In this week's episode I spoke with Dr. Yug Varna, co-founder and CEO of Phyla. Together with his co-founder, they created the world’s most advanced probiotic acne system. The other co-founder, Maria Cho, struggled to find an effective solution to treat her acne. Yug and Maria worked together to create a product that addressed her skin condition in a way other skincare doesn't. Using what they knew about the skin's microbiome, Dr. Varma and Dr. Cho developed Phylabioitics. Skin's Microbiome To prove the efficacy of the new product, they ran clinical trials on phages and how they affect microbiome diversity. Phages are part of the skin microbiome and are helpful in combating acne since they kill harmful bacteria. Dr. Varna has a Ph.D. in microbiology from Johns Hopkins University and conducted over 10 years of microbiome research at UCSF. His passion was looking for the technology to support his products.  He discusses the differences between the microbiome in our gut vs the skin's microbiome. The skin microbiome refers to the ecosystem of microbes on your skin, comparing it a rainforest. It helps protect you from pathogens that could affect your system and overall health.  Watch the episode on YouTube