How Omega Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency Can Initiate Skin Ageing? August 6, 2022 – Posted in: Beauty, Lifestyle – Tags: ,

Essential fatty acids (EFAD) play a crucial part in skin health. Essential fatty acids include linoleic acid (LA), an omega-6 fatty acid, and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid.

 

They are a vital part of every cell in the body and they are also an essential component of the fluid lipid film coating the skin’s surface. This film maintains moisture, softness and elasticity in the skin as well as providing a protective barrier against the entry of disease-causing organisms and harmful bacteria.

 

Essential fatty acids (EFAD) are vital in helping cells retain water and assist with a barrier function. Having a fatty acid deficiency can contribute to aging, it increases trans-epidermal water loss which affects the efficacy of the enzyme activity responsible for dissolving the desmosome. Because these enzymes no longer dissolve the desmosomes as needed, this results in sticky corneocytes on the surface of the skin. Essential fatty acids (EFAD) also affect the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to skin cells, as well as the waste exchange processes of these cells. These impaired processes result in poor desquamation, which contributes to hyperkeratosis. Due to slow cell turn-over, the skin becomes dull-looking.

 

The body’s normal secretion of essential fatty acids also decreases with age, leaving a skin dry and dull-looking, characteristic of most ageing skin. So we need to ensure that our skin retains the necessary level of Omegas so as to keep our EFAD levels highs as our skin ages, and this can be done both through diet and supplements and feeding the skin directly.

 

The trend towards ‘low fat’ and ‘fat free’ diets results in many people being Omega deficient. As a result barrier function in skin can be severely compromised, and skin become prone to acne, scars easily and has an uneven skin tone. Ensuring a diet rich in essential fatty acids (EFAD) can greatly benefit the skin. Sources of EFAD include flaxseed oil, avocado oil, and olive oil.

 

Topical application is also efficient – in a recent study researchers found “Topical application of products rich in omega 3 fatty acids is a critical step in order to maintain healthy skin, prevent ageing, and improve moisture content without adding oiliness to both acne-prone and chronically dry skin.” Discover our wide range of skincare that is rich in omega oils and can help greatly in improving your skin health.