What are the effects of ceramides on skin health?

The main constituent lipids of the skin epidermis - ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids, ceramides play a crucial role in the skin's barrier function.

Ceramides have been described as a complex family of lipids that, in addition to their roles in maintaining barrier homeostasis and water retention, are involved in cell signaling. Ceramides play key roles in cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Ceramides cannot be supplemented or obtained from natural sources, but synthetic ceramides studied since the 1950s have been shown to supplement the skin's needs.

The effects of ceramides:

1. Reduce water loss

Ceramides link protein-rich keratinocytes and are therefore essential for the epidermal water barrier. The fetal fat on the surface of the baby's skin is mainly composed of ceramides.

2. Barrier effect

When the skin barrier is damaged, ceramides will repair the barrier.

3. Effect on dermatitis and eczema

If ceramide levels are low, in addition to moisture loss and dry skin, various skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis are more serious.