Is corneotherapy the most important skincare approach you've never heard of?

For many years we have been led to believe that resurfacing the skin is the answer to many skin concerns. Abrasive exfoliators, strong acids, dermaplaning and peels can quite easily lead you into a false sense of healthy, glowing skin as they remove the outermost layers of skin to reveal young, fresh skin cells.

However, thanks to an American dermatologist, Dr Albert Kligman, we now know better.

His research helped us understand that the stratum corneum, our outer layer of skin, is living, not dead as we had assumed for years. Not only is it living, but it makes up a vital skin barrier defense system and communicates with all the layers below - right down to the base of the epidermis where stem cells produce new cells. If those new cells are removed from the skin prematurely too often, that is when skin barrier issues arise.

Every week, I am seeing more and more clients with skin barrier concerns presenting in the way of red, flaky, reactive, sore, dehydrated and blemish prone skin.

Finding a better way
For a long time, I felt in my gut that there must be another way of caring for the skin. This complex organ needed and demanded more respect and this is what led me to hours, days and probably even weeks of research. Then one day, I came across the concept of corneotherapy.

Corneotherapy is an innovative way of caring for your skin, but it’s by no means a new approach. It was pioneered by Dr Albert Kligman in the 1970s who, after extensive research, came to believe that most skin conditions are basically a result of problems with your stratum corneum. So, a healthy outer layer of skin is the key to happy, healthy skin as a whole, which is an approach that really chimed with my own beliefs.

Looking for the best course in corneotherapy I spoke to Donna Glazer, a leading corneotherapist. Donna had trained with Florence Barratt-Hill, a prominent dermal science educator and author of one of the most well-respected books in skin science. Barratt-Hill sends a strong message to all practitioners, ‘one must maintain the integrity of the epidermis at all times’. My mind was blown away after that first phone call with Donna, I felt so excited at the concept of corneotherapy. I was so happy that my determination to understand more had paid off. I knew instantly that I was where I needed to be.

The corneotherapy ethos
The philosophy at the heart of corneotherapy is that the integrity of your outer layer of skin should be repaired and maintained, so that your skin defense systems are active at all times. That’s easy enough to say, but how do we go about doing that?

Corneotherapists should, first and foremost, take a customised approach, starting with a personalised skin analysis. This allows specialists, like me, to diagnose any skin issues and create bespoke treatments for each individual. After all, each and every one of us has unique
skin.

Corneotherapy in practice
In terms of the products you should use on your skin, we can look at this in two different ways. Firstly, as a preventative measure, you should avoid skincare products that contain irritants and allergens. You might be surprised at how many big brands that rules out. Secondly, as a protective measure, you should use products that strengthen your natural skin barrier, helping protect you from skin conditions and premature aging.

And this is how I came to discover the skincare range from dermaviduals, whose products are all based on the science of corneotherapy. Their skincare range is created to repair existing skin conditions, while also acting as preventative skincare. All their products are free of harsh or harmful substances that cause allergies, inflammation and irritation.

Everyone’s skin is different, but traditional skincare products take a one-size-fits-all approach. The dermaviduals range of products allows for a blending of serums and moisturisers to create treatments that suit every individual’s skin type and needs.

On the one hand, corneotherapy is a purely scientific-based approach, while on the other, the skincare products this approach has inspired are more natural than ever. If this is something that appeals to you, why not book yourself in for a bespoke skin analysis? Or if you’d like to learn more about corneotherapy, just send me a message or drop in for a chat.