Friday, Feb. 4, 2022 Common Skin Bacteria Found Beneficial Against Drying, Aging This scanning electron micrograph shows a clump of Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria (green) in the extracellular matrix, which connects cells and tissue. Credit: NIAID The common and typically harmless skin bacterium, Staphylococcus epidermidis, helps protect the skin from aging and drying in symbiotic fashion, a new study in Cell Host and Microbe from NIAID scientists and colleagues shows. The researchers show that S. epidermidis produces enzymes that help the bacteria acquire nutrients and colonize the skin. But the bacterial enzymes also help the skin produce ceramides, which are important components of the outer skin layers that prevent drying and aging. Low ceramide levels contribute to many skin diseases, such as eczema. The study highlights the potential use of S. epidermidis as a probiotic to promote skin health – though much clinical research remains needed. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases  |  National Institutes of Health Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact Subscriber Help. This service is provided to you at no charge by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).                             This email was sent to myhcistech.healthnews360@blogger.com using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases · 5601 Fishers Lane · Bethesda, MD 20892 · 1-866-284-4107