Corneotherapy is a young science that has become a revolution in the world of cosmetology. Literally, it means "treatment of the stratum corneum" and is the link between cosmetics and dermatology. In this article, we will explain what it is and how it works.

A brief excursion into history

The term "corneotherapy" was first introduced by the American professor and dermatologist Albert M. Kligman in the early 90s of the last century. Today he is considered the founder of corneotherapy, a concept of preventive and curative skin care aimed at strengthening the structures of the stratum corneum. It was he who put forward the concept of "Outside-in-Therapy" - "Therapy from the outside to the inside", which means: "the external use of substances that normalize the integrity of the stratum corneum, after a while leads to an effect similar to the use of pharmacological drugs, but without side effects." Scientists have systematically studied the effects of various moisturizing ingredients through their sequential application to the skin, which led to a visible improvement in its condition. The founder of corneotherapy A. Kligman once said: "When you see inflammation of the skin, regardless of the cause, it means that the permeability of the stratum corneum is broken. But if you restore its integrity, the underlying tissues will receive a signal that there is no more danger in the environment."

What kind of stratum corneum is this?

The key principle of corneotherapy is the treatment of the stratum corneum of the skin.

And, thanks to Kligman, once thought of as a layer of dead cells whose only function is to provide an impenetrable barrier, the stratum corneum came to life.

The foundation of the stratum corneum is the corneocytes. They are a two-layer membrane connected by corneodesmosomes that are in close contact with each other and separated by narrow intercellular spaces that form a single membrane, reaching the skin surface. The stratum corneum is the topmost layer of the skin. It is on him that we apply cosmetics. The skin performs about 10 different functions, including respiratory and thermoregulatory, and the main one is protective. The skin protects us from dehydration, penetration of microorganisms, solar radiation, dust, dirt, smog.

How does corneotherapy work?

The main principle of corneotherapy is to use ingredients related to the skin in cosmetic products and avoid products with harmful substances such as irritants and allergens, fragrances, preservatives, dyes, emulsifiers. The internal structures of the skin are made up of water, fatty acids, triglycerides, ceramides and cholesterol. So, a wonderful alternative to mineral products are fatty acids contained in natural oils, which are similar in composition to the stratum corneum. Also an important component of the barrier is cholesterol, which can be replaced by argan oil, which contains a high percentage of plant sterols related to cholesterol.

Thus, corneotherapy is a very effective means of a new generation in the care of different skin types, aimed at restoring and protecting the damaged stratum corneum.

To keep your stratum corneum in order, pay attention to skin care products containing valuable vegetable oils. They are needed by any skin, you just need to choose them correctly in accordance with the type of skin.