By examining the “grandmother’s hypothesis” about washing the skin, scientists concluded that people ignore several important parts of the body when washing themselves, and as a result, their microbiome is less healthy.
A research team from George Washington University’s Institute for Computational Biology examined the skin microbiome of healthy individuals, focusing specifically on areas such as between the arms and areas neglected in washing such as behind the ears and navel.
Kate Crandall, director of the Institute for Computational Biology and professor of biostatistics and bioinformatics at George Washington University, noted in a statement that her grandmother always told her to clean behind her ears, between her toes, and her navel. Crandall speculates that these areas may be due to carelessness during washing. Transfer different types of bacteria to other areas.
In a recent study, 129 undergraduate and graduate students collected samples from the lower leg, forearm, behind the ear, between the toes, and the navel. After DNA sequencing of collected skin samples, these subjects were taught to compare samples from oily, neglected areas with samples taken from drier, cleaner areas.
The researchers’ investigations showed that Crandall’s grandmother and herself were right; Areas that were regularly cleaned had a more diverse microbiome, containing a potentially healthier set of microbes compared to neglected areas.
While pointing out the lack of any difference between gender, age and ethnicity, the researchers wrote in their article: “Dry areas of the skin (forearms and legs) are more uniform and richer and functionally more distinct than oily areas (behind the ears) and moist areas (navel and between the toes). ) They were. “Differences in alpha and beta bacterial biodiversity in different skin regions suggest that skin bacterial stability may depend on the region and person.”
The skin microbiome consists of microbes that are both beneficial and harmful to us. When the balance is tipped in favor of harmful microbes, it can lead to conditions like eczema or acne, Crandall said.
However, the relationship between microbiome health and human health is an area that still needs to be investigated, and the recent study is considered a reference point for healthy microbiomes in adults.
The results of the study in the publication Frontiers in Microbiology It has been published.
