c ycli n g issue 1 2018
HEAD R&D NAQI
“The necessity of essential fatty acids” T
he epidermis and the dermis constitute the two principal layers of the skin. The horny layer of the epidermis serves as a barrier preventing water loss and invasion of microbes and irritants, while the dermis provides physical and nutritional support to the epidermis. The horny layer provides a unique structure of dead cells embedded in a hydrolipidic film, where the presence of Linoleic Acid in the lipids is necessary for an intact barrier with a well hydrated, smooth skin surface as result.
– Greet Claes –
L
in o l eic Acid imp roves th e co h esio n o f th e cells an d natur all y p rote c t s th e sk in s t r u c t ure f ro m a g gressio ns . T h e ess ential b uil din g b r ick s Lin o l eic Acid (O m e ga - 6 Fat t y Aci d ) an d Alp ha - Lin o l enic Acid (O m e ga -3 Fat t y Acid ) are n ot p ro du ce d in o ur b o d y even th o u gh th ey are an abs o lu te n e cessi t y fo r th e s y nth esis o f cell m emb r an es an d p ros t a glan dins , fo r d e fens e an d grow th m e chanisms an d fo r th e p hy sio l o gic al an d b io ch emic al p ro ce dures o f cell re g en er atio n . T h ey are als o anti - inf lammato r y, s o th ey h elp c alm an d s o oth e sk in co n di tio ns . I f Lin o l eic Acid is la ck in g dur in g th e h ealin g p ro cess o f th e sk in oth er av ailab l e f at t y a ci ds w ill rep la ce i t , b u t this w ill result in an in creas e d sk in p er m eab ili t y an d s ensi ti v i t y, o f ten l eav in g th e sk in dr y an d i tchy. Ad din g ess ential f at t y a cids thro u gh di et has a limi te d an d tim e co nsumin g ef fe c t o n sk in h ealth . T h e ep id er mal layer s o f th e sk in d o n ot co nt ain b l o o d vess els to sup p l y th e cells w i th nu t r i ent s , as b l o o d vess els are o nl y fo un d in th e d er mis . Ad di tio nall y th e s t r u c t ure o f th e ep id er mis p revent s th e circulatio n o f e x t r a cellular f luids . T h erefo re, th e o u ter layer s o f th e ep id er mis are p rov id e d w i th l ess nu t r i tio nal sup p o r t than th e un d er l y in g cells . S o h ow e f fe c ti vel y sup p l y th e ess ential f at t y a cids th en ? Fo r tunatel y th e sk in is dire c tl y af fe c te d by th e us e o f to p ic al ap p lic atio ns . To p ic al ap p lic atio n has b e en p roven to b e ver y ef f ici ent in sup p l y in g ess ential f at t y a cids to th e sk in .
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