How To Use Postbiotics For Your Skin Care

When it comes to biotic skincare, there are a lot terms to know. Pre-, pro-, and postbiotics all play a role in balancing your skin's micro-biome and can have benefits that treat issues you may be experiencing. And while pre- and probiotics are powerful tools, here's how to use postbiotics for your skin, because they're a powerful tool to have in your skin care arsenal. 

While you've likely heard of probiotics and the benefits they can have for your skin and gut. But when it comes to microbiome skincare, postbiotics are arguably just as important. But what exactly are postbiotics? According to MBG Lifestyle, postbiotics are the waste products produced by probiotic bacteria after they break down substances. And while "waste products" may not sound like something you want to put on your face, experts say that many of the benefits linked to probiotics are a result of postbiotics. Your skin, too, can reap these benefits.

As Dermatology Times explained it, "Postbiotic skincare products contain non-viable bacterial products or metabolic by-products from probiotic bacteria. Postbiotics are produced during the fermentation process of probiotic bacteria." These ingredients include things like enzymes, peptides, peptidoglycan-derived muropeptides, polysaccharides, cell surface proteins, and organic acids – and their therapeutic value has been known for some time. Biotic skin care treats your skin at an organic level, and these compounds can work to strengthen your skin barrier, adding protections and treating a number of skin conditions. 

When your skin barrier is weak, it can lead to inflammatory skin conditions such as acne and eczema, as well as allergic reactions like hives. Hadley King, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist, explained to Mind Body Green that your skin barrier works to protect you, so we need to protect it as well. "It protects us from mechanical injury, low humidity, cold, heat, sun, wind, chemical exposure, bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other pathogens," she said. "A healthy barrier is critical to normal skin function." 

By including biotic skin care products into your routine, you can help keep that barrier strong and healthy, helping to prevent all of those issues.