Normal Skin Flora
What Is It and How Does It Effect Wrestlers and Fighters?
The normal skin flora is made up of the bacteria that normally live on the skin when the skin is healthy. These bacteria, which are harmless, actually prevent other harmful bacteria and fungus from growing on the skin. These normal bacteria are disturbed with over washing with antibacterial soaps and the use of antibiotics.
Introduction
This presentation will help provide us with the information we need to successfully battle skin infections. This presentation will also explain why we are susceptible to so many skin infections that are bacterial and fungal.
Education Is the Key
Understanding the balance between normal skin flora and good hygiene has puzzled wrestlers and fighters for decades.
A false sense of security is placed on upon the notion that wrestling on clean mats will protect us from skin infections.
Little Known Fact
Wrestlers and fighters actually create an environment more suitable for fungus to thrive in by using a soap that is strictly antibacterial.
Fact
The purpose of antibacterial soap is to kill bacteria on our skin that can cause bacterial infections. Unfortunately as wrestlers and fighters we are placed into environments where we are commonly exposed to fungal infections as well.
Knowledge Is Power
Our normal flora acts as a protective barrier as long as all of the players stay in their place. The normal flora influences the anatomy, physiology, susceptibility to pathogens, and morbidity of the host.
Skin regions have been compared to geographic regions of earth: the desert of the forearm, the cool woods of the scalp, and the tropical forest of the armpit. The
composition of the dermal micro flora varies from site to site according to the character of the microenvironment.
A different bacterial flora characterizes each of three regions of skin: (1) axilla, perineum, and toe webs; (2) hand, face and trunk; and (3) upper arms and legs. Skin sites with partial occlusion (axilla, perineum, and toe webs) harbor more microorganisms than do less occluded areas (legs, arms, and trunk). Bacterial infections may incur when bacteria from one environment, or from someone else's normal flora, are introduced into a foreign environment. Susceptibility increases where there is a break in the skin. (scratches, mat burns, skin blemishes)
Overview
Poor hygiene also increases the host's susceptibility.
Continued exposure to foreign skin flora promotes disease.
Hygiene
As coaches, wrestlers and fighters we know that we have to clean ourselves after competition or training. During the season we shower sometimes three times a day. Most of us will use on over the counter antibacterial soap, bar or liquid.
This Is Where the Dilemma Lies.
If we don't practice proper hygiene we will become susceptible to bacterial infections, however continuous batheing with antibacterial soap will weaken and disturb our normal flora.
The Bacteria That Comprise the Normal Flora Are:
?• Staphylococcus epidermis– found on the skin
surface
• Anaerobic diphtheroids – located deep
in hair follicles
• Micrococci
• Corynebacteria (diphtheroids)
• Propionibacteria
These bacteria are found throughout the different environments on the body. They compete for space in these environments as a matter of their own survival. They will devour most foreign pathogens including "Tinea" which is better known as "ringworm".
"Catch 22"
Through our perseverance to control skin infections we have created the ringworm epidemic we are faced with today.
Defense Soap
At Defense Soap we are wrestlers who have researched this "catch 22" extensively. We believe the proper mind set is to use a soap whose all-natural ingredients have been clinically proven to have antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. When a wrestler or fighter bathes with Defense Soap they are using a soap, which has been proven to kill fungus and bacteria in a laboratory setting.
Mat Cleaning
A clean wrestling environment is crucial when attempting to battle skin infections. As often as we clean our mats we will never eliminate all of the microscopic invaders that can cause infections but the effort has to be made to prevent epidemic levels of infections.
Think of the Areas We Don't Clean
? Wall mats
? Throw dummies
? Ropes
? Medicine balls
? Our opponent or drill partner
? Wrestling shoes
? Headgear
? Kneepads
? Anything removed from a gym bag
False Hopes
Don't be fooled into believing that you are wrestling in a clean environment. Things that you can't see will hurt you.
Summary
Things that you can't see will hurt you.
At Defense Soap we believe we are contaminated every time we step on the mat. Our philosophy is that we are going to focus on cleaning ourselves in a thorough and educated manner. Through our perseverance to control skin infections we have created the ringworm epidemic we are faced with today. With just a little more education and understanding we can begin to control the skin infections that now plague our sport.
Where to Get More Information
?
References
Bitton G, Marshall KC: Adsorption of Microorganisms to Surfaces. John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1980
Draser BS, Hill MJ: Human Intestinal Flora. Academic Press, London, 1974.
Freter R, Brickner J, Botney M, et al: Survival and implantation of Escherichia coli in the intestinal tract. Infect Immun 39:686, 1983
Hentges DJ, Stein AJ, Casey SW, Que JU: Protective role of intestinal flora against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in mice: influence of antibiotics on colonization resistance. Infect Immun 47:118, 1985
Herthelius M, Gorbach SL, Mollby R, et al: Elimination of vaginal colonization with Escherichia coli by administration of indigenous flora. Infect Immun 57:2447, 1989
Maibach H, Aly R: Skin Microbiology: Relevance to Clinical Infection. Springer-Verlag, New York, 1981
Marples MJ: Life in the skin. Sci Am 220:108, 1969
Savage DC: Microbial ecology of the gastrointestinal tract. Annu Rev Microbiol 31:107, 1977
Tannock GW: Normal Microflora. Chapman and Hall,London, UK, 1995
Guy
Defense Soap
