Effectiveness Of Ceramides In Skin Care

You've probably heard of ceramides and their importance while searching for products for your skin and how beneficial they are. Ceramides are a natural part of your skin and play a vital role in regulating the skin's barrier function. Why use them in skin care products if they're a natural component?

The answer is that although the body naturally produces ceramides, their amount declines with age. This fact substantiates the use of ceramides in skin care products.

If you want to know more about ceramides and how they can benefit you when applied topically, keep reading!

What are Ceramides?

Ceramides are lipid molecules that are a component of our skin. They play a vital role in maintaining the structure and barrier function of the skin. These molecules lock moisture inside the cells keeping the skin hydrated and plump and protecting the skin against environmental damage, toxins, and bacteria.

Although a natural part of the skin, their levels decline as a person ages. The decline can lead to a loss in moisture, and the skin gets drier and duller with time.

Here are some essential benefits of ceramides and their contribution to maintaining healthy skin function: 

1.     Maintain Skin Integrity 

Healthy skin is the one that has proper integrity. The skin can host many infections, breakouts, and reactions if its integrity is not intact. The skin is prone to injuries and damage and can form tiny cracks making it an easy target for infections and inflammations. The cosmetics and chemicals we use on our face may do more harm than good, so the skin needs to tolerate any adverse effects these may have.

Ceramides are what provide the skin resilience to face environmental toxins and tolerate the damage done by cosmetics. Adequate ceramide levels help hold the epidermis cells together and maintain the epithelium's barrier function.³ Aging, and overuse of harsh soaps are what lead to ceramide depletion. Therefore, rejuvenating the skin with moisturizers containing ceramide is essential for keeping the barrier healthy and functioning properly.

2.       Prevent Water Loss

Water loss from the epidermis causes the body to become dehydrated. As the skin dehydrates, it becomes rough, and cracks start to develop. The loss occurs when the skin gets depleted of ceramides.

Ceramide prevents water loss and keeps the skin protected from evaporation. This improves skin hydration, treats dry skin, and decreases the risk of developing inflammatory conditions such as psoriasis, acne, and eczema. Using ceramide moisturizers with acne treatment can help combat issues related to dry skin and soothe any irritation. 

3.       Balance Skin Moisturization

Skin moisturization is critical if you want your skin to look fresh and radiant. Lack of moisture causes flakiness and fine lines. As we age, the impact of the environment becomes more evident on our skin. The skin develops an uneven tone and loses its moisture.

Ceramide-containing moisturizers become necessary to replenish and retain the moisture inside the skin. These moisturizers get absorbed into the skin, improve resistance to environmental insults, and give you soft and smoother skin.

4.     Prevent Acne Breakouts

Acne is a common cause of distress and can affect any age group. It can affect a person’s self-confidence. No one wants blemishes on their face. There are many reasons behind acne breakouts; one is low ceramide content in the skin. Ceramides prevent acne by improving the barrier. This helps in attaining clearer skin. This also makes ceramide a desirable ingredient in anti-acne creams.  

5.     Reduces Skin Inflammation 

Inflammation occurs when the skin is not able to sustain its barrier function. Ceramides prevent inflammation by promoting skin moisturization and hydration. This reduces the itching and redness.

6.     Protects Against Sun Damage 

Exposure to the suns UV rays is responsible for most visible skin damage, which forms wrinkles, fine lines, and pigmentary changes. This is termed photoaging and worsens the appearance of the skin as we age. Using ceramide-based moisturizers and sunscreens can protect the skin from harmful sun rays. In addition, such products can help maintain normal cell turnover, which combats redness and hyperpigmentation.

7.     Slows Down Skin Aging

Our skin ages due to loss of collagen, keratin, and elastin proteins of the dermis, which lead to wrinkles and fine lines, and loss of the skin's barrier function due to loss of ceramides. The loss of ceramides causes the loss of plumpness, and the skin begins to sag. The water-retaining properties of ceramides make them a beneficial ingredient for anti-aging creams and moisturizers. Ceramide creams can also promote keratin production, which strengthens the skin barrier and reduces visible signs of aging.

Side Effects of Ceramides

Topical ceramides work well for most skin types. They have no known side effects. However, individuals should be cautious of other ingredients besides ceramide in the moisturizer. As with any new addition to a skincare routine, perform a patch before applying it to the whole face.

Apply a small amount of product to a portion of the skin and wait 24 hours to see if it suits the skin.  

How to Use

Like most moisturizers, our ceramide-containing moisturizer works best when applied immediately after a shower or after cleansing the face to lock in extra moisture. It can be used twice daily.

In short, ceramide is a lipid component of the epithelium. It plays an essential role in maintaining the barrier function of the skin. The amount of ceramide in the skin depletes with age, and so does the young appearance of the skin. Therefore, it is necessary to rejuvenate the skin with a ceramide-containing moisturizer that makes the since plump, smooth, and wrinkle-free.