Facial Physiological Characteristics and Skin Microbiomes Changes are Associated with Body Mass Index (BMI)

Overweight and obesity have become public health problems worldwide. An increasing number of research works are focusing on skin physiology and the manifestations of obesity-associated skin diseases, but little is known about the correlations between body mass index (BMI), facial skin physiological parameters, and the facial skin microbiome in healthy women.

To investigate the correlations between BMI, facial skin physiological parameters and facial bacteria and fungi in 198 women aged 18 to 35 years in Shanghai.

According to the international BMI standard and Chinese reference standard, subjects were divided into three groups, "lean" B1, "normal" B2 and "overweight" B3, and the physiological parameters of facial skin were measured by non-invasive instrumental methods, and the skin microbiota was analyzed by 16S rRNA and ITS high-throughput sequencing.

Compared with the skin physiological parameters of the normal group, those of the overweight group exhibited a significant increase in trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL), which indicated that the skin barrier was impaired. The skin haemoglobin content was significantly increased, and skin surface pH was significant decreased in those with a high BMI. Furthermore, α-diversity, analysed using the Shannon, Chao, Sobs, and Ace indexes, was increased in the overweight group, suggesting that the diversity and species abundance of facial bacterial and fungal microbiota were also increased. Moreover, the overweight group had higher abundances of Streptococcus, Corynebacterium, Malassezia, and Candida. Notably, skin surface pH was significantly and negatively correlated with the relative abundances of Malassezia, Candida, and Cladosporium. Besides, the abundance of Malassezia was positively associated with the abundances of Staphylococcus and Corynebacterium.

These results indicate that BMI is associated with differences in the biophysical properties and microbiome of the facial skin. A high BMI affects the integrity of skin barrier and changes the skin flora diversity and species composition.