Recent Advances in Understanding the Role of the Skin Microbiome in the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis

This review emphasizes the critical role of the skin microbiome in maintaining skin health and its potential in treating atopic dermatitis (AD). It highlights how dysbiosis, or microbial imbalance, is linked to skin conditions like AD, psoriasis, acne, seborrheic dermatitis, and alopecia areata. Beneficial microbes, such as Staphylococcus epidermidis, help maintain balance and suppress pathogens, while harmful ones like Staphylococcus aureus exacerbate AD. The review explores therapeutic strategies focusing on restoring microbial balance using probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics, phage therapy, and small molecules. It also discusses the development of human skin equivalent models for research and the commercialization of skin microbiome treatments. The need for standardized research methods and further exploration of microbial interactions is emphasized to improve treatment efficacy.