Gut microbiome in dermatology – A narrative review

The gut microbiome and human body have co-evolved in a synergistic host-microbial relationship. The ideal composition of human gut microbiota is an elusive concept, but every individual has a unique gut microbiota profile with regional differences. Newer diagnostic techniques have helped identify different bacteria and their roles in health and disease. The gut microbiome composition is affected by various factors like age, diet, immune system, environmental factors, exercise, and drugs. The microbiome has varied roles in metabolism, immune response, immune tolerance and antimicrobial protection. Diet plays an important role in maintaining the gut microbial diversity. Loss of homoeostasis in the microbiome results in dysbiosis. Dysbiosis plays a role in many dermatological diseases like atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, acne, rosacea, hidradenitis suppurativa, connective tissue disorders and many other systemic conditions like obesity, diabetes, neurological disease and malignancy. Reconstitution of the gut microbiome ecology in the form of bacteriotherapy with the reintegration of certain strains of microbiota has a beneficial role in many of these disorders.