Importance of lipid replenishment to keep the skin strong
Human skin is the largest organ of the body and is an effective physical barrier keeping it from environmental conditions. This barrier function of the skin is based on stratum corneum, located in the uppermost skin.
The skin barrier acts as a security guard for the skin and protects it against the perils of the environment, UV, pollution, infection, toxic chemicals… etc., creating a physical barrier between environmental conditions and the body. Skin barrier also prevents excessive water loss from the body.
The stratum corneum consists of flattened corneocytes, surrounded by multilamellar lipid membranes which are composed of cholesterol, free fatty acids and ceramides. These skin lipids play a key role in maintaining and repairing a strengthened skin barrier, that locks in moisture and protects against harmful stressors, resulting in healthy and youthful looking skin.
With the pass of the time, skin ages and suffers visible structural changes in the surface and a progressive degeneration of the skin tissue. The skin becomes wrinkled, irregular, and dehydrated, decreasing its firmness and elasticity.
While we spend a good bit of time talking about the fact that collagen and elastin production declines, and cell turnover slow down as we age, we don’t pay so much attention on what happens to skin’s hydration.
As we age, the skin´s lipid production also declines, and visible signs of skin ageing, such as dryness, wrinkles, rough complexion and lack of luminosity can appear. Lipid depletion compromises the efficacy of the barrier function, leading to dull and weak skin, so we need to replenish the lipids that are already found within skin, to keep it hydrated, protected and strong.
Supplementing the skin’s stockpile of these lipids at once hydrates and plumps skin and protects it from chronic dry-skin conditions like eczema, dermatitis and redness.
- Ceramides are essential components of the stratum corneum, that provide improved adhesion among corneocytes, thus regulating skin barrier for long-term water retention, and protecting it from external environment. They improve skin elasticity and smoothness, diminishing the appearance of wrinkles and dry skin complexion.
Ceramides, especially when used in certain ratios with cholesterol and fatty acids, do hydrate the skin and can help to repair the skin barrier.
- Cholesterol also plays a big role in keeping skin hydrated, plump, bouncy and well-functioning. It reinforces and strengthens the protective barrier, replenishes skin hydration, smooth the outer layer, and optimize the epidermis.
It works to strengthen the outer structure of the skin and protect it from dehydration. Cholesterol also functions to repair skin that has been stripped of its natural lipids after applying an aggressive anti-aging treatment (chemical peel, depigmentation treatment, laser…)
- Fatty acids are critical for promoting cell turnover and regeneration, keeping skin soft, supple, and youthful. They stimulate epidermal key lipids synthesis, promoting the skin barrier repair, while providing excellent moisturizing and healing properties.
Topical application of a skin-identical lipid concentrate helps to restore the skin’s protective barrier structure by filling gaps with skin-identical ceramides, cholesterol and free fatty acids. These ingredients reinforce the natural lipid barrier of dry, sensitive or ageing skin against moisture loss and external challenges, restoring youthful vitality and promoting a luminous, dewy complexion that glows from within.