A Noteworthy Issue: Microbiome Data Variation Depending on Sampling Methods in Skin Microecology Studies in Acne Vulgaris Patients

June 2025 in “ Frontiers in Immunology ”

Detian Xu, Qi Chen, Jiayi Yang, Guorong Yan, Linglin Zhang, Xiaojing Liu, Peiru Wang, Jia Liu, Xiuli Wang

acne vulgaris microbiome skin microecology swab sampling standardized skin surface biopsy comedo extraction Staphylococcus spp. Malassezia spp. intrafollicular microbiomes acne skin microbiome skin sampling skin biopsy pimple extraction bacteria fungi

Studysummary Sampling methods greatly affect skin microbiome data in acne studies.

Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer

This study on acne vulgaris patients, involving 10 participants, examined how different sampling methods affect microbiome data. It used swab sampling (S1), modified standardized skin surface biopsy (S2), and individual comedo extraction (S3). Results indicated significant variations in bacterial and fungal microbiomes based on the method, with Staphylococcus spp. and Malassezia spp. notably higher in S3. The study concludes that sampling method choice significantly impacts microbiome data, advocating for standardized methods to better understand the skin microbiome-acne relationship. It suggests that individual comedo extraction (S3) is most suitable for studying intrafollicular microbiomes in acne.

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