Ex Vivo Assessment of Heat and Humidity Effects on Human Skin and Potential Protection by Kombucha Tea Extract

This study used an ex vivo human skin model to investigate the effects of dry and tropical (hot and humid) conditions on skin homeostasis and the protective potential of Kombucha tea extract. Tropical conditions caused significant epidermal thickening (+157%) and disrupted the dermoepidermal junction (DEJ) architecture, with a loss of mechanical contrast indicating junctional flattening (−61 and −81%). Molecular changes included upregulation of a stem cell marker (+85%) and collagen VII (+39%), suggesting an adaptive but potentially destabilizing response. The application of Kombucha tea extract mitigated these effects, indicating its potential as a protective agent to maintain epidermal homeostasis in adverse climates.