If you’re unfamiliar with the term corneotherapy, allow us to shed some light.
Corneotherapy is a holistic skin treating philosophy, based on the principle of maintaining the skin’s integrity at all times – and it’s giving traditional skincare methods a run for their money. Unlike traditional methods of treating skin, corneotherapy doesn’t perform ablative treatments, which remove the top layer of skin. Ablative treatments can include peels, microdermabrasion and deep exfoliation.
Although ablative treatments are said to reveal younger looking skin, they can actually have the opposite effect, leading to inflammation, redness, dehydration, congestion, pigmentation and accelerated ageing. This is because when we repeatedly remove too many layers of the skin, we take away from that protective barrier and expose cells to an environment they’re not ready to face. Your skin has an amazing built-in system where it exfoliates itself naturally when cellular health is optimal; a process called desquamation.
The acid mantle sits on the very top of our skin and is an invisible layer made up of skin secretions. This layer is important because it acts as our first line of immune defence, which protects us from pathogens, viruses and other potentially harmful substances. Within our acid mantle is a bacteria profile that’s 10x greater than the number of cells in our body; this is referred to as our microbiome. The term microbiome is also used in reference to our gut. This is because our skin and internal bacteria are so closely linked. Our combined microbiome profiles influence our immune system, metabolism, how we interact with drugs, and are responsible for genetic diversity.
Not all gut conditions will show in the skin, but all skin conditions stem from the gut.
We all know that if you eat right and exercise your body will look and perform at its best. The same rule applies for our skin! But more than looks, our skin and gut’s number one job is to protect our health. Breakouts of any kind, depending on where they are on the face, can indicate different types of imbalances internally, but be warned not every skin bump that appears to be acne, is. Peri oral dermatitis (an inflammatory rash involving the skin around the mouth) is often misdiagnosed as such. Dark puffy bags under the eyes with a red or purple tinge can indicate food intolerance. Hives or reactive skin are a result of a heightened histamine response produced from the gut. Hormone imbalances can come up as breakouts on the jaw and down the neck and a leaky gut can show as breakouts on the soft part of the cheek.
If you’re struggling with your skin or a skin condition, pay attention; it’s your body’s way of trying to tell you something.
