LoveSkin and Corneotherapy
LoveSkin is founded on the principles of Corneotherapy, but what is it and how does it differ from traditional approaches to skincare?
Corneotherapy is a remedial skin treatment methodology with its core principle being the repair and maintenance of the skin barrier defence systems.
Contrary to traditional teachings in the beauty and skincare, it is now widely understood that the outermost layer of corneocytes of the stratum corneum, know as the skin barrier is a biologically active cellular tissue, not dead and useless as previously thought.
The stratum corneum, and the lipid barrier, play a significant role in skin health; it can send many signals to the epidermis beneath and influences the regenerative processes in deeper layers of the skin.
This understanding of skin health, along with appropriate interventions and topical treatments is an ensemble of therapies that Dr Albert Kligman labelled “Corneotherapy”.
Corneotherapy centric skincare interventions, such as our LoveSkin ritual, have shown that a healthy functioning skin barrier, including a healthy immune system can prevent or reduce structural inflammation that is the precursor to many skin conditions such as essential fatty acid deficiency which can lead to acne and blackheads, dry skin, rough and scaly skin, and eczema.
These preventative interventions are primarily directed to correction and restoration of the stratum corneum and barrier defence systems that have become defective or impaired through diet and gut health imbalances or through environment or poor skincare practices. In our experience many traditional approaches to skin conditions, which usually address the symptoms rather than the root cause of the issue, contain ingredients which are damaging to the skin barrier.
The correct application of Corneotherapeutic principles have been shown to restore homeostasis, skin balance, and an improved function of the entire skin barrier; protecting against harmful substances and microorganisms that can trigger these conditions.
The principles of Corneotherapy can also be applied not just the correction of skin conditions, but for the supportive prevention of skin problems. The prevention of premature skin aging is an inherent outcome of this approach.
A key principle of Corneotherapy is to keep the epidermis intact, with the therapeutic actions working from the outer layers of the epidermis inward. This approach of retaining the integrity of the epidermis ensures the skin’s natural defence systems remain intact and therefore the skin remains largely unblemished.
Corneotherapy follows a logical path that investigates and defines the causes of the conditions before selecting appropriate interventions and therapeutic applications in a sequence that achieves the best outcome.
This contrasts with the more simplistic and traditional approach of treating symptoms without determining the causes.
One of the major advantages of Corneotherapy is that it is largely free of side effects in comparison with a treatment with topical pharmaceuticals and traditional skincare. Preventively applied Corneotherapy practices may extend the intervals between flare-ups and reduce or even avoid the application of medicated solutions such as steroid or cortisone-based creams.
