What are ceramides?
- Ceramides are a type of Lipid and make up a major part of your stratum corneum.
- They fill up the spaces between our skin cells and are part of the glue that holds or skin together.
- These ceramides are waterproof and seal in water in the epidermal layer of the skin .
- Protect the skin from environmental threats and bacteria.
As we age our hyaluronic acid and our ceramides present in our skin start to deplete and as they do we may start to see more effects of aging on the skin. Fine lines and dehydration can become more obvious.
A lot of other factors can also affect them, UV damage, environmental stress such as harsh weather, going from hot to cold, central heating etc. It is very important to keep the skin hydrated so that the lipids in the skin can be re hydrated.
So what is the best way to do this?
First thing is to make sure you are using good products on your skin that are not to harsh and are not the cause of the break down of the barrier function of your skin. Over stimulation of skin, over exfoliation, stripping products are all reasons that the barrier of your skin may be impaired.
How might you know if your barrier is impaired?
Do you ever put products on your skin and straight away you feel a slight sting or tingle on the skin in certain places and not all over? This is a sure sign that your barrier function is impaired and what really is happening is, where barrier function is not at optimal working capacity your products are penetrating the skin at a quicker rate and can cause the sensations you feel, rather than slowly passing through.
For optimal results I recommend that you start to take Skin Vitamin A internally so that your body can naturally produce what you need, this coupled with topical applications of ceramide rich moisturisers and serums will keep skin healthy and nourished and protect the barrier function of the skin. A must have for anyone who is a bit more on the sensitive side with eczema or psoriasis.
Products such as Environs Skin EssentiA and Youth EssentiA would be perfect. To find out more about these particular products you must book in for a Skin Consultation with a trained therapist.
Hydrating Repair Cream would be a beautiful option for this time of year. Giving you all the nourishment and extra hydration for this time of year.
Treatments that I recommend to boost the production of ceramides would be Skin Formulas Lactic Peels. A course of Lactic peels will dramatically increase the skins ability to create it’s lipids.
As always call (067) 64876 or book online info@mediskin.ie