Attar Roba M S, Imam Mohammed A
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Jeddah, College of Science, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Umm Al-Qura University, Al-Qunfudah College of Medicine, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Int J Microbiol. 2025 May 6;2025:2128581. doi: 10.1155/ijm/2128581. eCollection 2025.
Cosmetic tools, such as brushes and sponges, are integral to beauty routines but are often neglected in terms of hygiene, posing risks of bacterial contamination and related skin issues. This study investigates bacterial contamination in 57 cosmetic brushes collected from users in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Bacterial isolates were characterized morphologically and identified through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results revealed a diverse microbial profile, with Gram-positive bacteria predominating (81%), including and species, alongside Gram-negative bacteria such as spp. A survey of 370 participants highlighted inconsistent cleaning habits, with 44.3% rarely cleaning their brushes and 27.8% reporting skin problems potentially linked to contaminated tools. A statistical analysis revealed significant correlations between awareness of hygiene practices and concerns about bacterial infections ( < 0.05), yet no direct association was found between cleaning frequency and skin issues ( = 0.698). This study emphasizes the need for public education on the proper maintenance of cosmetic tools to minimize health risks and promote safer beauty practices.
化妆工具，如刷子和海绵，是美容程序中不可或缺的一部分，但在卫生方面常常被忽视，存在细菌污染和相关皮肤问题的风险。本研究调查了从沙特阿拉伯吉达的使用者那里收集的57支化妆刷中的细菌污染情况。对细菌分离株进行形态学特征描述，并通过16S rRNA基因测序进行鉴定。结果显示出多样的微生物谱，革兰氏阳性菌占主导（81%），包括 和 物种，同时还有革兰氏阴性菌如 属。对370名参与者的一项调查突出了不一致的清洁习惯，44.3%的人很少清洗他们的刷子，27.8%的人报告有可能与受污染工具相关的皮肤问题。一项统计分析显示，卫生习惯意识与对细菌感染的担忧之间存在显著相关性（ < 0.05），但未发现清洗频率与皮肤问题之间有直接关联（ = 0.698）。本研究强调需要对公众进行关于正确保养化妆工具的教育，以将健康风险降至最低并推广更安全的美容做法。
