Natural skin moisturizing factor: what it is for

Hydration is an essential factor for healthy, well-groomed and youthful looking skin. With insufficient saturation with moisture, human skin loses its healthy appearance, becomes dull, peeling and microcracks appear on it, conditions favorable for the development of the inflammatory process are created. The human body is designed in such a way that it is able to adapt to almost any conditions and protect itself in adverse situations. To regulate the level of hydration, the skin has special structures and complexes of substances, and one of them is the natural moisturizing factor, read more about it right now on estet-portal.com.

Natural moisturizing factor as a moisture component of the skin

The most superficial layer of human skin is the stratum corneum, which consists of lifeless corneocyte cells. It is he who is primarily influenced by various environmental factors.

Corneocytes contain keratin protein and substances that are able to absorb and retain moisture, the complex   of which is called the natural moisturizing factor.

Our skin needs it, first of all, to regulate its level of moisture saturation, since its healthy appearance depends on this. When the natural moisturizing factor is destroyed, moisture is lost, resulting in dehydrated, dry and damaged skin.

Natural moisturizing factor:

• structure of the skin's natural moisturizing factor;
• functions of the skin's natural moisturizing factor;
• why natural moisturizing factor can be destroyed.

The structure of the skin's natural moisturizing factor

Natural Moisturizing Factor is based on amino acids: they make up approximately 40% of all its components. The more amino acids, the better the skin is able to retain moisture. Other components of the skin moisturizing factor are:

• electrolytes of magnesium, sodium, potassium, chlorine, phosphate and calcium – 18.5%;
• pyrrolidonecarboxylic acid and its salts – 12%;
• lactic acid and its salts – 12%;
• sugar, glycerin, peptides and hyaluronic acid – 8.5%;
• urea – 7%;
• organic acids, including creatine, urocanic acid, and others – 1.5%;
• salts of citric and formic acids – 0.5%.

Natural Moisturizing Factor Functions

Natural Moisturizing Factor performs several important functions, due to which the normal level of hydration of human skin is maintained. If for any reason the functions of the moisturizing factor are violated – the skin begins to lose moisture, which leads to dehydration. Natural moisturizing factor can:

• attract and absorb moisture into corneocytes from the atmosphere;
• adjust skin moisture level;
• keep the epidermal barrier of the skin healthy;
• maintain elasticity, smoothness and firmness of the skin;
• stimulate the production of ceramides and thereby improve the barrier function of the skin;
• keep the skin exfoliation process at a sufficient level.

Why can the natural moisturizing factor be destroyed

The destruction of the natural moisturizing factor threatens with dangerous consequences for the skin: it becomes dehydrated, dry, dull and susceptible to various damaging agents. The moisturizing factor can be destroyed as a result of:

• excessive exfoliation during peels, scrubs, washes and other facial cleansing treatments;
• too frequent and prolonged water treatments that wash out the natural moisturizing factor and dry out the skin;
• excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays, which destroy the moisturizing factor and also dry out the skin;
• at low air humidity  (less than 50%) components of the skin's moisturizing factor draw water from its lower layers and give it to the air;
• Natural moisturizing factor also loses its properties with age.

The natural moisturizing factor is the most important complex of substances responsible for sufficient moisture saturation of the skin.

During its normal operation, the patient's skin will look healthy, radiant and well-groomed, so it is important to avoid various negative influences that destroy the natural moisturizing factor.