Get Dirty

Millions of bacteria, and thousands of species live in a single pinch of soil.

Our bodies are wired to be exposed to dirt. A single pinch of soil contains millions of bacteria, thousands of different species, most of them unknown to science. Digging and playing in the dirt has a multitude of health benefits, not least of which is it can make you happier. If we keep ourselves too clean it can send our immune system spiraling out of control, seeking to find the missing dirt that we should have around us all the time. Getting dirty every now and then may be one of the best things you can do for your skin. But you don’t always need to roll in the mud to get the benefits of helpful bacteria.

While the research is still in its infancy, there are likely candidates for good bacteria that we can add to our skin. Like planting alfalfa in farm fields to increase nitrogen for next years crops, we can add specific bacteria to our skin to mitigate the normal challenges it faces.

One of the first companies to latch onto this idea of bacterial allies is Aobiome. They produce a cosmetic mist that contains a soil based bacteria called Ammonium Oxidizing Bacteria (AOB). While Aobiome is very careful what they say about the health impacts, the emerging science is that these bacteria are keystone species for the skin. They break down ammonia produced by our sweat glands, and change the pH of the skin, which in turn alters our skin microbiome to one that might be more similar to those of the ancient Greeks who played in the dirt.

Ancient Tip — Exercise Outdoors

Hiking, biking, and spelunking, all have one thing in common — you get dirty and sweaty. Your skin’s natural oils and salts are the food for the bacteria in our lives. By working up a sweat and being outdoors you increase your likelyhood of creating a diverse microbiome. Many cultures have long appreciate the healing powers of spending time in forests in particular. In Japan there is a practice called Shinrin-Yoku, of bathing in the forest air that is thought to improve health. So get outside and bathe in some dirt while you sweat.

Get Clean (But Not Sterile)

Sterile is not the same thing as clean.

If your soaps or cleaning products have triclosan, triclocarbam, chloroxylenol, or other anti-microbials watch out — they are like napalm for your skin. These antibacterial soaps offer no improvement over normal soap in terms of protecting you from disease, and yet are destructive to the healthy ecosystem of microbes that call you home. One of the great misconceptions of modern health is that sterile is the same thing as clean, it is not. Sterile skin or surfaces are open invitations for any microbe to make a home. The problem is, you don’t often know which microbe will call your skin home, and they might not be good houseguests. Instead, keeping a healthy population of beneficial microbes on skin or surfaces can act as gate-keepers fighting off the harmful invaders.

Ancient Tip — Try Scraping

While the strigil is not as common today, picking one up might just be what your skin needs to reduce acne, psoriasis, or eczema. This simple instrument is an ancient yet tool for modern skin health. At LikoLab we have been trying out different models of strigils and are currently prototyping different versions as part of a crowd-funded experiment. Click through if interested in supporting our work to bring these ancient devices back into practice.

Get Simple

Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps pride themselves on simple ingredients.

By default our deodorants, skin creams, shampoos, and soaps use preservatives to keep them stable on the shelf. Chemicals like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) or Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS) are so common it is difficult to find cleaning products without them. These are often not labeled as anti-bacterial yet these detergents (and other preservative such as Germaben) are effective microbial biocides that wreak havoc on the microbiome. Purchasing fresh products with just a few ingredients that don’t contain preservatives may be a key aspect of encouraging microbial health. The ancients kept it simple.

Ancient Tip — Few Ingredients

The ancients stuck with what was at hand, olive oil. Today we have exotic options with an increasing number of unpronounceable ingredients on the label. In the United States companies often don’t need to prove ingredients are safe before it can be used for skin care. Scientists understand little of the impacts these different chemicals have on our microbial ecology. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) doesn’t have a division (yet) for products that impact the surface of the skin, so until then consider keeping it to just a few needed ingredients.

Get Connected

Our microbiomes are not just our own.

But it’s not just what we use in the bathroom that makes a difference. Our microbiome is influenced by a number of things including how often we sweat, what we eat, how often we bathe, if we have pets, and who we live with. Our microbiome is a very personal connection to the rest of the world. Not only do we acquire a microbial population from others, but we also have the ability to pass it on. Taking care of ourselves, and our little ecosystem of bacteria is also one way to take care of each other.

Ancient Tip — Find a Sweaty Friend

Scientists don’t yet know what a ‘healthy’ skin microbial population looks like. There are likely many kinds of healthy ecosystems that live on your skin. But if we take our cues from the Ancient Greeks and Romans, we might just want to casually rub up against that healthy looking individual at the gym, or maybe not- up to you. One thing we know for certain, our future health is connected to the health of the microbial world around us.