Ceramides in Skincare

Our skin is a big deal – seriously. It is complicated and plays an important role in providing an airtight, watertight, and flexible barrier between the outside world and the highly regulated systems within the body. The sensitive nature of the skin makes it vulnerable. That is why we should properly look after it, as it is rightly said,

 

Keeping that in mind, it is highly needed that we should take good care of our skin. So today we have one super awesome ingredient for you, used in skin-care products that pamper and take care of your precious skin. And that is Ceramides.

As far as anti-aging ingredients go, ceramides have a proven record, but they are often overlooked. In this article, we'll dive deep to clarify how ceramides help skin retain moisture, fortify its protective barrier, what are its benefits, whether or not there are any side effects, and so on. So, here we go!

What are Ceramides?

Ceramides are lipids that are found naturally in high concentrations in the uppermost layers of skin, that helps the skin retain moisture and allow proper functioning. They make up over 50% of skin's composition, so it's no surprise they play a pivotal role in determining how your skin looks.
Ceramides are one of the most important lipids of skin along with fatty acids and cholesterol. "They are body's natural moisturizer and the barrier that prevents dehydration", as claimed by a dermatologist. In other words, it keeps your skin hydrated and soft.

How do Ceramides work?

Ceramides help in holding our skin together by forming a protective barrier to prevent permeability. It maintains the moisture level in your skin, which helps prevent dryness and irritation. It may also help in protecting your epidermis from environmental damage such as pollution and other environmental stressors.
These benefits may have anti-aging effects. Fine lines and wrinkles are often more observable when the skin is dry. Locking in moisture may reduce their appearance.

Importance of Ceramides:

You might be wondering, if ceramides already occur naturally in the skin, then why do you need them in your skincare products? Well, here is the reason.
Ceramides play a vital role in taking care of our skin. Not only does it keeps our skin smooth and supple, but plays other important roles also. Being a barrier layer for the skin they protect the skin from exposure to environmental aggressors like pollution, dry air, etc.
But when our skin lacks ceramides, the barrier breaks, resulting in dryness and irritation. This is the reason as to why we need ceramides in our skincare products. The major function of our skin is to protect us from the outside world. But it fails to do so when it lacks the ratio of ceramides in our skin. Because in the absence of ceramides, the skin barrier doesn't perform optimally and the health of our skin goes out of control.
That is why ceramides are very important for our skin.

Benefits of Ceramides

Maintains Skin Integrity:

Proper skin integrity is necessary to keep your skin healthy. Skin is prone to breakdown, injury, and damage if the skin integrity is not firm and healthy. That is why adequate ceramide levels are important for the skin.
But, How do they help maintain skin integrity?
Ceramides aid in holding the cells present in the epidermis and maintaining the knits of the intercellular matrix. Altogether, it helps to reform the skin integrity.

Maintains Skin Moisturization:

Skin moisturization is again a very important factor to keep your skin fresh and radiant. But due to our tight schedule and environmental factors, our skin starts losing its moisture and becomes dry.
Ceramides help in retaining moisture. Which in turn, maintains the charm and radiance of our skin.

Prevents Acne Breakouts:

This is no surprise that a lot of people suffer from the problem of acne, worldwide. The problem of acne affects people's self-esteem. Though there are many reasons behind the acne, one of the main reasons is the lower ceramide content in the skin.
Their ample content helps to improve skin barrier function in acne-prone skin. It helps in reducing further breakouts and helps to clear the skin.

Other benefits:

Skincare products consisting of ceramides helps to strengthen your skin's barrier and increase hydration—giving you plumper, smoother, firmer-feeling skin with fewer visible lines and wrinkles, as well as fewer signs of sensitivity.

Which skin types are best for using Ceramides?

 

Ceramides fall under the category of "skin-replenishing" ingredients. As they naturally occur in our skin, ceramides are ideal for all skin types—even the most sensitive, breakout-prone, or oily skin.
However, research says that ceramide-containing skincare products may help soothe related irritation and provide an additional barrier to certain cases of dry skin.

 

Are there any side effects of Ceramides?

Topical ceramides are generally considered safe. There isn't any research or reports documenting adverse reactions, always do a patch test to determine how your skin will react.

To do this:
Apply a dime-sized amount of product to the inside of your forearm.
Wait 24 hours.
If you begin to experience redness, itching, or other irritation, wash the affected area and discontinue use.
If you don't develop any side effects, the product should be safe to apply elsewhere.

To conclude, Ceramides are an essential ingredient to be included in your skin-care products. They are beneficial and do not have any serious side effects. That is why it is highly recommended and used these days.