A recent Unilever study, published in the British Journal of Dermatology, uncovered a connection between the skin microbiome and visible signs of aging. Researchers analyzed the microbiomes of women ages 40-50 with premature and delayed skin aging, finding notable differences in microbial composition and network resilience.
Prematurely aged skin exhibited a higher abundance of Acinetobacter bacteria and a fragile microbial network compared to the more robust microbiome of delayed-aging skin. The study also tested a topical product containing retinyl propionate, which improved:
- skin hydration,
- elasticity and
- barrier function
while modulating the microbiome to resemble that of delayed-aging individuals.
These findings provide new insights into the role of the microbiome in skin aging and suggest potential avenues for microbiome-targeted interventions.
