Is This “Facelift In A Bottle” For Real?
It is no secret that longevity and vitality are of value in our society. Feeling our best for as many years as possible is the closest we can get to summing up the goals of health and wellness as a whole. It’s also no secret that looking young for as many years as possible is a goal common to people of all ages, starting in those as young as their early 20s.
“Anti-aging,” “fountain of youth,” products, protocols, and procedures are easy to find and hard to ignore in today’s social media and marketing landscape. Sadly, the reality is that many of these so-called-anti-aging products and fads don’t hold up to science or real-life results. It can be tough to separate
Phytoceramides, a buzzy new ingredient, have recently been recognized for their anti-aging properties. Let’s dive into the science behind them.
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What Are Phytoceramides?
Ceramides are a lipid present in the skin that protects the skin from the outside environment. The word “phyto” means plant, so anytime we’re talking about phytoceramides, we’re talking about plant ceramides.
Issues like atopic dermatitis are associated with an alteration in skin ceramides and studies have shown they can be improved with topically applied ceramide cream. (1,2)
Ceramides are polar lipids, key lipids that are already naturally present in our skin cells. They make up the barrier between our environment and our body, locking in moisture and protecting our skin from potential damage. Think: germs, pollution, allergens, and environmental irritants.
If you think of the skin barrier as "bricks and mortar," ceramides are part of the mortar holding it all together. They play a huge role in keeping your skin moisturized, glowing, and youthful. But they can only help so much. Getting to the root of wrinkles and dry skin, requires assessing the reason behind the loss of ceramides in the first place. Hint: your diet plays a huge role and supportive supplementation can help a great deal.
Benefits of ceramides for skin
- Reducing acne scar and post-acne inflammation: Phytoceramides work to restore the skin's moisture barrier, keep it smooth and healthy. This allows healing to occur more quickly and with less irritation.
- Reducing wrinkles. Top supplements have been found to reduce wrinkle depth in women by up to 9% after 56 days
- Moisturizing skin. The same top supplement worked to improve skin moisture in women by up to 19% vs placebo after 56 days.
Topical ceramides vs. dietary/supplemental
Worst: Dietary phytoceramides. It's a given that your diet should be in check to achieve glowing skin, but zero-ing on phytoceramides specifically for the purpose of beauty can be difficult to see results from.
Better: Topical ceramide and phytoceramide creams show promising clinical results and can be beneficial, especially when targeting specific areas on the face.
Best: My personal preference for using phytoceramides in this context would be to get them in the form of a targeted supplement like holi radiance. This way, you're going to see the benefits in your skin, hair, and nails vs. applying a topical agent that can likely only benefit one area at a time based on the specific cream, gel, or product.
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Dietary sources of phytoceramides
While the science so far is unsure of how well dietary ceramides are digested, when you eat foods containing something called sphingolipids your body is able to turn this into ceramides.
You'll find sphingolipids in:
- Soy products like tofu, soy-milk, and edamame
- Starches like oat, rice, and wheat
- Eggs and dairy
As mentioned above, I prefer to recommend targeted supplementation. One of my favorite supplements in this category is holi radiance, featuring phytoceramides formulated specifically for skin and hair health.
To summarize, phytoceramides can help support your skin’s barrier which improves appearance and prevents future damage. But if you’re serious about looking and feeling as young as possible, prioritizing a healthy, nourished body is the best place to start. As one of the first functional medicine telehealth clinics in the world, we provide telehealth consultations for people around the globe.
- Meckfessel, M. H., & Brandt, S. (2014). The structure, function, and importance of ceramides in skin and their use as therapeutic agents in skin-care products. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 71(1), 177-184.
- Spada, F., Barnes, T. M., & Greive, K. A. (2018). Skin hydration is significantly increased by a cream formulated to mimic the skin’s own natural moisturizing systems. Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology, 491-497.
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BY DR. WILL COLE
Dr. Will Cole, DNM, IFMCP, DC is a leading functional medicine expert who consults people around the globe, starting one of the first functional medicine telehealth centers in the world. Named one of the top 50 functional and integrative doctors in the nation, Dr. Will Cole provides a functional medicine approach for thyroid issues, autoimmune conditions, hormonal imbalances, digestive disorders, and brain problems. He is also the host of the popular The Art of Being Well podcast and the New York Times bestselling author of Intuitive Fasting, Ketotarian, Gut Feelings, and The Inflammation Spectrum.
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