Role of Probiotics in Modulating the Skin Barrier Function: A Review of Mechanisms and Clinical Evidence

The skin barrier plays a critical role in maintaining cutaneous homeostasis and preventing transepidermal water loss, pathogen invasion, and inflammation. Increasing evidence suggests that probiotics may modulate skin barrier integrity through interactions with the gut-skin axis and local skin microbiome. The objective of this review is to evaluate current mechanistic and clinical evidence regarding the role of probiotics in enhancing skin barrier function. Recent experimental studies demonstrate that specific probiotic strains can upregulate tight junction proteins, stimulate ceramide production, reduce oxidative stress, and modulate inflammatory cytokines involved in barrier disruption. Clinical trials further indicate that both oral and topical probiotics may improve skin hydration, decrease transepidermal water loss, and alleviate symptoms in conditions such as atopic dermatitis and acne. However, heterogeneity in strains, dosages, and study design limits direct comparisons across studies. Overall, current evidence supports probiotics as a promising adjunctive strategy for strengthening skin barrier function. Nevertheless, large-scale, well-controlled clinical trials are required to establish standardized therapeutic protocols and clarify strain-specific effects.

کلیدواژه ها:

Probiotics ، Skin barrier function ، Gut-skin axis ، Skin microbiome ، Tight junctions ، Ceramides ، Inflammation modulation ، Atopic dermatitis