Effects on the Skin Microbiome by a Moisturizer Formulated for Eczema-Prone and Sensitive Skin

Cutaneous dysbiosis contributes to the pathophysiology of atopic dermatitis and potentially that of sensitive skin; regulation of the bacterial communities through skincare products is an emerging management strategy. Previous studies have highlighted the utility of ingredients that function as prebiotics, are anti-inflammatory, and have barrier-repairing properties to help shift species richness and composition toward more eubiotic states.

In a single-site open-label study, a moisturizer containing colloidal oatmeal, Ophiopogon japonicus root extract (AD-Resyl®, SILAB, France), and a patented filaggrin protein byproduct was evaluated for its effect on the bacterial communities of eczema-prone and sensitive skin (n=12). Skin swab samples from participants' cheeks were collected before and after applying the moisturizer twice daily for 21 days. Measures of alpha diversity (richness, Shannon diversity index) and beta diversity were calculated using paired, comparative analyses of sampled bacterial loads.

Bacterial species richness was significantly increased in 10 participants (P<0.05) without dysbiotic shifts in overall microbial composition.

These results support the use of a moisturizer containing anti-inflammatory and skin barrier-repairing ingredients for managing atopic dermatitis and add to our knowledge of the skin microbiome in sensitive skin. J Drugs Dermatol. 2025;24(3):275-280. doi:10.36849/JDD.8707.