Acne, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and rosacea are some common skin conditions that arise due to an imbalance in the existing skin microbiome. Any imbalance in these microorganisms results in skin disorders. The skin microbiome comprises several species of microorganisms. Commensal bacteria play a vital role in human health it also helps in maintaining a healthy immune system. Microorganisms reside inside our body, in both the gut and on our skin. Oral and topical probiotics have been used for treating several skin conditions. The importance of microorganisms in human health dates back to the era when Louis Pasteur first discovered the importance of fermentation and also brought attention to the fact that the consumption of fermented food may be beneficial for health and longevity. The naturally occurring microorganisms typically constitute the first-generation probiotics, while the genetically engineered strains are the secondary probiotics.

Probiotics are live microorganisms which when taken in an appropriate amount help in maintaining good health. A thorough understanding of the relationship between probiotics and the skin microbiome is important for designing novel therapeutic approaches in using topical probiotics. Patents, commercially available topical probiotics, and novel probiotic impregnated fabrics have been emphasized. In this review, we discuss recent insights into applications of topical probiotics and their influence on health and diseases of the skin. Topical probiotics have demonstrated beneficial effects for the treatment of certain inflammatory skin diseases such as acne, rosacea, psoriasis etc., and also found to have a promising role in wound healing.

Probiotics play a major role in maintaining human health and disease prevention. In recent years, interest has significantly expanded beyond the gut microbiome to include the skin microbiome and its influence in managing several skin disorders. Skin, an exterior interface of the human body is home to commensal microbiota and also acts a physical barrier that protects from invasion of foreign pathogenic microorganisms.

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