Mother’s Microbes:
How Your Mom’s Bacteria Shape Your Skin and Genetics

When you are born, your mother passes on more than just her genes—she transfers a unique microbiome that plays a crucial role in shaping your skin type and health. This microbial inheritance begins at birth, with vaginally delivered babies acquiring microbes from their mother’s vaginal microbiome, while those born via cesarean section inherit microbes from their skin. These early microbial communities influence the development of the skin’s microbiome, which serves as a first line of defense against environmental factors and pathogens.

Research shows that approximately 58.5% of a baby’s microbiome is derived from their mother, forming the foundation for their skin’s microbial ecosystem. Combined with genetic factors, this microbiome influences skin characteristics such as texture, moisture retention, and susceptibility to skin conditions.i

Along with your mom’s microbiome and genetics, Dr. Ohhira’s probiotics and skincare products can positively affect the skin microbiome by leveraging the benefits of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics to restore balance, strengthen the skin barrier, and improve overall skin health. Here’s how they contribute:

Dr. Ohhira’s Collagen Plus contains highly absorbable, low molecular-weight collagen peptides. Human clinical trials have shown that orally ingested collagen peptides increase collagen production, increasing the skin’s elasticity, strength, and hydration.ii

Increasing the body’s production of healthy new collagen results in noticeable improvements in skin conditions, such as enhanced moisture and elasticity, along with a reduction in roughness and wrinkles.iii In one clinical trial, women who ingested collagen peptides for eight weeks experienced a 20% decrease in the volume of eye wrinkles, a 65% increase in type 1 skin collagen, and an 18% rise in skin elastin content.iv

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is one of the key ingredients in Dr. Ohhira’s Collagen Plus. HA can absorb its weight in water many times, which explains why it effectively improves skin moisture content. In a 6-week clinical trial, subjects who ingested hyaluronic acid daily exhibited significantly greater moisture content in their skin and visibly improved facial features, such as enhanced skin luster, suppleness, and reduced facial skin wrinkles.v

Cherry Blossom Extract is a unique ingredient in Dr. Ohhira’s Collagen Plus, which is widely recognized in Japan for its health and beauty benefits. Cherry blossom extract has been shown to inhibit glycation, which destroys collagen. Cherry blossom extract also stimulates the production of healthy new collagen. In an 8-week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, the skin in the women taking cherry blossom extract exhibited improved elasticity, less dryness, a reduction of skin pores, redness, and hyperpigmentation, improvement in the smoothness of the skin, and a reduction of glycation cross-linking damage. Studies such as this indicate that cherry blossom extract improves the underlying collagen skin structure and the visual appearance of the skin and slows down the process of skin damage and aging.

Kampuku Beauty Bar, Magoroku Skin Lotion, and Hadayubi Lavender Moisturizer.

Maintaining a healthy, balanced skin microbiome is essential for skin health. Dr. Ohhira’s skincare products are formulated with all-natural ingredients combined with Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotic extract, which protects and revitalizes the skin.

Unfortunately, many skincare products disrupt, damage, or remove the skin microbiome, and it is now understood that skin dysbiosis is associated with many problematic skin conditions.vi,vii,viii Healthy skin has a skin microbiome that is slightly acidic, ranging from 4.1 to 5.8, depending on the body part. Dr. Ohhira’s skincare products contain Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotic extract contains various slightly acidic postbiotic metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), organic acids, nucleic acids, and fulvic acids. These weakly acidic compounds help maintain a healthy, slightly acidic skin pH, essential for a healthy skin microbiome. This starkly contrasts other skincare products that disrupt or destroy the skin microbiome.

So, while you can thank your mother for your good looks, using Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics skincare essentials can help enhance the “skin you’re in!”

 
i Nikolakis G, et al. Skin Mirrors Human Aging. Horm Mol Biol Clin Invest. 2013;16(1):13-28.
ii Asserin J, et al. The effect of oral collagen peptide supplementation on skin moisture and the dermal collagen network: evidence from an ex vivo model and randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2015 Dec;14(4):291-301.
iii Inoue N, et al. Ingestion of bioactive collagen hydrolysates enhances facial skin moisture and elasticity and reduces facial aging signs in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study. J Sci. Food Agric. 2016;96(12):4077-4081.
iv Proksch E. et al. Oral Supplementation of Specific Collagen Peptides Has Beneficial Effects on Human Skin Physiology: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27;47-55
v Kawada C, et al. Ingestion of hyaluronans (molecular weights 800 k and 300 k) improves dry skin conditions: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study. J Clin Biochem Nutr. 2015 Jan;56(1):14-81.
vi Picardo M and Ottoaiani M. Skin microbiome and skin disease: the example of rosacea. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2014 Nov-Dec;48 Suppl 1:S85-86.
vii Wang H, et al. Longitudinal Changes in Skin Microbiome Associated with Change in Skin Status in Patients with Psoriasis. Acta Derm Venereol. 2020 Nov 24;100(18):adv00329.
viii Reiger M, et al. The skin microbiome as a clinical biomarker in atopic eczema: Promises, navigation, and pitfalls. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2020 Jan.145(1):93-96.