Author(s): Lillian Gee, Makaylie Moore
Mentor(s): Lauren Brooks
Institution UVU
Cetaphil is a daily facial cleanser that claims to remove dirt, excess oils, and makeup. Human skin is home to a diverse community of bacteria, including beneficial bacteria that play a role in the skin's natural barrier function and immune defense, and pathogenic bacteria that may cause disease and infection. There is little research on the effectiveness of Cetaphil removing harmful bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, and commensal bacteria, like Staphylococcus epidermidis. To compare the antimicrobial activity of Cetaphil on these two species, serial dilutions of both bacteria strains were made and then exposed to Cetaphil. Positive controls and the dilutions exposed to Cetaphil were plated on Brain heart infusion (BHI) plates. After incubation, bacterial growth was observed by counting the number of colony-forming units. Testing is beginning to show that the results are variable, and in some cases, Cetaphil actually results in increased bacterial growth of both S. aureus and S. epidermidis. This research is important for understanding how skincare affects harmful bacteria strains and the bacteria strains that are natural to the skin.