Is the stratum corneum really thick, old and useless? Don’t over-exfoliate!

See that thin line in the picture that’s almost invisible? 🧐This line is only 0.02mm, which is equivalent to the thickness of the cuticle and thinner than plastic wrap.

Or when you put makeup on, you think it's because your cuticles are too thick; or when you have blackheads on your face, you immediately think of exfoliating them; or when you're having a beauty treatment, you hear the staff say, "Your cuticles are too thick." It’s thick and there are a lot of dead skin cells. You need to exfoliate more. If it is not absorbed, the moisturizing effect will disappear quickly.” However, the stratum corneum is not actually thick, old and useless as always thought.

important stratum corneum

The stratum corneum is the outermost layer of the skin. On healthy skin, the stratum corneum is only 0.02 mm, which is thinner than plastic wrap.

The stratum corneum is composed of 15 to 20 layers of dead keratinocytes. Although the stratum corneum is a layer of dead tissue, it shoulders two important responsibilities: one is to prevent the invasion of foreign objects🛡, and the other is to prevent water evaporation💧 . Without the stratum corneum, the body would be susceptible to infection or death from dehydration.

The Structure of the Cuticle: Bricks and Cement

The stratum corneum can resist the invasion of foreign objects and has super natural moisturizing power because of its unique "bricks and cement structure"🏠. The cross section of the stratum corneum is like a wall, the "bricks" are keratinocytes, and the "cement" that binds the bricks is lipids.

Corneous layer cells contain natural moisturizing factors, including various amino acids, salts, sugars, lactic acid, PCA, chlorine, sodium, calcium, magnesium and other ions and urea, which can be attracted and stored from the air or the basal layer of the skin. Moisture.

Lipids include molecular tinctures, fatty acids, cholesterol, glycerides and other components. Lipid components can prevent water loss from the bottom layer of the skin and maintain a tight structure of the stratum corneum.

A healthy stratum corneum should have neatly arranged cells. The tight arrangement of cells and the interlaced structure of water and oil make the stratum corneum the body's first line of defense , which can physically resist the invasion of foreign objects (such as bacteria, microorganisms and allergens). It also prevents moisture from evaporating and is the outermost natural barrier of the skin.

Easily injured cuticle😔

Although the stratum corneum has a strong defensive function, it is actually very fragile! Excessive cleansing, excessive exfoliation, physical or chemical hair removal, laser resurfacing, or using too many different types of skin care products will cause interference to the stratum corneum, and the skin will become more susceptible to external stimulation. sensitive. If the above behaviors are carried out for a long time, the structure of the cuticle will become loose. In addition to accelerating water loss and making the skin prone to dryness, it also increases the chance of invasion of foreign substances, making the skin susceptible to sensitivity and inflammation, which in turn aggravates the damage to the stratum corneum, forming a vicious cycle.

How long does it take to exfoliate? 📆

We should not "exfoliate" excessively, but should "protect" our skin properly. The basic metabolism cycle of skin cells is 28 days. The frequency of exfoliation can be determined according to the nature of the skin.

• Sensitive and dry skin: The stratum corneum is thin and the skin is fragile. Try not to exfoliate to avoid damage to the stratum corneum.
• Oily skin: Excessive oil secretion and thicker stratum corneum. Exfoliation can be done at most once a week to prevent pores from being clogged and causing acne.
• Combination skin: For areas prone to oiliness, such as the T-zone, you can exfoliate once a week; for dry areas, such as cheeks, you can exfoliate every 2 to 4 weeks.
• Normal skin: You can exfoliate every 2 to 4 weeks, or only when the face starts to look dull and rough.

In summary, don’t be fooled by the statement “the stratum corneum is very thick, so you need to exfoliate more.” Not everyone is suitable or needs exfoliation, especially when the skin is dry, sensitive, inflamed or damaged, and you should avoid being careless. Exfoliate. In addition, after removing old cuticles, the skin will become delicate and smooth, but at the same time, because the cuticle layer has become thinner, the skin will be in a more fragile state. Therefore, after exfoliating, it is recommended to add moisture to the skin, and remember to use sunscreen to protect the cuticle.

If you want to take good care of your skin, you can also adopt simple and moderate skin care steps and don’t overdo it. The most important thing is to use products that can repair the cuticle and strengthen the natural barrier of the cuticle to build a strong moisture-locking defense layer for the skin.