What Really Causes Wrinkles (and How Our Skin Microbiome Fits In)

Greetings, Skin Microbiome enthusiasts

This blog started as a storytelling project, but I realized the many references I was using could be helpful to other readers. So, I decided to turn it into a mini-review with citations and a reference list (thanks to ChatGPT for the help there 🙂 ).

We all know wrinkles are a part of life, but have you ever wondered what truly causes them and whether your skin’s own bacteria might play a role?

For years, wrinkles were blamed only on aging or sun exposure. But new research shows that our skin microbiome, the invisible world of bacteria living on our skin, may quietly influence how smooth or creased our skin appears.

It Starts Beneath the Surface

Inside our skin, cells constantly renew and rebuild collagen, the protein that keeps skin firm and smooth. Over time, this renewal process slows down. Fibroblasts become less active, collagen breaks down faster than it is rebuilt, and the dermis gradually thins (1). That is when fine lines begin to appear.

Sunlight and Stress on the Skin

Sun exposure accelerates everything. Ultraviolet light triggers enzymes called MMPs that chew up collagen fibers (2). The result is thinner, less elastic skin and the familiar crow’s-feet around the eyes (3).

Pollution, sugar, and smoking add more stress. When sugars attach to collagen, they create stiff crosslinks known as AGEs that reduce flexibility (4). Polluted air and cigarette smoke increase oxidative stress and weaken the skin barrier (5). Studies even show identical twins aging faster on the side more exposed to smoke or pollution (6).

The Microbiome Connection

Your skin’s surface is home to trillions of tiny organisms that help maintain balance, hydration, and protection. Think of them as a living shield that adapts to your environment.

As we age, this community changes. Studies show that older skin has less Cutibacterium acnes (the bacteria that thrive on youthful, oil-rich skin) and more Corynebacterium and Staphylococcus, which prefer drier environments (8).

A large study of over 650 women found that higher bacterial diversity on facial skin correlated with more visible crow’s-feet and lower hydration (7). Another study linked the skin microbiome to moisture, elasticity, and pH (9).

These findings suggest that while bacteria do not directly cause wrinkles, the skin microbiome shifts alongside them. As skin becomes less hydrated and less elastic, the microbial balance changes too.

Can Probiotic Skincare Help with Wrinkles?

Here is the exciting part. Researchers are exploring how adding beneficial bacteria to the skin might restore balance and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

In one study, oral intake of Lactobacillus plantarum HY7714 improved skin hydration and reduced wrinkle depth within 12 weeks (13). Another trial using Bifidobacterium animalis Bl-04 showed similar benefits for skin smoothness (11).

Topical treatments are especially promising. A cream containing Lactobacillus plantarum LB244R® improved skin density, hydration, and reduced crow’s-feet compared to placebo (10). Another study using Lactobacillus crispatus increased collagen production by nearly 180 percent in two months and visibly softened wrinkles (14).

A 2025 clinical trial combining oral probiotics (L. plantarum, L. reuteri, and L. rhamnosus) with a topical serum containing ectoin and hyaluronic acid showed a 9 percent reduction in wrinkle depth and a 16 percent improvement in hydration after only one hour, with stronger results over eight weeks (12).

Reviews from Frontiers in Physiology and CCID confirm that probiotics and postbiotics can enhance hydration, reduce oxidative stress, and help slow wrinkle formation (15), (16).

Why It Makes Sense

Microbes are part of our skin’s natural defense and renewal system. A balanced microbiome helps regulate pH, calm inflammation, and support the lipid barrier. When that barrier stays hydrated and intact, wrinkles appear softer and form more slowly.

Alive or microbiome-friendly skincare may not erase wrinkles overnight, but it works with the skin instead of against it. That is what makes the concept of alive skincare, like ours, so meaningful.

What We See from Fafabiotic Users

We are seeing more and more customers returning with positive results after using Fresh Smoothing Lotion as their anti-aging step to smooth wrinkles. From earlier studies, we already knew that one of the most likely mechanisms involves antioxidants produced by this strain on the skin. These antioxidants help reduce collagen degradation, which in turn supports overall collagen levels and results in smoother, more resilient skin.

I also want to share a personal hypothesis for another possible mode of action. While Lactobacillus plantarum is not one of the Lactobacillus species commonly found on the skin of 17 to 20-year-olds, I wonder if this strain may work as a proxy. The skin and its microbiome are incredibly intelligent. They may recognize that while this is not the exact strain once dominant in youth, it shares similar properties. Perhaps the microbiome welcomes it as a stand-in for the species it used to host in higher numbers when we were younger.

Hopefully, someone with big research funding reads this and decides to test it. For now, we can all simply enjoy the Fresh Smoothing Lotion and everything it does for our skin.

Farzaneh’s Note

I started Fafabiotic because I wanted to make skincare that feels alive, kind, and intelligent. Every time I see a customer notice real changes in their skin texture or brightness, it reminds me why I began this journey. Science is still catching up to what our skin and its microbiome already know.

My hope is that one day, more researchers and brands invest time and resources to study the live strains that truly interact with our skin, not just the filtered or inactivated versions. Until then, I will keep making products that bring science to life in the most human way possible.

Here is to smoother, stronger, more balanced skin, one living cell and one living microbe at a time.

Until Next blog, cheers