Japaralia August 2026 vol. 35

English translation below (by Perplexity)

Vol.35 Microbiome

In winter, when the temperature is low and the air is dry, the number of people complaining of skin problems increases sharply. This is because dry, less flexible skin develops tiny cracks, the skin’s barrier function weakens, and various external irritants can get in, leading to itching and inflammation. Especially from your 40s, decreasing female hormones reduce sebum secretion, making the skin more prone to dryness.What is essential for that barrier function is the microbiome—put simply, the microorganisms that naturally live on the skin. They play a crucial role in maintaining skin health.

So where does the microbiome come from? It is influenced by many factors such as the environment in which a person grows up, hygiene, and skincare habits, and it also differs depending on the area of skin (amount of sebum, moisture level, dryness, etc.). Sebum has a major impact on the microbiome. Because sebum contains components that can be both nutrients for the microbiome and substances that eliminate certain microbes, areas with more sebum tend to host a wider variety of microbiome species than dry areas. Likewise, the human host’s living environment, temperature, humidity, ultraviolet rays, and skin pH all affect the microbiome, and the things the skin comes into contact with (air, other people, animals, skincare products, etc.) constantly add and remove microbes. As the microbiome keeps changing day by day, if its balance is disrupted (for example, microbes overgrow or decrease excessively), the skin’s immune and defense abilities decline, causing acne, rough skin, wrinkles, dermatitis, and rosacea. Because inflammation stimulates melanocyte activity, it can also make dark spots worse.

Inside the body, we also carry many microbiomes, and they are indispensable to our gut environment. The same is true for the skin, but unlike inside the body, the skin microbiome is highly susceptible to changes in the external environment.

I recently learned a new expression: in Japan, people who constantly change their skincare products are called “cosmetic refugees.”Of course, if a product does not suit your skin, you should change it. However, from the perspective of the microbiome, you should remember that every time you switch skincare, there is a chance that the balance will be disrupted, even if only temporarily. I touched on this before, but the idea that “if you use the same skincare for too long, it stops working” may actually mean that the skin has become accustomed to the new routine and the balance has settled. If you keep changing things around, both your skin and the microbiome that lives on it will become confused.

In my line of work, I take the importance of daily skincare very seriously. Even after treatment, what matters is not just that moment but how you can keep your skin health stable, and home care is extremely important for that. I believe that the reason “popular” products keep changing in the marketplace is that many of them are created with marketing as their main purpose. Truly good products do not change that often. The skincare I trust is not made with “selling well” as the top priority, but is developed from a “skin health” standpoint, based on scientific research. These products do not rely on flashy advertising; instead, they are sold only through professionals who understand them, so that each customer can receive skincare correctly tailored to their needs.

These products are not cheap, so they are rarely “budget‑friendly.” But for people suffering from dermatitis or other serious skin troubles who genuinely want to heal, it may be worth rethinking their skincare. When people come to consult me about skin problems, I always talk not only about treatment but also about the importance of daily skincare, including protection from UV rays. I have seen many cases where people stay worried, continue cycling through one “cosmetic refugee” phase after another, and their skin problems never really improve. On the other hand, I have also seen many people whose long‑standing skin troubles became manageable after using the products I recommended. Of course, just like humans, skin is a living organ, so its condition will not remain at 100% all the time; internal and external changes in the body will have an effect. But at the very least, bringing the skin from an “out of control” state to an “under control” state is something we, as hosts of our skin, can do. I also sometimes crave instant foods and eat them, but my skin immediately shows it with breakouts. Daily skincare alone cannot win the tug‑of‑war against instant foods. However, the sensitive skin that used to flare up and then take months to heal has completely improved over the past three years, and my breakouts are fewer and heal much faster now.

There are many kinds of skin problems, and some people do not have sensitive skin at all. Skincare products have cosmetic aspects like targeting dark spots and anti‑ageing, but most of the causes of skin damage and ageing are external stimuli. In the end, if you care for your skin with “skin health” in mind, you will not only protect it but also enhance its beauty.

That said, people tend to look for facts that are convenient for themselves and then justify them. Even if they “want to do things properly,” when it takes time, money, or effort, they end up clinging to information that tells them “you don’t really have to.” Marketing thoroughly understands this human tendency. If something truly convenient existed, of course we would want it. At such times, it is worth pausing and asking yourself, “Is this really what I am looking for?”

From now on, rather than focusing on just one ingredient—“Vitamin C!” or “Retinol!”—I believe that thinking about skincare in terms of the long‑term health of the skin will lead to building more ageless, resilient skin.