The microbiome, a new target for ecobiology in dermatology

Abstract

The skin is the human body’s largest organ colonised by a large community of microorganisms. The ecological community of microorganisms that are present on our body and of the body itself defines the human skin microbiome. Ecobiology is a new scientific approach that is based on the principle that the skin is an ever-evolving ecosystem which interacts with its environment and whose natural resources and mechanisms must be preserved. It explores interconnections and communication between cells as well as between cells and their internal (within the body) and external environments. The close relationship between the host and its inhabitants, the microbiome, is an example for targeted investigations of ecobiology. Exogenous and endogenous factors may lead to dysbiosis. New treatment options that may help the disturbed microbiome to recover and allow the healthy microbiome to maintain its homeostasis may certainly play a future role in dermatology.