Essential Fatty Acids for Healthy Skin

Essential Fatty Acids

Your skin is a metabolically active organ, made up of fatty acids, cholesterol, and ceramides.

Essential Fatty Acids are vital for our skin health; they are the building blocks for our cellular membranes; they influence many of our biological functions.

An insufficient intake results in loss of skin elasticity, dryness, poor wound healing, and increased susceptibility to premature ageing.

Metabolism of both linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid is limited in our skin and body, which is why they are considered essential nutrients.

We can’t produce them; naturally, we can obtain them from supplements, food, and topical applications.

Yet we are rarely taught the importance of essential fatty acids. Yet, with so many important biological functions of the body being governed by them, we want to share with you everything we know.

The role of essential fatty acids on your skin

They play a big role in maintaining the integrity and function of our skin:

They keep arteries healthy. 
They help limit potential damage to our arteries, which are caused by bursts of high blood sugar. They also insulate our nerve cells keeping our skin and arteries healthy, dramatically reducing the risk of a heart attack.

They balance lipids
They are a vital component for normalizing the lipids (oils) in our skin.

Your top layer of skin is made up of a layer of keratinized cells bound by lipids (oil) and water (bilayers). A skin that lacks lipids appears dull, coarse, and inflexible, in severe cases, skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis become apparent.

They repair the skin’s barrier.
Superficially fatty acids keep the lipid matrix balanced; this maintains the integrity of the skin barrier.

Essential Fatty Acids are an essential component of your cell walls; they ensure the cells’ flexibility, which gives your skin its smoothness, which is why they are so important for skin health.

They protect the environment by forming a protective film on the surface, known as your barrier function. This protective coat prevents the skin’s surface from coming into contact with allergens, thereby reducing the chance of sensitivity.

Omega-6 and omega-3 play a critical role in normal skin function and appearance.

They prevent dehydration
Lipids play a key role in keeping skin hydrated, in formulas their role is to regulate membrane fluidity, binding water to the skin tissues.

The research found when essential fatty acids are applied topically; the skin metabolises them.

The resulting free fatty acids incorporated into the lipids make up the protective barrier while decreasing water evaporation from the skin.

They restore the acid mantle.
Our acid mantle has a high content of free fatty acids; this mantle prevents foreign bodies’ penetration, bringing us back to the importance of EFA’s external and internal application.

They assist in oxygen transfer.
They encourage oxygen to be transported through your body and across your cell membranes, assisting with the oxidation of foods for energy.

They support ceramides
They are vital for the proper functioning and formation of Ceramides.

Ceramides represent a major percentage of the lipids found in your skin’s outer layer; they are important for maintaining water in the skin. The fatty acid Linoleic Acid has been linked to the formation of ceramides. Follow this link to find out about the amazing role that linoleic acid has on the body.

Different fatty acids can influence different skin conditions.

Penetration of each particular skincare oil depends on the fat molecule’s size or the chain length of the fatty acid.

Short to medium-chain fatty acids stimulate cellular metabolism, kick-starting the cell into generating energy faster, boosting a sluggish skin. Coconut oil is a good example of a medium-chain fatty acid.

Longer chain fatty acids determine how quickly fat penetrates the skin; they impart a rich, luxurious feel and alleviate dry skin conditions. Avocado oil is an example of a long-chain fatty acid.

What should be the ideal fat profile in my diet?

The name Essential Fatty Acids refers to two polyunsaturated fatty acids Omega 3 and Omega 6; both are extremely beneficial to your skin and body.

Unlike thick, saturated fats that stick together and cause congestion, these fats are runny and less inclined to stick together, because the molecules repel each other, making it more inclined to retain fluid.

What this means is that when the sebum created by your oil glands is rich in fatty acids, it finds its way easily up through the pores and out onto the surface of your skin, thus preventing congestion, helping to dissolve existing blockages.

This makes the oil-rich in these fatty acids ideal for people suffering from all sorts of conditions, ranging from acne to excessive dryness.

Omega 6 help with the structural integrity and barrier function of the skin

It is vital for producing ceramide 1 linoleate, the most important ceramide for keeping the top layers of your skin supple. A skin lacking in this results in an impaired barrier and premature ageing.

Omega 3 is great for alleviating dry skin conditions and has powerful anti-inflammatory effects.

The naked truth

We are often very selective of the fats we cut out to pursue weight loss, and everything goes, including precious Essential Fatty Acids.

However, they do not contribute to weight gain; they actually help to burn off saturated fats, aiding in weight loss and keeping your weight at bay.

This is because they produce hormone-like substances called prostaglandins, which control our metabolism and your body’s ability to burn fat.