Final answer:
The microbes that live on the skin and inside the human body are referred to as the normal microbiota or the skin microbiome. They play a protective role and help keep the skin healthy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The microbes that live on the skin and inside the human body are referred to as the normal microbiota or the skin microbiome. These are commensal organisms that derive nutrition from skin cells and secretions such as sweat and sebum.
The normal microbiota of the skin consists of bacteria (such as Staphylococcus epidermidis), fungi (such as Malassezia), and even viruses. They play a protective role by inhibiting transient-microbe colonization and protecting the skin from pathogenic infection.