70 SKIN MICROBIOME
Effects of anti-acne products on microbiota
Nicola Kingswell – Labskin ABSTRACT
The keratinocyte cells of the skin are in constant contact with the external environment and the skin microbiome.1
C.acnes is a well-known
and dominant microbe present in the skin microbiome consortia. Human skin provides an optimum environment for
C.acnes growth, with the provision of attachment sites, moisture and nutrients, and an ideal temperature to proliferate. In return,
C.acnes can provide a hostile environment to other pathogenic microbes.2 The presence of
C.acnes in the skin
microbiome is recognised by the keratinocyte cells through interactions at the molecular levels between pattern recognition receptors on the cells and conserved regions on the bacteria.3 Thus, keratinocytes are able to initiate innate immune responses, activate inflammation and induce autophagy.4,5
C.acnes is important as
a commensal microbe in the skin microbiome. However, it can become pathogenic due to dysbiosis during puberty, pregnancy or stress- related incidences. This dysbiosis triggers the pathogenesis of Acne vulgaris, a common skin disease, where immune and inflammatory responses are key for acne lesion formation.6,7 Understanding how products can influence the skin microbiome is an emerging and important area for new ingredient development,
PERSONAL CARE November 2025
formulation efficacy and claim support. Consumers are demanding more evidential based claim support and, as such, more complex testing methods that more closely mirror the skin and microbiome are required.8 The ability to investigate the effects on the
entire microbiome, as well as microbe-skin interactions, is essential for skin care product design for products that maintain a microbiome balance (‘microbiome friendly’) or are designed to alter the microbiome (e.g. anti-acne, anti- dandruff etc.). Labskin-S is a 3D full-thickness human skin
equivalent that consists of a metabolically active epidermis constructed from primary neonatal human dermal keratinocyte cells and an active dermis constructed from human dermal fibroblast cells cultured in a fibrin gel layer.
The fibroblast cells are able to release
extracellular matrix proteins, including collagen. Importantly, the fibroblasts release anti- microbial peptides which allow the Labskin-S to support the colonisation and culture of skin microbiome microbes on the stratum corneum.9 The model was originally developed at
the UK’s University of Leeds Department of Microbiology for the sole purpose of studying the skin microbiome. Labskin-S allows
This article presents a real-life case study conducted by Labskin Limited, exploring the effects of two anti-acne products on a skin microbiome transplanted onto Labskin-S. The study utilised microbiome samples from volunteers with adult acne to investigate the efficacy of an over-the-counter anti-acne product (5% benzoyl peroxide) compared to the volunteers preferred product (2% succinic acid, 2% colloidal sulphur, and 1% salicylic acid). Key findings highlight that while the preferred product achieved greater reductions in acne bacteria, it also triggered higher inflammation levels (IL-1α release), suggesting potential irritation. Conversely, the over-the-counter product demonstrated a more balanced approach, reducing acne bacteria moderately with lower inflammation, making it potentially better for long-term use. The article includes data visuals showcasing bacterial reduction and inflammation levels, alongside insights into the complexities of adult acne. This case study underscores the importance of understanding personalised skin care, the role of microbiomes, and the balance between efficacy and irritation in anti-acne products
investigations into single microbe inoculations through to complex consortia of commensal and pathogenic bacteria, yeast, fungi and viruses. The model can also be colonised with whole microbiome samples taken via swabs from human volunteers. Previously, the model was used to study the
transfer of COVID-19 virus from skin to surfaces, investigate the effects of surgical disinfectants on the microbiome from different body sites, infected wound treatments, anti-dandruff actives and anti-acne formulations. In this article, a real-life case study is
presented where Labskin-S was transplanted with the whole skin microbiome transplanted from the cheek of an adult acne sufferer.
Case study Microbiome collection Labskin was contacted by the BBC to participate in a feature on adult acne.10
A study
was designed to collect and transplant the whole microbiome from the facial cheek area
www.personalcaremagazine.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107
