There are natural processes that all living things have to pass through; a time when the living thing is born then growth and development starts, and then the living thing attains maturity and inevitably ages. This is the cycle, nothing really is able to break it. But there is nothing that stops one from trying.
Humans being the most advanced of the species have been able to find their way around some certain phenomena and in so doing, have generally improved the quality of life for themselves. The gains made are such that no area of human health and wellbeing has been left out, even the area of skin health has seen a great boost. Recent studies have shown that phytoceramides can be of great help to maintain the skin and protect it from the wrinkles that come with age.
What Are Phytoceramides?
The word phytoceramides is gotten from two words phyto and ceramides. While phyto generally refers to plants, ceramides are long chain fatty acids that occur naturally and constitute up to fifty percent of the outer layer of the skin. Put together, phytoceramides simply refer to or mean ceramides that are gotten from plants.
What Are Ceramides?
They belong to a class of fatty acids known as lipids and are very helpful in the development of the nervous system and the brain. This benefit is an already documented area of health science but they do not explain the popularity and interest in this class of lipids.
Why Ceramides Are Of Great Benefit To The Skin
One area of the body that gets a lot of attention is the skin. The attention it gets is majorly not for any other purpose but to ensure that it looks its best. There are various skin challenges that people face and battle regularly such as acne, dry skin etc. while for some others, it is just about appearance and this is where ceramides come in.
Because of its constitution (the long chain fatty acids), ceramides are able to facilitate cellular function by linking up with various molecules in the body. By doing this, it is able to lock moisture in your skin by creating a barrier which prevents permeability. The health benefit of this to your skin is the prevention of skin irritation and dryness. Ultimately, these benefits are speculated to have anti-aging effects as it helps to hide or entirely remove wrinkles and lines on the skin.
It is these effects on the skin that has driven interest in it from various quarters, especially from those in the beauty industry. Again, it is also added in the makeup of most of the conditioners and shampoos that are used today as it is helpful to those with damaged or very dry hair. You can read more about ceramides here: https://www.health.com/beauty/skincare/ceramides.
Does The Skin Already Contain Ceramides?
As already stated, the human skin contains ceramides however, they get lost over time or become inadequate to effectively function in your body and so, there is the need for extra ceramide. This is now sourced externally from animals and plants and this is where the beauty industry that make ceramides come in.
Though ceramides can be gotten from human and animal skin however, no ethical organization is going to attempt to do such. What is prevalent however, are synthetic or artificial ceramides which are very efficient and teach the skin to be healthy.
Benefits Of Ceramides On The Skin
Maintains The Integrity of The Skin
Maintaining skin integrity is very important for any individual as failure to do so leaves it prone to various skin challenges. Ceramides help to maintain the skin’s integrity.
Stops Water Loss From the Epidermis
The moisture content of the skin is very important as a moist skin is a healthy skin and this can be greatly affected when there is water loss from the epidermis. This would lead to dry, irritable and coarse skin. Ceramides prevent this water loss by forming a barrier along with other skin lipids to prevent this loss and keep the skin hydrated.
Helps Prevent Acne
One of the most common skin challenges that people face is acne which really affects one’s appearance. However, one of the ways to prevent initial breakout or further breakouts of this skin condition is the use of ceramides (or ceramide based products).
Helps To Fight Inflammation
Another skin challenge that people face is skin inflammation. This skin condition, aside from the unwanted look that it gives your skin, is also very irritable with its constant itching. However, ceramide is able to reduce this itchiness and restore moisture to the skin so that it is no longer dry.
Rejuvenation Of Aging Skin
Generally, the ceramide content of the skin in an individual starts reducing as one gets older. With age comes the wrinkles that appear on our skins and faces. However, with ceramides, the skin gets rejuvenated and by so doing, keeps the skin radiant and young. You can read more on the benefits and uses of ceramides for the skin here.
Why Phytoceramides?
Studies have shown that certain plant products contain ceramides and ceramides gotten from plants are called phytoceramides. Though there hasn’t been much studies but the signs so far are very positive as it has been found to be very efficient. They are now the substitutes to synthetic ceramides and are touted in certain quarters as being very effective anti-aging and skin rejuvenating agents.
However, in a world that today prefers organic products to synthetic products, it is inevitable that questions about the more effective ceramide will be asked. However, there is no definitive answer to this question. It is enough to note that each has its own benefits and that there is need for more research to be done in this area to reach a definite conclusion on this issue.
It is also important to note that for a relatively new area of study about skin health, great strides have already been made in this area and it further holds a lot of promise in the future. For now, it suffices to know that the effectiveness of phytoceramides is not in doubt.
Conclusion
It is natural for every human to want to take good care of themselves, it is even more desirable to want to maintain one’s youthful looks if possible. One area where it usually shows if the body is being well taken care of is the skin. However, despite the best care that one may give, it is still prone to certain skin conditions that might occur for various reasons.
However, there is a solution in phytoceramides. Beyond helping to fight your skin challenges, it also helps to keep your skin rejuvenated, restoring your youth in the process.