In nature, an ecosystem is a balanced and harmonious interaction between different forms of life and non-living components. These interactions protect, preserve and promote life of every type within it.
The strength and resilience of an ecosystem is immense. Rainforest ecosystems have stood strong for 70 million years. When we see a healthy rainforest from the air it looks vibrant and green.
To stay this way, even the tallest of the trees depend on everything from birds and animals, to insects, to worms, funguses and bacterium living within the ‘biome’. They rely on the soil and environment. The possibility of weeds or foreign species starting to thrive in a rainforest is incredibly small.
However, a small change to the biome of a rainforest can be catastrophic.
The harmony becomes unbalanced. Life in the biome becomes threatened. Species begin to die. Invasive species start to flourish. Ultimately we see the rainforest begins to look unhealthy.
The human skin harbours an ecosystem every bit as complex and fragile as a rainforest.
On the surface of our skin, we have almost a thousand of species of bacteria currently identified. We have funguses, yeasts, bugs and even viruses.
Together they interact with each other and the surface of the skin. They break down dead skin cells, digest oils and sweat. They keep the surface of the skin healthy which ensures they stay healthy. They regulate our immune system, protect us from harmful pathogens and may even prevent us developing cancer.
Ensuring the health of the skin microbiome is singly the most important thing we can do for our skin.
To discover how to incorporate microbiome friendly skincare into your clinic contact us at hello@
