The impact of bioactive textiles on human skin microbiota

Abstract

In order to support the elevated market demand for the development of textiles with specific benefits for a healthy and safe lifestyle, several bioactive textiles with defined properties, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-odor, and anti-repellent, anti-ultraviolet (UV) radiation, have been proposed. Antimicrobial textiles, particularly, have received special interest considering the search for smart, protective textiles that also impact health and well-being. Although the incorporation of antimicrobials into textile material has been well succeeded, the addition of such components in textile clothing can influence the balance of the skin microbiota of the wearer. While most antimicrobial textiles have demonstrated good biocompatibility and antimicrobial performance against bacteria, fungi, and viruses, some problems such as textile biodegradation, odor, and dissemination of unwanted microorganisms might arise. However, little is known about the impact of such antimicrobial textile-products on human skin microbiota. To address this issue, the present review, for the first time, gives an overview about the main effects of antimicrobial textiles, i.e., antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral, on skin microbiota while driving future investigation to elucidate their putative clinical relevance and possible applications according to their impact on skin microbiota. This knowledge may open doors for the development of more microbiota friendly textiles or antimicrobial textile-products able to target specific populations of the skin microbiota aiming to alleviate skin disorders, malodor, and allergies by avoiding the growth and spread of pathogenic microorganisms.