aws moisture away from the skin, leading to dryness. Ceramides help to bolster the skin’s natural barrier, preventing transepidermal water loss. This action keeps the skin hydrated from the inside out.
Ceramides can also be used to treat dryness in acne-prone skin. One study demonstrated that a combined skin care regimen using a mild cleanser plus a ceramide moisturizer was effective in treating dryness without exacerbating acne.
Eczema and psoriasis
Eczema and psoriasis are two conditions that leave the skin dry, red and itchy. Both cause the skin’s barrier to weaken, resulting in high sensitivity and susceptibility to irritants, as well as the inability to retain moisture.
Using a cream with ceramides strengthens the epidermis and restores the skin’s ability to retain moisture, helping to relieve dryness and itching.
What Causes Skin to Lose Ceramides?
Age, some skin conditions, the use of harsh soaps or exfoliants and exposure to environmental contaminants can all contribute to the depletion of ceramides in the skin.
The skin undergoes many changes with age. It thins and loses some of its elasticity; the production of ceramides and other lipids slows, and years of continual exposure to UV rays also lowers ceramide levels. As these fats are depleted, the skin’s barrier becomes weaker and more vulnerable to damage.
Eczema, also called atopic dermatitis, causes dry, red and itchy skin. People with this condition not only have fewer ceramides, but the ones they do have cover less of the skin’s surface area.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease in which skin cells reproduce too quickly and form dry, scaly patches called plaques on the skin. In areas of skin that are covered by psoriasis plaques, the skin contains fewer ceramides and is less able to retain water.
Cold winter air is drier than humid summer air. This dryness can strip the skin of its moisture. Winter also reduces the amount of protective ceramides in skin.
Another study found a 50% drop in ceramides in the skin on participants’ arms during the fall and winter months, compared with the spring and summer. Exposure to strong soaps, exfoliants and harsh chemicals in the environment also reduces the level of ceramides in skin.
How Ceramide Skin Care Products Work
Ceramide skin care products help relieve everyday dryness, as well as dry skin caused by conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. They work differently than typical moisturizers, which simply add moisture to the skin.
Instead, ceramides creams are designed to mimic the skin’s built-in moisturizing systems and repair the natural barrier to retain more moisture in the skin.
Ceramide cream has been found to increase skin hydration and reduced water loss, with the effects lasting for a full 24 hours after application. One 28-day study of a ceramide cleanser used in conjunction with a cream containing salicylic acid resulted in visible improvements in dry skin.
Creams containing a blend of ceramides and other fatty acids can help improve skin dryness that result from psoriasis. For instance, one study found that combining linolenic acid-ceramide cream with a common psoriasis medication improved symptoms such as itching and water loss better compared to the psoriasis drug alone.
Ceramides are also available as an oral supplement. Derived from plants such as wheat, sweet potatoes and rice, phyto-ceramides are similar to the ceramides found in human skin. One study found that a wheat-based ceramide supplement was able to significantly and visually moisturize dry skin, as well as improve other related skin damage.
Phyto-ceramide supplements have also been promoted for reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines by plumping up the skin. However, little research has been conducted to support this claim.
Are Ceramide Products Safe?
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel (CIR) determined that ceramides were safe in skin care products. In addition, ceramide creams have not been linked to any serious side effects. The creams can even be applied on sensitive areas of skin, such as under the eyes.
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