginal health. These friendly bacteria can show a great effect in improving the health of your skin. The primary bacterium which causes acne is Propionibacterium acnes. Probiotics can fend off P. acnes and thus help in reducing acne.
Propionibacterium acnes lives inside the skin and feeds on sebum secreted by sebaceous glands. The active multiplication of the bacterial cells will trigger an immune response. This immune response will cause inflammation of the skin resulting in several skin disorders such as acne, eczema etc. The bacterial cells also form a physical barrier which blocks the skin pores aiding in acne formation. It is also known that if the gut microbiome is imbalanced, it will trigger an inflammatory response which may also result in acne. Probiotics can help you in preventing acne by aiding your immunity as well as fighting the harmful bacterial cells.
Like our gut, skin also has its own microbiome which slightly differs from the gut. When the skin microbiome is disrupted by certain harsh face washes or cleansers, it will cause an easy invasive passage for harmful bacteria resulting in acne. The probiotics in the skin act locally by producing useful byproducts such as hyaluronic acid, Vitamin E, and peptides. These byproducts strengthen the skin and also help in skin repair. Thus, probiotics are excellent remedy with which you can cure acne without much use of harsher skin care products.
So how exactly I should use probiotics for acne?
Eat probiotic-rich foods. It is easy to prepare certain fermented foods at home. If you are unable to, but fermented foods from your local store which contain diverse strains of probiotics. Note that all fermented foods do not contain probiotics. Certain fermented foods like kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut are very rich sources of probiotics.
Probiotics can show their effect when consumed in sufficient amounts. Note that probiotics must reach the lower part of the gut to colonize. The colonized strains are the ones that confer to
If these foods are not palatable to you, you can buy probiotic supplements. Make sure you see the following strains on the supplement you are buying:
- Enterococcus faecalis
- Lactobacillus paracasei
- Lactobacillus plantarum
- Streptococcus salivarius
These strains are shown effective in fighting acne.
There are certain skin care products which have probiotic byproducts incorporated into them. These products are very gentle with the skin and they act locally thus giving results quickly. Some skin care products have prebiotics (food source for probiotics) which will help in the growth of probiotics on the skin. You can use these skin care products depending on your skin tone. Some of the best probiotics for acne products are listed below, don’t forget to check them out.
Final Words
Probiotics for acne is not a ‘use and forget’ remedy. You need to balance the friendly microbiome both in your gut and skin to reap the benefits. As women need extra dose of probiotics than men, make sure to consume probiotics regularly. Though it takes time to see the results, it is the best and natural way of curing acne. This method also has long-term benefits not only in preventing acne but also for your overall health.
