Corneotherapy

What is Corneotherapy?

Corneotherapy is a skin care therapy with the core principle of repairing and maintaining the skin barriers defence mechanisms. This principle requires the epidermis to be intact at all times. Corneotherapy was created by Dr Albert Kligman and his colleagues when they discovered that the stratum corneum and the lipid barrier that keeps the this layer intact plays a significant role in skin health. The stratum corneum has the ability to send signals and messages to the underlying epidermis which can influence the regenerative processes deeper within the other layers of the skin.

Previous to this discovery by Dr Kligman skincare was centred around the idea that for healthy skin the stratum corneum must be removed and changes to the acid mantle. The stratum corneum was once seem as a static layer of the skin cells or perhaps even dead skin cells. They are considered ‘dead’ due the fact that they can no longer multiply and divide.

Corneotherapy works very differently. It utilises the unique principle that the skin cannot be improved or corrected until the stratum corneum is in equilibrium. At first recovery of the stratum corneum must be achieved. The imbalance within the stratum corneum allows harmful substances to penetrate which can further enhance the disharmony resulting in the skin unable to protect itself. This means ingredients like; perfumes, mineral oils, emulisfers, which are added into the skin can create further disharmony to the skin leading to expensive skin care and repeat skin treatments not working.

The stratum corneum contrary to previous beliefs is actually dynamic and complex. Dr Kligman had a philosophy that Corneotherapy is an “outside-in” therapy, where the “outside” is the stratum corneum whilst the in are the therapeutic effects starting in the stratum corneum which then work “in” to the deeper layers of the skin.

A quote from Dr Kligman “Whenever you see inflammed skin, regardless of its primary cause, it means that the stratum corneum is leaky and permeable. But if you repair the stratum corneum that tells the underlaying tissues that they don’t have to keep reacting like there is danger in the outside environment”