How Does Contact with Nature Impact Your Skin Health?

Deep in the Amazon rainforest, the Yanomami people, an indigenous hunter-gatherer group, live immersed in nature.

Research reveals that their skin microbiome diversity is the highest ever recorded, and strictly, they show no signs of modern skin issues like acne or eczema.

The stark difference between the Yanomami and modern urban dwellers sheds light on how profoundly our environments shape the health of our skin. While the Yanomami flourish in harmony with their natural surroundings, the urban experience tells a much different story.

Life in the city comes with conveniences, but it also has drawbacks. One of these is the growing prevalence of eczema, a condition linked to imbalances in the skin microbiome.

A systematic review of eczema studies reveals that urban dwellers are significantly more likely to experience this condition than those in rural areas, where exposure to natural sources of bacteria is higher.

The research highlights that urban environments, with their reduced access to diverse microbial ecosystems, can disrupt the skin microbiome, potentially setting the stage for conditions like eczema.

But does this mean city life is hopeless? Not at all. Studies suggest that even urbanites can benefit from reconnecting with nature to improve their skin microbiome and overall skin health. Let’s explore how.

The good news is that even short-term exposure to green spaces in cities can make a difference.

A groundbreaking study across Australia, the UK, and India found that simply spending time in urban green spaces—parks, gardens, and forests—significantly increased skin microbiome diversity.

This microbial boost comes from exposure to beneficial bacteria present in nature, which colonize the skin and help restore balance. A stroll through a park or a weekend hike in the woods can be enough to benefit your skin.

A stroll through a park or a weekend hike can benefit your skin, but what if access to green spaces isn’t always possible? Fortunately, there are creative ways to bring nature into your everyday environment.

For those who lack easy access to green spaces, nature can come to you. A study in Finland demonstrated that installing air-circulating green walls in urban office spaces significantly increased the diversity of skin microbiomes in employees.

Not only did participants' skin host more beneficial bacteria, but their immune responses also improved, with reductions in proinflammatory markers like IL-17A.

This finding suggests that even small, manageable changes—like adding green walls to workplaces or homes—can make a difference. But what if you want to take an even more hands-on approach?

For city dwellers, reconnecting with nature can be as simple as gardening. This activity directly engages you with nature’s microbes.

A study found that participants using microbially rich soil to grow produce experienced increased skin microbiome diversity and higher levels of anti-inflammatory markers like IL-10 in their blood. Tending plants offers a direct way to interact with beneficial microbes.

Another study showed that handling materials like moss, compost, and soil immediately increased skin microbial diversity, including beneficial bacteria like Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria, which support skin health.

Gardening is accessible to anyone—whether on a balcony, in a yard, or with a few pots—offering a practical way to improve both skin microbiome diversity and overall health.

This growing body of research highlights the powerful link between spending time in nature and improving skin health, particularly through introducing diversity to the skin microbiome.

At fjör, we’ve refined these findings into one of our five key lifestyle recommendations: spend five hours a week in natural spaces.

Whether it’s a walk in a local park, a weekend hike, or even tending to a garden, regular exposure to nature’s biodiversity helps reintroduce beneficial microbes to your skin, fostering a healthier microbiome.

The health effects can be profound—improved skin microbiome diversity, reduced inflammation, and a calmer immune response can all contribute to healthier, less sensitive skin. It has also been linked to a wide array of non-skin related health benefits.

Want to learn more about fjör’s lifestyle recommendations, then download our Skin Microbiome Guide.